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EXHIBIT 10.1
CREDIT AND GUARANTY
AGREEMENT
dated as of September 30,
2004
among
RIDDELL BELL HOLDINGS,
INC.,
RBG HOLDINGS
CORP.,
CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF
RIDDELL BELL HOLDINGS, INC.,
as
Guarantors,
VARIOUS
LENDERS,
GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT
PARTNERS L.P.,
as Joint Lead Arranger,
Joint Bookrunner,
Sole Administrative Agent
and Collateral Agent
WACHOVIA CAPITAL MARKETS,
LLC,
as Joint Lead Arranger and
Joint Bookrunner,
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Sole Syndication
Agent
and
ANTARES CAPITAL
CORPORATION,
GMAC COMMERCIAL FINANCE
LLC,
and
UBS SECURITIES
LLC,
as Co-Documentation
Agents
$160,000,000 Senior
Secured Credit Facilities
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GUARANTY AGREEMENT |
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EXECUTION |
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS AND
INTERPRETATION
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2 |
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1.1. Definitions
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2 |
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1.2. Accounting Terms
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34 |
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1.3. Interpretation, etc.
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35 |
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SECTION 2. LOANS AND LETTERS OF
CREDIT
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35 |
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2.1. Term Loans
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35 |
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2.2. Revolving Loans
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36 |
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2.3. Swing Line Loans
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37 |
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2.4. Issuance of Letters of Credit and
Purchase of Participations Therein
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40 |
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2.5. Pro Rata Shares; Availability of
Funds
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44 |
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2.6. Use of Proceeds
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44 |
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2.7. Evidence of Debt; Register;
Lenders’ Books and Records; Notes
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45 |
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2.8. Interest on Loans
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45 |
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2.9. Conversion/Continuation
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48 |
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2.10. Default Interest
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48 |
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2.11. Fees
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48 |
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2.12. Scheduled Payments/Commitment
Reductions
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50 |
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2.13. Voluntary Prepayments/Commitment
Reductions
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51 |
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2.14. Mandatory Prepayments/Commitment
Reductions
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52 |
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2.15. Application of
Prepayments/Reductions
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55 |
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2.16. General Provisions Regarding
Payments
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56 |
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2.17. Ratable Sharing
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57 |
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2.18. Making or Maintaining Eurodollar
Rate Loans
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58 |
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2.19. Increased Costs; Capital
Adequacy
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59 |
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2.20. Taxes; Withholding,
etc.
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61 |
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2.21. Obligation to Mitigate
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63 |
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2.22. Defaulting Lenders
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63 |
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2.23. Removal or Replacement of a
Lender
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64 |
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2.24. Incremental Facilities
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65 |
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SECTION 3. CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
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66 |
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3.1. Closing Date
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66 |
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3.2. Conditions to Each Credit
Extension
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72 |
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SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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73 |
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4.1. Organization; Requisite Power and
Authority; Qualification
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73 |
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4.2. Capital Stock and
Ownership
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73 |
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4.3. Due Authorization
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74 |
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4.4. No Conflict
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74 |
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4.5. Governmental Consents
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74 |
ii
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EXECUTION |
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4.6. Binding Obligation
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74 |
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4.7. Historical Financial
Statements
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74 |
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4.8. Projections
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75 |
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4.9. No Material Adverse
Change
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75 |
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4.10. No Restricted Junior
Payments
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75 |
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4.11. Adverse Proceedings,
etc.
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75 |
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4.12. Payment of Taxes
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75 |
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4.13. Properties
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75 |
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4.14. Environmental Matters
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76 |
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4.15. No Defaults
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77 |
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4.16. Material Contracts
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77 |
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4.17. Governmental Regulation
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77 |
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4.18. Margin Stock
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77 |
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4.19. Employee Matters
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77 |
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4.20. Employee Benefit Plans
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77 |
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4.21. Certain Fees
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78 |
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4.22. Solvency
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78 |
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4.23. Related Agreements
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78 |
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4.24. Compliance with Statutes,
etc.
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79 |
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4.25. Disclosure
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79 |
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4.26. Subordination. Designation of the
Credit Documents as “Designated Senior Debt”;
Etc.
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79 |
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SECTION 5. AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
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80 |
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5.1. Financial Statements and Other
Reports
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80 |
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5.2. Existence
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84 |
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5.3. Payment of Taxes and
Claims
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84 |
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5.4. Maintenance of
Properties
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85 |
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5.5. Insurance
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85 |
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5.6. Inspections
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85 |
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5.7. Lenders Meetings
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86 |
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5.8. Compliance with Laws
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86 |
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5.9. Environmental
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86 |
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5.10. Subsidiaries
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88 |
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5.11. Additional Material Real Estate
Assets
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88 |
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5.12. Interest Rate
Protection
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88 |
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5.13. Further Assurances
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89 |
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5.14. Cash Management Systems
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89 |
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5.15. Certain Post-Closing
Obligations
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89 |
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SECTION 6. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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90 |
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6.1. Indebtedness
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90 |
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6.2. Liens
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93 |
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6.3. Equitable Lien
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95 |
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6.4. No Further Negative
Pledges
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95 |
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6.5. Restricted Junior
Payments
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95 |
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EXECUTION |
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6.6. Restrictions on Subsidiary
Distributions
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96 |
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6.7. Investments
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97 |
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6.8. Financial Covenants
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98 |
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6.9. Fundamental Changes; Disposition of
Assets; Acquisitions
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100 |
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6.10. Disposal of Subsidiary
Interests
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101 |
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6.11. Sales and Lease-Backs
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101 |
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6.12. Transactions with Shareholders and
Affiliates
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101 |
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6.13. Conduct of Business
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102 |
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6.14. Permitted Activities of
Holdings
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102 |
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6.15. Amendments or Waivers of Certain
Related Agreements
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102 |
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6.16. Amendments or Waivers of with
respect to Subordinated Indebtedness
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102 |
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6.17. Fiscal Year
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103 |
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6.18. No Other “Designated Senior
Indebtedness”
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103 |
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SECTION 7. GUARANTY
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103 |
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7.1. Guaranty of the
Obligations
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103 |
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7.2. Contribution by
Guarantors
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103 |
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7.3. Payment by Guarantors
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104 |
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7.4. Liability of Guarantors
Absolute
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104 |
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7.5. Waivers by Guarantors
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106 |
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7.6. Guarantors’ Rights of
Subrogation, Contribution, etc.
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107 |
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7.7. Subordination of Other
Obligations
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108 |
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7.8. Continuing Guaranty
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108 |
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7.9. Authority of Guarantors or the
Company
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108 |
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7.10. Financial Condition of the Company
and Guarantors
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108 |
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7.11. Bankruptcy, etc.
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108 |
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7.12. Discharge of Guaranty Upon Sale of
Guarantor
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109 |
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SECTION 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT
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109 |
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8.1. Events of Default
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109 |
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SECTION 9. AGENTS
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113 |
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9.1. Appointment of Agents
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113 |
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9.2. Powers and Duties
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113 |
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9.3. General Immunity
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113 |
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9.4. Agents Entitled to Act as
Lender
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114 |
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9.5. Lenders’ Representations,
Warranties and Acknowledgment
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115 |
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9.6. Right to Indemnity
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115 |
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9.7. Successor Administrative Agent,
Collateral Agent and Swing Line Lender
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115 |
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9.8. Collateral Documents and
Guaranty
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117 |
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SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS
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117 |
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10.1. Notices
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117 |
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10.2. Expenses
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118 |
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10.3. Indemnity
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118 |
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10.4. Set-Off
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119 |
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10.5. Amendments and Waivers
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119 |
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EXECUTION |
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10.6. Successors and Assigns;
Participations
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121 |
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10.7. Independence of
Covenants
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125 |
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10.8. Survival of Representations,
Warranties and Agreements
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125 |
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10.9. No Waiver; Remedies
Cumulative
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125 |
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10.10. Marshalling; Payments Set
Aside
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125 |
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10.11. Severability
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125 |
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10.12. Obligations Several; Independent
Nature of Lenders’ Rights
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126 |
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10.13. Headings
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126 |
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10.14. APPLICABLE LAW
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126 |
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10.15. CONSENT TO
JURISDICTION
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126 |
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10.16. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
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126 |
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10.17. Confidentiality
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127 |
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10.18. Usury Savings Clause
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128 |
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10.19. Counterparts
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128 |
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10.20. Effectiveness
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128 |
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10.21. USA Patriot Act
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128 |
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GUARANTY AGREEMENT |
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EXECUTION |
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APPENDICES:
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A-1 |
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Tranche B
Term Loan Commitments |
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A-2 |
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Revolving
Commitments |
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B |
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Notice
Addresses |
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SCHEDULES:
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1.1(a) |
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Certain
Adjustments to Financial Covenant Definitions |
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1.1(b) |
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Existing
Letters of Credit |
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1.1(c) |
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Existing
Capital Leases |
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1.1(d) |
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Historical Financial Statements |
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3.1(i) |
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Closing
Date Mortgaged and Leasehold Properties |
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3.1(k) |
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Environmental Reports |
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4.1 |
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Jurisdictions of Organization |
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4.2 |
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Capital
Stock and Ownership |
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4.13 |
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Real
Estate Assets |
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4.14 |
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Certain
Environmental Matters |
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4.16 |
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Material
Contracts |
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4.20 |
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Employee
Benefits Plans |
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5.14 |
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Cash
Management Systems |
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5.15(a) |
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Landlord
Personal Property Access Agreements |
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6.1 |
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Certain
Indebtedness |
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6.2 |
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Certain
Liens |
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6.7 |
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Certain
Investments |
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6.12 |
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Certain
Affiliate Transactions |
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EXHIBITS:
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A-1 |
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Funding
Notice |
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A-2 |
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Conversion/Continuation Notice |
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A-3 |
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Issuance
Notice |
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B-1 |
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Tranche B
Term Loan Note |
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B-2 |
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Revolving
Loan Note |
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B-3 |
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Swing
Line Note |
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C |
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Compliance Certificate |
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D |
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Opinions
of Counsel |
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E |
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Assignment Agreement |
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F |
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Certificate Re Non-bank Status |
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G-1 |
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Closing
Date Certificate |
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G-2 |
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Solvency
Certificate |
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H |
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Counterpart Agreement |
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I |
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Pledge
and Security Agreement |
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J |
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Mortgage |
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K |
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Landlord
Waiver and Consent Agreement |
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L |
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Joinder
Agreement |
vi
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EXECUTION |
CREDIT AND GUARANTY
AGREEMENT
This CREDIT AND GUARANTY
AGREEMENT , dated as of September 30, 2004, is entered into by
and among RIDDELL BELL HOLDINGS, INC. (the
“Company” ), a Delaware corporation, RBG
HOLDINGS CORP. ( “Holdings” ), a Delaware
corporation, CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES OF RIDDELL BELL HOLDINGS ,
INC. , as Guarantors, the Lenders party thereto from time to
time, and GOLDMAN SACHS CREDIT PARTNERS L.P. (
“GSCP” ), as Joint Lead Arranger, Joint
Bookrunner, Administrative Agent (together with its permitted
successors in such capacity, “Administrative
Agent” ) and Collateral Agent (together with its
permitted successors in such capacity, “Collateral
Agent” ), WACHOVIA CAPITAL MARKETS , LLC (
“Wachovia Securities” ), as Joint Lead Arranger
and Joint Bookrunner, WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (
“WBNA”) , as the Sole Syndication Agent (in such
capacity, “Syndication Agent” ), and ANTARES
CAPITAL CORPORATION (“ Antares”), as a
Co-Documentation Agent, G MAC COMMERCIAL FINANCE LLC
(“GMAC”), as a Co-Documentation Agent and UBS
SECURITIES LLC (“UBSS”) , as a Co-Documentation
Agent, ( each, in such capacity, a “C
o-Documentation Agent ” ).
RECITALS:
WHEREAS , capitalized
terms used in these Recitals shall have the respective meanings set
forth for such terms in Section 1.1 hereof;
WHEREAS , the Company
has formed Bell Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation, in order
to acquire all of the capital stock of BSC;
WHEREAS, Parent and
Riddell have entered into the Merger Agreement with the Sellers
pursuant to which they have agreed to acquire BSC through the
Merger of BSC into Bell Acquisition Corp.;
WHEREAS, after
consummation of the Merger, BSC will be a wholly-owned Subsidiary
of the Company;
WHEREAS, the Company
also desires to refinance the Existing Indebtedness with the
proceeds of the loans hereunder;
WHEREAS, Lenders have
agreed to extend certain credit facilities to the Company, in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $160.0 million (subject to any
increases pursuant to Section 2.24 hereunder), consisting of $110.0
million aggregate principal amount of Tranche B Term Loans, and up
to $50.0 million aggregate principal amount of Revolving
Commitments, the proceeds of which will be used together with the
proceeds of the Senior Subordinated Notes to fund, in part, the
Merger (including refinancing or retiring certain existing debt and
repurchasing or redeeming preferred stock, and paying fees,
commissions and expenses in connection with the Merger) for
permitted capital expenditures and Permitted Acquisitions, to
provide for the ongoing working capital requirements of the Company
following the Merger and for general corporate purposes;
WHEREAS, the Company
has agreed to secure all of its Obligations by granting to
Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, a First
Priority Lien on substantially all of its
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| CREDIT AND
GUARANTY AGREEMENT |
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EXECUTION |
assets, including a pledge of all of the
Capital Stock of each of its Domestic Subsidiaries and 65% of all
the Capital Stock of each of its first-tier Foreign Subsidiaries;
and
WHEREAS, Guarantors
have agreed to guarantee the obligations of the Company hereunder
and to secure their respective Obligations by granting to
Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Secured Parties, a First
Priority Lien on substantially all of their respective assets,
including a pledge of all of the Capital Stock of each of their
respective Domestic Subsidiaries (including the Company) and 65% of
all the Capital Stock of each of their respective first-tier
Foreign Subsidiaries.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the premises and the agreements, provisions and
covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS AND
INTERPRETATION
1.1. Definitions. The
following terms used herein, including in the preamble, recitals,
exhibits and schedules hereto, shall have the following
meanings:
“Additional Senior
Subordinated Notes” as defined in Section
6.1(q).
