CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of October 7, 2005 among WADDELL & REED FINANCIAL, INC., The Lenders Party Hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Syndication Agent $200,000,000 REVOLVING CREDIT AND COMPETITIVE...
Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION COPY
dated as of
October 7, 2005
among
XXXXXXX & XXXX FINANCIAL, INC.,
The Lenders Party Hereto,
and
JPMORGAN CHASE
BANK,
as Administrative Agent
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Syndication Agent
$200,000,000 REVOLVING CREDIT AND COMPETITIVE ADVANCE FACILITY
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
and
BANC OF
AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as Lead Arrangers and Book Managers
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SECTION 6.05. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions; Hedging Agreements |
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SECTION 6.13. Optional Payments and Modifications of Certain Debt Instruments |
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ii
THIS CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of October 7, 2005, among Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the several financial institutions from time to time party to this Agreement (collectively, the “Lenders” and each individually, a “Lender”), JPMORGAN CHASE BANK (“JPMorgan”), as administrative agent for the Lenders (herein in such capacity, together with any successors thereto in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as syndication agent (in such capacity, the “Syndication Agent”).
ARTICLE
I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Aggregate Revenue Base” means the sum of Revenue Bases for all W&R Funds and for all other assets managed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower for other entities.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, or (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or
the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any assignments.
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum determined pursuant to the Pricing Grid attached hereto as Annex A.
“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender, or (c) an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
“Assignment and Acceptance” means an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Revolving Credit Termination Date or the date of termination of the Commitments.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Borrower” means Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (b) a Competitive Loan or group of Competitive Loans of the same Type made on the same date and as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
“Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, with respect to any Person, the aggregate of all expenditures by such Person and its Subsidiaries for the acquisition or leasing (pursuant to a capital lease) of fixed or capital assets or additions to equipment (including replacements, capitalized repairs and improvements during such period) that should be capitalized under GAAP on a consolidated balance sheet of such Person and its Subsidiaries.
“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use)
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real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation) and any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.
“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) other than the Borrower, of shares representing more than 25% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower, (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated, or (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group.
“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement, or (c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.13(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.
“Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Competitive Loans.
“Closing Date” means the date on which the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.01 shall have been satisfied, which date is October 7, 2005.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.07, (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04, and (c) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.18. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable, and the initial aggregate amount of the Commitments of the Lenders (as set forth on Schedule 2.01) is $200,000,000.
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“Commitment Utilization Percentage” means, on any day, the percentage equivalent of a fraction (a) the numerator of which is the sum of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans, and (b) the denominator of which is the aggregate amount of the Commitments (or, on any day after termination of the Commitments, the aggregate amount of the Commitments in effect immediately preceding such termination).
“Competitive Bid” means an offer by a Lender to make a Competitive Loan in accordance with Section 2.04.
“Competitive Bid Rate” means, with respect to any Competitive Bid, the Margin or the Fixed Rate, as applicable, offered by the Lender making such Competitive Bid.
“Competitive Bid Request” means a request by the Borrower for Competitive Bids in accordance with Section 2.04.
“Competitive Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.04.
“Confidential Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated September 2005 and furnished to the Lenders.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus, without duplication and to the extent reflected as a charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) income tax expense, (b) interest expense, amortization or writeoff of debt discount and debt issuance costs and commissions, discounts and other fees and charges associated with Indebtedness (including the Loans), (c) depreciation and amortization expense, (d) amortization of intangibles (including, but not limited to, goodwill) and organization costs, (e) any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring non-cash expenses or losses (including, whether or not otherwise includable as a separate item in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, non-cash losses on sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business), provided, that the amounts referred to in this clause (e) shall not, in the aggregate, exceed $1,000,000 for any fiscal year of the Borrower, and (f) any other non-cash charges. For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (each, a “Reference Period”) pursuant to any determination of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, (i) if at any time during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made any Material Disposition, the Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the subject of such Material Disposition for such Reference Period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative) attributable thereto for such Reference Period, and (ii) if during such Reference Period the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have made a Material Acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Material Acquisition occurred on the first day of such Reference Period. As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes assets comprising all or substantially all of an operating unit of a business or constitutes all or substantially all of the common stock of a Person and (b) involves the payment of consideration by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in excess of $1,000,000; and “Material
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Disposition” means any Disposition of property or series of related Dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of $1,000,000.
“Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs under Hedging Agreements in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP).
“Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as at the last day of any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt on such day to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for such period.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions, and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any Contractual Obligation or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.
“Consolidated Total Debt” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
“Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
“Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06 or otherwise delivered in writing to each of the Lenders on or prior to the Closing Date.
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“Distribution Fees” means all fees payable pursuant to a plan contemplated by Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, in connection with the distribution of shares of W&R Funds that are open-end funds.
“dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions precedent specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment, or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived), (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan, (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan, (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan, or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a
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determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate (or, in the case of a Competitive Loan, the LIBO Rate).
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
“Excess Utilization Day” means each day on which the Commitment Utilization Percentage exceeds the applicable percentage set forth in Section 2.10(b)(i) or Section 2.10(b)(ii).
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.17(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability to comply with Section 2.15(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender’s assignor (if any) was entitled, at the time of assignment, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.15(a).
“Existing Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement dated as of October 8, 2004, among the Borrower, certain financial institutions and the Administrative Agent.
“Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
“Fixed Rate” means, with respect to any Competitive Loan (other than a Eurodollar Competitive Loan), the fixed rate of interest per annum specified by the Lender making such Competitive Loan in its related Competitive Bid.
“Fixed Rate Loan” means a Competitive Loan bearing interest at a Fixed Rate.
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“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“Fund” means any Person that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body (including self-regulatory body), court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government, including, in any event, the Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable state securities commission or similar body.
“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Hedging Agreement” means any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging arrangement.
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all
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obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, and (k) net liabilities of such Person under Hedging Agreements. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.06.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three months’ duration, after the first day of such Interest Period, and (c) with respect to any Fixed Rate Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than 90 days’ duration (unless otherwise specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request), each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of 90 days’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and any other dates that are specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request as Interest Payment Dates with respect to such Borrowing.
“Interest Period” means (a) with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect, and (b) with respect to any Fixed Rate Borrowing, the period (which shall not be less than seven days or more than 364 days) commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the date specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day
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for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period, and (iii) any Interest Period that would otherwise extend beyond the Revolving Credit Termination Date shall end on the Revolving Credit Termination Date or such date of final payment, as the case may be. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Acceptance.
“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on the Telerate Markets Screen (or on any successor or substitute page of such Screen, or any successor to or substitute for such Screen, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Screen, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset, and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
“Management Contract” means an agreement, written or oral, pursuant to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower provides (a) investment advisory, management or administrative services to a W&R Fund, or (b) investment advisory or management services to any Person, including, without limitation, unregistered investment companies and personal or corporate investment accounts.
