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Exhibit 99.3
[BRIDGE LOAN AGREEMENT]
UNLISTED CUSIP No.:
BRIDGE LOAN AGREEMENT
dated as of November 20, 2006
among
THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET, INC.,
as Borrower,
NIGHTINGALE ACQUISITION LIMITED,
as Additional Borrower,
The Lenders Party Hereto
and
BANC OF AMERICA BRIDGE LLC,
as Administrative Agent
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES
LLC,
as Sole Lead Arranger,
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
and
DRESDNER KLEINWORT SECURITIES LLC,
as Joint Bookrunning Managers,
and
DRESDNER BANK AG NEW YORK AND GRAND CAYMAN
BRANCHES,
as Syndication Agent
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
80 Pine Street
New York, New York 10005
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS
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Defined Terms
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1
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Classification of Loans and Borrowings
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28
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Terms Generally
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28
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Accounting Terms; GAAP
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28
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Borrower Liable for Additional Borrower
Obligations.
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28
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ARTICLE II
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THE CREDITS
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Commitments
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29
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Loans and Borrowings
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30
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Requests for Borrowings
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31
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[Reserved]
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31
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[Reserved]
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31
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Funding of Borrowings
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32
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Interest Elections
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32
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Termination and Reduction of Commitments and
Optional Prepayment
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34
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Repayment of Loans; Evidence of
Indebtedness
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34
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Termination of Commitments
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35
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Prepayment of Loans
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35
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Fees
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37
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Interest
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37
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Alternate Rate of Interest
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38
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Increased Costs
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39
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Break Funding Payments
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40
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Taxes
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40
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Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing
of Setoffs
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42
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Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of
Lenders
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43
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ARTICLE III
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REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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Organization; Powers
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45
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Authorization; Enforceability
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45
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Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts
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45
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Financial Condition; No Material Adverse
Change
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46
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-i-
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Page
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Properties
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46
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Litigation and Environmental Matters
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47
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Compliance with Laws and Agreements
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47
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Investment and Holding Company Status
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47
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Taxes
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48
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ERISA
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48
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Disclosure
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48
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Subsidiaries
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48
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Insurance
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49
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Labor Matters
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49
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Solvency
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49
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Federal Reserve Regulations
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50
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ARTICLE IV
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CONDITIONS
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Effective Date
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50
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Conditions to Each Funding Date
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51
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Certain Funds
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52
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ARTICLE V
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AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
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Financial Statements and Other
Information
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54
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Notices of Material Events
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56
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Securities Demand
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57
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Existence; Conduct of Business
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58
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Payment of Obligations
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58
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Maintenance of Properties
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59
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Insurance
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59
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Books and Records; Inspection and Audit
Rights
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59
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Compliance with Laws
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59
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Use of Proceeds
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59
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Additional Subsidiaries
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60
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Exchange Notes
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60
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Interest Rate and Foreign Currency
Protection
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60
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Rated Notes
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61
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Syndication
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61
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Conduct of the Offer
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61
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-ii-
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Page
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ARTICLE VI
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NEGATIVE
COVENANTS
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Indebtedness; Certain Equity
Securities
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63
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Liens
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65
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Fundamental Changes
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67
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Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and
Acquisitions
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68
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Asset Sales
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71
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Sale and Leaseback Transactions
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72
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Swap Agreements
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73
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Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of
Indebtedness
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73
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Transactions with Affiliates
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74
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Restrictive Agreements
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75
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Amendment of Material Documents
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76
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Changes in Fiscal Periods
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76
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Regulatory Capital
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76
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Amendments to Offer
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77
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ARTICLE VII
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EVENTS OF
DEFAULT
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ARTICLE VIII
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THE AGENTS
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ARTICLE IX
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MISCELLANEOUS
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Notices
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83
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Waivers; Amendments
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85
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Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver
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86
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Successors and Assigns
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87
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Survival
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91
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Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness
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91
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Severability
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92
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Right of Setoff
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92
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service
of Process
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92
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WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
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93
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Headings
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94
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Confidentiality
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94
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Interest Rate Limitation
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95
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USA Patriot Act
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95
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Conversion of Covenants; Events of
Default
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95
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-iii-
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Page
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No Advisory or Fiduciary
Responsibility
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95
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Additional Agreement
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96
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ARTICLE X
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GUARANTEE
MATTERS
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Subordination of Guarantees
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96
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Administrative Agent Matters
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99
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Indemnity and Subrogation
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100
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SCHEDULES:
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Schedule 1.04
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Investment Policy
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Schedule 1.06
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Excluded Subsidiaries
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Schedule 1.08
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Specified Liberty Restructuring
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Schedule 1.09
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—
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Specified Subsidiary Restructuring
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Schedule 2.01
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—
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Commitments
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Schedule 3.05
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—
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Real Property
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Schedule 3.06
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—
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Disclosed Matters
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Schedule 3.12
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—
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Subsidiaries
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Schedule 4.01(e)
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—
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Closing Index
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Schedule 6.01
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Existing Indebtedness
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Schedule 6.02
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Existing Liens
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Schedule 6.04
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Existing Investments
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Schedule 6.10
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—
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Existing Restrictions
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Schedule 9.01
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—
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Administrative Agent’s Office
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EXHIBITS:
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Exhibit A
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—
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Form of Assignment and Assumption
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Exhibit B
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—
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Form of Bridge Note
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Exhibit C
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—
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Covenant Term Sheet of Exchange Notes
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Exhibit D
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—
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Form of Guarantee Agreement
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Exhibit E
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—
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Form of Borrowing Request
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-v-
BRIDGE LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of November 20,
2006 (this " Agreement "), among THE NASDAQ STOCK MARKET,
INC., a Delaware corporation (the " Borrower "), NIGHTINGALE
ACQUISITION LIMITED, a company incorporated under the laws of
England and Wales (the " Additional Borrower " and, together
with the Borrower, the " Borrowers "), the LENDERS party
hereto, and BANC OF AMERICA BRIDGE LLC, as Administrative
Agent.
W I T N E S S E T H :
The Borrowers have requested the Lenders to extend credit in the
form of Bridge Loans, to each of the Borrower and the Additional
Borrower in aggregate principal amount not to exceed $1,750,000,000
on and after the Effective Date on the terms and conditions set
forth herein.
Accordingly, the parties hereto agree as follows:
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 Base Rate.
" Acceptable Bank " means (i) a bank or financial
institution which has a rating for its long-term unsecured and non
credit-enhanced debt obligations of A2 or higher by S&P, F2 or
higher by Fitch Ratings Ltd or P2 or higher by Moody’s or a
comparable rating from an internationally recognized credit rating
agency or (ii) any other bank or financial institution
approved by the Administrative Agent.
" Additional Borrower " has the meaning assigned to such
term in the preamble to this Agreement.
" Additional Borrower Intercompany Loan " has the meaning
set forth in Section 6.01(a)(iv).
" Administrative Agent " means Banc of America Bridge
LLC, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders
hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in
Article VIII.
" Administrative Agent’s Office " means the
Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account
as set forth on Schedule 9.01 , or such other address or
account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to
the Borrower and the Lenders.
" 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, provided , however
, that for purposes of Section 6.09, the term "Affiliate"
shall also include any person that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, owns 5% or more of any class of Equity
Interests of the Person specified or that is an officer or director
of the Person specified.
" Agent Parties " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 9.01.
" Agreement " has the meaning assigned to such term in
the preamble hereto.
" Applicable Rate " means, for any day with respect to
any Loan, 3.00% with respect to Base Rate Loans, and 4.00% with
respect to Eurodollar Loans; provided , however ,
that if the Loans are not repaid in full within 120 days of the
First Funding Date, the Applicable Rate shall increase by
1.00% per annum as of such 120th date for the subsequent
90-day period and shall increase by an additional 0.50% per
annum at the beginning of each subsequent 90-day period
thereafter.
" Approved Fund " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 9.04(b).
" Arranger " means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its
capacity as sole lead arranger.
" Asset Sale " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.05.
" Assignment and Assumption " means an assignment and
assumption 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.
" Bank of America " means Bank of America, N.A. and its
successors.
" Base Rate " means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per
annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Effective
Rate plus 1 / 2 of 1% and
(b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly
announced from time to time by Bank of America as its "prime rate."
The "prime rate" is a rate set by Bank of America based upon
various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired
return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used
as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced
at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate
announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of
business on the day specified in the public announcement of such
change.
" Bidco " means any member of the Group ( provided
it is the Borrower or a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower)
which makes the Offer.
-2-
" Black-out Days " shall have meaning set
forth in Section 5.15.
" Blockage Notice " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Article X.
" Blockage Period " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Article X.
" Board " means the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System of the United States of America.
" Borrower " and " Borrowers " have the meanings
assigned to such terms in the preamble to this Agreement,
provided that the phrases "a Borrower," "any Borrower,"
"applicable Borrower," "each Borrower," "no Borrower," "other
Borrower," "such Borrower" and any other phrases of like import
shall be references to one or more of the Borrowers, as the context
requires.
" Borrower Materials " has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.01.
" Borrowing " means Loans of the same Type made,
converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of
Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in
effect.
" Borrowing Request " means a request by the Borrower or
the Additional Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with
Section 2.03.
" Bridge Availability Period " means the period beginning
on the First Funding Date to and including the end of the Certain
Funds Period.