“Additional Senior
Subordinated Note Indenture” means the trust indenture in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent pursuant to which any Additional Senior Subordinated Notes
may be issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, as
such indenture may be further amended, restated, supplemented,
modified, extended, renewed or replaced from time to time in
accordance with Section 6.16 of this Agreement.
“Adjusted Eurodollar
Rate” means, for any Interest Rate Determination Date
with respect to an Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the
rate per annum obtained by dividing (and rounding upward to the
next whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) (i) (a) the rate per annum
(rounded to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) equal to the rate determined
by Administrative Agent to be the offered rate which appears on the
page of the Telerate Screen which displays an average British
Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rate (such page currently
being page number 3740 or 3750, as applicable) for deposits (for
delivery on the first day of such period) with a term equivalent to
such period in Dollars, determined as of approximately 11:00 a.m.
(London, England time) on such Interest Rate Determination Date, or
(b) in the event the rate referenced in the preceding clause (a)
does not appear on such page or service or if such page or service
shall cease to be available, the rate per annum (rounded to the
nearest 1/100 of 1%) equal to the rate determined by Administrative
Agent to be the offered rate on such other page or other service
which displays an average British Bankers Association Interest
Settlement Rate for deposits (for delivery on the first day of such
period) with a term equivalent to such period in Dollars,
determined as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on
such Interest Rate Determination Date, or (c) in the event the
rates referenced in the preceding clauses (a) and (b) are not
available, the rate per annum (rounded to the nearest 1/100 of 1%)
equal to the
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| CREDIT AND
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EXECUTION |
offered quotation rate to
first class banks in the London interbank market for deposits (for
delivery on the first day of the relevant period) in Dollars of
amounts in same day funds comparable to the principal amount of the
applicable Loan of Administrative Agent, in its capacity as a
Lender, for which the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate is then being
determined with maturities comparable to such period as of
approximately 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on such Interest
Rate Determination Date, by (ii) an amount equal to (a) one
minus (b) the Applicable Reserve Requirement.
“Administrative
Agent” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Adverse
Proceeding” means any action, suit, proceeding (whether
administrative, judicial or otherwise), governmental investigation
or arbitration (whether or not purportedly on behalf of Holdings or
any of its Subsidiaries) at law or in equity, or before or by any
Governmental Authority, domestic or foreign (including any
Environmental Claims), whether pending or, to the knowledge of
Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against or
affecting Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or any property of
Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Affected
Lender” as defined in Section 2.18(b).
“Affected
Loans” as defined in Section 2.18(b).
“Affiliate” means, as applied to any Person,
any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by,
or under common control with, that Person. For the purposes of this
definition, “control” (including, with correlative
meanings, the terms “controlling”, “controlled
by” and “under common control with”), as applied
to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the
power (i) to vote 10% or more of the Securities having ordinary
voting power for the election of directors of such Person or (ii)
to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of
that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or
by contract or otherwise; provided, that no Agent or Lender shall
be deemed to be an “Affiliate” of any Credit
Party.
“Agent”
means each of the Syndication Agent, Administrative Agent,
Collateral Agent and Co-Documentation Agents.
“Aggregate Amounts
Due” as defined in Section 2.17.
“Aggregate
Payments” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Agreement” means this Credit and Guaranty
Agreement, dated as of September 30, 2004, as it may be amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Antares”
as defined in the preamble hereto.
3
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EXECUTION |
“Applicable
Margin” means:
(a) from the Closing Date
until the commencement of the first interest period occurring after
the date of delivery of the Compliance Certificate and the
financial statements for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 2005 (i)
with respect to Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar Rate Loans,
2.75%, per annum; (ii) with respect to Revolving Loans and Swing
Line Loans that are Base Rate Loans, 1.75% per annum; (iii) with
respect to Tranche B Term Loans that are Eurodollar Rate Loans,
2.50%, per annum and (iv) with respect to Tranche B Term Loans that
are Base Rate Loans, 1.50% per annum; (b) thereafter, with respect
to Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans, a percentage, per annum,
determined by reference to the Leverage Ratio in effect from time
to time as set forth below:
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Leverage
Ratio
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Applicable Margin
for Revolving
Loans
(Eurodollar Loans)
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Applicable Margin
for Revolving
Loans and Swing
Line Loans
(Base Rate Loans)
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³
5.00:1.00
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2.75% |
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1.75% |
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< 5.00:1.00
³ 4.50:1.00
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2.50% |
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1.50% |
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< 4.50:1.00
³ 4.00:1.00
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2.25% |
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1.25% |
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< 4.00:1.00
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2.00% |
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1.00% |
and (c) thereafter with respect to the
Tranche B Term Loans, so long as the Leverage Ratio is less than
4.00:1.00, (i) with respect to Tranche B Term Loans that are
Eurodollar Rate Loans, 2.25%, per annum and (ii) with respect to
Tranche B Term Loans that are Base Rate Loans, 1.25% per
annum.
No change in the Applicable Margin shall
be effective until three Business Days after the date on which
Administrative Agent shall have received the applicable financial
statements and a Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 5.1(d)
calculating the Leverage Ratio. At any time and so long as the
Company has not submitted to Administrative Agent the applicable
information as and when required under Section 5.1(d), the
Applicable Margin shall be determined as if the Leverage Ratio were
in excess of 5.00:1.00 in the case of Revolving Loans and Swing
Line Loans and 5.00:1.00 in the case of Tranche B Term Loans.
Within one Business Day of receipt of the applicable information
under Section 5.1(d), Administrative Agent shall give each Lender
telefacsimile or telephonic notice (confirmed in writing) of the
Applicable Margin in effect from such date.
“Applicable Reserve
Requirement” means, at any time, for any Eurodollar Rate
Loan, the maximum rate, expressed as a decimal, at which reserves
(including, without limitation, any basic marginal, special,
supplemental, emergency or other reserves) are required to be
maintained with respect thereto against “Eurocurrency
liabilities” (as such term is defined in Regulation D) under
regulations issued from time to time by the Board of Governors of
the
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Federal Reserve System or
other applicable banking regulator. Without limiting the effect of
the foregoing, the Applicable Reserve Requirement shall reflect any
other reserves required to be maintained by such member banks with
respect to (i) any category of liabilities which includes deposits
by reference to which the applicable Adjusted Eurodollar Rate or
any other interest rate of a Loan is to be determined, or (ii) any
category of extensions of credit or other assets which include
Eurodollar Rate Loans. A Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be deemed to
constitute Eurocurrency liabilities and as such shall be deemed
subject to reserve requirements without benefits of credit for
proration, exceptions or offsets that may be available from time to
time to the applicable Lender. The rate of interest on Eurodollar
Rate Loans shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the
effective date of any change in the Applicable Reserve
Requirement.
“Asset
Sale” means a sale, lease or sub-lease (as lessor or
sublessor), sale and leaseback, assignment, conveyance, transfer or
other disposition to, or any exchange of property with, any Person
(other than the Company or any Guarantor Subsidiary), in one
transaction or a series of transactions, of all or any part of
Holdings’ or any of its Subsidiaries’ businesses,
assets or properties of any kind, whether real, personal, or mixed
and whether tangible or intangible, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired, including, without limitation, the Capital Stock of any
of Holdings’ Subsidiaries, other than (i) inventory (or other
assets) sold, licensed or leased in the ordinary course of business
(excluding any such sales, licenses or leases by operations or
divisions discontinued or to be discontinued), (ii) disposals of
obsolete, worn-out or surplus property for aggregate consideration
of less than $500,000 with respect to any transaction or series of
related transactions or in the aggregate during any Fiscal Year,
and (iii) sales of other assets for aggregate consideration of less
than $1,000,000 with respect to any transaction or series of
related transactions or in the aggregate during any Fiscal
Year.
“Assignment
Agreement” means an Assignment and Assumption Agreement
substantially in the form of Exhibit E, with such amendments or
modifications as may be approved by Administrative
Agent.
“Authorized
Officer” means, as applied to any Person, any individual
holding the position of chairman of the board (if an officer),
chief executive officer, president or one of its vice presidents
(or the equivalent thereof), and such Person’s chief
financial officer, treasurer or controller.
“Bankruptcy
Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled
“Bankruptcy,” as now and hereafter in effect, or any
successor statute.
“Base
Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the
greater of (i) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (ii) the
Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of
1%. Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate
or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective on the
effective day of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds
Effective Rate, respectively.
“Base Rate
Loan” means a Loan bearing interest at a rate determined
by reference to the Base Rate.
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“BSC”
means Bell Sports Corp.
“Bell Preferred
Stock” means (i) the Series B Preferred Stock, par value
$.01 per share, of Bell Sports, Inc.; (ii) the Series C Preferred
Stock, par value $.01 per share, of Bell Sports, Inc.; and (iii)
the Series D Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of Bell
Sports, Inc.
“Beneficiary” means each Agent, Issuing
Bank, Lender, Lender Counterparty, and Indemnitee.
“Business
Day” means (i) any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and any
day which is a legal holiday under the laws of the State of New
York or is a day on which banking institutions located in such
state are authorized or required by law or other governmental
action to close and (ii) with respect to all notices,
determinations, fundings and payments in connection with the
Adjusted Eurodollar Rate or any Eurodollar Rate Loans, the term
“Business Day” shall mean any day which is a
Business Day described in clause (i) and which is also a day for
trading by and between banks in Dollar deposits in the London
interbank market.
“Capital
Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any
property (whether real, personal or mixed) by that Person as lessee
that, in conformity with GAAP, is or should be accounted for as a
capital lease on the balance sheet of that Person.
“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), including, without
limitation, partnership interests and membership interests, and any
and all warrants, rights or options to purchase or other
arrangements or rights to acquire any of the foregoing.
“Cash”
means money, currency or a credit balance in any demand or Deposit
Account.
“Cash
Equivalents” means, as at any date of determination, (i)
marketable securities (a) issued or directly and unconditionally
guaranteed as to interest and principal by the United States
Government or (b) issued by any agency of the United States the
obligations of which are backed by the full faith and credit of the
United States, in each case maturing within one year after such
date; (ii) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the
United States of America or any political subdivision of any such
state or any public instrumentality thereof, in each case maturing
within one year after such date and having, at the time of the
acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-1 from S&P or at
least P-1 from Moody’s; (iii) commercial paper maturing no
more than one year from the date of creation thereof and having, at
the time of the acquisition thereof, a rating of at least A-1 from
S&P or at least P-1 from Moody’s; (iv) certificates of
deposit or bankers’ acceptances maturing within one year
after such date and issued or accepted by any Lender or by any
commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of
America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia that has
combined capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000 and that
has (or is a subsidiary of a bank holding company that has) a
long-term unsecured debt rating of at least A or the
equivalent
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thereof by Moody’s; and
(v) shares of any money market mutual fund that has substantially
all of its assets invested continuously in the types of investments
referred to in clauses (i) through (iv).
“Certificate re
Non-Bank Status” means a certificate substantially in the
form of Exhibit F.
“ Change of
Control ” means, at any time, (i) the Sponsor shall cease
to beneficially own and control at least 51% on a fully diluted
basis of the economic (but excluding any profit interests) and
voting interests in the Capital Stock of Parent; (ii) any Person or
“group” (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5
under the Exchange Act) other than the Equity Investors (a) shall
have acquired beneficial ownership of 35% or more on a fully
diluted basis of the voting and/or economic interest in the Capital
Stock of Parent or (b) shall have obtained the power (whether or
not exercised) to elect a majority of the members of the board of
directors (or similar governing body) of Parent; (iii) (a) Parent
shall cease to beneficially own and control 100% on a fully diluted
basis of the economic and voting interest in the Capital Stock of
Holdings or (b) Holdings shall cease to beneficially own and
control 100% on a fully diluted basis of the economic and voting
interest in the Capital Stock of the Company or (c) the Company
shall cease to beneficially own and control 100% on a fully diluted
basis of the economic and voting interest in the Capital Stock of
Riddell or BSC; (iv) the majority of the seats (other than vacant
seats) on the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the
Company cease to be occupied by Persons who either (a) were members
of the board of directors of the Company on the Closing Date or (b)
were nominated for election by the Equity Investors or the board of
directors of the Company, a majority of whom were directors on the
Closing Date or whose election or nomination for election was
previously approved by a majority of such directors; or (v) any
“change of control” or similar event under the Senior
Subordinated Notes, the Refinancing Notes or the Additional Senior
Subordinated Notes that would require the Company to tender for or
otherwise give rise to an accelerated repayment of the Senior
Subordinated Notes, the Refinancing Notes or the Additional Senior
Subordinated Notes.
