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Exhibit 10.29
CREDIT AND GUARANTEE
AGREEMENT
dated as of
January 2, 2007
among
BLOCK FINANCIAL CORPORATION,
as Borrower,
H&R BLOCK, INC.,
as Guarantor,
and
HSBC FINANCE CORPORATION,
as Lender
$3,000,000,000 REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY
NOTE: CERTAIN MATERIAL HAS BEEN OMMITTED FROM
THIS AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO A REQUEST FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
UNDER RULE 24b-2. THE LOCATIONS OF THESE OMISSIONS ARE INDICATED
THROUGHOUT THE AGREEMENT BY THE FOLLOWING MARKINGS:
[***].
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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1
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SECTION 1.1.
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Defined Terms
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1
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SECTION 1.2.
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Terms Generally
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14
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SECTION 1.3.
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Accounting Terms; GAAP
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14
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ARTICLE II THE CREDITS
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15
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SECTION 2.1.
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Commitment
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15
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SECTION 2.2.
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Loans
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15
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SECTION 2.3.
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Funding of Loans
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15
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SECTION 2.4.
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Termination and Reduction of
Commitment
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15
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SECTION 2.5.
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Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt
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16
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SECTION 2.6.
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Prepayment of Loans
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16
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SECTION 2.7.
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Interest
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17
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SECTION 2.8.
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Alternate Rate of Interest
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18
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SECTION 2.9.
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Increased Costs
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18
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SECTION 2.10.
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Taxes
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19
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SECTION 2.11.
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Payments Generally
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20
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SECTION 2.12.
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Mitigation Obligations
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20
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ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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20
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SECTION 3.1.
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Organization; Powers
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20
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SECTION 3.2.
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Authorization; Enforceability
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21
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SECTION 3.3.
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Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts
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21
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SECTION 3.4.
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Financial Condition; No Material Adverse
Change
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21
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SECTION 3.5.
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Properties
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22
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SECTION 3.6.
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Litigation and Environmental Matters
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22
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SECTION 3.7.
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Compliance with Laws and Agreements
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22
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SECTION 3.8.
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Investment Company Status
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22
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SECTION 3.9.
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Taxes
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22
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SECTION 3.10.
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ERISA
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23
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SECTION 3.11.
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Disclosure
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23
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SECTION 3.12.
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Federal Regulations
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23
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SECTION 3.13.
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Subsidiaries
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23
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SECTION 3.14.
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Insurance
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23
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ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS
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24
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SECTION 4.1.
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Effective Date
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24
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SECTION 4.2.
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Closing Date
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24
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-i-
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Page
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SECTION 4.3.
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Each Loan
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25
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ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
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25
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SECTION 5.1.
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Financial Statements and Other
Information
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25
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SECTION 5.2.
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Notices of Material Events
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27
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SECTION 5.3.
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Existence; Conduct of Business
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27
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SECTION 5.4.
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Payment of Taxes
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27
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SECTION 5.5.
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Maintenance of Properties; Insurance
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27
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SECTION 5.6.
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Books and Records; Inspection Rights
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27
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SECTION 5.7.
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Compliance with Laws
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28
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SECTION 5.8.
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Use of Proceeds
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28
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ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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28
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SECTION 6.1.
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Adjusted Net Worth
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28
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SECTION 6.2.
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Indebtedness
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28
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SECTION 6.3.
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Liens
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31
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SECTION 6.4.
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Fundamental Changes; Sale of Assets
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32
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SECTION 6.5.
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Transactions with Affiliates
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33
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SECTION 6.6.
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Restrictive Agreements
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33
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ARTICLE VII GUARANTEE
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34
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SECTION 7.1.
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Guarantee
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34
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SECTION 7.2.
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Delay of Subrogation
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35
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SECTION 7.3.
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Amendments, etc. with respect to the Obligations;
Waiver of Rights
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35
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SECTION 7.4.
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Guarantee Absolute and Unconditional
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35
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SECTION 7.5.
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Reinstatement
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36
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SECTION 7.6.
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Payments
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36
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ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT
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37
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ARTICLE IX
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39
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[RESERVED]
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39
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ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS
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39
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SECTION 10.1.
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Notices
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39
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SECTION 10.2.
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Waivers; Amendments
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40
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SECTION 10.3.
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Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver
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40
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SECTION 10.4.
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Successors and Assigns
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41
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SECTION 10.5.
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Survival
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42
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SECTION 10.6.
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Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness
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42
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-ii-
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Page
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SECTION 10.7.
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Severability
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43
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SECTION 10.8.
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Right of Setoff
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43
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SECTION 10.9.
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service
of Process
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43
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SECTION 10.10.
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WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
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44
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SECTION 10.11.
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Headings
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44
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SECTION 10.12.
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Confidentiality
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44
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SECTION 10.13.
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Interest Rate Limitation
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45
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SECTION 10.14.
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USA Patriot Act
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45
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SECTION 10.15.
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Alternative Dispute Resolution
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45
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SCHEDULES:
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Schedule 3.4(a)
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Guarantee Obligations
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Schedule 3.6
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Disclosed Matters
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Schedule 3.13
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Subsidiaries
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Schedule 6.2
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Existing Indebtedness
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Schedule 6.3
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Existing Liens
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Schedule 6.4(b)
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Additional Businesses
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Schedule 6.6
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Existing Restrictions
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EXHIBITS:
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Exhibit A
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Form of Security Agreement
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Exhibit B
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Form of Control Agreement
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Exhibit C
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Form of HSBC TFS Letter
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Exhibit D
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Form of Opinion of Stinson Morrison Hecker
LLP
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-iii-
CREDIT AND GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
CREDIT
AND GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of January 2, 2007, among
BLOCK FINANCIAL CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation, as Borrower,
H&R BLOCK, INC., a Missouri corporation, as Guarantor, and HSBC
FINANCE CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation, as Lender.
WHEREAS,
the Borrower has requested that the Lender provide a short-term
revolving credit facility in an amount of $3,000,000,000;
WHEREAS,
the Guarantor has agreed to guarantee all of the Borrower’s
obligations hereunder; and
WHEREAS,
the Lender is willing to provide a short-term revolving credit
facility to the Borrower on the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements herein and in
reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein,
the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.1. Defined Terms . Capitalized terms used in this
Agreement that are not defined below or otherwise herein shall have
the meanings set forth in the Appendix of Defined Terms and Rules
of Construction attached as Appendix A to the Retail
Settlement Products Distribution Agreement. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified
below:
" Adjusted Net Worth "
means, at any time, Consolidated Net Worth of the Guarantor without
giving effect to reductions in stockholders’ equity as a
result of repurchases by the Guarantor of its own Capital Stock
subsequent to April 30, 2005 in an aggregate amount not
exceeding $350,000,000.
" 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.
For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Guarantor nor any of its
Subsidiaries shall be deemed to Control any of its franchisees by
virtue of provisions in the relevant franchise agreement regulating
the business and operations of such franchisee.
" Agreement " means this
Credit and Guarantee Agreement.
" Availability Period "
means the period from and including January 2, 2007 (or, if
later, the Closing Date) to but excluding the earlier of the
Revolving Termination Date and the date of termination of the
Commitments.