" Bridge Exposure " means, with respect to any Lender at
any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such
Lender’s Loans at such time.
" Bridge Loan " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.01(a).
" Bridge Loan Maturity Date " means one year from the
First Funding Date.
" Bridge Note " has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.09.
" Broker Dealer Subsidiary " means any Subsidiary that is
registered as a broker dealer pursuant to Section 15 of the
Exchange Act (as in effect from time to time) or that is regulated
as a broker dealer or underwriter under any foreign securities
law.
" Business Day " means any day that is not a Saturday,
Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or
London are authorized to close under the laws, rules, regulations,
ordinances, codes or administrative or judicial authorities of, or
in fact are closed in, the state where the Administrative
Agent’s Office is located, 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 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)
-3-
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:
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(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company,
partnership or membership interests (whether general or limited);
and
(3) in the case of an association or other business entity, any
and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other
equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock.
" Certain Funds Loan " means any Loans utilized for
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(a) a Liberty Equity Acquisition or a Liberty Bond
Redemption;
(b) the Refinancing; or
(c) payment of fees, costs and expenses in relation to the
matters referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) above
including for the avoidance of doubt, fees, costs and expenses
payable pursuant to the Loan Documents, the Loan Documents (as
defined in the Credit Agreement), the Loan Documents (as defined in
the Tranche C Credit Agreement), Permitted Bridge
Refinancings, the issuance of Perpetual Preferred Stock pursuant to
the Perpetual Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement and the other
Transactions on any Funding Date.
" Certain Funds Loan Parties " means the Borrower, the
Additional Borrower, Bidco, Nasdaq Execution Services, LLC and each
other Subsidiary of the Borrower (excluding, for the avoidance of
doubt, any member of the Liberty Group) that, as of the date of the
most recently available consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower,
has assets equal to or greater than 10% of the total assets of the
Borrower and its subsidiaries (calculated (as of the date of the
most recently available consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower)
on a consolidated basis, taken as a whole, but excluding for such
purposes the Liberty Group).
" Certain Funds Period " means the period beginning on
the date of this Agreement and ending on the later of:
-4-
" 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
Exchange Act, and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on
the date hereof), of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of
either the aggregate ordinary voting power or the aggregate equity
value represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in
the Borrower, (b) the occupation of a majority of the seats
(other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower
by Persons who are not Continuing Directors, (c) the
occurrence of a "Change in Control" (or similar event, however
denominated), as defined in any Convertible Notes Documents, any
indenture or agreement in respect of Material Indebtedness (other
than (a) a Change in Control or similar provision under the
Liberty Bonds or any Permitted Liberty Indebtedness which occurs as
a result of the Liberty Transaction and (b) the assumption by
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC of the obligations of the Borrower
under the Convertible Notes, provided such assumption of
obligations does not constitute a "Fundamental Change" (as defined
in the Convertible Notes Indenture) granting the holders of
Convertible Notes the right to exercise a "put option" as a result
thereof) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any certificate of
designations (or other provision of the organizational documents of
the Borrower) relating to any Qualified Equity Interests or
(d) the Additional Borrower ceasing to be a direct or indirect
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower.
" 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 2.15(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.
" Charges " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.13.
" City Code " means the City Code on Takeovers and
Mergers.
" Clean-up Default " means a Default existing during the
Clean-up Period to the extent that it (or any representation or
undertaking which causes such Default) occurs at the Liberty Group
(or any obligation to procure or ensure in relation to the Liberty
Group).
" Clean-up Period " means, with respect to the definition
of Permitted Liberty Indebtedness, Section 6.01,
Section 6.02 and Section 6.10 (and with respect to any
Event of Default related thereto), the period from the First
Funding Date through and including the date which is 120 days
thereafter and, with respect to any other provision of this
Agreement, the period from the First Funding Date through and
including the date which is 180 days thereafter.
" CLO " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.04(b).
" Code " means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time.
" Commitment " means with respect to any Lender, the
commitment, if any, of such Lender to make a Bridge Loan hereunder,
expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate
amount of such Lender’s Bridge Exposure hereunder. The
initial aggregate
-5-
amount of Commitments is $1,750,000,000. Such
Commitments shall be reduced pro rata among the Lenders by
the principal amount (or in the case of preferred stock, the
initial liquidation preference upon issuance, if applicable) of any
Permitted Bridge Refinancing.
" Continuing Director " means (a) any member of the
Board of Directors of the Borrower who was a member of the Board of
Directors of the Borrower on the Effective Date and (b) any
individual who becomes a member of the Board of Directors of the
Borrower after the Effective Date if such individual was appointed,
elected or nominated for election to the Board of Directors of the
Borrower with the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the
directors then still in office.
" Control " means the possession, directly or indirectly,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or
policies, or the dismissal or appointment of the management, of a
Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by
contract or otherwise. " Controlling " and "
Controlled " have meanings correlative thereto.
" Conversion Date " means the date on which Bridge Loans
are converted into Rollover Loans.
" Convertible Notes " means the Series A Convertible
Notes and the Series B Convertible Notes.
" Convertible Notes Documents " means the Convertible
Notes Indenture and all side letters, instruments, agreements and
other documents evidencing or governing the Convertible Notes,
providing for any right in respect thereof, affecting the terms
thereof or entered into in connection therewith and all schedules,
exhibits and annexes to each of the foregoing.
" Convertible Notes Indenture " means the Indenture dated
as of April 22, 2005, between the Borrower (or any Subsidiary
substituted therefor pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth
therein) and Law Debenture Trust Company of New York, as trustee,
in respect of the Convertible Notes.
" Convertible Notes Investor " means Norway Acquisition
SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
" Court " means the courts of England and Wales.
" Credit Agreement " means that certain Credit Agreement
dated as of the date hereof among the Borrower, the lenders party
thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent,
swingline lender and issuing bank, as the same may be amended,
restated, supplemented, refinanced or otherwise modified from time
to time.
" Default " means any event or condition that constitutes
an Event of Default or that upon notice, lapse of time or both
would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
-6-
" Deferred Enforcement Action " means each
of the following actions by or required by a Lender or the
Administrative Agent:
-
(a) cancellation of any of its Commitments under the Loan
Documents;
(b) exercise of any of its rights under Article VII (Events
of Default), including making of any demand for repayment,
acceleration or cancellation;
(c) enforcement of the Guarantee Agreement or other guarantee or
Lien given in connection with the Loan Documents;
(d) rescission, termination or cancellation of the Loan
Documents or any of the Facilities or the exercise of any similar
right or remedy to make or enforce any claim under the Loan
Documents; and
(e) refusal to participate in the making of any Loan.
" Description of Exchange Notes " means the description
of the terms and covenants of the Exchange Notes in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent,
which form contains the covenants and terms set forth in the term
sheet attached hereto as Exhibit C .
" Disclosed Matters " means the actions, suits and
proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule
3.06 .
" Disqualified Equity Interests " means Equity Interests
that (a) require the payment of any dividends (other than
dividends payable solely in shares of Qualified Equity Interests),
(b) mature or are mandatorily redeemable or subject to
mandatory repurchase or redemption or repurchase at the option of
the holders thereof, in whole or in part and whether upon the
occurrence of any event, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation, on
a fixed date or otherwise, prior to the date that is 180 days after
the Bridge Loan Maturity Date (other than (i) upon payment in
full of the Loan Document Obligations and termination of the
Commitments or (ii) upon a "change in control,"
provided that any payment required pursuant to this clause
(ii) is contractually subordinated in right of payment to the
Loan Document Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent and such requirement is not applicable in more
circumstances than pursuant to the change of control provisions in
the Convertible Notes Documents), (c) require the maintenance
or achievement of any financial performance standards other than as
a condition to the taking of specific actions or provide remedies
to holders thereof (other than voting and management rights and
increases in pay-in-kind dividends) or (d) are convertible or
exchangeable, automatically or at the option of any holder thereof,
into any Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other assets other than
Qualified Equity Interests.
" dollars " or " $ " refers to lawful money of the
United States of America.
" Domestic Subsidiary " means any Subsidiary incorporated
or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any
State thereof or the District of Columbia.
-7-
" Effective Date " means the date on which
the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or
waived in accordance with Section 9.02).
" Environmental Laws " means all treaties, laws, rules,
regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments,
injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or
entered into by or with any Governmental Authority, relating in any
way to the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural
resources, the generation, 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 medical monitoring, costs of environmental remediation or
restoration, administrative oversight costs, consultants’
fees, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any
Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon
(a) any actual or alleged violation of any Environmental Law
or permit, license or approval issued thereunder, (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 or (e) any contract, agreement or
other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed
or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
" Equity Equivalents " means all securities convertible
into or exchangeable for Equity Interests, and all warrants,
options or other rights to purchase or subscribe for any Equity
Interests, whether or not presently convertible, exchangeable or
exercisable.
" Equity Interests " means shares, shares of capital
stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited
liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity
ownership interests in a Person.
" Equity Offering " means, as to any Person, any sale by
such Person through a public offering of its common (or other
voting) stock pursuant to an effective registration statement
(other than a registration statement on Form S-4, S-8 or any
successor or similar form) filed under the Securities Act.
" 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
-8-
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 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 LIBO Rate.
" Event of Default " has the meaning assigned to such
term in Article VII.