“Chicago Real
Property” means the property located at 3670 North
Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
“Class”
means (i) with respect to Lenders, each of the following classes of
Lenders: (a) Lenders having Tranche B Term Loan Exposure, (b)
Lenders having Revolving Exposure (including Swing Line Lender) and
(c) Lenders having New Term Loan Exposure of each Series, and (ii)
with respect to Loans, each of the following classes of Loans: (a)
Tranche B Term Loans, (b) Revolving Loans (including Swing Line
Loans) and (c) each Series of New Term Loans.
“Closing
Date” means the date on which the Term Loans are
made.
“Closing Date
Certificate” means a Closing Date Certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1.
“Closing Date
Mortgaged Property” as defined in Section
3.1(i).
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“Collateral” means, collectively, all of the
real, personal and mixed property (including Capital Stock) in
which Liens are purported to be granted pursuant to the Collateral
Documents as security for the Obligations.
“Collateral
Agent” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Collateral
Documents” means the Pledge and Security Agreement, the
Mortgages, the Landlord Personal Property Collateral Access
Agreements, the IP Security Agreements, the Control Agreements, if
any, any arrangements pursuant to the cash collateralization
required pursuant to Section 2.4(a) and all other instruments,
documents and agreements delivered by any Credit Party pursuant to
this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents in order to (a)
grant to Collateral Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, a Lien on
any real, personal or mixed property of that Credit Party as
security for the Obligations and/or (b) perfect such
Liens.
“Collateral
Questionnaire” means a certificate in form satisfactory
to Collateral Agent that provides information with respect to the
personal or mixed property of each Credit Party.
“Commitment” means any Revolving Commitment,
Term Loan Commitment or New Term Loan Commitment.
“Commitment Fee
Percentage” means (a) from the Closing Date until the
commencement of the first interest period occurring after the date
of delivery of the Compliance Certificate and the financial
statements for the Fiscal Quarter ended March 2005, 0.50% per annum
and (b) so long as the Leverage Ratio is less than 4.00:1.00,
0.375% per annum. No change in the Commitment Fee Percentage shall
be effective until three Business Days after the date on which
Administrative Agent shall have received the applicable financial
statements and a Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 5.1(d)
calculating the Leverage Ratio. At any time and so long as the
Company has not submitted to Administrative Agent the applicable
information as and when required under Section 5.1(d), the
Commitment Fee Percentage shall be determined as if the Leverage
Ratio were in excess of 4.00:1.00. Within one Business Day of
receipt of the applicable information under Section 5.1(d),
Administrative Agent shall give each Lender telefacsimile or
telephonic notice (confirmed in writing) of the Commitment Fee
Percentage in effect from such date.
“Company”
as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Compliance
Certificate” means a Compliance Certificate substantially
in the form of Exhibit C.
“Consolidated
Adjusted EBITDA” means, for any period, an amount
determined for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis equal to (i) the sum, without duplication and in respect of
clauses (b) through (q) only to the extent reducing Consolidated
Net Income, of the amounts for such period of (a) Consolidated Net
Income, (b) Consolidated Interest Expense, (c) provisions for taxes
based on income, (d) total
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depreciation expense, (e)
total amortization expense, (f) Transaction Costs incurred and paid
in the period, (g) Management Fees accrued or paid in such period
(excluding any Management Fees paid in such period to the extent
they represent an accrual in a prior period), (h) restructuring
charges in Fiscal Years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 in an amount not
to exceed $6,000,000 in the aggregate since the Closing Date and
$4,000,000 in any Fiscal Year, (i) one-time insurance costs of up
to $3,000,000 (relating to renewal and extension of products
liability coverage) (j) Cash expenses in Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005
in an amount not to exceed $750,000 relating to compliance with the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (k) customary cash transaction fees and
costs (including post-closing integration costs in an amount not to
exceed 15% of the pro forma EBITDA of an acquired entity) approved
by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion relating
to any Permitted Acquisition and any portion of New Term Loans used
to finance such Permitted Acquisition, (l) cash purchase price
(including any amounts payable pursuant to an earnout) and expenses
relating to the Simbex transaction (including post-closing payment
obligations to Simbex except for any royalty or similar payments),
each to the extent taken into account in the calculation of
Consolidated Net Income ( provided that the amount
added pursuant to this clause (l) when added to any capitalized
purchase price related to the Simbex transaction shall not exceed
$3,000,000 in the aggregate since the Closing Date and $1,500,000
in any Fiscal Year), (m) one-time training expenses in connection
with the Great Game of Life program in an amount not to exceed
$500,000 in Fiscal Years 2004, 2005 and 2006 or $1,000,000 in the
aggregate since the Closing Date (n) non-cash compensation charges
or other non-cash expenses or charges arising from the grant of or
issuance or repricing of stock, stock options or other equity-based
awards to the directors, officers and employees of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries, (o) any impairment charge or asset write-off pursuant
to FAS 142 and FAS 144 and the amortization of intangibles arising
pursuant to FAS 141, (p) any monitoring, consulting, consent and
other bank fees and expenses incurred at the direction of the
Agents or the Lenders during such period, and (q) other non-Cash
items (including non-Cash purchase accounting adjustments) reducing
Consolidated Net Income (excluding any such non-Cash item to the
extent that it represents an accrual or reserve for potential Cash
items in any future period or amortization of a prepaid Cash item
that was paid in a prior period), minus (ii) other non-Cash
items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such period (excluding
any such non-Cash item to the extent it represents the reversal of
an accrual or reserve for potential Cash item in any prior period);
provided that with respect to any calculation period
ending prior to the first anniversary of the Closing Date, the
foregoing shall be subject to adjustment as set forth in Schedule
1.1(a).
“Consolidated
Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, the
aggregate of all expenditures of Holdings and its Subsidiaries
during such period determined on a consolidated basis that, in
accordance with GAAP, are or should be included in “purchase
of property and equipment” or similar items reflected in the
consolidated statement of cash flows of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries, but excluding the purchase price of any Permitted
Acquisition and purchases made with the proceeds of Asset Sales or
insurance coverage.
“Consolidated Cash
Interest Expense” means, for any period, Consolidated
Interest Expense for such period, excluding (i) any amount not
payable in Cash and (ii) any consent fees payable to banks or other
lenders to the extent deducted from Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA;
provided that with respect to any calculation period
ending prior to the first
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anniversary of the Closing
Date, the foregoing shall be subject to adjustment as set forth in
Schedule 1.1(a).
“Consolidated
Current Assets” means, as at any date of determination,
the total assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis that may properly be classified as current assets in
conformity with GAAP, excluding Cash and Cash
Equivalents.
“Consolidated
Current Liabilities” means, as at any date of
determination, the total liabilities of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis that may properly be
classified as current liabilities in conformity with GAAP,
excluding cash overdrafts and the current portion of long term
debt, deferred taxes and Capital Leases.
“Consolidated Excess
Cash Flow” means, for any period, an amount (if positive)
equal to: (i) the sum, without duplication, of the amounts for such
period of (a) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, plus (b) the
Consolidated Working Capital Adjustment excluding non-cash
adjustments, minus (ii) the sum, without duplication, of the
amounts for such period of (a) scheduled repayments of Consolidated
Total Debt, (b) Consolidated Capital Expenditures (net of any
proceeds of (y) any related financings with respect to such
expenditures and (z) any sales of assets used to finance such
expenditures), (c) Consolidated Cash Interest Expense, (d) taxes
based on income of Holdings and its Subsidiaries payable in Cash
with respect to such period and actually paid, (e) Management Fees
paid in Cash, (f) distributions to Holdings made pursuant to
Section 6.5(c)(i), (g) any monitoring, consulting, consent and
other bank fees and expenses incurred at the direction of the
Agents or the Lenders during such period and (h) amounts paid in
cash during such period in respect of amounts that were added in
computing Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA pursuant to clauses (h),
(i), (j), (k), (l) and (m) thereof.
“Consolidated
Interest Expense” means, for any period, total interest
expense (including that portion attributable to Capital Leases in
accordance with GAAP and capitalized interest) of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to all
outstanding Indebtedness of Holdings and its Subsidiaries,
including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges
owed with respect to letters of credit and net costs under Interest
Rate Agreements, but excluding, however, any amounts referred to in
Section 2.11(d) payable on or before the Closing Date. For purposes
of calculating the foregoing, Consolidated Interest Expense shall
be determined on the basis of net payments made or received or
accruals in accordance with GAAP by Holdings and its Subsidiaries
in respect of Interest Rate Agreements.
“Consolidated Net
Income” means, for any period, (i) the net income (or
loss) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for
such period taken as a single accounting period determined in
conformity with GAAP, minus (ii) (a) the income (or loss) of
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of Holdings) in which any other
Person (other than Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries) has a joint
interest, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or other
distributions actually paid to Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries
by such Person during such period, (b) the income (or loss) of any
Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of
Holdings or is merged into or consolidated with Holdings or any of
its Subsidiaries or that Person’s assets are acquired by
Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) the income of
any
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Subsidiary of Holdings to the
extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar
distributions by that Subsidiary of that income is not at the time
permitted by operation of the terms of its charter or any
agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or
governmental regulation applicable to that Subsidiary, (d) any
after-tax gains or losses attributable to Asset Sales or returned
surplus assets of any Pension Plan, and (e) (to the extent not
included in clauses (a) through (d) above) any non-Cash net
extraordinary and non-recurring gains or net extraordinary and
non-recurring losses.
“Consolidated Total
Debt” means, as at any date of determination, (i) the
aggregate stated balance sheet amount of all Indebtedness of
Holdings and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP, (excluding all standby Letters of Credit)
minus up to $10.0 million of Cash and Cash Equivalents on
hand at any Credit Party in excess of $2.5 million.
“Consolidated
Working Capital Adjustment” means, for any period on a
consolidated basis, the amount (which may be a negative number) by
which Consolidated Working Capital as of the beginning of such
period exceeds (or is less than) Consolidated Working Capital as of
the end of such period.
“Consolidated
Working Capital” means, as at any date of determination,
the excess of Consolidated Current Assets over Consolidated Current
Liabilities.
“Contractual
Obligation” means, as applied to any Person, any
provision of any Security issued by that Person or of any
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, contract, undertaking,
agreement or other instrument to which that Person is a party or by
which it or any of its properties is bound or to which it or any of
its properties is subject.
“Contributing
Guarantors” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Control
Agreements” means each control agreement executed and
delivered by the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Secured
Parties, a securities intermediary or depositary bank and the
applicable Credit Party on the Closing Date and each control
agreement to be executed and delivered by Collateral Agent, a
securities intermediary or depositary bank and the applicable
Credit Party pursuant to the terms of the Pledge and Security
Agreement with such modifications as Collateral Agent may
reasonably request or approve.
“Conversion/Continuation Date” means the
effective date of a continuation or conversion, as the case may be,
as set forth in the applicable Conversion/Continuation
Notice.
“Conversion/Continuation Notice” means a
Conversion/Continuation Notice substantially in the form of Exhibit
A-2.
“Counterpart
Agreement” means a Counterpart Agreement substantially in
the form of Exhibit H delivered by a Credit Party pursuant to
Section 5.10.
“Credit
Date” means the date of a Credit Extension.
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“Credit
Document” means any of this Agreement, the Notes, if any,
the Collateral Documents, any documents or certificates executed by
the Company in favor of Issuing Bank relating to Letters of Credit,
and all other documents, instruments or agreements executed and
delivered by a Credit Party for the benefit of any Agent, Issuing
Bank or any Lender in connection herewith (in each case as such
documents, instruments or agreements may be amended, restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time).
“Credit
Extension” means the making of a Loan or the issuing of a
Letter of Credit.
“Credit
Party” means each Person (other than any Agent, Issuing
Bank or any Lender or any other representative thereof) from time
to time party to a Credit Document.
“Currency
Agreement” means any foreign exchange contract, currency
swap agreement, futures contract, option contract, synthetic cap or
other similar agreement or arrangement, each of which is for the
purpose of hedging the foreign currency risk associated with
Holdings’ and its Subsidiaries’ operations and not for
speculative purposes.
“Default”
means a condition or event that, after notice or lapse of time or
both, would constitute an Event of Default.
“Default
Excess” means, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, the
excess, if any, of such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Loans of all Lenders
(calculated as if all Defaulting Lenders (other than such
Defaulting Lender) had funded all of their respective Defaulted
Loans) over the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Loans
of such Defaulting Lender.
“Default
Period” means, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, the
period commencing on the date of the applicable Funding Default and
ending on the earliest of the following dates: (i) the date on
which all Commitments are cancelled or terminated and/or the
Obligations are declared or become immediately due and payable,
(ii) the date on which (a) the Default Excess with respect to such
Defaulting Lender shall have been reduced to zero (whether by the
funding by such Defaulting Lender of any Defaulted Loans of such
Defaulting Lender or by the non-pro rata application of any
voluntary or mandatory prepayments of the Loans in accordance with
the terms of Section 2.13 or Section 2.14 or by a combination
thereof) and (b) such Defaulting Lender shall have delivered to the
Company and Administrative Agent a written reaffirmation of its
intention to honor its obligations hereunder with respect to its
Commitments, and (iii) the date on which the Company,
Administrative Agent and Requisite Lenders waive all Funding
Defaults of such Defaulting Lender in writing.
“Defaulted
Loan” as defined in Section 2.22.
“Defaulting
Lender” as defined in Section 2.22.
“Deposit
Account” means a demand, time, savings, passbook or like
account with a bank, savings and loan association, credit union or
like organization, other than an account evidenced by a negotiable
certificate of deposit.