2
" Average Weekly LIBOR "
means [***] .
" Bank Revolvers " means,
collectively, (i) the Five-Year Credit and Guarantee Agreement
dated as of August 10, 2005 among the Borrower, the Guarantor,
various financial institutions and JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A., as
Administrative Agent, and any restatement, extension, renewal and
replacement thereof (regardless of whether the amount available
thereunder is changed or the term thereof is modified) and
(ii) the Amended and Restated Five-Year Credit and Guarantee
Agreement, dated as of August 10, 2005, among the Borrower,
the Guarantor, various financial institutions and JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and any restatement,
extension, renewal and replacement thereof (regardless of whether
the amount available thereunder is changed or the term thereof is
modified).
" Board " means the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of
America.
" Borrower " means Block
Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned
indirect Subsidiary of the Guarantor.
" Business Day " means any
day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial
banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain
closed; provided that, when used in connection with a
Eurodollar Loan, the term "Business Day" shall also exclude any day
on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the
London interbank market.
" Capital 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) real or personal property, or a combination
thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and
accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person
under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the
capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
" Capital Stock " means any
and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents
(however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all
equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a
corporation) and any and all warrants or options to purchase any of
the foregoing.
" Cash Equivalents " means
(a) marketable direct obligations issued by, or
unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States government or
issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year
from the date of acquisition; (b) certificates of deposit,
time deposits, eurodollar time deposits or overnight bank deposits
having maturities of six months or less from the date of
acquisition issued by (i) any "Lender" as defined in a Bank
Revolver, (ii) any commercial bank organized under the laws of the
United States or any state thereof having combined capital and
surplus of not less than $500,000,000 or (iii) any other bank
if, and to the extent, covered by FDIC insurance;
(c) commercial paper of an issuer rated at least A-1 by
S&P or P-1 by Moody’s, or carrying an equivalent
rating
3
by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two
named rating agencies cease publishing ratings of commercial paper
issuers generally, and maturing within six months from the date of
acquisition; (d) repurchase obligations of any "Lender" as
defined in a Bank Revolver or of any commercial bank satisfying the
requirements of clause (b) of this definition, having a term
of not more than 30 days, with respect to securities issued or
fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government;
(e) securities with maturities of one year or less from the
date of acquisition issued or fully guaranteed by any state,
commonwealth or territory of the United States, by any political
subdivision or taxing authority of any such state, commonwealth or
territory or by any foreign government, the securities of which
state, commonwealth, territory, political subdivision, taxing
authority or foreign government (as the case may be) are rated at
least A by S&P or A2 by Moody’s; (f) securities with
maturities of six months or less from the date of acquisition
backed by standby letters of credit issued by any "Lender" as
defined in a Bank Revolver or any commercial bank satisfying the
requirements of clause (b) of this definition; (g) money
market mutual or similar funds that invest exclusively in assets
satisfying the requirements of clauses (a) through (f) of
this definition; (h) money market funds that (i) comply
with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) are rated AAA
by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio
assets of at least $1,000,000,000; (i) interests in privately
offered investment funds under Section 3(c)(7) of the U.S.
Investment Company Act of 1940 where such interests are
(i) freely transferable and (ii) rated AAA by S&P or
Aaa by Moody’s; and (j) one month LIBOR floating rate
asset backed securities that are (i) freely transferable and
(ii) rated AAA by S&P or Aaa by Moody’s.
" Change in Control " means
(a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly,
beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the
meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in
effect on the date hereof) of shares representing more than 25% of
the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and
outstanding Capital Stock of the Guarantor; (b) occupation of
a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of
directors of the Guarantor by Persons who were neither
(i) nominated by the board of directors of the Guarantor nor
(ii) appointed by directors so nominated; (c) the
acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Guarantor by any
Person or group; or (d) the failure of the Guarantor to own,
directly or indirectly, shares representing 100% of the aggregate
ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding
Capital Stock 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 the Lender (or, for purposes of
Section 2.9(b), by any lending office of the Lender or by the
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 10.13.
4
" Closing Date " means the
date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.2 are
satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.2).
" Code " means the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
" Commitment " means the
commitment of the Lender to make Loans, subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, in an amount not to exceed (i)
$3,000,000,000 from January 2, 2007 through and including
March 30, 2007 and (ii) thereafter, $120,000,000, as such
commitment may be reduced from time to time pursuant to
Section 2.4.
" Consolidated Net Worth "
means, at any time, the total amount of stockholders’ equity
of the Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries at such time
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
" Contractual Obligation "
means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by
such Person or of any agreement, instrument or undertaking to which
such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is
bound.
" Control " means the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether
through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or
otherwise. " Controlling " and " Controlled " have
meanings correlative thereto.
" Control Agreement " means
the Investment Account Control Agreement between the Borrower, the
Lender and the Securities Intermediary referred to therein in
substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.
" Credit Parties " means
the collective reference to the Borrower and the Guarantor.
" Default " means any event
or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon
notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become
an Event of Default.
" Disclosed Matters " means
(a) matters disclosed in the Borrower’s public filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to
December 12, 2006 and (b) the actions, suits, proceedings
and environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.6.
" dollars " or " $ "
refers to lawful money of the United States of America.
" Effective Date " means
the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.1 are
satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.2).
" Environmental Laws "
means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders,
decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements
issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority,
relating in any way to the
5
environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources,
to the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous
Material or to health and safety matters.
" Environmental Liability "
means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any
liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines,
penalties or indemnities), of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary
directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon
(a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the
generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any
Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of
any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any
contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to
which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
" ERISA " means the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from
time to time.
" ERISA Affiliate " means
any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together
with any Credit Party, 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 any
Credit Party or any of their ERISA Affiliates of any liability
under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any
Plan; (e) the receipt by any Credit Party 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 any Credit Party or
any of their ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the
withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer
Plan; or (g) the receipt by any Credit Party or any ERISA
Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan
from any Credit Party 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, means that such Loan is bearing interest
at a rate determined by reference to the LIBO Rate.
" Events of Default " has
the meaning assigned to such term in Article VIII.
" Excluded Taxes " means,
with respect to the Lender or any payment to be made by or on
account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder,
(a) income or franchise
6
taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United
States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which
the Lender is organized or in which its principal office is located
or in which its applicable lending office is located and
(b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of
America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in
which the Borrower is located.
" Federal Funds Effective
Rate " means for each day, the rate per annum which is the
average of the rates on the offered side of the Federal funds
market quoted by three interbank Federal funds brokers, selected by
the Lender, at approximately 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on such
day for dollar deposits in immediately available funds, in an
amount comparable to the outstanding principal amount of the Loans,
as determined by the Lender and rounded upwards, if necessary, to
the nearest 1/100 of 1%.
" Financial Officer " means
the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer,
treasurer or controller of the Borrower or the Guarantor, as the
context may require.
" 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,
provincial 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.
" Guarantee " of or by any
Person (the " guarantor ") means any obligation, contingent
or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic
effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any
other Person (the " primary obligor ") in any manner,
whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the
guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or
advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such
Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment
thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or
services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness
or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain
working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the
primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or
(d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or
letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or
obligation; provided that the term Guarantee shall not
include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary
course of business.