" Exchange Act " means the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
" Exchange Date " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 2.01(c)(ii).
" Exchange Note Indenture " means the indenture to be
entered into relating to the Exchange Notes, and containing, among
other things, the covenants and other provisions set forth in the
Description of Exchange Notes (with such changes to cure any
ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency as the Administrative
Agent and the Borrower shall approve) and containing provisions
then customary for transactions of this type.
" Exchange Notes " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 2.01(c)(i).
" Exchange Notice " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 2.01(c)(i).
" Exchange Trigger Event " means on and after the
Conversion Date, any receipt by the Administrative Agent of one or
more Exchange Notices which, individually or together, represent at
least (a) $100 million aggregate principal amount of Rollover
Loans or (b) if less than $100 million aggregate principal
amount of Rollover Loans, the remainder of the then outstanding
Rollover Loans.
" 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
Borrowers 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 described in clause (a) above, (c) in the
case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a
request by the Borrower or the Additional Borrower under
Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax in respect of a payment
made by the Borrower or the Additional Borrower that (i) is in
effect and would apply to amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at
the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement
-9-
(or designates a new lending office), except to
the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was
entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or
assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower or the
Additional Borrower with respect to any withholding tax pursuant to
Section 2.17(a), or (ii) is attributable to such Foreign
Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), and
(d) any withholding or deduction on account of Tax imposed by
the United Kingdom from a payment of interest on a Loan by the
Additional Borrower, if on the date the payment falls due
(i) the payment could have been made to the relevant Lender
without a withholding or deduction if it was a Qualifying Lender,
but on that date that Lender is not or has ceased to be a
Qualifying Lender other than as a result of any change after the
date it became a Lender under this Agreement in (or in the
interpretation, administration or application of) any law or UK
Double Tax Treaty, or any published practice or concession of any
relevant taxing authority) or (ii) the relevant Lender is a
Treaty Lender, and the Additional Borrower is able to demonstrate
that the payment could have been made to the Lender without the
withholding or deduction had that Lender complied with its
obligations under Section 2.17(e), or (iii)(A) the relevant
Lender is a Qualifying Lender solely under subparagraph
(1)(iii) of the definition of Qualifying Lender; (B) the
Board of HM Revenue & Customs has given (and not revoked)
a direction (a " Direction ") under section 349C of the
Taxes Act (as that provision has effect on the date on which the
relevant Lender became a party to this Agreement) which relates to
that payment and that Lender has received from the Additional
Borrower a certified copy of that Direction; and (C) the
payment could have been made to the Lender without any withholding
or deduction in the absence of that Direction; or (iv) the
relevant Lender is a Qualifying Lender solely under sub-paragraph
(1)(iii) of the definition of Qualifying Lender and it has
not, other than by reason of any change after the date of this
Agreement in (or in the interpretation, administration or
application of) any law or any published practice or concession of
any relevant taxing authority, given a Tax Confirmation to the
Additional Borrower.
" Existing Credit Agreement " means that certain Amended
and Restated Credit Agreement dated May 19, 2006 by and among
the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, as
administrative agent thereunder.
" Existing Credit Agreement Refinancing " means the
repayment in full of all of the outstanding indebtedness under the
Existing Credit Agreement and the termination of any commitments to
extend credit thereunder.
" Existing Tranche C Credit Agreement " means that
certain Amended and Restated Term Loan Credit Agreement dated
May 19, 2006 by and among the Borrower, Nightingale
Acquisition Limited, the lenders party thereto and Banc of America
Bridge LLC, as administrative agent thereunder.
" Facilities " means collectively the credit and loan
facilities provided for in this Agreement, the Credit Agreement and
the Tranche C Credit Agreement.
" Fair Labor Standards Act " means the Fair Labor
Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 201 et seq
.
" Federal Funds Effective Rate " means, for any day, for
any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to
the next 1/100 of one percent (1%)) of the rates on
-10-
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 one percent (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 the Administrative Agent.
" Final Maturity Date " means the date that is eight
years from the First Funding Date.
" Financial Officer " means the chief financial officer,
principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the
Borrower.
" First Funding Date " means the first Funding Date to
occur after the Effective Date.
" 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.
" Foreign Subsidiary " means (i) any Subsidiary
(other than the Additional Borrower) that is organized under the
laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States of America, any
State thereof or the District of Columbia and (ii) any other
Subsidiary (other than the Additional Borrower) substantially all
of whose assets consist of stock of controlled foreign
corporations, as defined in Section 957 of the Code.
" FSA " means the UK Financial Services Authority.
" Funding Date " means a Business Day on which the
conditions specified in Section 4.02 are satisfied (or waived
in accordance with Section 9.02) and Loans are made
hereunder.
" 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, court, central bank or
other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing,
regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining
to government (including any supra national bodies such as the
European Union or the European Central Bank).
" Granting Lender " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 9.04(e).
" Group " means the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
-11-
" Guarantee " or " guarantee "
means a guarantee (other than by endorsement of negotiable
instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business),
direct or indirect, in any manner (including letters of credit and
reimbursement agreements in respect thereof), of all or any part of
any Indebtedness.
" Guarantee Agreement " means any Guarantee Agreement
substantially in the form of the guarantee agreement to be executed
and delivered by each Subsidiary Guarantor on the First Funding
Date, or with respect to any Subsidiary that becomes a Subsidiary
Guarantor after the Effective Date, on the date it became a
Subsidiary Guarantor, attached hereto as Exhibit D
.
" Guarantee Obligations " means, as to any Subsidiary
Guarantor, all obligations of every nature of such Subsidiary
Guarantor from time to time owing to the Lenders and the
Administrative Agent under the Guarantee Agreement and this
Agreement, whether for principal, reimbursements, interest,
premium, fees, penalties, expenses, indemnities, damages or
otherwise.
" Hazardous Materials " means all explosive or
radioactive substances, materials or wastes and all hazardous or
toxic substances, materials, 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, materials or wastes of any
nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
" Indebtedness " of any Person means, without
duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed
money, (b) all 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
trade accounts payable and other accrued obligations, in each case
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 and
(j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person
in respect of bankers’ acceptances. 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.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with any acquisition,
the term "Indebtedness" shall not include contingent post-closing
purchase price adjustments or earn-outs to which the seller in such
acquisition may become entitled. For the avoidance of doubt,
neither Preferred Qualified Equity nor Perpetual Preferred Stock
shall be deemed Indebtedness.
" Indemnified Taxes " means Taxes other than Excluded
Taxes.
-12-
" Information " has the meaning assigned
to such term in Section 9.12.
" Information Memorandum " means the Confidential
Information Memorandum to be prepared for the syndication of the
Bridge Loans relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.
" Instinet Acquisition " means the acquisition by the
Borrower of Instinet Group Incorporated pursuant to the Instinet
Merger Agreement, which occurred on December 8, 2005.
" Instinet Acquisition Documents " means the Instinet
Merger Agreement, the VAB Transaction Agreement, the VAB Commitment
Letters, all other agreements entered into in connection with the
Instinet Acquisition or the VAB Sale and all schedules, exhibits
and annexes to each of the foregoing and all side letters,
instruments and agreements affecting the terms of the foregoing or
entered into in connection therewith.
" Instinet Merger Agreement " means that certain
Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of April 22, 2005 among
the Borrower, Norway Acquisition Corp. and Instinet Group
Incorporated.
" Interest Election Request " means a request by the
Borrower to convert a Bridge Loan in accordance with
Section 2.07.
" Interest Payment Date " means (a) with respect to
any ABR Loan, the last day of each March, June, September and
December and (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.
" Interest Period " means, 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 (or nine or twelve
months thereafter if, at the time of the relevant Borrowing, all
Lenders participating therein agree to make an interest period of
such duration available), as the Borrower or Additional Borrower
may elect, provided that (a) 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 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, (b) any Interest Period that commences on the
last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day 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
(c) notwithstanding any of the foregoing, until the earlier of
(i) the date that is three months after the First Funding Date
and (ii) the completion of the initial syndication of the
Commitments and Loan hereunder (as determined by the Administrative
Agent), Interest Periods with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing
shall be a period agreed upon by the Administrative Agent and the
Borrower or Additional Borrower, as applicable. For purposes
hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on
which such Borrowing
-13-
is made and thereafter shall be the effective
date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such
Borrowing.
" Joint Bookrunning Managers " means Banc of America
Securities LLC and Dresdner Kleinwort Securities LLC, in their
capacities as joint bookrunning managers.
" Lenders " means the Persons listed on Schedule
2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto
pursuant to Section 9.04, other than any such Person that
ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to Section 9.04.
" Liberty " means London Stock Exchange Group plc (or its
successors).
" Liberty Bond Prospectus " means the prospectus dated
4 July 2006 relating to the offering of Liberty Bonds by
Liberty.
" Liberty Bond Redemption " has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.08.
" Liberty Bond Redemption Certain Funds Period " means
the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on
(and including) the Liberty Bond Redemption Date.
" Liberty Bond Redemption Date " means the date on which
Liberty (or the paying agent under the Liberty Bonds) is required
to pay for the redemption of the Liberty Bonds pursuant to the
Liberty Bond Redemption.
" Liberty Bonds " means the 5.875% Notes due 2016 of
Liberty outstanding on the date hereof as described in the Liberty
Bond Prospectus.