“Margin” means, with respect to any Competitive Loan bearing interest at a rate based on the LIBO Rate, the marginal rate of interest, if any, to be added to or subtracted from the LIBO Rate to determine the rate of interest applicable to such Loan, as specified by the Lender making such Loan in its related Competitive Bid.
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“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder.
“Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.
“Moody’s” means Xxxxx’x Investors Service, Inc.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“Net Asset Value” means, at any date of determination and with respect to any investment company or account manager, the “current net asset” value (as defined in Rule 2a-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), in the aggregate, of all outstanding redeemable securities issued by such investment company at such date.
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.
“Permitted Acquisition” means an acquisition of a Person, or the assets of a Person or a line of business of a Person, in the same or a related line of business as the Borrower, provided that after giving effect to such acquisition (a) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (b) the Borrower shall be in compliance, on a pro forma basis, as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower with the provisions of Section 6.01, and (c) in the case of an acquisition involving aggregate consideration valued at $20,000,000 or more, at least three Business Days prior to the date of such acquisition, the Borrower shall have furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a compliance certificate to the effect of clauses (a) and (b) showing in reasonable detail the calculations supporting the determination of compliance, on such a pro forma basis, with such provisions.
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“Permitted Encumbrances” means:
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(b) Carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(e) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and
(f) judgment Liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII, so long as such judgment Liens are not in effect for more than 45 days;
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, an investment-grade credit rating from S&P or from Xxxxx’x;
(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 540 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;
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(d) investments in newly created funds or investments intended for sale to newly created funds advised or managed by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in an aggregate amount (based upon book value on the books of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) of not more than $40,000,000 at any time;
(e) investments in funds advised or managed by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the benefit of the Borrower’s and its Subsidiaries’ senior executives and portfolio management personnel in conjunction with various nonqualified deferral compensation arrangements adopted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in an aggregate amount (based on book value on the books of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) of not more than $25,000,000 at any time;
(f) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and
(g) other than those contained in (a), (b), (c) and (e) above, United States dollar denominated fixed income securities and syndicated bank loans not to exceed $7,500,000 per issuer, with the exception of United States government securities, and not to exceed $7,500,000 per country, with the exception of the United States of America.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing at least 51% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, for purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII or the Commitments expire or terminate, the outstanding Competitive Loans of the Lenders shall be included in their respective Revolving Credit Exposures in determining the Required Lenders.
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“Requirement of Law” means, as to any Person, the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.
“Restricted Payment” means (a) any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any shares of any class of capital stock of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or (b) any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, for (i) the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any shares of the Borrower’s capital stock, or (ii) any option, warrant or other right to acquire any shares of the Borrower’s capital stock.
“Revenue Base” means the sum of (a) the product of (i) with respect to each W&R Fund, the Net Asset Value of the W&R Fund on the date of calculation and with respect to assets managed for other entities, the market value or Net Asset Value of such assets on the date of calculation, and (ii) the rate provided for in the applicable Management Contract for determining the annual fee required for such advisory, management or administrative services on such date, and (b) Distribution Fees for such W&R Fund.
“Revolving Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans at such time.
“Revolving Credit Termination Date” means October 6, 2008 or such earlier date as the Commitments shall terminate pursuant to the terms hereof (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).
“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.
“Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board or other Governmental Authority to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate. Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D of the Board. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of
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which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Syndication Agent” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement, the borrowing of Loans and the use of the proceeds thereof.
“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, the Alternate Base Rate or, in the case of a Competitive Loan or Borrowing, the LIBO Rate or a Fixed Rate.
“W&R Fund” means all closed-end funds and open-end mutual funds sponsored by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or for which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries provides investment advisory, management, administrative, supervisory, consulting, underwriting or similar services.
“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing”).
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SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.
ARTICLE
II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment, or (b) the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.
SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings. (a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. Each Competitive Loan shall be made in
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accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.04. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments and Competitive Bids of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.12, (i) each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith, and (ii) each Competitive Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of Eurodollar Loans or Fixed Rate Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments. Each Competitive Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten (10) Eurodollar Revolving Borrowings outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Revolving Credit Termination Date.
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time (a) three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, or (b) one (1) Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of an ABR Borrowing. Each such telephonic Revolving Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Revolving Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Revolving Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;
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(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and
(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05.
If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Revolving Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04. Competitive Bid Procedure. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the Availability Period the Borrower may request Competitive Bids and may (but shall not have any obligation to) accept Competitive Bids and borrow Competitive Loans; provided that the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans at any time shall not exceed the total Commitments. To request Competitive Bids, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, four (4) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing and, in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, one (1) Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that the Borrower may submit up to (but not more than) two (2) Competitive Bid Requests on the same day, but a Competitive Bid Request shall not be made within five (5) Business Days after the date of any previous Competitive Bid Request, unless any and all such previous Competitive Bid Requests shall have been withdrawn or all Competitive Bids received in response thereto rejected. Each such telephonic Competitive Bid Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Competitive Bid Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Competitive Bid Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing or a Fixed Rate Borrowing;
(iv) the Interest Period to be applicable to such Borrowing, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”;
(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.05; and
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(vi) the maturity date of such Borrowing, which shall not be less than seven (7) or more than 364 days from the date of such Borrowing and shall not be later than the Revolving Credit Termination Date.
Promptly following receipt of a Competitive Bid Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of the details thereof by telecopy, inviting the Lenders to submit Competitive Bids.
(b) Each Lender may (but shall not have any obligation to) make one (1) or more Competitive Bids to the Borrower in response to a Competitive Bid Request. Each Competitive Bid by a Lender must be substantially in the form of Exhibit D and must be received by the Administrative Agent by telecopy, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing. Competitive Bids that do not conform substantially to the form of Exhibit D may be rejected by the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent shall notify the applicable Lender as promptly as practicable. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (i) the principal amount (which shall be a minimum of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and which may equal the entire principal amount of the Competitive Borrowing requested by the Borrower) of the Competitive Loan or Loans that the Lender is willing to make, (ii) the Competitive Bid Rate or Rates at which the Lender is prepared to make such Loan or Loans (expressed as a percentage rate per annum in the form of a decimal to no more than four decimal places), and (iii) the Interest Period applicable to each such Loan and the last day thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower by telecopy of the Competitive Bid Rate and the principal amount specified in each Competitive Bid and the identity of the Lender that shall have made such Competitive Bid.