" Guarantee Obligation "
means, as to any Person, any obligation of such Person guaranteeing
or in effect guaranteeing any Indebtedness, leases, dividends or
other obligations (the " primary obligations ") of any other
Person (the " primary obligor ") in any manner, whether
directly or indirectly, including any obligation of such Person,
whether or not contingent, (a) to purchase any such primary
obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security
therefor, (b) to advance or supply funds (i) for the
purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (ii) to
maintain working capital or
7
equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain
the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (c) to
purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose
of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability
of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation
or (d) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any
such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof;
provided , however , that the term Guarantee
Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for
deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business. The
amount of any Guarantee Obligation shall be deemed to be an amount
equal as of any date of determination to the stated determinable
amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Guarantee
Obligation is made (unless such Guarantee Obligation shall be
expressly limited to a lesser amount, in which case such lesser
amount shall apply) or, if not stated or determinable, the amount
as of any date of determination of the maximum reasonably
anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by such
Person in good faith.
" Guarantor " means H&R
Block, Inc., a Missouri corporation.
" Hazardous Materials "
means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all
hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants,
including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos
containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas,
infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of
any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
" Hedging Agreement " means
any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency exchange
agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest
or currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging
arrangement.
" HSBC RAL " means "HSBC
RAL" as such term is defined in the Appendix of Defined Terms and
Rules of Construction attached as Appendix A to Retail
Settlement Products Distribution Agreement.
" HSBC TFS " means HSBC
Taxpayer Financial Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
" HSBC TFS Letter " means a
letter agreement between the Borrower, HSBC TFS and the Lender in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto.
" Indebtedness " of any
Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such
Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances
of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by
bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all
obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are
customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under
conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to
property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such
Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or
services (excluding current accounts payable and accrued expenses
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
8
property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the
Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all
Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all
Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in
respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all
obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of
bankers’ acceptances and (k) for purposes of
Section 6.2 only, all preferred stock issued by a Subsidiary
of such Person. 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. Indebtedness of a Person shall not include
obligations with respect to funds held by such Person in custody
for, or for the benefit of, third parties which are to be paid at
the direction of such third parties (and are not used for any other
purpose).
" Indemnified Taxes " means
Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
" Indemnitee " has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.3(b).
" Indirect RAL Participation
Transaction " means any transaction by the Guarantor or any
Subsidiary involving (a) an investment in a partnership,
limited partnership, limited liability company, limited liability
partnership, business trust or other pass-through entity which is
partially owned by the Guarantor or any Subsidiary, (b) the
purchase by such pass-through entity of refund anticipation loans
or participation interests in refund anticipation loans (and/or
related rights and interests), and (c) the distribution of
cash flow received by such pass-through entity with respect to such
refund anticipation loans or participation interests therein to the
owners of such pass-through entity.
" Information " has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.12.
" LIBO Rate " means [***]
.
" Lien " means, with
respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien,
pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in,
on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under
any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention
agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same
economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and
(c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or
similar right of a third party with respect to such securities;
provided that clause (c) above shall be deemed not to
include stock options granted by any Person to its directors,
officers or employees with respect to the Capital Stock of such
Person.
" Loan Documents " means
this Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Control Agreement, the
HSBC TFS Letter and the Notes, if any.
" Loans " means the loans
made by the Lender to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
9
" Margin " means [***] %
per annum.
" Margin Stock " means any
"margin stock" as defined in Regulation U of the Board.
" Material Adverse Effect "
means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets,
property or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Guarantor and
the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any
Credit Party to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement
or (c) the rights of or benefits available to the Lenders
under this Agreement.
" Material Indebtedness "
means Indebtedness (other than the Loans), or obligations in
respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of
the Credit Parties and any Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal
amount exceeding $40,000,000. For purposes of determining Material
Indebtedness, the "principal amount" of the obligations of any
Credit Party or any Subsidiary in respect of any Hedging Agreement
at any time shall be the aggregate amount (giving effect to any
netting agreements) that the Credit Party or such Subsidiary would
be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at
such time.
" Material Proceeding "
means any suit, action or proceeding brought by the Lender against
the Borrower or the Guarantor or both to collect payment of
Obligations in the aggregate amount of $300,000,000 or more which
are past due.
" Material Subsidiary "
means any Subsidiary of any Credit Party, other than OOMC, the
aggregate assets or revenues of which, as of the last day of the
most recently ended fiscal quarter for which the Borrower has
delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.1(a) or
(b), when aggregated with the assets or revenues of all other
Subsidiaries with respect to which the actions contemplated by
Section 6.4 are taken, are greater than 5% of the total assets
or total revenues, as applicable, of the Guarantor and its
consolidated Subsidiaries, in each case as determined in accordance
with GAAP.
" Maximum Rate " has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.13.
" Moody’s " means
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
" Multiemployer Plan "
means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA.
" Notes " means the
collective reference to any promissory note evidencing Loans.
" Obligations " means,
collectively, the unpaid principal of and interest on the Loans and
all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower (including
interest accruing at the then applicable rate provided herein after
the maturity of the Loans and interest accruing at the then
applicable rate provided herein after the filing of any petition in
bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization
or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether or not a
claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such
proceeding) to the Lender, whether direct or indirect, absolute
or
10
contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter
incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with,
this Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Control Agreement, the
HSBC TFS Letter, any Note or any other document made, delivered or
given in connection herewith, whether on account of principal,
interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs,
expenses or otherwise (including all fees and disbursements of
counsel to the Lender that are required to be paid by the Borrower
pursuant to the terms of any of the foregoing agreements).
" OOMC " means Option One
Mortgage Corporation, a California corporation, and all of its
subsidiaries.
" Other Taxes " means any
and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other
excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from
any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or
enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.
" Participant " has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.4(c).
" Participation Agreement "
means the HSBC Refund Anticipation Loan Participation Agreement,
dated as of September 23, 2005, as amended from time to time,
and any restatement, extension, renewal and replacement thereof, by
and among Household Tax Masters Acquisition Corporation, the
Borrower, HSBC Bank USA, National Association, HSBC Taxpayer
Financial Services, Inc. and HSBC Trust Company (Delaware),
National Association.
" Participation Interest "
means a "Participation Interest" as defined in the Participation
Agreement.
" PBGC " means the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and
any successor entity performing similar functions.
" Permitted Encumbrances "
means:
(a) judgment Liens in respect of
judgments not constituting an Event of Default under clause
(k) of Article VIII;
(b) Liens imposed by law for taxes
that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with
Section 5.4;
(c) carriers’,
warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s,
repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in
the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are
not overdue by more than 30 days or are being contested in
compliance with Section 5.4;
(d) pledges and deposits made in
the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’
compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws
or regulations;
11
(e) 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; and
(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 Credit
Parties or any Subsidiary;
provided that the term "Permitted Encumbrances" shall not
include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
" Person " means any
natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust,
joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.
" Plan " means any employee
pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to
the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code
or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which any Credit Party
or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would
under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an "employer" as
defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.