" Liberty Deferred Shares " means the Deferred Shares in
the capital of Liberty issued in connection with the Liberty
Series B Shares.
" Liberty Equity Acquisition " means one or more
transactions, schemes of arrangement or offers (including without
limitation arrangements under the Takeovers Directive Procedure,
privately negotiated transactions or open market purchases)
pursuant to which the Borrower or one of its Subsidiaries acquires
Liberty Shares or Equity Interests in Liberty, any parent company
thereof from time to time, or any other company that is, or is the
parent company of, any company that conducts or performs the
function of a recognized stock exchange under the UK Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000 as a successor or assignee of the RIE
or procures the cancellation of such Liberty Shares or Equity
Interests or funds the exercise of options over or rights in
respect of such Equity Interests.
" Liberty Equity Acquisition Certain Funds Period " means
the period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on
(and including) the earlier of:
-
(a) the date which falls 6 months after the date of the Offer
Press Release; and
(b) the date on which the Offer lapses, terminates or is
withdrawn.
" Liberty Facility " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 6.01.
-14-
" Liberty Group " means Liberty and its
subsidiaries ( provided such subsidiaries were subsidiaries
of Liberty at the time of the Liberty Transaction).
" Liberty Ordinary Shares " means the ordinary shares in
the capital of Liberty allotted or issued or to be allotted or
issued or rights in or over those shares (including share
options).
" Liberty Series B Shares " means the B shares in the
capital of Liberty allotted or issued or to be allotted or issued
or rights in or over those shares (including share options).
" Liberty Shares " means any shares in the capital of
Liberty (including the Liberty Series B Shares) allotted or issued
or to be allotted or issued or rights in or over those shares
(including share options).
" Liberty Transaction " means a transaction pursuant to
which Liberty will become a Subsidiary of the Borrower with effect
from the Unconditional Date.
" LIBO Rate " means, for any Interest Period with respect
to a Eurodollar Borrowing, the rate per annum equal to the British
Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (" BBA LIBOR "), as published
by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing
quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent
from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two
Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period,
for dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest
Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such
rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the "LIBO
Rate" for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum
determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which
deposits in dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest
Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the
Eurodollar Borrowing being made, continued or converted by Bank of
America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be
offered by Bank of America’s London Branch to major banks in
the London interbank Eurodollar market at their request 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 and
(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.
" Loan Documents " means this Agreement, the Guarantee
Agreement, each Note, the Restructuring Letter and the confidential
Bridge Fee Letter dated November 20, 2006 among the Borrower,
Banc of America Securities LLC and Banc of America Bridge LLC,
Dresdner Kleinwort Securities LLC and Dresdner Bank AG New York and
Grand Cayman Branches.
" Loan Parties " means the Borrower, the Additional
Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.
" Loans " shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.01(b).
-15-
" Major Event of Default " means any Event
of Default arising under any of the following provisions (but only
in so far as relates to the Certain Funds Loan Parties):
-
(i) Article VII (Events of Default) clauses (a) and
(b) provided that there shall be no Event of Default
resulting from non-payment by a Loan Party arising from a demand or
acceleration of any Loan Document, any Loan Documents (as defined
in the Credit Agreement), any Loan Documents (as defined in the
Tranche C Credit Agreement) or any Permitted Bridge
Refinancing document or Preferred Documents (as defined in the
Perpetual Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement) resulting otherwise
than from a Major Event of Default;
(ii) Article VII (Events of Default) clause (c) by virtue
of a breach of the representations set out in paragraph (a) of
Section 3.01 (Organization; Powers) or paragraph (a) of
Section 3.02 (Authorization; Enforceability);
(iii) Article VII (Events of Default) clause (d) by virtue
of a breach of the covenants set out in Section 5.16(a) (Offer
Press Release) or (b) (Offer Document), Section 6.01
(Indebtedness; Certain Equity Securities), Section 6.02
(Liens) or Section 6.14 (Amendments to Offer), provided
that, in each case, there shall be no Major Event of Default
resulting from a breach by any Certain Funds Loan Party of its
obligations to procure or not to procure or not to permit its
subsidiaries (which are not Certain Funds Loan Parties) to take the
actions referred to in such Sections; and
(iv) Article VII (Events of Default) clauses (h), (i) or
(j).
" Margin Stock " has the meaning assigned thereto in
Regulation U of the Board.
" Material Adverse Effect " means a material adverse
effect on (a) the business, operations, properties, or
financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, taken as
a whole, (b) the ability of any Borrower or any Subsidiary
Guarantor to perform any of its material obligations under any Loan
Document or (c) the rights of or remedies available to the
Lenders under any Loan Document.
" Material Indebtedness " means Indebtedness (other than
the Loans), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap
Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries
in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $15,000,000. For
purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the "principal
amount" of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in
respect of any Swap 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 Swap
Agreement were terminated at such time.
" Maximum Rate " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.13.
" Minimum Rate " means 9.5% per annum.
" Moody’s " means Moody’s Investors Service,
Inc.
-16-
" Multiemployer Plan " means a
multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA.
" NAL " means Nightingale Acquisition Limited, a company
incorporated under the laws of England and Wales.
" Net Proceeds " means, with respect to any event,
(a) the cash proceeds received in respect of such event,
including (i) any cash received in respect of any non-cash
proceeds (including any cash payments received by way of deferred
payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable
or purchase price adjustment or earn-out, but excluding
(x) any reasonable interest payments and (y) the portion
of any tax refund received that is payable to SLP pursuant to
Sections 4.6 and 4.7 of the VAB Transaction Agreement), but only as
and when received, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance
proceeds, and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or similar
event, condemnation awards and similar payments, minus
(b) the sum of (i) all customary fees and out-of-pocket
expenses paid by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries to third parties
(other than Affiliates) in connection with such event, (ii) in
the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset
(including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or a
casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of
all payments that are permitted hereunder and are made by the
Borrower and the Subsidiaries as a result of such event to repay
Indebtedness (other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise
subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event, and
(iii) the amount of all taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to
be payable) by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, and the amount of
any reserves established by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries to
fund contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in
each case during the year that such event occurred or the next
succeeding year and that are directly attributable to such event
(as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Financial
Officer), provided that any reduction at any time in the
amount of any such reserves (other than as a result of payments
made in respect thereof) shall be deemed to constitute the receipt
by the Borrower at such time of Net Proceeds in the amount of such
reduction. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
proceeds received in any Prepayment Event with respect to any
Broker Dealer Subsidiary or with respect to the RIE shall not
constitute Net Proceeds if and to the extent that at the time the
related prepayment of Loans pursuant to Section 2.11 would be
required to be made by the Borrower in good faith believes that the
distribution of such proceeds to the Borrower would result in the
capital of such Broker Dealer Subsidiary or the RIE, as applicable,
being below the minimum capital requirement set forth by an
applicable Governmental Authority for such Broker Dealer Subsidiary
or the RIE, as the case may be.
" Non-Consenting Lender " has the meaning assigned to
such term in Section 9.02(c).
" Non-Payment Default " has the meaning assigned to such
term in Article X.
" Notes " means, collectively, Bridge Notes and Rollover
Notes.
" Offer " means the offers proposed to be made by Bidco
substantially on the terms set out in the Offer Press Release or
any replacement offers made by Bidco and contemplated in the Offer
Press Release to acquire all of the Liberty Ordinary Shares and the
Liberty Series B Shares not already owned by the Borrower or its
Subsidiaries.
-17-
" Offer Document " means the document to
be sent to the shareholders of Liberty in order to make the
Offer.
" Offer Press Release " means the press announcement
substantially in the agreed terms to be released by or on behalf of
the Borrower or Bidco to announce the terms of the Offer.
" OFT " means the UK Office of Fair Trading.
" Organizational Documents " means, with respect to any
Person, the charter, articles or certificate of organization or
incorporation and bylaws or other organizational or governing
documents of such Person.
" Other Taxes " means any and all present or future
recording, stamp, documentary, excise, transfer, sales, property or
similar taxes, charges or levies arising from any payment made
under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or
enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan
Document.
" Panel " means the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers.
" Participant " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.04(c).
" Participating Member State " means any member state of
the European Communities that adopts or has adopted the euro as its
lawful currency in accordance with legislation of the European
Community relating to Economic and Monetary Union.
" Payment Default " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Article X.
" PBGC " means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity
performing similar functions.
" Permitted Bridge Refinancing " means any refinancings,
extensions, renewals and replacements of any Bridge Loans or
unfunded commitments under the Bridge Loan Agreement (for the
avoidance of doubt, regardless of whether the Bridge Loan Agreement
was, or is at such time, either executed or otherwise in effect,
and regardless of whether such commitments have been effected)
(including pursuant to a bond offering or the issuance of Preferred
Qualified Equity), provided that (x) if such Permitted
Bridge Refinancing is in the form of Indebtedness, such
refinancing, extending, renewal or replacement Indebtedness either
(i) shall be in the form of Take-Out Notes issued pursuant to
Section 5.03 hereof or (ii) (A) shall not be in a
principal amount that exceeds the principal amount of the
Indebtedness being refinanced, extended, renewed or replaced (plus
any accrued but unpaid interest and premium or penalty payable by
the terms of such Indebtedness thereon and reasonable fees and
expenses associated therewith), (B) shall not have an earlier
maturity date than 180 days after the Tranche C Maturity Date or a
shorter weighted average life and (C) shall not contain
covenants or restrictions more restrictive (taken together as a
whole, in any material respect) than those contained in the Bridge
Documents (as in effect on the Effective Date) or than those
contained in the Loan Documents and (y) if such Permitted
Bridge Refinancing is in the form of Equity Interests, such Equity
Interests shall be Preferred Qualified Equity.