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“Dollars”
and the sign “$” mean the lawful money of the
United States of America.
“Domestic
Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary organized under the laws
of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District
of Columbia.
“Eligible
Assignee” means (i) any Lender, any Affiliate of any
Lender and any Related Fund with respect to a Lender (any two or
more Related Funds being treated as a single Eligible Assignee for
all purposes hereof), (ii) any commercial bank, insurance company,
investment or mutual fund or other entity that is an
“accredited investor” (as defined in Regulation D under
the Securities Act) and which extends credit or buys loans as one
of its businesses and (iii) any other entity approved by
Administrative Agent and the Company; provided , none of
Holdings, any Affiliate of Holdings or any Equity Investor shall be
an Eligible Assignee.
“Employee Benefit
Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” as
defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA which is or, within the preceding
six years was, sponsored, maintained or contributed to by, or
required to be contributed by, Holdings or any of its
Subsidiaries.
“Environmental
Claim” means any investigation, notice, notice of
violation, claim, action, suit, proceeding, demand, abatement order
or other order or directive (conditional or otherwise), by any
Governmental Authority or any other Person, arising (i) pursuant to
or in connection with any actual or alleged violation of any
Environmental Law; (ii) in connection with any Hazardous Material
or any actual or alleged Hazardous Materials Activity; or (iii) in
connection with any actual or alleged damage, injury, threat or
harm to health, safety, natural resources or the
environment.
“Environmental
Laws” means any and all current or future foreign or
domestic, federal or state (or any subdivision of either of them)
or local, statutes, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations,
judgments, Governmental Authorizations, or any other requirements
of Governmental Authorities relating to (i) environmental matters,
including those relating to any Hazardous Materials Activity; (ii)
the generation, use, storage, transportation or disposal of, or
exposure to, Hazardous Materials; or (iii) occupational safety and
health, industrial hygiene, land use or the protection of human,
plant or animal health or welfare, in any manner applicable to
Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or any Facility.
“Equity
Investors” means the Sponsor, the Management Investors
and other investors not affiliated with GSCP reasonably acceptable
to the Administrative Agent.
“Equityholders
Agreement” means the amended and restated limited
liability company agreement of Riddell Holdings, LLC dated as of
September 30, 2004 by and among Fenway Partners Capital Fund II,
L.P., Fenway Partners, Inc., American Capital Strategies, Ltd.,
Antares and the other parties thereto, as amended, waived and
modified from time to time in accordance with Section
6.15.
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“ERISA”
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time, and any successor thereto.
“ERISA
Affiliate” means, as applied to any Person, (i) any
corporation which is a member of a controlled group of corporations
within the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Internal Revenue Code
of which that Person is a member; and (ii) any trade or business
(whether or not incorporated) which is a member of a group of
trades or businesses under common control within the meaning of
Section 414(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of which that Person is
a member. Any former ERISA Affiliate of Holdings or any of its
Subsidiaries shall continue to be considered an ERISA Affiliate of
Holdings or any such Subsidiary within the meaning of this
definition to the extent that Holdings or such Subsidiary could
reasonably be expected to have any liability with respect thereto
under the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA.
“ERISA
Event” means (i) a “reportable event” within
the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA and the regulations issued
thereunder with respect to any Pension Plan (excluding those for
which the provision for 30-day notice to the PBGC has been waived
by regulation); (ii) the failure to meet the minimum funding
standard of Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code with respect
to any Pension Plan (whether or not waived in accordance with
Section 412(d) of the Internal Revenue Code) or the failure to make
any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; (iii) the
provision by the administrator of any Pension Plan pursuant to
Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate such
plan in a distress termination described in Section 4041(c) of
ERISA; (iv) the withdrawal by Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or
any of their respective ERISA Affiliates from any Pension Plan with
two or more contributing sponsors or the termination of any such
Pension Plan resulting in liability to Holdings, any of its
Subsidiaries or any of their respective Affiliates pursuant to
Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA; (v) the institution by the PBGC of
proceedings to terminate any Pension Plan, or the occurrence of any
event or condition which is reasonably likely to constitute grounds
under ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment by PGBC of a
trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (vi) the imposition of
liability on Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 4062(e) or 4069 of
ERISA or by reason of the application of Section 4212(c) of ERISA;
(vii) the withdrawal of Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or any of
their respective ERISA Affiliates in a complete or partial
withdrawal (within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA)
from any Multiemployer Plan if there is any potential liability
therefore, or the receipt by Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or
any of their respective ERISA Affiliates of notice from any
Multiemployer Plan that it is in reorganization or insolvency
pursuant to Section 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, or that it intends to
terminate or has terminated under Section 4041A or 4042 of ERISA;
(viii) the occurrence of an act or omission which could give rise
to the imposition on Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries of fines,
penalties, taxes or related charges under Chapter 43 of the
Internal Revenue Code or under Section 409, Section 502(c), (i) or
(l), or Section 4071 of ERISA in respect of any Employee Benefit
Plan; (ix) receipt from the Internal Revenue Service of notice of
the failure of any Pension Plan (or any other Employee Benefit Plan
intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code) to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal
Revenue Code, or the failure of any trust forming part of any
Pension Plan to qualify for exemption from taxation under Section
501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code; or (x) the imposition of a
Lien pursuant to
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Section 401(a)(29) or 412(n)
of the Internal Revenue Code or pursuant to ERISA with respect to
any Pension Plan.
“Eurodollar Rate
Loan” means a Loan bearing interest at a rate determined
by reference to the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.
“Event of
Default” means each of the conditions or events set forth
in Section 8.1.
“Exchange
Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended from time to time, and any successor statute.
“Existing Capital
Leases” means the Capital Leases listed on Schedule
1.1(c) entered into by Riddell or a Subsidiary thereof as indicated
thereon prior to the date hereof in an amount not to exceed
$500,000.
“ Existing
Indebtedness ” means all pre-existing Indebtedness of the
Company and its Subsidiaries (including BSC and its Subsidiaries)
on the Closing Date other than the Existing Capital Leases, certain
purchase money Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries
(including BSC and its Subsidiaries) and certain other Indebtedness
listed on Schedule 6.1.
“Existing Letters of
Credit” means those letters of credit, listed on Schedule
1.1(b), outstanding on the Closing Date under the existing amended
and restated credit agreement, dated July 23, 2004, among the
Company, Riddell and its Subsidiaries and WBNA, as
Agent.
“Facility”
means any real property (including all buildings, fixtures or other
improvements located thereon) now, hereafter or (except with
respect to Section 5 and Section 6) heretofore owned, leased or
operated by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their
respective predecessors or Affiliates.
“Fair Share
Contribution Amount” as defined in Section
7.2.
“Fair
Share” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Federal Funds
Effective Rate” means for any day, the rate per annum
(expressed, as a decimal, rounded upwards, if necessary, to the
next higher 1/100 of 1%) equal to the weighted average of the rates
on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as
published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business
Day next succeeding such day; provided , (i) if such day is
not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be
such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day
as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (ii) if no
such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the
Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate charged
to Administrative Agent, in its capacity as a Lender, on such day
on such transactions as determined by Administrative
Agent.
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“Financial Officer
Certification” means, with respect to the financial
statements for which such certification is required, the
certification of the chief financial officer of the Company that
such financial statements fairly present, in all material respects,
the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at
the dates indicated and the results of their operations and their
cash flows for the periods indicated, subject to changes resulting
from audit and normal year-end adjustments and in the case of
interim financial statements, the absence of footnotes.
“Financial
Plan” as defined in Section 5.1(i).
“First
Priority” means, with respect to any Lien purported to be
created in any Collateral pursuant to any Collateral Document, that
such Lien is the only Lien to which such Collateral is subject,
other than any Permitted Lien.
“Fiscal
Quarter” means a fiscal quarter of any Fiscal
Year.
“Fiscal
Year” means the fiscal year of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries ending on (i) December 31 (or the Saturday closest
thereto) of each calendar year, (ii) a 52-53 week Fiscal
Year-ending on or about December 31 of each calendar year, or (iii)
in the case of Bell Sports Asia Limited, March 31 of each calendar
year.
“Flood Hazard
Property” means any Real Estate Asset subject to a
mortgage in favor of Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the
Lenders, and located in an area designated by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency as having special flood or mud slide
hazards.
“Foreign
Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic
Subsidiary.
“Funding
Default” as defined in Section 2.22.
“Funding
Guarantors” as defined in Section 7.2.
“Funding
Notice” means a notice substantially in the form of
Exhibit A-1.
“GAAP”
means, subject to the limitations on the application thereof set
forth in Section 1.2, United States of America generally accepted
accounting principles in effect as of the date of determination
thereof.
“GMAC” as
defined in the preamble hereto.
“Governmental
Acts” means any act or omission, whether rightful or
wrongful, of any present or future de jure or de facto government
or Governmental Authority.
“Governmental
Authority” means any federal, state, municipal, national
or other government, governmental department, commission, board,
bureau, court, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision
thereof or any entity or officer exercising executive, legislative,
judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining
to any government or
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any court, in each case
whether associated with a state of the United States, the United
States, or a foreign entity or government.
“Governmental
Authorization” means any permit, license, authorization,
plan, directive, consent order or consent decree of or from any
Governmental Authority.
“Grantor”
as defined in the Pledge and Security Agreement.
“GSCP” as
defined in the preamble hereto.
“Guaranteed
Obligations” as defined in Section 7.1.
“Guarantor” means each of Holdings and each
Domestic Subsidiary of Holdings (other than the
Company).
“Guarantor
Subsidiary” means each Guarantor other than
Holdings.
“Guaranty”
means the guaranty of each Guarantor set forth in Section
7.
“Hazardous
Materials” means any chemical, material, waste or
substance, which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any
Governmental Authority or pursuant to any Environmental Law or
which may or could pose a hazard to the health and safety of any
Persons or to the indoor or outdoor environment.
“Hazardous Materials
Activity” means any past, current, future, proposed or
threatened activity, event or occurrence involving any Hazardous
Materials, including the use, manufacture, possession, storage,
holding, presence, existence, location, Release, threatened
Release, discharge, placement, generation, transportation,
processing, construction, treatment, abatement, removal,
remediation, disposal, disposition or handling of any Hazardous
Materials, and any corrective action or response action with
respect to any of the foregoing.
“Hedge
Agreement” means an Interest Rate Agreement or a Currency
Agreement entered into with a Lender Counterparty in order to
satisfy the requirements of this Agreement or otherwise in the
ordinary course of Holdings’ or any of its
Subsidiaries’ businesses.
“Highest Lawful
Rate” means the maximum lawful interest rate, if any,
that at any time or from time to time may be contracted for,
charged, or received under the laws applicable to any Lender which
are presently in effect or, to the extent allowed by law, under
such applicable laws which may hereafter be in effect and which
allow a higher maximum nonusurious interest rate than applicable
laws now allow.
“Historical
Financial Statements” means each of the financial
statements listed on Schedule 1.1(d), certified by the chief
financial officer of each of the Company and BSC, as applicable,
that they fairly present, in all material respects, the financial
condition of the Company, BSC and each of their respective
Subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the results of their
operations and their cash flows for the periods indicated, subject
to changes resulting
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from audit and normal
year-end adjustments and in the case of interim financial
statements, the absence of footnotes and the unaudited financial
statements of the Company, BSC, and each of their respective
Subsidiaries as of their respective most recently ended fiscal
quarter prior to the Closing Date, consisting of a balance sheet
and the related consolidated statements of income,
stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the three-, six-or
nine-month period, as applicable, ending on such date.
“Holdings”
as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Immaterial
Subsidiary” means, as of any date, any Subsidiary whose
total assets, as of that date, are less than $100,000 and whose
total revenues for the most recent twelve-month period do not
exceed $100,000.
“Increased Amount
Date” as defined in Section 2.24.
“Increased-Cost
Lenders” as defined in Section 2.23.
“Indebtedness” , as applied to any Person,
means, without duplication, (i) all indebtedness for borrowed
money; (ii) that portion of obligations with respect to Capital
Leases that is properly classified as a liability on a balance
sheet in conformity with GAAP; (iii) notes payable and drafts
accepted representing extensions of credit whether or not
representing obligations for borrowed money; (iv) any obligation
owed for all or any part of the deferred purchase price of property
or services (excluding any such obligations incurred under ERISA),
which purchase price is (a) due more than six months from the date
of incurrence of the obligation in respect thereof (other than
trade payables which are due more than six months from the date of
incurrence in the ordinary course of business) or (b) evidenced by
a note or similar written instrument; (v) all indebtedness secured
by any Lien on any property or asset owned or held by that Person
regardless of whether the indebtedness secured thereby shall have
been assumed by that Person or is nonrecourse to the credit of that
Person; (vi) the face amount of any letter of credit issued for the
account of that Person or as to which that Person is otherwise
liable for reimbursement of drawings; (vii) the direct or indirect
guaranty, endorsement (otherwise than for collection or deposit in
the ordinary course of business), co-making, discounting with
recourse or sale with recourse by such Person of the obligation of
another; (viii) any obligation of such Person the primary purpose
or intent of which is to provide assurance to an obligee that the
obligation of the obligor thereof will be paid or discharged, or
any agreement relating thereto will be complied with, or the
holders thereof will be protected (in whole or in part) against
loss in respect thereof; (ix) any liability of such Person for an
obligation of another through any agreement (contingent or
otherwise) (a) to purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such
obligation or any security therefor, or to provide funds for the
payment or discharge of such obligation (whether in the form of
loans, advances, stock purchases, capital contributions or
otherwise) or (b) to maintain the solvency or any balance sheet
item, level of income or financial condition of another if, in the
case of any agreement described under subclauses (a) or (b) of this
clause (ix), the primary purpose or intent thereof is as described
in clause (viii) above; and (x) all obligations of such Person in
respect of any exchange traded or over the counter derivative
transaction, including, without limitation, any Interest Rate
Agreement, Currency Agreement and any commodities hedging
agreement, whether entered into for hedging or speculative
purposes;
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provided , in no event
shall obligations under any Interest Rate Agreement, any Currency
Agreement or any commodities hedging agreement be deemed
“Indebtedness” for any purpose under Section
6.8.