(d) Subject only to the provisions of this paragraph, the Borrower may accept or reject any Competitive Bid. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone, confirmed by telecopy in a form approved by the Administrative Agent, whether and to what extent it has decided to accept or reject each Competitive Bid, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Competitive Borrowing, and in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:30 a.m., New York City time, on the proposed date of the Competitive Borrowing; provided that (i) the failure of the Borrower to give such notice shall be deemed to be a rejection of each Competitive Bid, (ii) the Borrower shall not accept a Competitive Bid made at a particular Competitive Bid Rate if the Borrower rejects a Competitive Bid made at a lower Competitive Bid Rate, (iii) the aggregate amount of the Competitive Bids accepted by the Borrower shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the requested Competitive Borrowing specified in the related Competitive Bid Request, (iv) to the extent necessary to comply with clause (iii) above, the Borrower may accept Competitive Bids at the same Competitive Bid Rate in part, which acceptance, in the case of multiple Competitive Bids at such Competitive Bid Rate, shall be made pro rata in accordance with the amount of each such Competitive Bid, and (v) except pursuant to clause (iv) above, no Competitive Bid shall be accepted for a Competitive Loan unless such Competitive Loan is in a minimum principal
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amount of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000,000; provided further that if a Competitive Loan must be in an amount less than $5,000,000 because of the provisions of clause (iv) above, such Competitive Loan may be for a minimum of $1,000,000 or any integral multiple thereof, and in calculating the pro rata allocation of acceptances of portions of multiple Competitive Bids at a particular Competitive Bid Rate pursuant to clause (iv) the amounts shall be rounded to integral multiples of $1,000,000 in a manner determined by the Borrower. A notice given by the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph shall be irrevocable.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each bidding Lender by telecopy whether or not its Competitive Bid has been accepted (and, if so, the amount and Competitive Bid Rate so accepted), and each successful bidder will thereupon become bound, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, to make the Competitive Loan in respect of which its Competitive Bid has been accepted.
(f) If the Administrative Agent shall elect to submit a Competitive Bid in its capacity as a Lender, it shall submit such Competitive Bid directly to the Borrower at least one quarter of an hour earlier than the time by which the other Lenders are required to submit their Competitive Bids to the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.
SECTION 2.05. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Borrower in the applicable Revolving Borrowing Request or Competitive Bid Request.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Effective Rate, or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
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SECTION 2.06. Interest Elections. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Revolving Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Revolving Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Competitive Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Revolving Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower.
(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.
If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.
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(e) If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be continued as a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing with an Interest Period of one month. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, (i) if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (A) no outstanding Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (B) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, and (ii) no Revolving Loan may be converted into or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing after the date that is one month or 30 days, respectively, prior to the Revolving Credit Termination Date, as the case may be.
SECTION 2.07. Termination and Reduction of Commitments. (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Credit Termination Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000, and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.09, the sum of the Revolving Credit Exposures plus the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Competitive Loans would exceed the total Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
SECTION 2.08. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender (i) the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Revolving Credit Termination Date (or such earlier date on which the Revolving Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII), and (ii) the then unpaid principal amount of each Competitive Loan on the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan (or such earlier date on which the Competitive Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII).
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(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder, and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION 2.09. Prepayment of Loans. (a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that the Borrower shall not have the right to prepay any Competitive Loan without the prior consent of the Lender thereof.
(b) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one (1) Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.07, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.07. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a
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Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.11.
SECTION 2.10. Fees. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the Commitment of such Lender (whether used or unused), during the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any outstanding Loans after its Commitment terminates, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the daily amount of such Lender’s outstanding Loans from and including the date on which its Commitment terminates to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any outstanding Loans. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a utilization fee equal to (i) 0.125% per annum for each day on which the Commitment Utilization Percentage exceeds 50%, which fee shall accrue on the daily amount of such Lender’s outstanding Loans for each Excess Utilization Day during the period from and including the day on which the Commitment Utilization Percentage exceeds 50% to but excluding the day on which the Commitment Utilization Percentage no longer exceeds 50%. Accrued utilization fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any utilization fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All utilization fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent for distribution, in the case of facility fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.11. Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate, or (ii) in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus (or minus, as applicable) the Margin applicable to such Loan.
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(c) Each Fixed Rate Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Fixed Rate applicable to such Loan.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided above, or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided above.
(e) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment, (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurodollar Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion, and (iv) all accrued interest shall be payable upon termination of the Commitments.
(f) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.12. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders (or, in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the Lender that is required to make such Loan) that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing
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to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective, (ii) if any Revolving Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing, and (iii) any request by the Borrower for a Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing shall be ineffective; provided that (A) if the circumstances giving rise to such notice do not affect all the Lenders, then requests by the Borrower for Eurodollar Competitive Borrowings may be made to Lenders that are not affected thereby, and (B) if the circumstances giving rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.
SECTION 2.13. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans or Fixed Rate Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made hereunder, to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than six (6) months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or
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reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, a Lender shall not be entitled to compensation pursuant to this Section in respect of any Competitive Loan if the Change in Law that would otherwise entitle it to such compensation shall have been publicly announced prior to submission of the Competitive Bid pursuant to which such Loan was made.
SECTION 2.14. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Revolving Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice is permitted to be revocable under Section 2.09(b) and is revoked in accordance herewith), (d) the failure to borrow any Competitive Loan after accepting the Competitive Bid to make such Loan, or (e) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.17, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, the loss to any Lender attributable to any such event shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that such Lender would pay for a deposit equal to the principal amount of such Loan for the period from the date of such payment, conversion, failure or assignment to the last day of the then current Interest Period for such Loan (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, the duration of the Interest Period that would have resulted from such borrowing, conversion or continuation) if the interest rate payable on such deposit were equal to the Adjusted LIBO Rate (in the case of a Eurodollar Loan) for such Interest Period, over (ii) the amount of interest that such Lender would earn on such principal amount for such period if such Lender were to invest such principal amount for such period at the interest rate that would be bid by such Lender (or an affiliate of such Lender) for dollar deposits from other banks in the eurodollar market at the commencement of such period. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.15. Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or an account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions, and (iii) the Borrower shall
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pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.
SECTION 2.16. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs. (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees, or under Section 2.13, 2.14 or 2.15, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent, c/o The Loan and Agency Services Group at the address set forth in Section 9.01, except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
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(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, to pay interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, to pay principal then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the Federal Funds Effective Rate.