-18-
" Permitted Encumbrances "
means:
-
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes, assessments or other
governmental charges that are not yet due or are being contested in
compliance with Section 5.05;
(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’,
materialmen’s, repairmen’s, landlords’ 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 5.05;
(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) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not
constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of
Article VII;
(f) 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;
(g) Liens arising from Permitted Investments described in clause
(h) of the definition of the term "Permitted Investments";
(h) Liens arising in connection with ordinary course
non-speculative hedging arrangements and bankers’ Liens
granted in the ordinary course of business relating to the
operation of bank accounts maintained by the Borrower or its
Subsidiaries or as part of letter of credit transactions and Liens
granted in customary escrow arrangements on sales and acquisitions
permitted by this Agreement;
(i) any netting or set-off arrangement entered into by a member
of the Group in the ordinary course of its banking arrangements or
in connection with the cash pooling activities of the Group entered
into in the ordinary course of business; and
(j) customary Liens over goods, inventory or documents of title
where the shipment or storage price is financed by a documentary
credit;
provided that the term "Permitted Encumbrances" shall not
include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
-19-
" 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) any investment in marketable debt obligations issued or
guaranteed by the government of the United Kingdom, any member
state of the European Economic Area or any Participating Member
State or by an instrumentality or agency of any of them having an
equivalent credit rating, maturing within one year after the
relevant date of calculation and not convertible or exchangeable to
any other security;
(c) any investment in marketable debt obligations issued or
guaranteed by the government of the United Kingdom, any member
state of the European Economic Area or any Participating Member
State or by an instrumentality or agency of any of them or by a
person whose indebtedness is rated not less than A by S&P or A2
by Moody’s (or equivalent from an internationally recognized
credit rating agency) maturing within one year from the date of
acquisition thereof;
(d) investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days
from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of
acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or
from Moody’s;
(e) investments in commercial paper not convertible or
exchangeable to any other security (i) for which a recognized
trading market exists, (ii) issued by an issuer incorporated
in the United Kingdom, any member state of the European Economic
Area or any Participating Member State, (iii) which matures
within one year after the relevant date of calculation and
(iv) which has a credit rating of either A-1 or higher by
S&P or Fitch Ratings Ltd or P-1 or higher by Moody’s, or,
if no rating is available in respect of the commercial paper, the
issuer of which has, in respect of its long-term unsecured and
non-credit enhanced debt obligations, an equivalent rating;
(f) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s
acceptances and time or demand deposits maturing within 180 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 that has
a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less
than $500,000,000 or any other Acceptable Bank;
(g) sterling bills of exchange eligible for rediscount at the
Bank of England and accepted by an Acceptable Bank (or their
dematerialised equivalent);
(h) 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;
-20-
-
(i) investments in "money market funds" within
the meaning of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, substantially all of whose assets are invested in
investments of the type described in clauses (a) through
(d) above;
(j) any investment accessible within 60 days in money market
funds which have a credit rating of either A-1 or higher by S&P
or Fitch Rating Ltd or P-1 or higher by Moody’s and which
invest substantially all their assets in securities of the types
described in clauses (a) through (d) above; and
(k) investments that comply with the Investment Policy set forth
on Schedule 1.04 .
" Permitted Liberty Indebtedness " means:
-
(a) Indebtedness of any member of the Liberty Group in respect
of the credit agreement at Liberty or other indebtedness or
guarantees of the Liberty Group, in each case incurred prior to the
First Funding Date, and the incurrence of which was not procured or
approved by Borrower or its Subsidiaries (excluding the Liberty
Group); provided in each case that such Indebtedness (other
than the Liberty Bonds) is extinguished or terminated by the end of
the Clean-up Period; or
(b) Indebtedness of any member of the Liberty Group in respect
of Capitalized Lease Obligations or purchase money Indebtedness, in
each case incurred prior to the First Funding Date and the
incurrence of which was not procured or approved by Borrower or its
Subsidiaries (excluding the Liberty Group); or
(c) additional Indebtedness of Liberty and/or its subsidiaries
in an aggregate amount not to exceed $35.0 million at any one time
outstanding (plus any guarantees thereof by Liberty and/or its
subsidiaries).
" Perpetual Preferred Stock " means the Senior Perpetual
Preferred Stock of the Borrower.
" Perpetual Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement " means
the Purchase Agreement dated the date hereof among and between the
Borrower, Banc of America Bridge LLC and Dresdner Kleinwort
Securities LLC relating to the issuance and sale of Perpetual
Preferred Stock.
" Person " means any natural person or entity, including
any corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture,
association, company, partnership or 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.
-21-
" Platform " has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.01.
" pound ," " pounds " or " pound sterling "
or " £ " denotes the lawful currency of the United
Kingdom.
" Preferred Qualified Equity " shall mean preferred stock
that qualifies as Qualified Equity Interests issued in a Permitted
Bridge Refinancing.
" Prepayment Event " means any sale, transfer or other
disposition (including by way of merger or consolidation) of any
property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, other than
(i) dispositions permitted by clauses (a), (b), (c), (e), (f),
(g) and (h) of Section 6.05 and (ii) other
dispositions resulting in aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding
$5,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Borrower.
" Proposed Change " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 9.02(c).
" Public Lender " has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.01.
" Qualified Equity Interests " means Equity Interests of
the Borrower other than Disqualified Equity Interests.
" Qualifying Lender " means in respect of a payment made
by the Additional Borrower, a Lender which is (i) beneficially
entitled to and within the charge to United Kingdom corporation tax
as regards that payment and either (A) if the participation in
the Loan to which that payment relates was an advance made by it,
is a Lender which is a bank (as defined for the purposes of section
349 of the Taxes Act) or (B) if the participation in that Loan
was an advance made by another person, that person was a bank (as
defined for the purposes of section 349 of the Taxes Act) at the
time that advance was made, (ii) a Treaty Lender, (iii) a
Lender which is beneficially entitled to interest in respect of
that payment and which is (A) a company resident in the United
Kingdom for United Kingdom tax purposes or (B) a partnership
each member of which is (I) a company resident in the United
Kingdom or (II) a company not so resident in the United
Kingdom which carries on a trade in the United Kingdom through a
permanent establishment and which brings into account in computing
its chargeable profits (for the purposes of section 11(2) of the
Taxes Act) the whole of any share of interest payable in respect of
that advance that falls to it by reason of sections 114 and 115 of
the Taxes Act or (III) a company not so resident in the United
Kingdom which carries on a trade in the United Kingdom through a
permanent establishment and which brings into account interest
payable in respect of that advance in computing the chargeable
profits (for the purposes of section 11(2) of the Taxes Act) of
that company or (iv) a building society (as defined for the
purpose of section 477A of the Taxes Act).
" Refinancing " means the repayment in full of all of the
outstanding indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreement and
the Existing Tranche C Credit Agreement and the termination of any
commitments to extend credit thereunder.
" Register " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.04(b).
-22-
" Registration Rights Agreement " means a
registration rights agreement in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent containing exceptions and
modifications customary for similar transactions.
" Related Parties " means, with respect to any specified
Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective
directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees and advisors of
such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
" Release " means any release, spill, emission, leaking,
dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge,
dispersal, leaching or migration into or through the environment
(including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or
subsurface strata) or within or upon any building, structure,
facility or fixture.
" Request " has the meaning specified in
Section 5.03.
" Required Lenders " means (i) at any time prior to
the Conversion Date, Lenders having more than 50% of the aggregate
outstanding Bridge Loans at such time and (ii) at any time on
or after the Conversion Date, Lenders having more than 50% of the
aggregate outstanding Rollover Loans at such time.
" Requirement of Law " means, with respect to any Person,
any statute, law, treaty, rule, regulation, order, decree, writ,
injunction or determination of any arbitrator or 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 any dividend or other
distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with
respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary,
or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property),
including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the
purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or
termination of any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any
Subsidiary or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any
such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any
other payment (including any payment under any Swap Agreement) that
has a substantially similar effect to any of the foregoing.
" Restructuring Letter " has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.17.
" RIE " means London Stock Exchange plc (or its
successors).
" Rollover Loan " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 2.01(b).
" Rollover Note " has the meaning assigned to such term
in Section 2.09.
" S&P " means Standard & Poor’s
Ratings Group, Inc.
" SEC " means the Securities and Exchange Commission or
any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal
functions.
" Senior Indebtedness " has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 10.01(a).
-23-
" Senior Subordinated Indebtedness " has
the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.01(a).
" Series A Convertible Notes " means the $205,000,000
aggregate principal amount of 3.75% Series A Convertible Notes due
2012 initially issued pursuant to the Convertible Notes
Indenture.
" Series B Convertible Notes " means the $240,000,000
aggregate principal amount of 3.75% Series B Convertible Notes due
2012 initially issued pursuant to the Convertible Notes
Indenture.