“Indemnified
Liabilities” means, collectively, any and all
liabilities, obligations, losses, damages (including natural
resource damages), penalties, claims (including Environmental
Claims), costs (including the reasonable costs of any
investigation, study, sampling, testing, abatement, cleanup,
removal, remediation or other response action necessary to remove,
remediate, clean up or abate any past, present or future Hazardous
Materials Activity), reasonable expenses and disbursements of any
kind or nature whatsoever (including the reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for Indemnitees in connection with any
investigative, administrative or judicial proceeding commenced or
threatened by any Person, whether or not any such Indemnitee shall
be designated as a party or a potential party thereto, and any
reasonable fees or expenses incurred by Indemnitees in enforcing
the indemnity contained in Section 10.3), whether direct, indirect
or consequential and whether based on any federal, state or foreign
laws, statutes, rules or regulations (including securities and
commercial laws, statutes, rules or regulations and Environmental
Laws), on common law or equitable cause or on contract or
otherwise, that may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against
any such Indemnitee, in any manner relating to or arising out of
(i) this Agreement or the other Credit Documents or the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the
Lenders’ agreement to make Credit Extensions or the use or
intended use of the proceeds thereof, or any enforcement of any of
the Credit Documents (including any sale of, collection from, or
other realization upon any of the Collateral or the enforcement of
the Guaranty)); (ii) the statements contained in the commitment
letter delivered by any Lender to the Company with respect to the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; or (iii) any
Environmental Claim or any Hazardous Materials Activity relating to
or arising from, directly or indirectly, any past, present or
future activity, operation, land ownership, or practice of Holdings
or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Indemnitee” as defined in Section
10.3.
“Installment” as defined in Section
2.12(a).
“Installment
Date” as defined in Section 2.12(a).
“Interest Coverage
Ratio” means the ratio as of the last day of any Fiscal
Quarter of (i) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the four-Fiscal
Quarter period then ended, to (ii) Consolidated Cash Interest
Expense for such four-Fiscal Quarter period.
“Interest Payment
Date” means with respect to (i) any Base Rate Loan, each
of the dates specified in Section 2.12(a) for payment of principal,
commencing on the first such date to occur after the Closing Date
and the final maturity date of such Loan; and (ii) any Eurodollar
Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such
Loan; provided , in the case of each Interest Period of
longer than three months “Interest Payment Date” shall
also include each date that is three months, or an integral
multiple thereof, after the commencement of such Interest
Period.
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“Interest
Period” means, in connection with a Eurodollar Rate Loan,
an interest period of one-, two-, three- or six-months (or nine- or
twelve-months if available to all Term Lenders having Revolving
Exposure or Term Loan Commitments, as applicable), as selected by
the Company in the applicable Funding Notice or
Conversion/Continuation Notice, (i) initially, commencing on the
Credit Date or Conversion/Continuation Date thereof, as the case
may be; and (ii) thereafter, commencing on the day on which the
immediately preceding Interest Period expires; provided ,
(a) if an Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is
not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next
succeeding Business Day unless no further Business Day occurs in
such month, in which case such Interest Period shall expire on the
immediately preceding Business Day; (b) any Interest Period that
begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day
for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar
month at the end of such Interest Period) shall, subject to clauses
(c) and (d), of this definition, end on the last Business Day of a
calendar month; (c) no Interest Period with respect to any portion
of any Class of Term Loans shall extend beyond such Class’s
Term Loan Maturity Date; and (d) no Interest Period with respect to
any portion of the Revolving Loans shall extend beyond the
Revolving Commitment Termination Date.
“Interest Rate
Agreement” means any interest rate swap agreement,
interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement,
interest rate hedging agreement, option agreement, or other similar
agreement or arrangement, each of which is for the purpose of
hedging the interest rate exposure associated with Holdings’
and its Subsidiaries’ operations and not for speculative
purposes.
“Interest Rate
Determination Date” means, with respect to any Interest
Period, the date that is two Business Days prior to the first day
of such Interest Period.
“Internal Revenue
Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
to the date hereof and from time to time hereafter, and any
successor statute.
“Investment” means (i) any direct or
indirect purchase or other acquisition by Holdings or any of its
Subsidiaries of, or of a beneficial interest in, any of the
Securities of any other Person (other than a Guarantor Subsidiary);
(ii) any direct or indirect redemption, retirement, purchase or
other acquisition for value, by any Subsidiary of Holdings from any
Person (other than Holdings or any Guarantor Subsidiary), of any
Capital Stock of such Person; and (iii) any direct or indirect
loan, advance (other than advances to employees for moving,
entertainment and travel expenses, drawing accounts and similar
expenditures in the ordinary course of business) or capital
contribution by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries to any other
Person (other than Holdings or any Guarantor Subsidiary), including
all indebtedness and accounts receivable from that other Person
that are not current assets or did not arise from sales to that
other Person in the ordinary course of business but excluding
accounts receivable that are not so included. The amount of any
Investment shall be the original cost of such Investment plus the
cost of all additions thereto, without any adjustments for
increases or decreases in value, or write-ups, write-downs or
write-offs with respect to such Investment.
“IP Security
Agreement” means each IP Security Agreement, dated as of
the Closing Date, by and among Borrower, each Guarantor and
Collateral Agent.
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“Issuance
Notice” means an Issuance Notice in the form of Exhibit
A-3.
“Issuing
Bank” means (i) in respect the Existing Letters of
Credit, WBNA and (ii) in respect of all other Letters of Credit,
LaSalle Bank N.A. or any of its Affiliates as Issuing Bank
hereunder, together with its permitted successors and assigns in
such capacity.
“Joinder
Agreement” means an agreement substantially in the form
of Exhibit L.
“Joint
Venture” means a joint venture, partnership or other
similar arrangement, whether in corporate, partnership or other
legal form; provided , in no event shall any corporate
Subsidiary of any Person be considered to be a Joint Venture to
which such Person is a party.
“Landlord Consent
and Estoppel” means, with respect to any Leasehold
Property, a letter, certificate or other instrument in writing from
the lessor under the related lease, pursuant to which, among other
things, the landlord consents to the granting of a Mortgage on such
Leasehold Property by the Credit Party tenant, such Landlord
Consent and Estoppel to be in form and substance acceptable to
Collateral Agent in its reasonable discretion, but in any event
sufficient for Collateral Agent to obtain a Title Policy with
respect to such Mortgage.
“Landlord Personal
Property Collateral Access Agreement” means a Landlord
Waiver and Consent Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit K
with such amendments or modifications as may be approved by
Collateral Agent.
“Leasehold
Property” means any leasehold interest of any Credit
Party as lessee under any lease of real property, other than any
such leasehold interest designated from time to time by Collateral
Agent in its reasonable discretion as not being required to be
included in the Collateral.
“Lender”
means each financial institution listed on the signature pages
hereto as a Lender, and any other Person that becomes a party
hereto pursuant to an Assignment Agreement or a Joinder
Agreement.
“Lender
Counterparty” means Administrative Agent, each Lender or
any Affiliate of a Lender counterparty to a Hedge Agreement
(including any Person who is a Lender (and any Affiliate thereof)
as of the Closing Date but subsequently, whether before or after
entering into a Hedge Agreement, ceases to be a Lender) including,
without limitation, each such Affiliate that enters into a joinder
agreement with Collateral Agent.
“Letter of
Credit” means a commercial or standby letter of credit
issued or to be issued by Issuing Bank pursuant to this
Agreement.
“Letter of Credit
Sublimit” means the lesser of (i) $10,000,000 and (ii)
the aggregate unused amount of the Revolving Commitments then in
effect.
“Letter of Credit
Usage” means, as at any date of determination, the sum of
(i) the maximum aggregate amount which is, or at any time
thereafter may become, available for
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drawing under all Letters of
Credit then outstanding, and (ii) the aggregate amount of all
drawings under Letters of Credit honored by Issuing Bank and not
theretofore reimbursed by or on behalf of the Company.
“Leverage
Ratio” means the ratio as of the last day of any Fiscal
Quarter or other date of determination of (i) Consolidated Total
Debt as of such day to (ii) Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the
four-Fiscal Quarter period ending on such date (or if such date of
determination is not the last day of a Fiscal Quarter, for the
four-Fiscal Quarter period ending as of the most recently concluded
Fiscal Quarter); provided , however , for purposes of
determining Consolidated Total Debt for use in computing the
Leverage Ratio at the end of any Fiscal Quarter or other date of
determination, the average daily balance of any revolving credit
facility during the four-Fiscal Quarter period referred to in
clause (ii) above shall be substituted for the balance of such
facility outstanding on the last day of such Fiscal Quarter or
other date of determination; provided that with respect to
any calculation period ending prior to the first anniversary of the
Closing Date, the foregoing shall be subject to adjustment as set
forth in Schedule 1.1(a).
“Lien”
means (i) any lien, mortgage, pledge, assignment, security
interest, charge or encumbrance of any kind (including any
agreement to give any of the foregoing, any conditional sale or
other title retention agreement, and any lease in the nature
thereof) and any option, trust or other preferential arrangement
having the practical effect of any of the foregoing and (ii) in the
case of Securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a
third party with respect to such Securities.
“Loan”
means a Tranche B Term Loan, a Revolving Loan, a Swing Line Loan
and/or a New Term Loan.
“Management
Agreement” means the (i) Management Advisory Agreement as
in effect on the Closing Date by and among Parent, Holdings, the
other Credit Parties party thereto, and Fenway Partners, Inc., and
(ii) the Management Advisory Agreement as in effect on the Closing
Date by and among Parent, Holdings, the other Credit Parties party
thereto and Fenway Partners Resources, Inc., in each case, as
amended, waived and modified from time to time in accordance with
Section 6.15.
“Management
Fees” means (i) the annual management fees payable by
Holdings pursuant to the Management Agreement in an aggregate
amount not to exceed the greater of $3,000,000 in any Fiscal Year
and 5% of Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA in any Fiscal Year,
plus (ii) any other fees payable by the Company in
connection with other transactions pursuant to the Management
Agreement; plus (iii) any out-of-pocket expenses payable in
connection with the Management Agreement up to $300,000 in any
Fiscal Year provided , that solely for purposes of
calculations made pursuant to clause (g) of the definition of
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and clause (e) of the definition of
Consolidated Excess Cash Flow, such other transaction fees referred
to in sub-clause (ii) of this definition shall be disregarded;
provided that the fees described in sub-clauses (i)
and (ii) hereof are expressly subordinated to the Obligations
pursuant to the terms of a management subordination agreement in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent.
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“Management
Investors” means the natural persons being the members of
management, officers and employees of Parent and/or its
Subsidiaries who are or become investors in Parent.
“Margin
Stock” as defined in Regulation U of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System as in effect from time to
time.
“Material Adverse
Effect” means a material adverse effect on and/or
material adverse developments with respect to (i) the business,
results of operations, properties, assets, financial condition or
prospects of Holdings and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii)
the impairment (other than as a result of circumstances covered by
clause (i) above) of the ability of any Credit Party to fully and
timely perform its Obligations; (iii) the legality, validity,
binding effect or enforceability against a Credit Party of a Credit
Document to which it is a party; or (iv) the rights and remedies
conferred upon any Agent and any Lender or any Secured Party under
any Credit Document.
“Material
Contract” means any contract or other arrangement to
which Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries is a party (other than
the Credit Documents) for which breach, nonperformance,
cancellation or failure to renew could reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect.
“Material Real
Estate Asset” means (i) (a) any fee-owned Real Estate
Asset having a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000 as of the
date of the acquisition thereof and (b) all Leasehold Properties
other than those with respect to which the aggregate payments under
the term of the lease are less than $600,000 per annum, but in any
event, including Leasehold Properties that are subject to a sale
and leaseback permitted under Section 6.11 or (ii) any Real Estate
Asset that the Requisite Lenders have determined is material to the
business, results of operations, properties, assets, financial
condition or prospects of Holdings or any Subsidiary thereof,
including the Company.
“Merger”
means the merger of Bell Acquisition Corp. with and into BSC, which
shall occur on the Closing Date and pursuant to which, BSC shall be
the surviving corporation.
“Merger
Agreement” means the agreement and plan of merger dated
as of August 11, 2004 by and among BSC, Riddell Holdings, LLC,
Riddell Bell Holdings, Inc, (formerly known as RSG Holdings, LLC),
Bell Acquisition Corp., the stockholders of BSC party thereto and
other Persons party thereto.
“Merger
Documents” means the Merger Agreement and all other
material documents executed and delivered in accordance with the
terms thereof and in connection therewith.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investor
Services, Inc.
“Mortgage”
means a Mortgage or Deed of Trust substantially in the form of
Exhibit J, as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified
from time to time.