" Prime Rate " means the
rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as its prime rate in effect at its
principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate
shall be effective from and including the date such change is
publicly announced as being effective.
" Proceeding " means any
suit, action or proceeding described in clauses (1) through
(4) of Section 10.15.
" Purchase Price " means
"Purchase Price" as such term is defined in the Appendix of Defined
Terms and Rules of Construction attached as Appendix A to
Retail Settlement Products Distribution Agreement.
" RAL Receivables Amount "
means, at any time, the difference ( but not less than zero
) between (i) the aggregate amount of funds received by the
Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any qualified or unqualified special
purpose entity created by any Subsidiary with respect to the
transfer of refund anticipation loans, or participation interests
in refund anticipation loans (and/or related rights and interests),
to any third party in any RAL Receivables Transaction, at or prior
to such time, minus (ii) the aggregate amount received
by all such third parties with respect to the transferred refund
anticipation loans, or participation interests in refund
anticipation loans (and/or related rights and interests), in all
RAL Receivables Transactions, at or prior to such time,
excluding from the amounts received by such third parties,
the aggregate amount of any origination, set up, structuring or
similar fees, all implicit or explicit financing expenses and all
indemnification and reimbursement payments paid to such any third
party in connection with any RAL Receivables Transaction.
12
" RAL Receivables
Transaction " means any securitization, on — or off
— balance sheet financing or sale transaction, involving
refund anticipation loans, or participation interests in refund
anticipation loans (and/or related rights and interests), that were
acquired by the Guarantor, any Subsidiary or any qualified or
unqualified special purpose entity created by any Subsidiary.
" Related Parties " means,
with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s
Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees,
agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s
Affiliates.
" Restricted Margin Stock "
means all Margin Stock owned by the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries
to the extent the value of such Margin Stock does not exceed 25% of
the value of all assets of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries
(determined on a consolidated basis) that are subject to the
provisions of Section 6.3 and 6.4.
" Retail Settlement Products
Distribution Agreement " means the HSBC Retail Settlement
Products Distribution Agreement, dated as of September 23,
2005, as amended from time to time, and any restatement, extension,
renewal and replacement thereof, by and among the parties thereto,
including, the Lender and the Guarantor.
" Revolving Credit Exposure
" means with respect to the Lender at any time, the outstanding
principal amount of the Lender’s Loans.
" Revolving Termination
Date " means the earlier of (i) June 30, 2007 and
(ii) the first day after April 15, 2007 on which the aggregate
outstanding amount of the Participation Interests purchased by the
Borrower in HSBC RALs under the Participation Agreement which have
been financed by the making of Loans is less than $50,000,000.
" RSM " means RSM
McGladrey, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
" S&P " means Standard
& Poor’s Ratings Services.
" Security Agreement "
means a Security Agreement between the Borrower and the Lender in
substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto.
" Servicing Agreement "
means the HSBC Settlement Products Servicing Agreement dated as of
September 23, 2005 , as amended from time to time, and any
restatement, extension, renewal and replacement thereof, among HSBC
Bank USA, National Association, HSBC TFS, Household Tax Masters
Acquisition Corporation, and the Borrower.
" Short-Term Debt " means,
at any time, the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Guarantor
and its Subsidiaries at such time (excluding seasonal Indebtedness
of H&R Block Canada, Inc.) having a final maturity less than
one year after such time, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP, minus (a) to the extent otherwise
included therein, Indebtedness outstanding at such time
(i) under mortgage facilities secured by mortgages and related
assets, (ii) incurred to fund servicing obligations required
as part of servicing mortgage backed securities in the ordinary
course of
13
business, (iii) incurred and secured by broker-dealer
Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and
(iv) deposits and other customary banking related liabilities
incurred by banking Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of
business, (b) the excess, if any, of (i) the aggregate
amount of cash and Cash Equivalents held at such time in accounts
of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries (other than broker-dealer
Subsidiaries and banking Subsidiaries) to the extent freely
transferable to the Credit Parties and capable of being applied to
the Obligations without any contractual, legal or tax consequences
over (ii) $15,000,000 and (c) to the extent otherwise included
therein, the current portion of long term debt.
" 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 of such date, as well as any other corporation,
limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity
(a) of which securities or other ownership interests
representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the
ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than
50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date,
owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date,
otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more Subsidiaries of
the parent or by the parent and one or more Subsidiaries of the
parent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no entity shall be
considered a "Subsidiary" solely as a result of the effect and
application of FASB Interpretation No. 46R (Consolidation of
Variable Interest Entities). Unless the context shall otherwise
require, all references to a "Subsidiary" or to "Subsidiaries" in
this Agreement shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the
Guarantor, including the Borrower and the Subsidiaries of the
Borrower.
" Taxes " means any and all
present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions,
charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.
" Total Facility
Commitments " means the sum of the total "Commitments" under
and as defined in the Bank Revolvers.
" Total Facility Loan
Outstandings " has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.2.
" Transactions " means the
execution, delivery and performance by the Credit Parties of the
Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds
thereof, and the granting of the security provided for in the
Security Agreement.
" Unrestricted Margin Stock
" means all Margin Stock owned by the Guarantor and its
Subsidiaries other than Restricted Margin Stock.
" 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.
14
SECTION
1.2. Terms Generally . The definitions of terms herein shall
apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The
words "include", "includes" and "including" shall be deemed to be
followed by the phrase "without limitation". The word "will" shall
be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word
"shall". Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any
definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other
document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement,
instrument or other document as from time to time amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on
such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein),
(b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to
include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the
words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder", and words of similar
import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its
entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all
references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules
shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and
Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the words
"asset" and "property" shall be construed to have the same meaning
and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible
assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and
contract rights.
SECTION
1.3. 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 Lender
that the Borrower requests an amendment to any provision hereof to
eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof
in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such
provision (or if the Lender notifies the Borrower that the Lender
requests an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose),
regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such
change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision
shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied
immediately before such change shall have become effective until
such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in
accordance herewith.
ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS
SECTION
2.1. Commitment . Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein (including the proviso at the end of
Section 6.2), the Lender agrees to make revolving loans ("
Loans ") to the Borrower from time to time during the
Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not
result in the Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding
the Lender’s Commitment as then in effect. Within the
foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Loans.