" Series D Preferred Stock " means the one share of
Series D Preferred Stock of the Borrower outstanding on the
Effective Date.
" SLP " means Silver Lake Partners and its
affiliates.
" Specified Liberty Restructuring Transactions " means
each of the transactions related to the integration of the business
of the Borrower and Liberty and as further described on
Schedule 1.08 hereto.
" Specified Subsidiary Restructuring Transactions " means
each of the transactions related to the movement of assets and
equity interests of and among the Subsidiaries as further described
on Schedule 1.09 hereto.
" SPV " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.04(e).
" 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
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 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.
" Subsidiary Guarantor " means any Subsidiary other than
(i) a Foreign Subsidiary, (ii) a Broker Dealer
Subsidiary, (iii) the RIE, (iv) TRF, (v) the
Subsidiaries set forth on Schedule 1.06 and
(vi) NAL.
" Swap Agreement " means any agreement with respect to
any swap, forward, future, spot currency purchase, hedging or
derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or
settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies,
commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic,
financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial
-24-
or pricing risk or value or any similar
transaction or any combination of these transactions,
provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for
payments only on account of services provided by current or former
directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Borrower or
the Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.
" Syndication Agent " means Dresdner Bank AG New York and
Grand Cayman Branches, in its capacity as syndication agent.
" Take-Out Notes " means unsecured notes or debentures of
the Borrower yielding aggregate Net Proceeds not exceeding
$1,750,000,000, that may be issued by the Borrower after the
Effective Date to refinance Indebtedness outstanding under this
Agreement.
" Take-Out Securities Notice " has the meaning assigned
to such term in Section 5.03(a).
" Takeovers Directive Notice " means a notice issued to a
Liberty shareholder by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pursuant to
Paragraph 2, Schedule 2 of the Takeovers Directive (Interim
Implementation) Regulations 2006.
" Takeovers Directive Procedure " means the procedure for
buying out minority shareholders of Liberty set out in Paragraph 2,
Schedule 2 of the Takeovers Directive (Interim Implementation)
Regulations 2006.
" Tax Confirmation " means a confirmation by a Lender
that the person beneficially entitled to interest payable to that
Lender in respect of an advance under a Loan Document is
either:
-25-
" Taxes " means any and all present or
future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or
withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
" Taxes Act " means Income and Corporation Taxes Act
1988.
" Total Cap " means 11.00% per annum.
" Tranche C Credit Agreement " means that certain Term
Loan Credit Agreement dated the date hereof among the Borrower, the
Additional Borrower, Bank of America, as administrative agent, and
the lenders party thereto, as may be amended, restated, modified or
refinanced from time to time.
" Transaction Costs " means all fees, costs and expense
incurred or payable by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection
with the Transactions.
" Transactions " means (a) the execution, delivery
and performance by each Loan Party of the Loan Documents (as each
such term is defined in the Credit Agreement) to which it is to be
a party, the borrowing of Loans (as defined in the Credit
Agreement), the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of
Letters of Credit (as defined in the Credit Agreement) thereunder,
(b) the consummation of the Refinancing, (c) the
execution, delivery and performance of the Tranche C Loan Documents
by each Loan Party (as each such term is defined in the Tranche C
Credit Agreement) to which it is to be a party and the borrowing of
Loans as defined therein and the use of proceeds thereof,
(d) the execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party
of the Loan Documents and the Exchange Note Indenture and any
document entered into in connection with a Permitted Bridge
Refinancing in each case, to which it is to be a party, and the
borrowing or issuance of Bridge Loans and/or Notes thereunder
and/or the borrowing or issuance of any loan, note, other debt
instrument and/or other security in connection with any Permitted
Bridge Refinancing and the use of proceeds thereof, (e) the
execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of the
Preferred Documents (as defined in the Perpetual Preferred Stock
Purchase Agreement), the issuance and sale of Perpetual Preferred
Stock pursuant to the Perpetual Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement
and the use of proceeds thereof, (f) the Liberty Equity
Acquisitions during the Certain Funds Period, (g) the Liberty
Bond Redemption and (h) the payment of the Transaction
Costs.
" Treaty Lender " means, in relation to a payment of
interest on a Loan, a Lender which (a) is beneficially
entitled to the interest, (b) is treated as a resident of a
territory with a UK Double Taxation Treaty, (c) does not carry
on business in the United Kingdom through a permanent establishment
with which that Lender’s participation in the Loan is
effectively connected and (d) is entitled to claim full relief
from liability to taxation otherwise imposed by the United Kingdom
on interest under the UK Double Taxation Treaty (assuming for this
purpose only that any applicable filing or administrative
requirements and any procedural formalities in relation to that
entitlement are duly complied with).
" TRF " means The Trade Reporting Facility, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company and a Subsidiary of
Borrower.
" Trustee " has the meaning specified in
Section 5.1.
-26-
" 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 LIBO Rate or the Base Rate.
" UK " means the United Kingdom.
" UK Double Taxation Treaty " means any convention or
agreement between the United Kingdom and any other territory which
makes provision for full exemption from tax imposed by the United
Kingdom in relation to interest.
" Unconditional Date " means the date on which the Offer
is declared unconditional in all respects.
" VAB Acquisition Sub " means Iceland Acquisition Corp.,
a Delaware corporation.
" VAB Business " has the meaning assigned to such term in
the Instinet Merger Agreement.
" VAB Commitment Letters " means the equity commitment
letter between SLP and VAB Acquisition Sub, and the contingency
letter agreement among SLP, VAB Acquisition Sub and the Borrower,
each dated as of April 22, 2005, pursuant to which SLP and VAB
Acquisition Sub have committed to provide to the Borrower the cash
necessary to pay the purchase price for the VAB Business as set
forth in the VAB Transaction Agreement.
" VAB Sale " means the sale by the Borrower, pursuant to
the VAB Transaction Agreement, of the assets, liabilities and
capital stock of the subsidiaries of Instinet Group Incorporated
that comprise its VAB Business to Iceland Acquisition Corp., which
sale occurred on December 8, 2005.
" VAB Transaction Agreement " means that certain
Transaction Agreement dated as of April 22, 2005 among the
Borrower, Norway Acquisition Corp. and Iceland Acquisition
Corp.
" Wholly-Owned Subsidiary " means, with respect to any
Person at any date, a subsidiary of such Person of which securities
or other ownership interests representing 100% of the Equity
Interests (other than directors’ qualifying shares) are, as
of such date, owned, controlled or held by such Person or one or
more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and
one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.
" 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.
-27-
SECTION 1.02 Classification of Loans and
Borrowings . For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be
classified and referred to by Type ( e.g ., a "Eurodollar
Loan" or a "Eurodollar Borrowing").
SECTION 1.03 Terms Generally . The definitions of terms
herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the
terms defined, other than in the case of "Borrower" and
"Borrowers," it being understood that each reference to "the
Borrower" refers only to The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. and each
reference to "the Additional Borrower" refers only to Nightingale
Acquisition Limited. 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, amended and restated, 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 (including any definition) 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.
SECTION 1.05 Borrower Liable for Additional Borrower
Obligations .
With respect to each Term Loan made to the Additional Borrower,
the Borrower hereby acknowledges that such Term Loan is made for
the benefit of the Borrower and the Additional Borrower, and in
consideration thereof agrees to be jointly and severally liable
with the Additional Borrower for such Term Loans and the
Obligations related thereto. The Additional Borrower shall have no
liability for the obligations of the Borrower under the Loan
Documents.
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ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01 Commitments .
(a) Bridge Loans . Subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make bridge loans in
dollars from time to time (but not more than two times in the
aggregate) during Bridge Availability Period (individually, a "
Bridge Loan " and, collectively, the " Bridge Loans
") to the Borrower or the Additional Borrower on any Funding Date
in an aggregate principal amount that will not exceed such
Lender’s respective Commitment. Within the foregoing limits
and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the
Borrower and the Additional Borrower may borrow Bridge Loans.
Amounts repaid or prepaid in respect of the Bridge Loans may not be
reborrowed. During the Bridge Availability Period the Borrowers may
borrow up to two times in the aggregate which Borrowings may be
comprised of up to one Bridge Loan drawing per day, the use of
proceeds of which are to purchase shares of Liberty in one or more
Liberty Equity Acquisitions, to consummate the Refinancing and pay
Transactions Costs.
(b) Rollover Loans . Subject to satisfaction of the
conditions set forth in Section 2.01(d), the Borrowers and
each Lender severally agrees that if the Bridge Loans have not been
repaid in full by the latest time specified for payment in
Section 2.18 on the Bridge Loan Maturity Date, the then
outstanding principal amount of each Lender’s Bridge Loan
shall, immediately after such latest specified time for payment,
automatically be converted into a loan (individually, a "
Rollover Loan " and, collectively, the " Rollover
Loans ," and together with the Bridge Loans, the " Loans
") on the Bridge Loan Maturity Date in an aggregate principal
amount equal to the then outstanding principal amount of such
Lender’s Bridge Loan.
(c) Exchange Notes .
(i) Subject to satisfaction of the provisions of this
Section 2.01(c), on and after the Conversion Date, each Lender
will have the option to notify (an " Exchange Notice ") the
Administrative Agent in writing of its request for exchange notes
(individually, an " Exchange Note " and, collectively, the "
Exchange Notes ") in exchange for its Rollover Loan. Each
Lender’s Exchange Notice shall indicate the aggregate
principal amount of its Rollover Loan that such Lender desires to
exchange for Exchange Notes pursuant to this Section 2.01(c),
which shall be in integral multiples of $1,000 and, if such Lender
holds Rollover Notes, be accompanied by the Rollover Notes to be
exchanged for Exchange Notes.