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“Multiemployer
Plan” means any “multiemployer plan” as
defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA with respect to which Holdings,
any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate has, or would reasonably be
expected to have, any liability (whether absolute or
contingent).
“NAIC”
means The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and any
successor thereto.
“Narrative
Report” means, with respect to the financial statements
for which such narrative report is required, a narrative report
describing the operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries in
the form prepared for presentation to senior management thereof for
the applicable Fiscal Quarter or Fiscal Year and for the period
from the beginning of the then current Fiscal Year to the end of
such period to which such financial statements relate.
“Net Asset Sale
Proceeds” means, with respect to any Asset Sale, an
amount equal to: (i) Cash payments (including any Cash received by
way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note
receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) received
by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries from such Asset Sale,
minus (ii) any bona fide direct costs or expenses incurred
in connection with such Asset Sale and payable to a Person that is
not Holdings or its Subsidiaries, including without limitation, (a)
income or gains taxes payable by the seller as a result of any gain
recognized in connection with such Asset Sale, (b) payment of the
outstanding principal amount of, premium or penalty, if any, and
interest on any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section
6.1 (other than the Loans) that is secured by a Lien on the stock
or assets in question and that is required to be repaid under the
terms thereof as a result of such Asset Sale and (c) a reasonable
reserve for any indemnification payments (fixed or contingent)
attributable to seller’s indemnities and representations and
warranties to purchaser in respect of such Asset Sale undertaken by
Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with such Asset
Sale.
“Net
Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds” means an amount equal
to: (i) any Cash payments or proceeds received by Holdings or any
of its Subsidiaries (a) under any casualty insurance policy in
respect of a covered loss thereunder or (b) as a result of the
taking of any assets of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries by any
Person pursuant to the power of eminent domain, condemnation or
otherwise, or pursuant to a sale of any such assets to a purchaser
with such power under threat of such a taking, minus (ii)
(a) any actual and reasonable costs incurred by Holdings or any of
its Subsidiaries in connection with the adjustment or settlement of
any claims of Holdings or such Subsidiary in respect thereof and
payable to a Person that is not Holdings or its Subsidiaries, and
(b) any bona fide direct costs incurred in connection with any sale
of such assets as referred to in clause (i)(b) of this definition,
including income taxes payable as a result of any gain recognized
in connection therewith.
“New Term Loan
Commitments” as defined in Section 2.24.
“New Term Loan
Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender, as of any
date of determination, the outstanding principal amount of the New
Term Loans of such Lender.
“New Term Loan
Lender” as defined in Section 2.24.
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“New Term Loan
Maturity Date” means the date that New Term Loans of a
Series shall become due and payable in full hereunder, as specified
in the applicable Joinder Agreement, including by acceleration or
otherwise.
“New Term
Loans” as defined in Section 2.24.
“Non-US
Lender” as defined in Section 2.20(c).
“Note”
means a Tranche B Term Note, a Revolving Loan Note or a Swing Line
Note.
“Notice”
means a Funding Notice, an Issuance Notice, or a
Conversion/Continuation Notice.
“Obligations” means all obligations of every
nature of each Credit Party from time to time owed to the Agents
(including former Agents), the Lenders or any of them and Lender
Counterparties, under any Credit Document or Hedge Agreement
(including, without limitation, with respect to a Hedge Agreement,
obligations owed thereunder to any person who was a Lender or an
Affiliate of a Lender at the time such Hedge Agreement was entered
into), whether for principal, interest (including interest which,
but for the filing of a petition in bankruptcy with respect to such
Credit Party, would have accrued on any Obligation, whether or not
a claim is allowed against such Credit Party for such interest in
the related bankruptcy proceeding), reimbursement of amounts drawn
under Letters of Credit, payments for early termination of Hedge
Agreements, fees, expenses, indemnification (including, without
limitation, pursuant to Section 10.3 hereof) or
otherwise.
“Obligee
Guarantor” as defined in Section 7.7.
“Organizational
Documents” means (i) with respect to any corporation, its
certificate or articles of incorporation or organization, as
amended, and its by-laws, as amended, (ii) with respect to any
limited partnership, its certificate of limited partnership, as
amended, and its partnership agreement, as amended, (iii) with
respect to any general partnership, its partnership agreement, as
amended, and (iv) with respect to any limited liability company,
its articles of organization, as amended, and its operating
agreement, as amended. In the event any term or condition of this
Agreement or any other Credit Document requires any Organizational
Document to be certified by a secretary of state or similar
governmental official, the reference to any such
“Organizational Document” shall only be to a document
of a type customarily certified by such governmental
official.
“Parent”
means Riddell Holdings, LLC.
“PBGC”
means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor
thereto.
“Pension
Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning
of Section 3(3) of ERISA, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is
subject to Title IV of ERISA,
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and with respect to which
Holdings, any Subsidiary or any ERISA Affiliate has, or would
reasonably be expected to have, any liability (whether absolute or
contingent).
“Permitted
Acquisition” means any acquisition by the Company or any
of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, whether by purchase, merger or
otherwise, of all or substantially all of the assets of, all of the
Capital Stock of, or a business line or unit or a division of, any
Person; provided ,
(i) immediately prior to, and
after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing or would result
therefrom;
(ii) all transactions in
connection therewith shall be consummated, in all material
respects, in accordance with all applicable laws and in conformity
with all applicable Governmental Authorizations;
(iii) in the case of the
acquisition of Capital Stock, all of the Capital Stock (except for
any such Securities in the nature of directors’ qualifying
shares required pursuant to applicable law) acquired or otherwise
issued by such Person or any newly formed Subsidiary of the Company
in connection with such acquisition shall be owned 100% by the
Company or a Guarantor Subsidiary thereof, and the Company shall
have taken, or caused to be taken, as of the date such Person
becomes a Subsidiary of the Company, each of the actions set forth
in Sections 5.10 and/or 5.11, as applicable;
(iv) the Company and its
Subsidiaries shall be in compliance with the financial covenants
set forth in Section 6.8 on a pro forma basis after giving effect
to such acquisition as of the last day of the Fiscal Quarter most
recently ended, (as determined in accordance with Section
6.8(d));
(v) the Company shall have
delivered to Administrative Agent (A) at least ten (10) Business
Days prior to such proposed acquisition, a Compliance Certificate
evidencing compliance with Section 6.8 as required under clause
(iv) above, together with all relevant financial information with
respect to such acquired assets, including, without limitation, the
aggregate consideration for such acquisition and any other
information required to demonstrate compliance with Section
6.8;
(vi) any Person or assets or
division as acquired in accordance herewith shall be in the same
business or lines of business in which the Company and/or its
Subsidiaries are permitted to engage in under Section
6.13;
(vii) in the case of any
acquisition funded by a Revolving Loan, the Company shall have
delivered to Administrative Agent a certificate evidencing that the
borrowing availability under the Revolving Commitments, after
giving effect to such acquisition, plus any Cash and Cash
Equivalents, will be sufficient to fund the working capital needs
of the Company for the twelve months following such acquisition;
and
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(viii) the board of directors
and (if required by applicable law) the shareholders, or the
equivalent thereof, of the business to be acquired has approved
such acquisition.
“Permitted
Liens” means each of the Liens permitted pursuant to
Section 6.2.
“Person”
means and includes natural persons, corporations, limited
partnerships, general partnerships, limited liability companies,
limited liability partnerships, joint stock companies, Joint
Ventures, associations, companies, trusts, banks, trust companies,
land trusts, business trusts or other organizations, whether or not
legal entities, and Governmental Authorities.
“Phase I
Report” means, with respect to any Facility, a report
that is either (A) set forth on Schedule 3.1(k), or (B) is in form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent
(i) conforms to the ASTM Standard Practice for Environmental Site
Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process, E
1527-00, (ii) was conducted no more than six months prior to the
date such report is required to be delivered hereunder, by one or
more environmental consulting firms reasonably satisfactory to
Administrative Agent, (iii) at the request of the Administrative
Agent includes an assessment of asbestos-containing materials at
such Facility, (iv) at the request of the Administrative Agent is
accompanied by (a) an estimate of the reasonable worst-case cost of
investigating and remediating any Hazardous Materials Activity
identified in the Phase I Report as giving rise to an actual or
potential material violation of any Environmental Law or as
presenting a material risk of giving rise to a material
Environmental Claim, and (b) a current compliance audit setting
forth an assessment of Holdings’, its Subsidiaries’ and
such Facility’s current and past compliance with
Environmental Laws and an estimate of the cost of rectifying any
non-compliance with current Environmental Laws identified therein
and the cost of compliance with reasonably anticipated pending or
future Environmental Laws identified therein. All Phase I Reports
shall expressly specify that the report may be relied on by
Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall have
received a reliance letter so stating.
“Pledge and Security
Agreement” means the Pledge and Security Agreement to be
executed by the Company and each Guarantor on the Closing Date
substantially in the form of Exhibit I, as it may be amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Prime
Rate” means the rate of interest quoted in The Wall
Street Journal , Money Rates Section as the Prime Rate
(currently defined as the base rate on corporate loans posted by at
least 75% of the nation’s thirty (30) largest banks), as in
effect from time to time. The Prime Rate is a reference rate and
does not necessarily represent the lowest or best rate actually
charged to any customer. Administrative Agent or any other Lender
may make commercial loans or other loans at rates of interest at,
above or below the Prime Rate.
“Principal
Office” means, for each of Administrative Agent, Swing
Line Lender and Issuing Bank, such Person’s “Principal
Office” as set forth on Appendix B, or such other office as
such Person may from time to time designate in writing to the
Company, Administrative Agent and each Lender.
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“Projections” as defined in Section
4.8.
“Pro Rata
Share” means (i) with respect to all payments,
computations and other matters relating to the Tranche B Term Loan
of any Lender, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the Tranche
B Term Loan Exposure of that Lender by (b) the aggregate Tranche B
Term Loan Exposure of all Lenders; (ii) with respect to all
payments, computations and other matters relating to the Revolving
Commitment or Revolving Loans of any Lender or any Letters of
Credit issued or participations purchased therein by any Lender or
any participations in any Swing Line Loans purchased by any Lender,
the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the Revolving Exposure of
that Lender by (b) the aggregate Revolving Exposure of all Lenders;
and (iv) with respect to all payments, computations, and other
matters relating to New Term Loan Commitments or New Term Loans of
a particular Series, the percentage obtained by dividing (a) the
New Term Loan Exposure of that Lender with respect to that Series
by (b) the aggregate New Term Loan Exposure of all Lenders with
respect to that Series. For all other purposes with respect to each
Lender, “Pro Rata Share” means the percentage obtained
by dividing (A) an amount equal to the sum of the Tranche B Term
Loan Exposure, the Revolving Exposure and the New Term Loan
Exposure of that Lender, by (B) an amount equal to the sum of the
aggregate Tranche B Term Loan Exposure, the aggregate Revolving
Exposure and the aggregate New Term Loan Exposure of all
Lenders.
“Real Estate
Asset” means, at any time of determination, any interest
(fee or leasehold) then owned by any Credit Party in any real
property.
“Record
Document” means, with respect to any Leasehold Property,
(i) the lease evidencing such Leasehold Property or a memorandum
thereof, executed and acknowledged by the owner of the affected
real property, as lessor, or (ii) if such Leasehold Property was
acquired or subleased from the holder of a Recorded Leasehold
Interest, the applicable assignment or sublease document, executed
and acknowledged by such holder, in each case in form sufficient to
give such constructive notice upon recordation and otherwise in
form reasonably satisfactory to Collateral Agent.
“Recorded Leasehold
Interest” means a Leasehold Property with respect to
which a Record Document has been recorded in all places necessary
or desirable, in Administrative Agent’s reasonable judgment,
to give constructive notice of such Leasehold Property to
third-party purchasers and encumbrancers of the affected real
property.
“Refinancing Note
Indenture” means the trust indenture in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent
pursuant to which any Refinancing Notes may be issued in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement, as such indenture may be further
amended, restated, supplemented, modified, extended, renewed or
replaced from time to time in accordance with Section 6.16 of this
Agreement.
“Refinancing
Notes” as defined in Section 6.1(k).
“Refunded Swing Line
Loans” as defined in Section 2.3(b)(iv).
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“Register”
as defined in Section 2.7(b).
“Regulation
D” means Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.
“Reimbursement
Date” as defined in Section 2.4(d).
“Related
Agreements” means, collectively, the Merger Agreement,
the Management Agreement, the Equityholders Agreement and the
documents governing the Senior Subordinated Notes, the Refinancing
Notes, Additional Senior Subordinated Notes and the Existing
Capital Leases.
“Related
Fund” means any investment fund that is (i) engaged in
making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial
loans and similar extensions of credit and (ii) is administered,
advised and managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender
or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers,
advises or manages a Lender.
“Release”
means any release, spill, emission, leaking, pumping, pouring,
injection, escaping, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal,
dumping, leaching or migration of any Hazardous Material into the
indoor or outdoor environment (including the abandonment or
disposal of any barrels, containers or other closed receptacles
containing any Hazardous Material), including the movement of any
Hazardous Material through the air, soil, surface water or
groundwater.
“Replacement
Lender” as defined in Section 2.23.
“Requisite Class
Lenders” means, at any time of determination, (i) for the
Class of Lenders having Tranche B Term Loan Exposure, Lenders
holding more than 50% of the aggregate Tranche B Term Loan Exposure
of all Lenders; (ii) for the Class of Lenders having Revolving
Exposure, Lenders holding more than 50% of the aggregate Revolving
Exposure of all Lenders, and (iii) for each Class of Lenders having
New Term Loan Exposure, Lenders holding more than 50% of the
aggregate New Term Loan Exposure of that Class.