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(b) or 2.16(d), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
SECTION 2.17. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13, or if the Borrower is required to pay any
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additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.13 or 2.15, as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.13, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.15, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement (other than any outstanding Competitive Loans held by it) to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans (other than Competitive Loans), accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts), and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.13 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.15, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
SECTION 2.18. New Lenders; Commitment Increases. (a) With the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (which, in the case of the Administrative Agent, shall not be unreasonably withheld), (i) one or more additional banks or other financial institutions may become a party to this Agreement by executing a supplement hereto, in form and substance satisfactory to such bank or other financial institution, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, whereupon such bank or other financial institution (a “New Lender”) shall become a Lender for all purposes hereof and to the same extent as if originally a party hereto and shall be bound by and entitled to the benefits of this Agreement, and Schedule 2.01 hereto shall be deemed to be amended to add the name, address and Commitment of such New Lender, and (ii) any Lender may increase the amount of its Commitment by executing a supplement hereto, in form and substance satisfactory to such Lender, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, whereupon such Lender shall be bound by and entitled to the benefits of this Agreement with respect to the full amount of its Commitment as so increased, and Schedule 2.01 hereto shall be deemed to be amended to reflect such increase in the Commitment of such Lender. In no event may the aggregate Commitments be increased above $300,000,000 pursuant to any supplement described in this Section 2.18(a).
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(b) If on the date upon which a bank or other financial institution becomes a New Lender or upon which a Lender’s Commitment is changed pursuant to Section 2.18(a), any Revolving Loans are then outstanding, the Borrower shall borrow Revolving Loans from such Lender in such amount and with such Interest Period such that, after giving effect thereto, the quotient of (x) the Revolving Loan of such Lender of each Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, with each Interest Period and (y) such Lender’s Commitment is equal to the corresponding comparable quotient of each other Lender. Any Eurodollar Borrowing borrowed pursuant to the preceding sentence shall bear interest at a rate equal to the respective interest rates then applicable to the Eurodollar Revolving Loans of the other Lenders or such other rate as may be agreed upon by the Borrower and such Lender.
ARTICLE
III
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Effect. (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal years ended 2003 and
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2004, reported on by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarters and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005 and June 30, 2005, certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries do not have any Guarantees, contingent liabilities, or any long-term leases or unusual forward or long-term commitments, including any interest rate or foreign currency swap or exchange transaction or other obligation in respect of derivatives, in each case, that are required by GAAP to be reflected or disclosed in such financial statements, that are not reflected or disclosed in the most recent financial statements referred to in this paragraph, except as disclosed on Schedule 3.04.
(b) Since December 31, 2004, there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters).
SECTION 3.05. Properties. (a) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to its business, and none of such property is subject to any Lien except as permitted by Section 6.03.
(b) Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters. (a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters), or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability, or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.
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SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments (including any material investment advisory or management agreements) binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.08. Investment and Holding Company Status. (a) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) an “investment company”, or a company “controlled” by an “investment company”, each as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, or (ii) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. Except for net capital and other requirements imposed on registered broker-dealers, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to any regulation under any Requirement of Law (other than Regulation X of the Board) that limits its ability to incur Indebtedness.
(b) The Borrower and each Subsidiary of the Borrower which is engaged in investment advisory or investment management activities is, and at all times will be, duly registered as an investment adviser as and to the extent required under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended; and each Subsidiary of the Borrower which is engaged in broker-dealer business is, and at all times will be, duly registered as a broker-dealer as and to the extent required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and, as and to the extent required, is, and at all times will be, a member in good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves, or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $5,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $10,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans.
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SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed or made available to the Lenders all agreements and instruments to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or furnished to the Lenders pursuant hereto (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information and forward-looking statements, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
SECTION 3.12. No Default. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default under or with respect to any of its Contractual Obligations in any respect that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION 3.13. Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower in writing from time to time after the Closing Date, (a) Schedule 3.13 sets forth the name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each Subsidiary and, as to each such Subsidiary, the percentage of each class of Capital Stock owned by the Borrower, and (b) there are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights or other agreements or commitments (other than stock options or restricted stock granted to employees or directors and directors’ qualifying shares) of any nature relating to any Capital Stock of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
SECTION 3.14. Federal Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loans will be used for “buying” or “carrying” any “margin stock” within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect in any manner that violates the provisions of the Regulations of the Board or for any other purpose that violates the provisions of the Regulations of the Board. If requested by any Lender or the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form G-3 or FR Form U-1, as applicable, referred to in Regulation U. No more than 25% of the consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding treasury shares) consist of “margin stock” under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect.
SECTION 3.15. No Burdensome Restrictions. No Requirement of Law or Contractual Obligation of the Borrower could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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ARTICLE
IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions precedent is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party, or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of the General Counsel of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request. The Borrower hereby requests such counsel to deliver such opinion.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 without giving effect to the parenthetical set forth in paragraph (a) of Section 4.02.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that simultaneously with the making of the initial Loans on the Closing Date, the Borrower will have repaid in full all amounts outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement and the commitments of the lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement will have been terminated, and the Administrative Agent shall have received the promissory notes issued under the Existing Credit Agreement marked “cancelled”.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower hereunder.
(g) All governmental and third party approvals necessary in connection with the continuing operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect, and all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any action being taken or threatened by any competent authority that
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would restrain, prevent or otherwise impose adverse conditions on the financing contemplated hereby.
(h) The Lenders shall have received (a) audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the 2003 and 2004 fiscal years, and (b) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (a) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Lenders, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower, as reflected in the financial statements or projections contained in the Confidential Information Memorandum.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 7, 2005 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing (including, without limitation, its initial Loan) is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement (with the exception of the representation and warranty contained in Section 3.04(b)) shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
Each Borrowing and the increase of the aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.18 shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section (with references to “such Borrowing” being deemed to be references to any such increase, as appropriate), provided that such increase of the aggregate Commitments shall also be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that the matters specified in Section 3.04(b) are true and correct on and as of the date thereof.
ARTICLE
V
Affirmative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
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SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the annual report of the Borrower on Form 10-K filed by the Borrower with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission;
(b) within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the quarterly report of the Borrower on Form 10- Q filed by the Borrower with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission;
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.01, and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(d) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all annual reports on Form 10-K, all quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, all reports on Form 8-K (except for such reports required to be filed pursuant to Item 2.02 of Form 8-K) and all proxy statements, filed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;
(e) after the end of each calendar month, (i) a schedule of the Net Asset Value of the investment companies and accounts managed by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the last day of such calendar month and certain other information, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1, and (ii) a schedule showing the calculation of the Aggregate Revenue Base as of the end of such calendar month, and an analysis of changes from the preceding calendar month, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2, or in such other form as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and
(f) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
Information required to be delivered pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date on which the Borrower provides notice to the Administrative Agent, or the Administrative Agent gives notice to the Lenders, as the case may
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be, that such information has been posted on the Borrower’s website at the address listed in such notice and accessible by the Lenders without charge, or on the IntraLinks website (with customary e-mail notification of any such posting to the IntraLinks website); provided that the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of the reports and financial statements referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 5.01 to the Administrative Agent or any Lender who requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until written notice to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender.