(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, such Lender’s Rollover
Loan shall only be exchanged for Exchange Notes hereunder upon the
occurrence of an Exchange Trigger Event, notice of which shall be
provided to the Borrower and each such Lender that has delivered an
Exchange Notice that has given rise to such Exchange Trigger Event
by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Borrower shall a set a
date (the " Exchange Date ") for the exchange of Rollover
Loans for Exchange Notes, which date shall be no less than five
days and no more than
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ten days after such Exchange Trigger Event. On
such Exchange Date, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to each
Lender that exchanges a Rollover Loan, an Exchange Note in the
principal amount equal to 100% of the principal amount of such
Rollover Loan (or portion thereof) for which such Exchange Note is
being exchanged. The Exchange Notes shall be governed by the
Exchange Note Indenture. Upon issuance of the Exchange Notes, any
corresponding Rollover Notes delivered hereunder shall be canceled
by the Borrowers and the corresponding amount of the Rollover Loans
deemed repaid. If a Default (but not an Event of Default) shall
have occurred and be continuing on the Exchange Date, any notices
given or cure periods commenced while the Rollover Loan was
outstanding shall be deemed given or commenced (as of the actual
dates thereof) for all purposes with respect to the Exchange Notes
(with the same effect as if the Exchange Notes had been outstanding
as of the actual dates thereof).
(d) Conditions to Rollover Loans . On the Conversion
Date, the automatic conversion of Bridge Loans into Rollover Loans
is subject to the following conditions: (a) that at the time
of such conversion, there shall exist no Default or Event of
Default under Article VII; and (b) that at the time of
such conversion, each of (i) the Exchange Notes Indenture and
(ii) the Registration Rights Agreement shall have been
executed and delivered and shall be in form and substance
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. If the foregoing
conditions are not satisfied on the Conversion Date, the Bridge
Loans will then accelerate and become automatically due and
payable.
SECTION 2.02 Loans and Borrowings .
(a) The Borrowing of the Bridge Loans shall consist of Loans of
the same Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their
respective Commitments. 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 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 2.14, the Bridge Loans shall be
comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower
or Additional 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 or Additional Borrower, as
the case may be, to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement.
(c) The aggregate principal amount of the Borrowing of Bridge
Loans shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple
of $1,000,000.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Borrowers shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert
or continue, any Borrowing of Bridge Loans if the Interest Period
requested with respect thereto would end after the Bridge Loan
Maturity Date or any Borrowing of Rollover Loans if the Interest
Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Final
Maturity Date.
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SECTION 2.03 Requests for Borrowings . The
Borrower or Additional Borrower shall notify the Administrative
Agent of its request of a Borrowing of the Bridge Loans, by
telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later
than 12:00 p.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the
date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR
Borrowing, not later than 12:00 p.m., New York City time, one
Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such
telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be
confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the
Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit E and signed by the Borrower or
Additional Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing
Request shall specify the following information:
-
(i) the requested Borrowing is to finance a Liberty Equity
Acquisition, specifying the approximate number of shares to be
purchased;
(ii) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing;
(iii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iv) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
Eurodollar Borrowing;
(v) 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";
(vi) the location and number of the account to which funds are
to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of
Section 2.06; and
(vii) in the case of Certain Funds Loans, that as of each
Funding Date in respect of Certain Funds Loans, Section 4.03
is satisfied.
If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then
the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest
Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar
Borrowing, then the Borrower or Additional Borrower, as applicable,
shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one
month’s duration, subject to clause (c) of the
definition of Interest Period. Promptly following receipt of a
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 Bridge Loan to be
made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04 [ Reserved ].
SECTION 2.05 [ Reserved ].
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SECTION 2.06 Funding of Borrowings
.
(a) Each Lender shall make each Bridge 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 Bridge Loans available to the Borrower or the
Additional Borrower, as the case may be, by wire transfer of the
amounts so received, in immediately available funds, to an account
and at a bank or financial institution, designated by the Borrower
or the Additional Borrower, as the case may be, in the applicable
Borrowing 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 and in its sole discretion, make
available to the Borrower or Additional Borrower, as applicable, 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
or Additional Borrower, as applicable, 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 or Additional
Borrower, as applicable, to but excluding the date of payment to
the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender,
the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate
determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking
industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case
of the Borrower or Additional Borrower, as applicable, 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 Bridge Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.07 Interest Elections .
(a) Each Bridge Loan initially shall be of the Type specified in
the applicable Borrowing Request or designated by Section 2.03
and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial
Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request or
designated by Section 2.03. Thereafter, the Borrower or the
Additional Borrower, as the case may be, may elect to convert such
Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in
the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods
therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower or the
Additional Borrower, as the case may be, 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.
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(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section,
the Borrower or the Additional Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that
a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03. 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 or the Additional 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 or the Additional 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.
(e) If the Borrower or the Additional Borrower fails to deliver
a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar
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
converted to an ABR Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary
provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the
Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrowers, then, so long as an
Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing
may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and
(ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be
converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period
applicable thereto.
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SECTION 2.08 Termination and Reduction of
Commitments and Optional Prepayment .
(a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall
terminate at the Bridge Loan Maturity Date; provided that in
any event, all Commitments hereunder shall terminate if the Offer
Press Release has not been released on or prior to the date that is
five Business Days after the date of this Agreement.
(b) The Borrowers may at any time prepay the Bridge Loans in
whole or in part, without premium or penalty, provided that
each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000.
(c) The Borrowers shall notify the Administrative Agent of any
election to prepay the Loans under paragraph (b) of this
Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of
such prepayment, specifying the effective date thereof. Promptly
following receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent
shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice
delivered by the Borrowers pursuant to this Section shall be
irrevocable. Each prepayment shall be made ratably among the
Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments. Partial
prepayments of Loans shall be in an aggregate principal amount
equal to the lesser of (A) $1,000,000, or a whole multiple of
$500,000 in excess thereof and (B) the aggregate unpaid
principal amount of the Loans.
SECTION 2.09 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Indebtedness
.
(a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender (whether made
to the Borrower or the Additional Borrower) (i) unless such
Bridge Loan is converted to a Rollover Loan in accordance with
subsection 2.01(b), the principal amount of the Bridge Loan of such
Lender on the Bridge Loan Maturity Date, (ii) unless such
Rollover Loan is exchanged for Exchange Notes in accordance with
subsection 2.01(c), the principal amount of the Rollover Loan of
such Lender on the Final Maturity Date or (iii) the then
unpaid principal amount of the Bridge Loan or Rollover Loan of such
Lender on the date that the Loans become due and payable pursuant
to Article VII. The Additional Borrower hereby unconditionally
promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each
Lender (i) unless such Bridge Loan is converted to a Rollover
Loan in accordance with subsection 2.01(b), the principal amount of
the Bridge Loan borrowed by the Additional Borrower on the Bridge
Loan Maturity Date, (ii) unless such Rollover Loan is
exchanged for Exchange Notes in accordance with subsection 2.01(c),
the principal amount of the Rollover Loan borrowed by the
Additional Borrower on the Final Maturity Date or (iii) the
then unpaid principal amount of the Bridge Loan or Rollover Loan,
as applicable, borrowed by the Additional Borrower on the date that
the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Article VII. The
Borrowers hereby further agree to pay interest on the unpaid
principal amount of the Loans from time to time outstanding from
the date hereof until payment in full thereof at the rates per
annum and on the dates set forth in Section 2.13
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(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with
its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the respective
indebtedness of the Borrowers to such Lender resulting from each
Loan made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts
of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time
to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain the Register
pursuant to subsection 9.04(b), and a subaccount therein for each
Lender, in which shall be recorded (i) the amount of each
Bridge Loan made hereunder, (ii) the principal amount of each
Bridge Loan converted into Rollover Loans, (iii) the principal
amount of each Rollover Loan exchanged for Exchange Notes,
(iv) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable
or to become due and payable from the Borrower or the Additional
Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (v) 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 Register and the accounts of each
Lender maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of
this Section shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be
prima facie evidence of the existence, type and
amounts of the obligations of the Borrower or the Additional
Borrower therein recorded; provided that the failure of any
Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain the Register or any
such account, or any error therein, shall not in any manner affect
the respective obligations of the Borrower or the Additional
Borrower to repay their respective Loans and pay interest thereon
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) The Borrowers agree that, upon the request to the
Administrative Agent by any Lender, the Borrowers will, as
applicable, each execute and deliver to such Lender (i) with
respect to any Bridge Loan made to such Borrower, a promissory note
of such Borrower evidencing the Loan of such Lender, substantially
in the form of Exhibit B with appropriate insertions as
to date and principal amount (a " Bridge Note ") and
(ii) with respect to any Rollover Loan made to such Borrower,
a promissory note of such Borrower evidencing the Loan of such
Lender (a " Rollover Note ").
SECTION 2.10 Termination of Commitments . Unless
previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate at the end
of the Certain Funds Period.
SECTION 2.11 Prepayment of Loans .