SECTION
2.2. Loans . Subject to Section 2.8, all Loans shall be
comprised entirely of Eurodollar Loans in accordance herewith. The
Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any
domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such
Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not
affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
15
SECTION
2.3. Funding of Loans . As provided in the HSBC TFS Letter,
HSBC TFS shall notify the Lender of the aggregate amount of the
Purchase Price for the Participation Interests to be purchased by
the Borrower under the Participation Agreement on any Business Day
at the same time as HSBC TFS notifies the Borrower of such amount,
but in any event not later than 9:30 a.m. New York City time on
such Business Day. Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, the Lender shall make a Loan in the amount so notified
in respect of each Business Day by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to or as instructed by HSBC TFS by 4:30 p.m., New
York City time, on such Business Day; provided, that if the
Borrower shall notify the Lender and HSBC TFS not later than one
hour after the notification by HSBC TFS referred to in the
preceding sentence that the Borrower does not wish to borrow all or
some of the amount so notified by HSBC TFS, then the Lender shall
make a Loan in such lesser amount, if any, specified in such notice
of the Borrower. The Borrower hereby irrevocably
(i) authorizes and instructs the Lender to make Loans by
transfer of Loan proceeds directly to or as instructed by HSBC TFS
as provided in the preceding sentence and (ii) acknowledges
and agrees that Loans will not be disbursed in any other manner or
for any other purpose than to fund the purchase by the Borrower of
Participation Interests in HSBC RALs under the Participation
Agreement. Notices under this Section 2.3 shall be made by
telephone and promptly confirmed by fax. Absent manifest error, the
Lender shall be entitled to rely without further inquiry on notices
and information received from HSBC TFS or the Borrower as
contemplated in this Section 2.3
SECTION
2.4. Termination and Reduction of Commitment .
(a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitment shall
terminate on the Revolving Termination Date.
(b) The
Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce,
the Commitment; provided that (i) each reduction of the
Commitment shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and not less than $25,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower
shall not terminate or reduce the Commitment if, after giving
effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with
Section 2.6, the Revolving Credit Exposure would exceed the
Commitment.
(c) The
Borrower shall notify the Lender of any election to terminate or
reduce the Commitment under paragraph (b) of this Section at
least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such
termination or reduction, specifying such election and the
effective date thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower
pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that
a notice of termination of the Commitment delivered by the Borrower
may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of
other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked
by the Borrower (by notice to the Lender) on or prior to the
specified effective date if such condition is not satisfied. Any
termination or reduction of the Commitment shall be permanent.
SECTION
2.5. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt . (a) The
Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Lender
(i) the unpaid principal amount of the Loans on March 31,
2007 to the extent that such principal amount exceeds the
Commitment on such date and (ii) the then unpaid principal
amount of each Loan on the Revolving Termination Date.
16
(b) The
Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an
account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to
the Lender resulting from each Loan made by the Lender, including
the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to the
Lender from time to time hereunder.
(c) The
entries made in the account maintained pursuant to paragraph
(b) of this Section shall be prima facie
evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded
therein; provided that the failure of the Lender to maintain
such account or any error therein shall not in any manner affect
the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement.
(d) The
Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a
promissory note. In such event, the Borrower shall prepare, execute
and deliver to the Lender a promissory note payable to the order of
the Lender (or, if requested by the Lender, to the Lender and its
assigns) and in a form approved by the Lender. Thereafter, the
Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall
at all times (including after assignment pursuant to
Section 10.4) be represented by one or more promissory notes
in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein. In
addition, upon receipt of an affidavit of an officer of the Lender
as to the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of the promissory
note, the Borrower will issue, in lieu thereof, a replacement
promissory note in the same principal amount thereof and otherwise
of like tenor.
SECTION
2.6. Prepayment of Loans . (a) The Borrower
(i) shall have the right at any time and from time to time
voluntarily to prepay the Loans in whole or in part without premium
or penalty, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph
(b) of this Section, and (ii) shall prepay the Loans from
time to time in whole or in part without premium or penalty in
accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
(b) The
Borrower shall notify the Lender by telephone (confirmed by
telecopy) of any voluntary prepayment of Loans under
Section 2.6(a)(i), not later than 12:00 noon, New York City
time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be
irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal
amount of Loans to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of
prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of
termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.4,
then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of
termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.4.
(c) The
Borrower shall prepay the principal of the Loans in an amount equal
to (i) 97% of the amount of all payments constituting
repayment of HSBC RALs in which the Borrower has purchased a
Participation Interest that has been financed by the Lender which
are remitted to the Borrower by HSBC TFS under
Section 3.4(b)(ii) of the Servicing Agreement, and
(ii) 97% of the amount of all repurchases of Participation
Interests by HSBC TFS under Section 6 of the Participation
Agreement as to Participation Interests that have been financed by
the Lender. In the HSBC TFS Letter, the Borrower will irrevocably
authorize and instruct (A) HSBC TFS, as Servicer under the
Servicing Agreement, to pay 97% of all amounts from time to time to
be remitted to the Borrower by the Servicer under
Section 3.4(b)(ii) of the Servicing Agreement in respect of
Participation Interests financed by the Lender directly to the
Lender for application to the prepayment of the Loans under this
Section 2.6(c) and (B) HSBC TFS to pay
17
97% of all amounts otherwise payable to the Borrower in respect
of the repurchase under Section 6 of the Participation
Agreement of Participation Interests in HSBC RALs that have been
financed by the Lender directly to the Lender for application to
the prepayment of the Loans under this Section 2.6(c). The Lender
shall be entitled to rely without further inquiry on notices and
information received from HSBC TFS as contemplated in this
Section 2.6(c). The Lender shall credit payments received from
HSBC TFS under this Section 2.6(c) to prepayment of the
principal of the Loans on the date of receipt.
SECTION
2.7. Interest . (a) The Loans shall bear interest for
each day at a rate per annum equal to [***] .
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any
other amount payable by the Borrower hereunder is not paid when
due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise,
such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before
judgment, at a rate per annum equal to 3% plus the rate of interest
otherwise applicable to the Loans hereunder.
(c) Accrued
interest on each Loan shall be payable monthly in arrears on the
fifth Business Day of the following month and on the Revolving
Termination Date; provided that interest accrued pursuant to
paragraph (b) of this Section shall be payable on demand. On
the second Business Day of such following month, the Lender shall
deliver to the Borrower and HSBC TFS by e-mail an invoice for the
amount of accrued interest on the Loans for the preceding month,
together with a schedule in reasonable detail showing how such
amount was calculated.
(d) All
interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of
360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the
Prime Rate under Section 2.8 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 LIBO Rate
(and in the case of determinations under Section 2.8, the
Federal Funds Effective Rate and the Prime Rate) shall be
determined by the Lender, and such determination shall be
conclusive absent manifest error. The Lender shall as soon as
practicable notify the Borrower of the effective date and the
amount of each change in interest rate.
SECTION
2.8. Alternate Rate of Interest . If at any time:
(a) the
Lender determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent
manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
ascertaining the LIBO Rate; or
(b) the
Lender determines that the LIBO Rate will not adequately and fairly
reflect the cost to the Lender of making or maintaining Loans;
then the Lender shall give notice thereof to the Borrower by
telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and,
until the Lender notifies the Borrower that the circumstances
giving rise to such notice no longer exist, the Loans shall bear
interest at a rate per annum equal to, for any day, a rate per
annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on
such day [***] , and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in
effect on such day [***] . Any change in the Prime
18
Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from
and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate
or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
SECTION
2.9. Increased Costs . (a) If any Change in Law
shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem
applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit
extended by, the Lender; or
(ii) impose on the Lender or the
London interbank market any other condition affecting this
Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by the Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the
cost to the Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or
of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase
the cost to the Lender or to reduce the amount of any sum received
or receivable by the Lender hereunder (whether of principal,
interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to the Lender
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate the Lender for
such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If
the Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding capital
requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of
return on the Lender’s capital or on the capital of the
Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this
Agreement or the Loans made by the Lender to a level below that
which the Lender or the Lender’s holding company could have
achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration the
Lender’s policies and the policies of the Lender’s
holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time
to time the Borrower will pay to the Lender such additional amount
or amounts as will compensate the Lender or the Lender’s
holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A
certificate of the Lender setting forth the amount or amounts
necessary to compensate the Lender or its holding company, as the
case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this
Section (together with a statement of the reason for such
compensation and a calculation thereof in reasonable detail) shall
be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent
manifest error. The Borrower shall pay the Lender the amount shown
as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt
thereof.