“Requisite
Lenders” means one or more Lenders having or holding
Tranche B Term Loan Exposure, New Term Loan Exposure and/or
Revolving Exposure and representing more than 50% of the sum of (i)
the aggregate Tranche B Term Loan Exposure of all Lenders, (ii) the
aggregate Revolving Exposure of all Lenders, and (iii) the
aggregate New Term Loan Exposure of all Lenders.
“Restricted Junior
Payment” means (i) any dividend or other distribution,
direct or indirect, on account of any shares of any class of stock
of Holdings or the Company now or hereafter outstanding, except a
dividend payable solely in shares of that class of stock to the
holders of that class; (ii) any redemption, retirement, sinking
fund or similar payment, purchase or other acquisition for value,
direct or indirect, of any shares of any class of stock of Holdings
or the Company now or hereafter outstanding; (iii) any payment made
to retire, or to obtain the surrender of, any outstanding warrants,
options or other rights to acquire shares of any class of stock of
Holdings or the Company now or hereafter outstanding; (iv)
management or similar fees
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payable to Sponsor or any of
its Affiliates and (v) any payment or prepayment of principal of,
premium, if any, or interest on, or redemption, purchase,
repurchase, retirement, defeasance (including in-substance or legal
defeasance), sinking fund or similar payment (or any offer to do
any of the foregoing) with respect to the Senior Subordinated
Notes, the Refinancing Notes or the Additional Senior Subordinated
Notes.
“Revolving
Commitment” means the commitment of a Lender to make or
otherwise fund any Revolving Loan and to acquire participations in
Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans hereunder and
“Revolving Commitments” means such commitments
of all Lenders in the aggregate. The amount of each Lender’s
Revolving Commitment, if any, is set forth on Appendix A-2 or in
the applicable Assignment Agreement, Joinder Agreement, subject to
any adjustment or reduction pursuant to the terms and conditions
hereof. The aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitments as of the
Closing Date is $50,000,000.
“Revolving
Commitment Period” means the period from the Closing Date
to but excluding the Revolving Commitment Termination
Date.
“Revolving
Commitment Termination Date” means the earliest to occur
of (i) September 30, 2004, if the Term Loans are not made on or
before that date; (ii) the sixth (6) anniversary of the Closing
Date, (iii) the date the Revolving Commitments are permanently
reduced to zero pursuant to Section 2.13(b) or 2.14, and (iv) the
date of the termination of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to
Section 8.1.
“Revolving
Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender as of any
date of determination, (i) prior to the termination of the
Revolving Commitments, that Lender’s Revolving Commitment;
and (ii) after the termination of the Revolving Commitments, the
sum of (a) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the
Revolving Loans of that Lender, (b) in the case of Issuing Bank,
the aggregate Letter of Credit Usage in respect of all Letters of
Credit issued by that Lender (net of any participations by Lenders
in such Letters of Credit), (c) the aggregate amount of all
participations by that Lender in any outstanding Letters of Credit
or any unreimbursed drawing under any Letter of Credit, (d) in the
case of Swing Line Lender, the aggregate outstanding principal
amount of all Swing Line Loans (net of any participations therein
by other Lenders), and (e) the aggregate amount of all
participations therein by that Lender in any outstanding Swing Line
Loans.
“Revolving
Loan” means a Loan made by a Lender to the Company
pursuant to Section 2.2(a) and/or 2.22.
“Revolving Loan
Note” means a promissory note in the form of Exhibit B-2,
as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to time.
“Riddell”
means Riddell Sports Group Inc.
“S&P”
means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The
McGraw Hill Corporation.
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“Secured
Parties” has the meaning assigned to that term in the
Pledge and Security Agreement.
“Securities” means any stock, shares,
partnership interests, voting trust certificates, certificates of
interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement or
arrangement, options, warrants, bonds, debentures, notes, or other
evidences of indebtedness, secured or unsecured, convertible,
subordinated or otherwise, or in general any instruments commonly
known as “securities” or any certificates of interest,
shares or participations in temporary or interim certificates for
the purchase or acquisition of, or any right to subscribe to,
purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing.
“Securities
Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from
time to time, and any successor statute.
“Sellers”
means Wachovia Investors, Inc., GarMark Partners, L.P. and the
other stockholders of BSC set forth on Annex A to the Merger
Agreement.
“Senior Subordinated
Note Indenture” means the Indenture dated as of the date
hereof pursuant to which Company has issued its Senior Subordinated
Notes due 2012, as such indenture may be further amended, restated,
supplemented, modified, extended, renewed or replaced from time to
time in accordance with Section 6.16 of this Agreement.
“Senior Subordinated
Notes” means Company’s unsecured Senior
Subordinated Notes due October 1, 2012, dated the date hereof, and
any registered senior subordinated notes having substantially
identical terms and issued pursuant to the Senior Subordinated
Indenture in exchange for the initial, unregistered Senior
Subordinated Notes, together with any additional senior
subordinated notes issued under the Senior Subordinated Note
Indenture after the Closing Date and expressly permitted
hereunder.
“Series”
as defined in Section 2.24.
“Solvency
Certificate” means a Solvency Certificate of the chief
financial officer of Holdings substantially in the form of Exhibit
G-2.
“Solvent”
means, with respect to any Credit Party, that as of the date of
determination, both (i) (a) the sum of such Credit Party’s
debt (including contingent liabilities) does not exceed the present
fair saleable value of such Credit Party’s present assets;
(b) such Credit Party’s capital is not unreasonably small in
relation to its business as contemplated on the Closing Date and
reflected in the Projections or with respect to any transaction
contemplated or undertaken after the Closing Date; and (c) such
Person has not incurred and does not intend to incur, or believe
(nor should it reasonably believe) that it will incur, debts beyond
its ability to pay such debts as they become due (whether at
maturity or otherwise); and (ii) such Person is
“solvent” within the meaning given that term and
similar terms under applicable laws relating to fraudulent
transfers and conveyances. For purposes of this definition, the
amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as
the amount that, in light of all of the facts and circumstances
existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be
expected
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to become an actual or
matured liability (irrespective of whether such contingent
liabilities meet the criteria for accrual under Statement of
Financial Accounting Standard No. 5).
“Sponsor”
means Fenway Partners, Inc. and its Affiliates.
“Sponsor
Equity” means the Capital Stock of Parent purchased by
the Sponsor in an aggregate Cash amount equal to not less than
$50,000,000 and by the Management Investors in an amount not to
exceed $10,000,000.
“Subject
Transaction” as defined in Section 6.8(d).
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any
Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
association, joint venture or other business entity of which more
than 50% of the total voting power of shares of stock or other
ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of
any contingency) to vote in the election of the Person or Persons
(whether directors, managers, trustees or other Persons performing
similar functions) having the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies thereof is at the time
owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one
or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination
thereof; provided , in determining the percentage of
ownership interests of any Person controlled by another Person, no
ownership interest in the nature of a “qualifying
share” of the former Person shall be deemed to be
outstanding.
“Swing Line
Lender” means LaSalle Bank NA in its capacity as Swing
Line Lender hereunder, together with its permitted successors and
assigns in such capacity.
“Swing Line
Loan” means a Loan made by Swing Line Lender to the
Company pursuant to Section 2.3.
“Swing Line
Note” means a promissory note in the form of Exhibit B-3,
as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to time.
“Swing Line
Sublimit” means the lesser of (i) $5,000,000, and (ii)
the aggregate unused amount of Revolving Commitments then in
effect.
“Syndication
Agent” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“Tax”
means any present or future tax, levy, impost, duty, assessment,
charge, fee, deduction or withholding of any nature and whatever
called, by whomsoever, on whomsoever and wherever imposed, levied,
collected, withheld or assessed; provided , “Tax on
the overall net income” of a Person shall (i) be construed as
a reference to a tax imposed by the jurisdiction or any subdivision
thereof in which that Person is organized or in which that
Person’s applicable principal office (and/or, in the case of
a Lender, its lending office) is located or in which that Person
(and/or, in the case of a Lender, its lending office) is deemed to
be doing business (a “ Relevant Tax Jurisdiction
”) on all or part of the net income, profits or gains
(whether worldwide, or only insofar as such income, profits or
gains are considered to arise in or to relate to a particular
jurisdiction, or otherwise) of that Person (and/or, in the case of
a Lender, its applicable lending office) and (ii) include all
franchise taxes, branch taxes, taxes on doing
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business or taxes on the
overall capital or net worth of any such Person (and/or in the case
of a Lender, its Principal Office), in each case imposed by any
Relevant Tax Jurisdiction in lieu of income, profits or gains
taxes.
“Term
Loan” means a Tranche B Term Loan or a New Term
Loan.
“Term Loan
Commitment” means the Tranche B Term Loan Commitment or
the New Term Loan Commitment of a Lender, and “Term Loan
Commitments” means such commitments of all
Lenders.
“Term Loan Maturity
Date” means the Tranche B Term Loan Maturity Date and the
New Term Loan Maturity Date of any Series of New Term
Loans.
“Terminated
Lender” as defined in Section 2.23.
“Title
Policy” as defined in Section 3.1(i).
“Total Utilization
of Revolving Commitments” means, as at any date of
determination, the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all
outstanding Revolving Loans (other than Revolving Loans made for
the purpose of repaying any Refunded Swing Line Loans or
reimbursing Issuing Bank for any amount drawn under any Letter of
Credit, but not yet so applied), (ii) the aggregate principal
amount of all outstanding Swing Line Loans, and (iii) the Letter of
Credit Usage.
“Tranche B Term
Loan” means a Tranche B Term Loan made by a Lender to the
Company pursuant to Section 2.1(a)(ii).
“Tranche B Term Loan
Commitment” means the commitment of a Lender to make or
otherwise fund a Tranche B Term Loan and “Tranche B Term
Loan Commitments” means such commitments of all Lenders
in the aggregate. The amount of each Lender’s Tranche B Term
Loan Commitment, if any, is set forth on Appendix A-1 or in the
applicable Assignment Agreement, subject to any adjustment or
reduction pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof. The
aggregate amount of the Tranche B Term Loan Commitments as of the
Closing Date is $110,000,000.
“Tranche B Term Loan
Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender, as of any
date of determination, the outstanding principal amount of the
Tranche B Term Loans of such Lender; provided , at any time
prior to the making of the Tranche B Term Loans, the Tranche B Term
Loan Exposure of any Lender shall be equal to such Lender’s
Tranche B Term Loan Commitment.
“Tranche B Term Loan
Maturity Date” means the earlier of (i) the seventh (7)
anniversary of the Closing Date, and (ii) the date that all Tranche
B Term Loans shall become due and payable in full hereunder,
whether by acceleration or otherwise.
“Tranche B Term Loan
Note” means a promissory note in the form of Exhibit B-1,
as it may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to time.
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“Transaction
Costs” means the fees, costs and expenses payable by
Holdings, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries
within three hundred (300) days of the Closing Date in connection
with the Transactions.
“Transactions” means the Merger, the
contribution of the Sponsor Equity, the repayment of the Existing
Indebtedness, the redemption of the Bell Preferred Stock, the
entering into of this Agreement, the issuance of the Senior
Subordinated Notes and the exchange offer in respect of the Senior
Subordinated Notes.
“Type of
Loan” means (i) with respect to either Term Loans or
Revolving Loans, a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan, and
(ii) with respect to Swing Line Loans, a Base Rate Loan.
“UBSS” as
defined in the preamble hereto.
“UCC”
means the Uniform Commercial Code (or any similar or equivalent
legislation) as in effect in any applicable
jurisdiction.
“Unadjusted
Eurodollar Rate Component” means that component of the
interest costs to the Company in respect of a Eurodollar Rate Loan
that is based upon the rate obtained pursuant to clause (i) of the
definition of Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.
“Wachovia
Securities” as defined in the preamble hereto.
“WBNA” as
defined in the preamble hereto.
1.2. Accounting Terms.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all accounting terms
not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to
them in conformity with GAAP. Financial statements and other
information required to be delivered by the Company to Lenders
pursuant to Section 5.1(a), 5.1(b) and 5.1(c) shall be prepared in
accordance with GAAP as in effect at the time of such preparation
(and delivered together with the reconciliation statements provided
for in Section 5.1(e), if applicable). For purposes of determining
compliance with the covenants contained in Section 6 and the
calculation of Leverage Ratio all accounting terms herein shall be
interpreted and all accounting determinations hereunder (in each
case, unless otherwise provided for or defined herein) shall be
made in accordance with GAAP as used in the annual financial
statements for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2004 and applied
on a basis consistent with the application used in such financial
statements; provided further , that if Company
notifies the Administrative Agent that the Company wishes to amend
any covenant in Section 2.14 or Section 6 or the Leverage Ratio or
any related definition to eliminate the effect of any change in
GAAP occurring after the date of this Agreement on the operation of
such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company
that the Required Lenders wish to amend Section 2.14 or Section 6
or the Leverage Ratio any related definition for such purpose),
then (i) the Company and the Administrative Agent shall negotiate
in good faith to agree upon an appropriate amendment to such
covenant or the Leverage Ratio and (ii) the Company’s
compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of
GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP
became effective until such
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covenant is amended in a manner
satisfactory to the Company and the Requisite Lenders. For the
purposes of determining compliance under Sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.6,
6.7 and 6.8 with respect to any amount in a currency other than
Dollars, such amount shall be deemed to equal the Dollar equivalent
thereof at the time such amount was incurred or expended, as the
case may be.