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000,000;
(d) any suspension or termination of the registration of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or any cancellation or expiration without renewal of any material investment advisory agreement or similar contract to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is a party; and
(e) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto. The Borrower may, by delivering to the Administrative Agent written notice specifically referring to this Section 5.02, notify the Lenders that the Borrower wishes to amend any Schedule to this Agreement to include information about events, occurrences, or transactions arising after the Closing Date that would render untrue any representation or warranty by the Borrower under or pursuant to this Agreement. Such amendment will be deemed effective as of the date that such notice is delivered to the Administrative Agent upon the Administrative Agent giving notice to the Borrower and the Lenders within 10 Business Days from the receipt thereof that the Required Lenders have consented thereto.
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall
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not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.04, and (b) comply with all Contractual Obligations and Requirements of Law except to the extent that failure to comply therewith could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP, and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and maintain all registrations and memberships with any Governmental Authority, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will be used to finance the payment by the Borrower of outstanding Indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement, to pay related fees and expenses and for general corporate purposes, including but not limited (a) to repurchase shares of the Borrower’s Class A Common Stock, and (b) to consummate Permitted Acquisitions. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations U and X.
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SECTION 5.09. Environmental Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) comply in all material respects with all applicable Environmental Laws, and obtain and comply in all material respects with and maintain any and all licenses, approvals, notifications, registrations or permits required by applicable Environmental Laws, and (b) conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under Environmental Laws and promptly comply in all material respects with all lawful orders and directives of all Governmental Authorities regarding Environmental Laws, except in each case to the extent that non-compliance therewith could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01. Financial Condition Covenants.
(a) Consolidated Leverage Ratio. The Borrower shall not permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as at the last day of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending with any fiscal quarter to equal or exceed the ratio of 3.0 to 1.0.
(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. The Borrower shall not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower ending with any fiscal quarter to be less than or equal to the ratio of 4.0 to 1.0.
SECTION 6.02. Indebtedness. The Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02, but not any extensions, renewals or replacements of any such Indebtedness and without increasing, or shortening the maturity of, the principal amount thereof;
(b) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(c) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (d) shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding;
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(d) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof; provided that such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary;
(e) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary as an account party in respect of trade letters of credit; and
(f) Other unsecured Indebtedness (including unsecured Guarantees of Indebtedness of the Borrower) in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $25,000,000 at any time outstanding.
SECTION 6.03. Liens. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances;
(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.03; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof;
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be; and
(d) Liens on property, plant and equipment acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (d) of Section 6.02, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 70% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such property, plant and equipment, and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
SECTION 6.04. Fundamental Changes. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving
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effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any other Person, including a Subsidiary, may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary, (iii) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary, (iv) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders, and (v) the Borrower may merge into or consolidate with another Person in a transaction in which such other Person is the surviving entity if such other Person is organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States or any State thereof and by operation of law or otherwise assumes all obligations of the Borrower hereunder and such assumption is evidenced by an opinion of counsel to such other Person satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.05.
(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.
SECTION 6.05. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions; Hedging Agreements. (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:
(i) Permitted Investments;
(ii) investments by the Borrower existing on the date hereof in the capital stock of its Subsidiaries;
(iii) loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary;
(iv) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.02;
(v) Permitted Acquisitions; and
(vi) other investments, loans, advances, guarantees or acquisitions in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $25,000,000 at any time outstanding.
(b) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Hedging Agreement, other than Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course
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of business to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is exposed in the conduct of its business or the management of its liabilities.
SECTION 6.06. Restricted Payments. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to its capital stock provided that, in the case of any such declaration or payment by the Borrower, no Default or Event of Default has occurred or is continuing or would result therefrom, (b) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and (c) the Borrower may, in addition to the foregoing, repurchase shares of the Borrower’s Class A Common Stock and options therefor granted by the Borrower pursuant to its employee stock option plans.
SECTION 6.07. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its wholly owned Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, and (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06.
SECTION 6.08. Restrictive Agreements. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.08 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.
SECTION 6.09. Capital Expenditures. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make or commit to make any Capital Expenditure, except Capital Expenditures of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business not exceeding $40,000,000 in the aggregate from the date hereof.
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SECTION 6.10. Sales and Leasebacks. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of real or personal property that has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or such Subsidiary to such Person or to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such property or rental obligations of the Borrower or such Subsidiary (a “Sale/Leaseback Transaction”), except Sale/Leaseback Transactions entered into with respect to the real property listed on Schedule 6.10.
SECTION 6.11. Changes in Fiscal Periods. The Borrower will not permit the fiscal year of the Borrower to end on a day other than December 31 or change the Borrower’s method of determining fiscal quarters.
SECTION 6.12. Negative Pledge Clauses. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any agreement that prohibits or limits the ability of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to secure its obligations under this Agreement other than (a) this Agreement, and (b) any agreements governing any purchase money Liens or Capital Lease Obligations otherwise permitted hereby (in which case, any prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the assets financed thereby).
SECTION 6.13. Optional Payments and Modifications of Certain Debt Instruments. The Borrower will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to make or offer to make any optional or voluntary payment, prepayment, repurchase or redemption of or otherwise optionally or voluntarily defease any Indebtedness, or amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, or consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms relating to the payment or prepayment of principal of or interest on, any such Indebtedness (other than any such amendment, modification, waiver or other change that would extend the maturity or reduce the amount of any payment of principal thereof or reduce the rate or extend any date for payment of interest thereon).
If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five (5) days;
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(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any amendment or modification hereof, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (given at the request of any Lender) to the Borrower;
(f) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable;
(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part
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of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(j) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or
(m) a Change in Control shall occur;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and/or (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; and in case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
Except as provided below, each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
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The bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing by the Required Lenders, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made by any other Person in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered by any other Person hereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness (other than its own due execution) or genuineness of this Agreement or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through Related Parties of the Administrative Agent. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent, and shall apply to their activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
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Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for its benefit in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was acting as Administrative Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
SECTION 9.01. Notices. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(a) if to the Borrower, to it at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000, with a copy to Xxxxx X. Hills (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000);
(b) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, c/o Agent Bank Services Group, 0000 Xxxxxx - 00xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention of Xxxx Xxxxxx (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention of Xxxxxx Xxxx (Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000); and
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(c) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.
SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.16(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) increase the aggregate Commitments above $300,000,000, without the written consent of each Lender, or (vi) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable, documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates in amounts previously agreed to in writing and the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of this Agreement or any
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amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), and (ii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made, including in connection with any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect thereof.