(d) Failure
or delay on the part of the Lender to demand compensation pursuant
to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of the Lender’s
right to demand such compensation; provided that the
Borrower shall not be required to compensate the Lender pursuant to
this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more
than six months prior to the date that the Lender notifies the
Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs
or reductions and of the Lender’s intention to claim
compensation therefor; provided , further , that, if
the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions
is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall
be extended to include the period of retroactive effect
thereof.
19
SECTION
2.10. Taxes . (a) Any and all payments by or on account
of any obligation of the Borrower or the Guarantor hereunder shall
be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower or the
Guarantor 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 Lender receives an amount equal to
the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made,
(ii) the Borrower or the Guarantor shall make such deductions
and (iii) the Borrower or the Guarantor shall pay the full
amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in
accordance with applicable law.
(b) In
addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The
Borrower shall indemnify the Lender, within 10 days after
written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified
Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under
this Section) paid by the Lender and any penalties, interest and
reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto,
whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly
or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental
Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or
liability delivered to the Borrower by the Lender shall be
conclusive absent manifest error.
(d) As
soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower
shall deliver to the Lender the original or a certified copy of a
receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such
payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other
evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Lender.
SECTION
2.11. Payments Generally . (a) The Borrower shall make
each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of
principal or interest, or under Section 2.9 or 2.10, or
otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date
when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or
counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may,
in the discretion of the Lender, be deemed to have been received on
the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating
interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Lender at
its account at HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Buffalo, N.Y., ABA #021001088,
Cash Ops W/T, A/C #001842609, or at such other bank or account as
it shall specify from time to time by notice in writing to the
Borrower. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is
not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the
next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment
accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period
of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 2.11 shall not
apply to payments by HSBC TFS as contemplated by
Section 2.6(c).
(b) If
at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the
Lender to pay fully all amounts of principal, interest and any
other amounts then due hereunder,
20
such funds shall be applied (i) first, to pay interest then
due hereunder, (ii) second, to pay principal then due
hereunder, and (iii) third, any other amounts due and owing
hereunder.
SECTION
2.12. Mitigation Obligations . If the Lender requests
compensation under Section 2.9, or if the Borrower is required
to pay any additional amount to the Lender or any Governmental
Authority for the account of the Lender pursuant to
Section 2.10, then the Lender shall use reasonable efforts to
designate a different lending office for funding or booking its
Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder
to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the
judgment of the Lender, such designation or assignment
(i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to
Section 2.9 or 2.10, as the case may be, in the future and
(ii) would not subject the Lender to any unreimbursed cost or
expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to the Lender.
The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses
incurred by the Lender in connection with any such designation or
assignment.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Each
of the Credit Parties represents and warrants to the Lender
that:
SECTION
3.1. Organization; Powers . Each of the Credit Parties and
the Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization,
has the power and authority to carry on its business as now
conducted and, except where the failure to be so, individually or
in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in
good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is
required.
SECTION
3.2. Authorization; Enforceability . The Transactions are
within each Credit Party’s corporate powers and have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required,
stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by each Credit Party and constitutes a legal, valid and
binding obligation of each Credit Party, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’
rights generally and subject to general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law.
SECTION
3.3. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts . The Transactions
(a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority,
except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and
effect, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation
or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any
Credit Party or any Subsidiary or any order of any Governmental
Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under
any indenture, material agreement or other instrument (other than
those to be terminated on or prior to the Closing Date) binding
upon any Credit Party or any Subsidiary or their assets, or give
rise to a right thereunder
21
to require any payment to be made by any Credit Party or any
Subsidiary, and (d) except as provided in the Loan Documents,
will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any
asset of any Credit Party or any Subsidiary.
SECTION
3.4. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change .
(a) Each Credit Party has heretofore furnished to the Lender
consolidated balance sheets and statements of income and cash flows
(and, in the case of the Guarantor, of stockholders’ equity)
(i) as of and for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006
(A) reported on by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public
accounting firm, in respect of the financial statements of the
Guarantor, and (B) certified by its chief financial officer,
in respect of the financial statements of the Borrower, and
(ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the
fiscal year ended October 31, 2006. Such financial statements
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position
and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its
consolidated Subsidiaries and of the Guarantor and its consolidated
Subsidiaries as of such date and for such period in accordance with
GAAP. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.4(a), neither the
Guarantor nor any of its consolidated Subsidiaries had, at the date
of the most recent balance sheet referred to above, any material
Guarantee Obligation, contingent liability or liability for taxes,
or any long-term lease or unusual forward or long-term commitment,
including any interest rate or foreign currency swap or exchange
transaction not in the ordinary course of business, which is not
reflected in the foregoing statements or in the notes thereto.
During the period from April 30, 2006 to and including the
date hereof, and except as disclosed in filings made by the
Guarantor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, there has been no sale, transfer
or other disposition by the Guarantor or any of its consolidated
Subsidiaries of any material part of its business or property other
than in the ordinary course of business and no purchase or other
acquisition of any business or property (including any Capital
Stock of any other Person), material in relation to the
consolidated financial condition of the Guarantor and its
consolidated Subsidiaries at April 30, 2006.
(b) From
April 30, 2006 through the Effective Date, there has been no
material adverse change in the business, assets, property or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Guarantor and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION
3.5. Properties . (a) Each of the Credit Parties and
the Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests
in, all its real and personal property material to its business,
except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its
ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to
utilize such properties for their intended purposes.
(b) Each
of the Credit Parties and the Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to
use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other
intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof
by the Credit Parties and the Subsidiaries does not infringe upon
the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements
that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.6. Litigation and Environmental Matters . (a) There
are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or
Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any
Credit Party, threatened against or affecting any Credit Party or
any
22
Subsidiary that (i) have not been disclosed in the
Disclosed Matters and as to which there is a reasonable possibility
of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined,
would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to
result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) challenge or would
reasonably be expected to affect the legality, validity or
enforceability of this Agreement.
(b) Except
for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other
matters that, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect,
neither of the Credit Parties nor any Subsidiary (i) has
failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain
or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under
any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any
Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim
with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of
any basis for any Environmental Liability.
SECTION
3.7. Compliance with Laws and Agreements . Each of the
Credit Parties and the Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws,
regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to
it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other
instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the
failure to be so, individually or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.8. Investment Company Status . Neither of the Credit
Parties nor any of the Subsidiaries is an "investment company" as
defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended.