(a) The Borrowers shall each have the right at any time and from
time to time to prepay any of their respective Borrowings in whole
or in part as set forth in Section 2.08, subject to the
requirements of this Section.
(b) At any time on or prior to the Bridge Loan Maturity Date,
the Borrowers or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors shall issue any
Take-Out Notes or otherwise incur any Indebtedness (other than
Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 6.01 (except for
Take-out
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Notes or other Permitted Bridge Refinancings)),
100% of the Net Proceeds thereof shall be promptly applied to the
repayment of Bridge Loans made to such Borrower, provided
that no such prepayment shall be required to be made to the extent
such Net Proceeds are required to be applied (and are so applied)
to the repayment of loans under the Credit Agreement or the Tranche
C Credit Agreement.
(c) At any time on or prior to the Bridge Loan Maturity Date,
the Borrowers or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors shall issue any
Capital Stock in an Equity Offering, 100% of the Net Proceeds
thereof shall be promptly applied toward the prepayment of the
Bridge Loans made to such Borrower; provided that no such
prepayment shall be required to be made to the extent such Net
Proceeds are required to be applied (and are so applied) to the
repayment of loans under the Credit Agreement or the Tranche C
Credit Agreement.
(d) Upon a Change in Control, each Borrower shall prepay to each
Lender 100% of the principal amount of the Loan made to such
Borrower to such Lender, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon,
if any, to the date of prepayment.
(e) In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are
received by or on behalf of the Borrower or the Additional Borrower
or any Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment Event, the Borrower
or the Additional Borrower shall, within three Business Days after
such Net Proceeds are received, prepay their respective Bridge
Loans; provided that if the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries
apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof)
within 270 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds and at a time
when no Default has occurred and is continuing, to acquire real
property, equipment or other tangible assets to be used in the
business of the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries ( provided
that the Borrower or the Additional Borrower has delivered to the
Administrative Agent within three Business Days after such Net
Proceeds are received a certificate of a Financial Officer stating
its intention to do so and certifying that no Default has occurred
and is continuing), then no prepayment shall be required pursuant
to this paragraph in respect of the Net Proceeds in respect of such
event (or the portion of such Net Proceeds specified in such
certificate, if applicable) except to the extent of any such Net
Proceeds therefrom that have not been so applied by the end of such
270-day period, at which time a prepayment shall be required in an
amount equal to such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied;
provided that with respect to a Prepayment Event with
respect to the RIE, no prepayment of Loans with Net Proceeds
therefrom shall be required pursuant to this paragraph until the
date that is the later of (a) 270 days after the receipt of
such Net Proceeds and (b) 90 days after the end of the
calendar year during which such Prepayment Event occurred; and
provided further that no such prepayment shall be
required to be made to the extent such Net Proceeds are required to
be applied (and are so applied) to the repayment of loans under the
Credit Agreement or the Tranche C Credit Agreement.
(f) 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 Borrowing, not
later than 12:00 p.m., New York City time, three Business Days
before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of
prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 12:00 p.m., New York
City time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each
such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment
date, the principal amount of each Borrowing or
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portion thereof to be prepaid and, in the case of
a mandatory prepayment, a reasonably detailed calculation of the
amount of such prepayment, provided that a notice of
optional prepayment may state that such notice is conditional upon
the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the receipt of the
proceeds from the issuance of other Indebtedness, in which case
such notice of prepayment may be revoked by the Borrower or the
Additional Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or
prior to 12:00 noon New York City time, on the specified date) if
such condition is not satisfied. Promptly following receipt of any
such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of
the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing
shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an
advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in
Section 2.02, except as necessary to apply fully the required
amount of a mandatory prepayment. Each prepayment of a 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 2.13, except in the case of
partial prepayment of ABR Loans, which interest shall be payable on
the next scheduled interest payment date.
(g) Prior to any optional or mandatory prepayment of Borrowings
hereunder, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings to
be prepaid and shall specify such selection in the notice of such
prepayment pursuant to paragraph (f) of this Section.
SECTION 2.12 Fees .
(a) 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.
(b) The Borrower agrees to be liable to pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment
fee, which shall accrue in the aggregate at a rate equal to
(x) during the first 60 days after the First Funding Date
0.50% per annum on the actual daily unused amount of the
Commitment of such Lender and (y) from after the 60th day
after the First Funding Date to the last day of the Certain Funds
Period, 0.75% per annum of the actual daily unused amount of
Commitment of such Lender. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable
in arrears on the Bridge Loan Maturity Date. All commitment 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). For purposes of computing
commitment fees, a Commitment of a Lender shall be deemed to be
used to the extent of the outstanding Bridge Loans of such
Lender.
(c) 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 commitment fees and participation
fees, to the Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid shall not be
refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.13 Interest .
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(a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall
bear interest at the greater of (x) the Base Rate plus the
Applicable Rate or (y) the Minimum Rate, but shall not exceed
the Total Cap.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear
interest at the greater of (x) the LIBO Rate for the Interest
Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate or
(y) the Minimum Rate, but shall not exceed the Total Cap.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or
interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the
Borrower or the Additional 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, 2.00% plus the rate otherwise
applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of
this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2.00%
plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph
(a) of this Section.
(d) 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 (c) of this
Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any
repayment or prepayment of any Loan, accrued interest on the
principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of
such repayment or prepayment and (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.
(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the
Base Rate at times when the 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 Base Rate or LIBO Rate shall be
determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.14 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 LIBO Rate for
such Interest Period; or
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders
that the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and
fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining
their Loans 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
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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 Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a
Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any
Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing
shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.
SECTION 2.15 Increased Costs .
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(a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special
deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge 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 LIBO Rate); or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any
other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or
Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or participation therein;
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 of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) 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 by such Lender 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
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 or the Additional Borrower, as
the case may be, shall not be required
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to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section
for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days
prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the
Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or 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
270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the
period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION 2.16 Break Funding Payments . In the event of
(a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar 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 Loan on the date specified in any
notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice
may be revoked under Section 2.11(f) and is revoked in
accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar
Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable
thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower or the Additional
Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19 or Section 9.02(c),
then, in any such event, the Borrower or the Additional Borrower
shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense
attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such
loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an
amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of
(i) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the
principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the
LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the
period from the date of such event to the last day of the then
current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to
borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been
the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of
interest that would accrue on such principal amount for such period
at the interest rate that such Lender would bid were it to bid, at
the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a
comparable amount and period from other banks in the Eurodollar
market. 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 Borrowers and shall be conclusive
absent manifest error. The Borrower or the Additional Borrower
shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such
certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
SECTION 2.17 Taxes .
(a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of
any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear
of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes,
provided that if the Borrower or the Additional 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 or the
Additional Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the
Borrower or the Additional Borrower, as the case may be, shall pay
the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in
accordance with
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applicable law in connection with their
respective Loans. If the Borrower or the Additional Borrower is
required by law to withhold or deduct on account of Tax in respect
of any Excluded Tax, the Borrower or the Additional Borrower (as
the case may be) shall make such withholding or
deduction.
(b) Without limiting the provisions of paragraph (a) above,
the Borrowers shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law in
connection with their respective Loans and within 10 days after
written demand, indemnify each Lender against any cost, loss or
liability that that Lender incurs in relation to Other Taxes.
(c) The Borrowers shall, severally but not jointly, indemnify
the Administrative Agent and each Lender, within 10 days after
written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent or such
Lender, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or
on account of any obligation of the Borrower or the Additional
Borrower under any Loan Document (including Indemnified Taxes or
Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts
payable under this Section) 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. The written demand shall include the original or a copy
of a receipt, if available, issued by such Governmental Authority
evidencing such payment or other evidence of such payment
reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Additional Borrower,
as the case may be, and the Administrative Agent (as applicable),
together with a certificate setting forth the amount of such
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes and, in reasonable detail, the
calculation and basis for such Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower or the Additional Borrower, as
the case may be, to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower or the
Additional Borrower, as the case may be, shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt,
if available, 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) The Administrative Agent (as applicable) and each Lender
shall furnish from time to time to the Borrowers and the
Administrative Agent (as applicable), or to such other Person(s) as
the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent may designate, such
forms, certificates and documentation (including Internal Revenue
Service Forms W-8 and W-9 and the UK Double Taxation Treaty
applications and Tax Confirmations) that the Administrative Agent
or Lender is legally able to furnish and as may be necessary or
appropriate to obtain any reduction of or exemption from any
withholding or other Tax imposed by any Governmental Authority on
payments made under any Loan Document. Each Lender and the
Administrative Agent shall provide such forms, certificates and
documentation at the following times: (i) prior to becoming a
party to this Agreement; (ii) prior to the expiration of any
previously delivered form; (iii) upon a change in law or
circumstances requiring or making appropriate a new or additional
form, certificate or documentation; and (iv) when reasonably
requested by the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent (as
applicable).
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(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender
determines, in its reasonable discretion, that it has received a
refund of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has
been indemnified by the Borrowers or with respect to which the
Borrower or the Additional Borrower has paid additional amounts
pursuant to this Section, it shall pay over such refund to the
Borrower or the Additional Borrower, as the case may be (but only
to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts
paid, by the Borrowers under this Section with respect to the
Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net
of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such
Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the
relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund),
provided ,
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