(b) The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or the use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than five (5) days after written demand therefor.
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any
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of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that (i) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent must give their prior written consent to such assignment (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (ii) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment, and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to a Lender, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Acceptance with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 or, unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, (iii) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loan or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (iii) shall not apply to rights in respect of outstanding Competitive Loans, (iv) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Acceptance, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, and (v) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire; provided further that any consent of the Borrower otherwise required under this paragraph shall not be required if an Event of Default under clause (h) or (i) of Article VII has occurred and is continuing. Upon acceptance and recording pursuant to paragraph (d) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Acceptance, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Acceptance, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Acceptance covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (e) of this Section.
(c) The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in The City of New York a copy of each Assignment and Acceptance delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the
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Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.
(d) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Acceptance executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Acceptance and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(e) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (f) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.
(f) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.13 or 2.15 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.15 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.15(e) as though it were a Lender.
(g) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation (i) any such pledge or assignment to a Federal Reserve Bank, and (ii) in the case of any Lender that is a Fund, any pledge or assignment of all or any portion of such Lender’s rights under this Agreement to any holders of obligations owed, or securities issued, by such Lender as security for such obligations or securities, or to any trustee for, or any other representative of such holders and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender
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from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time owing by such Lender to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
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SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
(b) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
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SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (g) with the consent of the Borrower, or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section, (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower, or (iii) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization or nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender’s investment portfolio in connection with rating issued with respect to such Lender. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
SECTION 9.13. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender which is subject to Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), hereby notifies the Borrower that, pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes
55
the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.
56
PRICING GRID
|
|
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Xxxxx 0 |
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Xxxxx 0 |
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Xxxxx 0 |
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Xxxxx 0 |
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Xxxxx 5 |
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S&P Rating: |
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A- or better |
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BBB+ |
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BBB |
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BBB- |
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Less than BBB- |
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Xxxxx’x Rating: |
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A3 or better |
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Xxx0 |
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Xxx0 |
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Xxx0 |
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Less than Baa3 |
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ABR Loans’ Applicable Margin |
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0 |
% |
0 |
% |
0 |
% |
0 |
% |
0 |
% |
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|
Eurodollar Loans’ Applicable Margin |
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0.295 |
% |
0.400 |
% |
0.500 |
% |
0.600 |
% |
0.825 |
% |
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Facility Fee Rate |
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0.080 |
% |
0.100 |
% |
0.125 |
% |
0.150 |
% |
0.175 |
% |
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Utilization Fee Rate |
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0.125 |
% |
0.125 |
% |
0.125 |
% |
0.125 |
% |
0.125 |
% |
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First Drawn |
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0.375 |
% |
0.500 |
% |
0.625 |
% |
0.750 |
% |
1.000 |
% |
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Fully Drawn |
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0.500 |
% |
0.625 |
% |
0.750 |
% |
0.875 |
% |
1.125 |
% |
For purposes of determining the Applicable Margins or the Facility Fee Rates, (i) in the event of a “split rating” (i.e., if the Xxxxx’x Rating applicable to the Borrower at any time appears in the chart above in a different column from that in which the S&P Rating then applicable to the Borrower appears), the Applicable Margins and the Facility Fee Rates will be based on the column which includes the higher rating (unless the higher rating is more than one rating level higher than the lower rating, in which case the pricing shall be that applicable to the rating level which is one rating level lower than the higher rating level), (ii) if Xxxxx’x or S&P shall not have in effect a rating (other than because such rating agency shall no longer be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations), then such rating agency will be deemed to have established a rating one rating level lower than the rating of either Xxxxx’x or S&P, as the case may be, that remains in effect, and (iii) the Applicable Margins and the Facility Fee Rates shall be subject to adjustment (upwards or downwards, as appropriate), effective as of the date on which S&P or Xxxxx’x announces a rating change which results in a change in the Applicable Margins and the Facility Fee Rates.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
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XXXXXXX & XXXX FINANCIAL, INC., |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President and |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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Address: |
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx |
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Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx 00000 |
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Taxpayer ID: |
00-0000000 |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, |
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individually and as Administrative Agent, |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxx X’Xxxxxxx Xxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxxx X’Xxxxxxx Horn |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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UMB BANK, NA |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President |
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BANK MIDWEST, N.A. |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President |
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THE BANK OF NEW YORK |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
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Title: |
Vice President |
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SOCIETE GENERALE |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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Title: |
Managing Director |
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THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA |
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By: |
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx |
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Name: |
Xxxx Xxxxxx |
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Title: |
Managing Director |
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2
FORM OF
ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE
Reference is made to the Credit Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2005 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”). Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
The Assignor identified on Schedule l hereto (the “Assignor”) and the Assignee identified on Schedule l hereto (the “Assignee”) agree as follows:
i. The Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee without recourse to the Assignor, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor without recourse to the Assignor, as of the Effective Date (as defined below), the interest described in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Assigned Interest”) in and to the Assignor’s rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement with respect to those credit facilities contained in the Credit Agreement as are set forth on Schedule 1 hereto (individually, an “Assigned Facility”; collectively, the “Assigned Facilities”), in a principal amount for each Assigned Facility as set forth on Schedule 1 hereto.
ii. The Assignor (a) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or with respect to the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto, other than that the Assignor has not created any adverse claim upon the interest being assigned by it hereunder and that such interest is free and clear of any such adverse claim; (b) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any other obligor or the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any other obligor of any of their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; and (c) attaches any promissory notes held by it evidencing the Assigned Facilities and (i) requests that the Administrative Agent, upon request by the Assignee, exchange the attached promissory notes for a new promissory note or notes payable to the Assignee, and (ii) if the Assignor has retained any interest in the Assigned Facility, requests that the Administrative Agent exchange the attached promissory notes for a new promissory note or notes payable to
the Assignor, in each case in amounts which reflect the assignment being made hereby (and after giving effect to any other assignments which have become effective on the Effective Date).
iii. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that it is legally authorized to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance; (b) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements delivered pursuant to subsection 3.04 thereof and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Acceptance; (c) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Assignor, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (d) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are incidental thereto; and (e) agrees that it will be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and will perform in accordance with its terms all the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender including, if it is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States, its obligation pursuant to subsection 2.15(e) of the Credit Agreement.
iv. The effective date of this Assignment and Acceptance shall be the Effective Date of Assignment described in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Effective Date”). Following the execution of this Assignment and Acceptance, it will be delivered to the Administrative Agent for acceptance by it and recording by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, effective as of the Effective Date (which shall not, unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent, be earlier than five Business Days after the date of such acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent).
v. Upon such acceptance and recording, from and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued subsequent to the Effective Date. The Assignor and the Assignee shall make all appropriate adjustments in payments by the Administrative Agent for periods prior to the Effective Date or with respect to the making of this assignment directly between themselves.