SECTION
3.9. Taxes . Each of the Credit Parties and the Subsidiaries
has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports
required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all
Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that
are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and
for which the Guarantor, the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as
applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or
(b) to the extent that the failure to do so would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
3.10. ERISA . No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such
ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur,
would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations
under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not,
as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting
such amounts, exceed by more than $25,000,000 the fair market value
of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all
accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on
the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the
most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by
more than $25,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of all
such underfunded Plans.
SECTION
3.11. Disclosure . None of the reports, financial
statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on
behalf of the Credit Parties to the Lender in connection with the
negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified
or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any
material misstatement of fact or
23
omits to state any material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect
to projected financial information, the Credit Parties represent
only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon
assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
SECTION
3.12. Federal Regulations . No part of the proceeds of any
Loans will be used for "purchasing" or "carrying" any "margin
stock" (within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms
under Regulation U of the Board as now and from time to time
hereafter in effect) in a manner or in circumstances that would
constitute or result in non-compliance by any Credit Party or the
Lender with the provisions of Regulations U, T or X of the Board.
If requested by the Lender, the Borrower will furnish to the Lender
a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the
requirements of FR Form U-1 referred to in said
Regulation U.
SECTION
3.13. Subsidiaries . As of the date hereof, the Guarantor
has only the Subsidiaries set forth on Schedule 3.13.
SECTION
3.14. Insurance . Each Credit Party and each Subsidiary of
each Credit Party maintains (pursuant to a self-insurance program
and/or with financially sound and reputable insurers) insurance
with respect to its properties and business and against at least
such liabilities, casualties and contingencies and in at least such
types and amounts as is customary in the case of companies engaged
in the same or a similar business or having similar properties
similarly situated.
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS
SECTION
4.1. Effective Date . Except as otherwise provided in
Sections 4.2 and 4.3, this Agreement shall become effective on
the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or
waived in accordance with Section 10.2):
(a) The
Lender (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto
a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party.
SECTION
4.2. Closing Date . The obligations of the Lender to make
Loans hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which
each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in
accordance with Section 10.2):
(a) The
Effective Date shall have occurred.
(b) The
Lender shall have received reasonably satisfactory written opinion
(addressed to the Lender and dated the Closing Date) of Stinson
Morrison Hecker LLP, special counsel for the Credit Parties,
substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, and covering
such other matters relating to the Credit Parties, the Loan
Documents or the Transactions as the Lender shall reasonably
request. The Credit Parties hereby request such counsel to deliver
such opinion.
24
(c) The
Lender shall have received such documents and certificates as the
Lender or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the
organization, existence and good standing of the Credit Parties,
the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters
relating to the Credit Parties, the Loan Documents or the
Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender
and its counsel.
(d) The
Lender shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date
and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial
Officer of each Credit Party, confirming compliance with the
conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of
Section 4.3.
(e) All
governmental and material third party approvals necessary in
connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement, the Security Agreement, the Control Agreement and the
HSBC TFS Letter shall have been obtained and be in full force and
effect.
(f) The
Lender shall have received a counterpart of the Security Agreement,
duly executed and delivered by the Borrower, and a counterpart of
the HSBC TFS Letter, duly executed and delivered by the parties
thereto; and all filings and other actions necessary or appropriate
to perfect the security interest created by the Security Agreement
shall have been made or taken.
(g) The
Lender shall have received the results of searches of Uniform
Commercial Code filings in such jurisdictions as it shall deem
appropriate and such searches shall not reveal any filing that
remains in effect and that describes any of the "Collateral"
referred to in the Security Agreement.
(h) The
Borrower shall have invested $50,000,000 in the HSBC Investor Money
Market Fund managed by HSBC Investments (USA), Inc. and the Lender
shall have received a counterpart of the Control Agreement with
respect to that investment, duly executed and delivered by the
parties thereto.
The Lender shall notify the Borrower of the Closing Date, and
such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the obligation of the Lender to make Loans hereunder
shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions
is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 10.2) at or prior
to the Closing Date.
SECTION
4.3. Each Loan . The obligation of the Lender to make each
Loan is subject to the satisfaction of the following
conditions:
(a) The
representations and warranties of the Credit Parties set forth in
Article III of this Agreement (other than the representations
and warranties set forth in subsections 3.4(b), 3.6(a)(i) and
3.6(b)) shall be true and correct in all material respects on and
as of the date of such Loan (except to the extent related to a
specific earlier date).
(b) At
the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Loan, no
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
25
Each Loan shall be deemed to constitute a representation and
warranty by each of the Credit Parties on the date thereof as to
the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
Section.
ARTICLE V
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
Until
the Commitment has expired or been terminated and the principal of
and interest on each Loan shall have been paid in full, each of the
Credit Parties covenants and agrees with the Lender that:
SECTION
5.1. Financial Statements and Other Information . The
Borrower will furnish to the Lender:
(a) within
90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Guarantor, an
audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of
operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the
Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of and
for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the
figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by KPMG LLP
or another independent registered public accounting firm of
recognized national standing (without a "going concern" or like
qualification or exception and without any qualification or
exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such
consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material
respects the financial condition and results of operations of the
Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis
in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(b)
(i) in the case of the Guarantor, within 45 days after
the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal
year of the Guarantor and (ii) in the case of the Borrower,
within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the
Borrower, consolidated balance sheets and related statements of
operations and cash flows of the Borrower and the Guarantor and
their consolidated Subsidiaries, and the consolidated statement of
stockholders’ equity of the Guarantor, as of the end of and
for such fiscal quarter (in the case of the Guarantor) and the then
elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in
comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or
periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of)
the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer of
the Borrower and the Guarantor as presenting fairly in all material
respects the financial condition and results of operations of the
Borrower and the Guarantor and their consolidated Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied,
subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of
footnotes;
(c) concurrently
with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or
(b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the
Borrower and the Guarantor (i) certifying as to whether a
Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the
details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with
respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed
calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.1 and
(iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application
thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial
26
statements referred to in Section 3.4 and, if any such
change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the
financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(d) promptly
after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic
and other reports, proxy statements and other materials (other than
(i) statements of ownership such as Forms 3, 4 and 5 and
Schedule 13G, (ii) routine filings relating to employee
benefits, such as Forms S-8 and 11-K, and (iii) routine
filings by (A) HRB Financial Corporation and its Subsidiaries,
including H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc., (B) RSM
McGladrey, Inc. and its Subsidiaries, including Birchtree Financial
Services, Inc., (C) RSM Equico, Inc. and its Subsidiaries,
including RSM Equico Capital Markets, LLC, (D) Option One
Mortgage Corporation, (E) H&R Block Canada, Inc. and
(F) H&R Block Limited) filed by any Credit Party or any
Subsidiary with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any
Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of
said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or
distributed by any Credit Party to its shareholders generally, as
the case may be;
(e) a
copy of any notice given by the Borrower under Section 4.1(b),
Section 4.4(c) or Section 4.8 of the Participation Agreement,
such copy to be provided at the same time as such notice is given
under the Participation Agreement; and
(f) promptly
following any request therefor, such other information regarding
the operations, business affairs and financial condition of any
Credit Party or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of
this Agreement, as the Lender may reasonably request.
SECTION
5.2. Notices of Material Events . The Borrower will furnish
to the Lender prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the
occurrence of any Default;
(b) the
filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or
before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or
affecting any Credit Party or any Affiliate thereof that is
reasonably likely to be adversely determined and, if so determined,
would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect;
(c) the
occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any
other ERISA Events that have occurred, would reasonably be expected
to result in liability of the Borrower, the Guarantor or any
Subsidiary in an aggregate amount exceeding $25,000,000; and
(d) any
other development that results in, or would reasonably be expected
to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by
a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of
the Borrower and the Guarantor setting forth the details of the
event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or
proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
SECTION
5.3. Existence; Conduct of Business . Each Credit Party
will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be
done all things necessary to preserve, renew
27
and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the
rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to
the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing
shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation,
disposition or dissolution permitted under Section 6.4.
SECTION
5.4. Payment of Taxes . Each Credit Party will, and will
cause each of the Subsidiaries to, pay its Tax liabilities that, if
not paid, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect before the same shall become delinquent, except where
(a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good
faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) such Credit Party or
such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with
respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to
make payment pending such contest would not reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.5. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance . Each Credit
Party will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to,
(a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of
its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and
tear excepted, and (b) maintain (pursuant to a self-insurance
program and/or with financially sound and reputable insurers)
insurance in such amounts and against such risks as is customarily
maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses
operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION
5.6. Books and Records; Inspection Rights . Each Credit
Party will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, keep proper
books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries
are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each Credit
Party will, and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to, permit any
representatives designated by the Lender, upon reasonable prior
notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make
extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs,
finances and condition with its officers and independent
accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as
reasonably requested; provided that so long as no Event of
Default exists, each Credit Party and each Subsidiary shall have
the right to be present and participate in any discussions with its
independent accountants. Nothing in this Section 5.6 shall
permit the Lender to examine or otherwise have access to the tax
returns or other confidential information of any customer of either
Credit Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries.
SECTION
5.7. Compliance with Laws . Each Credit Party will, and will
cause each of the Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules,
regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to
it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually
or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.8. Use of Proceeds . The proceeds of the Loans will be
used only to purchase Participation Interests in HSBC RALs pursuant
to the Participation Agreement. No part of the proceeds of any Loan
will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that
entails a violation of any of the regulations of the Board,
including Regulations U and X.
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ARTICLE VI
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Until
the Commitment has expired or terminated and the principal of and
interest on each Loan have been paid in full, each of the Credit
Parties covenants and agrees with the Lender that:
SECTION
6.1. Adjusted Net Worth . The Guarantor will not permit
Adjusted Net Worth as at the last day of any fiscal quarter of the
Guarantor to be less than $1,000,000,000.
SECTION
6.2. Indebtedness . The Credit Parties will not, and will
not permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or permit to
exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) subject
to the proviso at the end of this Section 6.2, Indebtedness
created under the Bank Revolvers;
(b) Indebtedness
existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.2 and
extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that
do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(c) seasonal
Indebtedness of H&R Block Canada, Inc., provided that
the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness incurred
pursuant to this subsection (c) shall not exceed 250,000,000
Canadian dollars at any time outstanding;
(d) Indebtedness
of the Borrower and the Guarantor, provided that
(i) the obligations of the Credit Parties hereunder shall rank
at least pari passu with such Indebtedness (including
with respect to security) and (ii) the aggregate principal
amount of all Indebtedness permitted by this subsection
(d) shall not exceed $2,000,000,000 at any time
outstanding;
(e) subject
to the proviso at the end of this Section 6.2,
(i) Indebtedness in connection with commercial paper issued in
the United States through the Borrower which is guaranteed by the
Guarantor and (ii) Indebtedness under bank lines of credit or
similar facilities;
(f) Indebtedness
in connection with Guarantees of the performance of any
Subsidiary’s obligations under or pursuant to
(i) indemnity, fee, daylight overdraft and other similar
customary banking arrangements between such Subsidiary and one or
more financial institutions in the ordinary course of business,
(ii) any office lease entered into in the ordinary course of
business, and (iii) any promotional, joint-promotional,
cross-promotional, joint marketing, service, equipment or supply
procurement, software license or other similar agreement entered
into by such Subsidiary with one or more vendors, suppliers, retail
businesses or other third parties in the ordinary course of
business, including indemnification obligations relating to such
Subsidiary’s failure to perform its obligations under such
lease or agreement;
(g) acquisition-related
Indebtedness (either incurred or assumed) and Indebtedness in
connection with the Guarantor’s guarantees of the payment or
performance of primary obligations of Subsidiaries of the Guarantor
in connection with acquisitions by such
29
Subsidiaries, or Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted under
subsection 6.3(f); provided that, during any fiscal year,
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness
incurred pursuant to this subsection 6.2(g) shall not exceed at any
time $325,000,000;
(h) Indebtedness
of any Credit Party to any other Credit Party, of any Credit Party
to any Subsidiary, of any Subsidiary to any Credit Party and of any
Subsidiary to any other Subsidiary; provided that such
Indebtedness shall not be prohibited by Section 6.5;
(i) Indebtedness
in connection with repurchase agreements pursuant to which mortgage
loans of a Credit Party or a Subsidiary are sold with the
simultaneous agreement to repurchase the mortgage loans at the same
price plus interest at an agreed upon rate; provided that
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Indebtedness
incurred pursuant to this subsection 6.2(i) shall not at any time
exceed $500,000,000; provided , further , that no
agreed upon repurchase date shall be later than 90 business days
after the date of the corresponding repurchase agreement;
(j) Indebtedness
in connection with Guarantees or Guarantee Obligations which are
made, given or undertaken as representations and warranties,
indemnities or assurances of the payment or performance of primary
obligations in connection with securitization transactions or other
transactions permitted hereunder, as to which primary obligations
the primary obligor is a Credit Party, a Subsidiary or a
securitization trust or similar securitization vehicle to which a
Credit Party or a Subsidiary sold, directly or indirectly, the
relevant mortgage loans;
(k) Indebtedness
of RSM, a Subsidiary of the Guarantor, to McGladrey & Pullen,
LLP (" M&P ") and certain related trusts under
(i) that certain Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of
June 28, 1999 among RSM, M&P, the Guarantor and certain
other parties signatory thereto (the " M&P Purchase
Agreement ") and (ii) the Retired Partners Agreement and
the Loan Agreement (as such terms are defined in the M&P
Purchase Agreement); provided that the aggregate outstanding
principal amount payable in respect of such Indebtedness permitted
under this paragraph (k) shall not exceed $200,000,000 at any
time;
(l) Indebtedness
in connection with (i) Capital Lease Obligations in an
aggregate outstanding principal amount not at any time exceeding
$50,000,000 (excluding any Capital Lease Obligations permitted by
subsection 6.2(p)), (ii) obligations under existing mortgages
in an aggregate outstanding principal amount not exceeding
$12,000,000 at any time, (iii) securities sold and not yet
purchased, provided that the aggregate outstanding principal
amount of all Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (iii)
(other than Indebtedness of Subsidiaries which act as
broker-dealers) shall not at any time exceed $15,000
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