2
vi. From and after the Effective Date, (a) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, have the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder and shall be bound by the provisions thereof; and (b) the Assignor shall, to the extent provided in this Assignment and Acceptance, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement.
vii. This Assignment and Acceptance shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Assignment and Acceptance to be executed as of the date first above written by their respective duly authorized officers on Schedule 1 hereto.
3
Schedule 1
to Assignment and Acceptance
Name of Assignor:
Name of Assignee:
Effective Date of Assignment:
|
Credit |
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Principal |
|
Commitment Percentage Assigned(1) |
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||
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||
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$ |
|
|
. |
% |
|
[Name of Assignee] |
[Name of Assignor] |
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||||
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||||
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By: |
|
|
By: |
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Title: |
Title |
||||
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|
||||
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|
||||
|
Accepted: |
Consented To: |
||||
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|
|
||||
|
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, |
XXXXXXX & XXXX FINANCIAL, INC.(2) |
||||
|
as Administrative Agent |
|
||||
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|
||||
|
|
|
||||
|
By: |
|
|
By: |
|
|
|
Title: |
Title: |
||||
(1) Calculate the Commitment Percentage that is assigned to at least 15 decimal places and show as a percentage of the aggregate commitments of all Lenders.
(2) The Borrower’s consent may not be required pursuant to subsection 9.04 of the Credit Agreement.
4
Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxx 00000
October 7, 2005
JPMorgan Chase
Bank, as Administrative Agent under
the Credit Agreement, as hereinafter defined (the “Administrative Agent”)
and
The Lenders
listed on Schedule I hereto which are parties
to the Credit Agreement on the date hereof
Re: Credit Agreement dated as of October 7, 2005 (the “Credit Agreement”) among Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc. (the “Company”), the lending institutions identified in the Credit Agreement (the “Lenders”) and the Administrative Agent
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am General Counsel of Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc. (the “Company”). As General Counsel, I have been requested to provide you my opinion as to certain matters in connection with the preparation, execution and delivery of the Credit Agreement and the promissory notes, if any, (the “Notes”) (collectively, the “Loan Documents”) dated and delivered to the Lenders thereunder on the date hereof. Unless otherwise indicated, capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement. This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to Section 4.01(b) of the Credit Agreement.
In connection with this opinion, I have examined the Credit Agreement, signed by the Company and by the Administrative Agent and certain of the Lenders, and any Notes, each executed by the Company. In addition to the Loan Documents, I have examined (i) the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such records, agreements, instruments and other documents, (ii) such certificates of public officials, of officers and representatives of the Company and other Persons, and (iii) have made such other investigations as I have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions expressed herein, and I have made no effort to independently verify the facts set forth in such certificates.
In making for the foregoing examinations, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures (other than the signatures of the Company with respect to the Loan Documents), the legal capacity of each person signatory to any of the documents reviewed by me, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as duplicates or certified or conformed copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. I have relied, as to factual matters, on the statements of the Company set forth in the Credit Agreement, without undertaking any independent investigation of such factual matters, unless I know such statements not to be true and correct.
In rendering the opinions expressed herein, I have assumed that:
(a) each of the documents examined by me (other than the Loan Documents) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of each such party thereto enforceable against it in accordance with its terms;
(b) the Loan Documents have been duly authorized by each of the parties thereto (other than the Company), that each such party (other than the Company) has the requisite power and authority to execute, deliver and perform such documents to which it is a party, that the Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by each of the parties thereto (other than the Company), and that the Loan Documents constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of each of the parties thereto (other than the Company) enforceable in accordance with their terms;
(c) no order, consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by, any court, governmental body or authority, or any subdivision thereof, is required to authorize or is required in connection with, the execution and delivery by any Person identified in any Loan Document as a party thereto, or in connection with the performance of its obligations thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, other than those that have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect (provided, that I make no such assumption with respect to consents, approvals and the like applicable to the Company to the extent that I express my opinion rendered in paragraph 3 below);
(d) the Administrative Agent has been and is the duly appointed agent of each of the other Lenders pursuant to the Credit Agreement; and
(e) there are no extrinsic agreements among the parties to the Loan Documents that would modify or affect the interpretation of the terms of the Loan Documents or the respective rights or obligations of the parties thereunder.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, I am of the opinion that:
1. The Company (a) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, (b) has the corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Loan Documents and to borrow, and perform its obligations thereunder and (c) has duly authorized, executed and delivered the Loan Documents.
2. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Loan Documents, its borrowings in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement, and performance of its payment obligations thereunder (a) will not result in any violation of (1) the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, (2)
2
assuming that proceeds of borrowings will be used in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement, any Federal or Kansas statute or the Delaware General Corporation Law or any rule or regulation issued pursuant to any Federal or Kansas statute or the Delaware General Corporation Law or any order known to me issued by any court or governmental agency or body and (b) will not breach or result in a default under or result in the creation of any lien upon, or security interest in, the Company’s properties pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument.
3. No consent, approval, authorization, order, filing, registration or qualification of or with any Federal or Kansas governmental agency or body or any Delaware governmental agency or body acting pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law is required for the execution and delivery by the Company of the Loan Documents, the borrowings by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement or the performance by the Company of its payment obligations under the Loan Documents.
4. The Loan Documents constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms.
5. To my knowledge, except as otherwise disclosed, there is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court, arbitrator or governmental agency, body or official, now pending, to which the Company is a party or to which the business, assets or property of the Company is subject and no such action, suit or proceeding is threatened to which the Company or the business, assets or property of the Company would be subject that in either case questions the validity of the Credit Agreement.
The foregoing opinions are subject to the following assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations.
(a) The foregoing opinions are expressly limited to matters under and governed by the internal substantive laws of the State of Kansas, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and applicable Federal laws of the United States of America, in each case in effect on the date hereof and which, in my experience, are normally applicable to the transactions of the type provided for in the Loan Documents, in each case, however, exclusive of, and without regard to, any Excluded Laws. The term “Excluded Laws” means all (i) municipal, political subdivision (whether created or enabled through legislative action at the Federal, state, regional or local level), local and county ordinances, statutes, administrative decisions, laws, rules and regulations, and (ii) statutes, laws, rules and regulations relating to (A) antitrust, (B) taxation, and (C) securities laws, in each case with respect to the foregoing, (X) as interpreted, construed or enforced pursuant to any judicial, arbitral or other decision or pronouncement, (Y) as in effect in any jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the United States of America and any State thereof, and (Z) including, without limitation, any and all authorizations, permits, consents, applications, licenses, approvals, filings, registrations, publications, exemptions and the like required by any of them.
(b) In rendering the opinion expressed in paragraph 1 above regarding valid existence and good standing, I have relied solely on certificates of public officials of a recent date, and have conducted no further investigation.
3
(c) The opinions expressed in paragraph 3 above as to the lack of need for any consent, approval, authorization, order, filing, registration or qualification of or with any Federal or Kansas governmental agency or body or any Delaware governmental agency or body acting pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law are based upon a review of those laws, rules and regulations that, in my experience, are normally applicable to the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents.
(d) The opinions expressed in paragraph 4 regarding the enforceability of the Loan Documents are subject to the following:
(i) The enforceability of the Loan Documents may be limited or affected by (A) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, rearrangement, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent conveyance and other similar laws (including court decisions) now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally, (B) the refusal of a particular court to grant (1) equitable remedies, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, specific performance and injunctive relief, or (2) a particular remedy sought under any Loan Document as opposed to another remedy provided for therein or another remedy available at law, admiralty or in equity, (C) general equitable principles (regardless of whether such remedies are sought in a proceeding in equity, admiralty or at law), and (D) judicial discretion.
(ii) In rendering the foregoing opinions, I express no opinion as to (A) the availability of certain equitable remedies, including specific performance, (B) provisions in the Loan Documents that purport to (1) restrict access to legal or equitable remedies, (2) establish presumptions or evidentiary standards, or (3) waive or affect rights or defenses of any party that may not be waived or affected under applicable law, (C) provisions in the Loan Documents relating to severability clauses, (D) provisions in the Loan Documents relating to indemnities and rights of contribution to the extent prohibited by public policy or which might require indemnification for losses or expenses caused by negligence, gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud or illegality of an indemnified party, and (E) the effect of any provision of the Loan Documents (1) which is intended to permit modification thereof only by means of an agreement signed in writing by the parties thereto or (2) insofar as it provides that any person purchasing a participation from a Lender or other Person may exercise set-off or similar rights with respect to such participation or that any Lender or other Person may exercise set-off or similar rights other than in accordance with applicable law.
(iii) I note that the enforceability of specific provisions of the Loan Documents may be subject to standards of reasonableness, care and diligence and “good faith” limitations and obligations such as those provided in Sections 1-102(3), 1-203 and 1-208 and other provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code and applicable principles of common law and judicial decisions.
(iv) I have assumed that the Lenders will enforce and perform each Loan Document in compliance with the provisions thereof and all requirements of applicable law.
4
(v) In connection with any provisions of the Loan Documents whereby the Company submits to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, I note the limitations of 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1332 on Federal court jurisdiction, and I also note that such submissions cannot supersede such court’s discretion in determining whether to transfer an action from one Federal court to another under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a).
(e) I do not express any opinion with respect to any exhibit or schedule to, or other agreement referred to in, any of the Loan Documents.
(f) In rendering the foregoing opinions, I have not endeavored to express any opinions, and I express no opinions, and none are intended to be implied hereby nor shall be inferred herefrom, as to (i) the various state and federal laws, statutes, regulations, interpretations, opinions, directives, orders, rulings, authorities or similar matters regulating or governing the Administrative Agent or any Lender (collectively, the “Rules”) and/or their entry into, execution, delivery or performance of the Loan Documents, or the transactions provided for therein, or the conduct of their business related thereto, or (ii) the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s compliance with any of the Rules in connection with any Loan Document, or the transactions provided for therein.
(g) Whenever any opinion expressed herein with respect to the existence or absence of facts is qualified by references to “known to me,” “to my knowledge” or words or phrases of similar import (whether or not modified by any additional phrases), such qualification indicates that, except as otherwise expressed, (i) no information has come to my attention that has given me actual knowledge of the existence of such facts, and (ii) I have not undertaken any independent investigation to determine the existence or absence of such facts.
My opinion is limited to applicable laws of the United States of America and the applicable laws of the states thereof, as appropriate, and is based on the facts in existence and the laws in effect on the date hereof. In rendering this opinion, note that I am a member of the bar of the States of Kansas and Missouri only. My opinion with respect to the law of the State of Delaware is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law.
The opinions expressed herein are solely for the benefit of, and may only be relied upon by, you. This opinion may not be furnished to (except in connection with any legal or arbitral proceedings or as may be required by applicable law, and in any event, as shall be directed or required incident thereto pursuant to a duly issued subpoena, writ, order or other legal process or as required by any regulatory authority), or relied upon by, any other Person without my prior written consent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to the following sentence, this opinion letter may be furnished to any Person that purchases an interest in or a participation in the Credit Agreement and any Loans thereunder as if it were addressed and had been delivered to such Person on the date hereof. The opinions expressed herein are as of the date hereof (and not as of any other date) or, to the extent a reference to a certificate or other document is made herein, to such date, and I make no undertaking to amend or supplement such opinions as facts and circumstances come to my attention or changes in the law occur which could affect such opinions.
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Very truly yours, |
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
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General Counsel |
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Lenders
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Bank of America, N.A.
UMB Bank, NA
Bank Midwest, N.A.
The Bank of New York
Societe Generale
The Bank of Nova Scotia
Change in Mutual Fund Assets Under Management
August 2005
Month to Date
9
Change in Mutual Fund Assets Under Management
August 2005
Year to Date
10
Xxxxxxx &
Xxxx Financial, Inc. – Consolidated
Statement of Operations
For the period indicated in each column heading
Dollar amounts in thousands except per share amounts
[FORM OF COMPETITIVE BID]
XX Xxxxxx Chase Bank,
as Administrative Agent
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
Pursuant to subsection 2.04(b) of the Credit Agreement dated as of October 7, 2005 (the “Credit Agreement”), among Xxxxxxx & Xxxx Financial, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as Administrative Agent, the undersigned hereby makes a Competitive Bid in response to the Competitive Bid Request made by the Borrower on [Date], and in that connection sets forth below the terms on which such Competitive Bid is made:
(A) Principal Amount (1)
(B) Competitive Bid Rate (2)
(C) Interest Period and last day thereof
The undersigned hereby confirms that it is prepared, subject to the conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement, to extend credit to the Borrower upon acceptance by the Borrower of this bid in accordance with subsection 2.04(d) of the Credit Agreement.
Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used in this bid with their defined meanings.
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Very truly yours, |
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[NAME OF BANK], |
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By: |
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(1) Not less than $5,000,000 or greater than the requested Competitive Borrowing and in integral multiples of $1,000,000. Multiple bids will be accepted by the Administrative Agent.
(2) LIBO Rate + or – [ ]%, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, or [ ]%, in the case of Fixed Rate Loans, in either case such percentage rate to be expressed to no more than four decimal places.