1.3. Interpretation,
etc. Any of the terms defined herein may, unless the context
otherwise requires, be used in the singular or the plural,
depending on the reference. References herein to any Section,
Appendix, Schedule or Exhibit shall be to a Section, an Appendix, a
Schedule or an Exhibit, as the case may be, hereof unless otherwise
specifically provided. The use herein of the word
“include” or “including”, when following
any general statement, term or matter, shall not be construed to
limit such statement, term or matter to the specific items or
matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar
items or matters, whether or not no limiting language (such as
“without limitation” or “but not limited
to” or words of similar import) is used with reference
thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or
matters that fall within the broadest possible scope of such
general statement, term or matter.
SECTION 2. LOANS AND LETTERS OF
CREDIT
2.1. Term
Loans.
(a) Loan Commitments .
Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Lender severally
agrees to make, on the Closing Date, a Tranche B Term Loan to the
Company in an amount equal to such Lender’s Tranche B Term
Loan Commitment. The Company may make only one borrowing under the
Tranche B Term Loan Commitments which shall be on the Closing Date.
Any amount borrowed under this Section 2.1(a) and subsequently
repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Subject to Sections 2.12,
2.13(a) and 2.14, all amounts owed hereunder with respect to the
Tranche B Term Loans shall be paid in full no later than the
Tranche B Term Loan Maturity Date. Each Lender’s Tranche B
Term Loan Commitment shall terminate immediately and without
further action on the Closing Date after giving effect to the
funding of such Lender’s Tranche B Term Loan Commitment on
such date.
(b) Borrowing Mechanics
for Term Loans .
(i) The Company shall deliver
to Administrative Agent a fully executed Funding Notice no later
than one (1) day prior to the Closing Date. Promptly upon receipt
by Administrative Agent of such Certificate, Administrative Agent
shall notify each Lender of the proposed borrowing.
(ii) Each Lender shall make
its Tranche B Term Loan, as the case may be, available to
Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m. (New York City time)
on the Closing Date, by wire transfer of same day funds in Dollars,
at Administrative Agent’s Principal Office. Upon satisfaction
or waiver of the conditions precedent specified herein,
Administrative Agent shall make the proceeds of the Term Loans
available to the Company on the Closing Date by causing an amount
of same day funds in Dollars equal to the proceeds of all such
Loans received by Administrative Agent from
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Lenders to be credited to the
account of the Company at Administrative Agent’s Principal
Office or to such other account as may be designated in writing to
Administrative Agent by the Company.
2.2. Revolving
Loans.
(a) Revolving
Commitments . During the Revolving Commitment Period, subject
to the terms and conditions hereof, each Lender severally agrees to
make Revolving Loans to the Company in an aggregate amount up to
but not exceeding such Lender’s Revolving Commitment;
provided , that after giving effect to the making of any
Revolving Loans in no event shall the Total Utilization of
Revolving Commitments exceed the Revolving Commitments then in
effect. Amounts borrowed pursuant to this Section 2.2(a) may be
repaid and reborrowed during the Revolving Commitment Period. Each
Lender’s Revolving Commitment shall expire on the Revolving
Commitment Termination Date and all Revolving Loans and all other
amounts owed hereunder with respect to the Revolving Loans and the
Revolving Commitments shall be paid in full no later than such
date.
(b) Borrowing Mechanics
for Revolving Loans .
(i) Except pursuant to
2.3(b)(iv) and 2.4(d), Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans
shall be made in an aggregate minimum amount of $500,000 and
integral multiples of $100,000 in excess of that amount, and
Revolving Loans that are Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in an
aggregate minimum amount of $1,000,000 and integral multiples of
$100,000 in excess of that amount.
(ii) Whenever the Company
desires that Lenders make Revolving Loans, the Company shall
deliver to Administrative Agent a fully executed and delivered
Funding Notice no later than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) at
least three Business Days in advance of the proposed Credit Date in
the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, and at least one Business Day
in advance of the proposed Credit Date in the case of a Revolving
Loan that is a Base Rate Loan. Except as otherwise provided herein,
a Funding Notice for a Revolving Loan that is a Eurodollar Rate
Loan shall be irrevocable on and after the related Interest Rate
Determination Date, and the Company shall be bound to make a
borrowing in accordance therewith.
(iii) Notice of receipt of
each Funding Notice in respect of Revolving Loans, together with
the amount of each Lender’s Pro Rata Share thereof, if any,
together with the election of the applicable interest rate, shall
be provided by Administrative Agent to each applicable Lender by
telefacsimile with reasonable promptness, but (provided
Administrative Agent shall have received such notice by 1:00 p.m.
(New York City time)) not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time)
on the same day as Administrative Agent’s receipt of such
Notice from the Company.
(iv) Each Lender shall make
the amount of its Revolving Loan available to Administrative Agent
not later than 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the applicable
Credit Date by wire transfer of same day funds in Dollars, at
Administrative Agent’s
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Principal Office. Except as
provided herein, upon satisfaction or waiver of the conditions
precedent specified herein, Administrative Agent shall make the
proceeds of such Revolving Loans available to the Company on the
applicable Credit Date by causing an amount of same day funds in
Dollars equal to the proceeds of all such Revolving Loans received
by Administrative Agent from Lenders to be credited to the account
of the Company at Administrative Agent’s Principal Office or
such other account as may be designated in writing to
Administrative Agent by the Company.
2.3. Swing Line
Loans.
(a) Swing Line Loans
Commitments . During the Revolving Commitment Period, subject
to the terms and conditions hereof, Swing Line Lender hereby agrees
to make Swing Line Loans to the Company in the aggregate amount up
to but not exceeding the Swing Line Sublimit; provided ,
that after giving effect to the making of any Swing Line Loan, in
no event shall the Total Utilization of Revolving Commitments
exceed the Revolving Commitments then in effect. Amounts borrowed
pursuant to this Section 2.3 may be repaid and reborrowed during
the Revolving Commitment Period. Swing Line Lender’s
Revolving Commitment shall expire on the Revolving Commitment
Termination Date and all Swing Line Loans and all other amounts
owed hereunder with respect to the Swing Line Loans and the
Revolving Commitments shall be paid in full no later than such
date.
(b) Borrowing Mechanics for
Swing Line Loans.
(i) Swing Line Loans shall be
made in an aggregate minimum amount of $100,000 and integral
multiples of $25,000 in excess of that amount.
(ii) Whenever the Company
desires that Swing Line Lender make a Swing Line Loan, the Company
shall deliver to Administrative Agent a Funding Notice no later
than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the proposed Credit
Date.
(iii) Swing Line Lender shall
make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to Administrative
Agent not later than 2:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the
applicable Credit Date by wire transfer of same day funds in
Dollars, at Administrative Agent’s Principal Office. Except
as provided herein, upon satisfaction or waiver of the conditions
precedent specified herein, Administrative Agent shall make the
proceeds of such Swing Line Loans available to the Company on the
applicable Credit Date by causing an amount of same day funds in
Dollars equal to the proceeds of all such Swing Line Loans received
by Administrative Agent from Swing Line Lender to be credited to
the account of the Company at Administrative Agent’s
Principal Office, or to such other account as may be designated in
writing to Administrative Agent by the Company.
(iv) With respect to any
Swing Line Loans which have not been voluntarily prepaid by the
Company pursuant to Section 2.13, Swing Line Lender may at any time
in its sole and absolute discretion, deliver to Administrative
Agent (with a copy to the Company), no later than 11:00 a.m. (New
York City time) at least one Business Day in advance of the
proposed Credit Date, a notice (which shall be deemed to be
a
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Funding Notice given by the
Company) requesting that each Lender holding a Revolving Commitment
make Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans to the Company on
such Credit Date in an amount equal to the amount of such Swing
Line Loans (the “Refunded Swing Line Loans” )
outstanding on the date such notice is given which Swing Line
Lender requests Lenders to prepay. Promptly after receipt by
Administrative Agent of such notice, Administrative Agent shall
notify each such Lender thereof. Anything contained in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, (1) the proceeds of such
Revolving Loans made by the Lenders pursuant to this Section
2.3(b)(iv) (other than Swing Line Lender) shall be immediately
delivered by Administrative Agent to Swing Line Lender (and not to
the Company) and applied to repay a corresponding portion of the
Refunded Swing Line Loans and (2) on the day such Revolving Loans
are made, Swing Line Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Refunded
Swing Line Loans shall be deemed to be paid with the proceeds of a
Revolving Loan made by Swing Line Lender to the Company, and such
portion of the Swing Line Loans deemed to be so paid shall no
longer be outstanding as Swing Line Loans and shall no longer be
due under the Swing Line Note of Swing Line Lender but shall
instead constitute part of Swing Line Lender’s outstanding
Revolving Loans to the Company and shall be due under the Revolving
Loan Note issued by the Company to Swing Line Lender. The Company
hereby authorizes Administrative Agent and Swing Line Lender to
charge the Company’s accounts with Administrative Agent and
Swing Line Lender (up to the amount available in each such account)
in order to immediately pay Swing Line Lender the amount of the
Refunded Swing Line Loans to the extent of the proceeds of such
Revolving Loans made by Lenders, including the Revolving Loans
deemed to be made by Swing Line Lender, are not sufficient to repay
in full the Refunded Swing Line Loans. If any portion of any such
amount paid (or deemed to be paid) to Swing Line Lender should be
recovered by or on behalf of the Company from Swing Line Lender in
bankruptcy, by assignment for the benefit of creditors or
otherwise, the loss of the amount so recovered shall be ratably
shared among all Lenders in the manner contemplated by Section
2.17.
(v) If for any reason
Revolving Loans are not made pursuant to Section 2.3(b)(iv) in an
amount sufficient to repay any amounts owed to Swing Line Lender in
respect of any outstanding Swing Line Loans on or before the third
Business Day after demand for payment thereof by Swing Line Lender,
each Lender holding a Revolving Commitment shall be deemed to, and
hereby agrees to, have purchased a participation in such
outstanding Swing Line Loans, and in an amount equal to its Pro
Rata Share of the applicable unpaid amount together with accrued
interest thereon. Upon one Business Day’s notice from Swing
Line Lender, each Lender holding a Revolving Commitment shall
deliver to Swing Line Lender an amount equal to its respective
participation in the applicable unpaid amount in same day funds at
the Principal Office of Swing Line Lender. In order to evidence
such participation each Lender holding a Revolving Commitment
agrees to enter into a participation agreement at the request of
Swing Line Lender in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
Swing Line Lender. In the event any Lender holding a Revolving
Commitment fails to make available to Swing Line Lender the amount
of such Lender’s participation as provided in this paragraph,
Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover such amount on
demand from such Lender together with interest thereon for three
Business Days at the rate customarily
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used by Swing Line Lender for
the correction of errors among banks and thereafter at the Base
Rate, as applicable.
(vi) Notwithstanding anything
contained herein to the contrary, (1) each Lender’s
obligation to make Revolving Loans for the purpose of repaying any
Refunded Swing Line Loans pursuant to the second preceding
paragraph and each Lender’s obligation to purchase a
participation in any unpaid Swing Line Loans pursuant to the
immediately preceding paragraph shall be absolute and unconditional
and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including without
limitation (A) any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or
other right which such Lender may have against Swing Line Lender,
any Credit Party or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B)
the occurrence or continuation of a Default or Event of Default;
(C) any adverse change in the business, results of operations,
properties, assets, financial condition or prospects of any Credit
Party; (D) any breach of this Agreement or any other Credit
Document by any party thereto; or (E) any other circumstance,
happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing; provided that such obligations of each Lender are
subject to the condition that Swing Line Lender believed in good
faith that all conditions under Section 3.2 to the making of the
applicable Refunded Swing Line Loans or other unpaid Swing Line
Loans, were satisfied at the time such Refunded Swing Line Loans or
unpaid Swing Line Loans were made, or the satisfaction of any such
condition not satisfied had been waived by the Requisite Lenders
prior to or at the time such Refunded Swing Line Loans or other
unpaid Swing Line Loans were made; and (2) Swing Line Lender shall
not be obligated to make any Swing Line Loans (A) after the
occurrence and during the continuation of a Default or Event of
Default or (B) at a time when a Funding Default exists unless Swing
Line Lender has entered into arrangements reasonably satisfactory
to it and the Company to eliminate Swing Line Lender’s risk
with respect to the Defaulting Lender’s participation in such
Swing Line Loan, including by cash collateralizing such Defaulting
Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Swing Line
Loans.
(vii) Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, Swing Line Loans in
excess of $1,500,000 in the aggregate may not be outstanding for
more than ten (10) consecutive days. To the extent a Swing Line
Loan in excess of $1,500,000 in the aggregate has not been
voluntarily prepaid by the Company pursuant to Section 2.13 within
ten (10) days of the making of such Swing Line Loan by Swing Line
Lender, then Swing Line Lender shall request Lenders make Revolving
Loans pursuant to Section 2.3(b)(iv). The amount of any such Swing
Line Loans prepaid or repaid pursuant to Section 2.3(b)(iv) may not
be reborrowed for a period of three (3) days. Nothing in this
clause (vii) shall be construed to impose any additional
obligations, except the obligation to request Revolving Loans
pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, on the Swing Line
Lender other than those obligations otherwise set forth in this
Agreement.
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2.4. Issuance of Letters
of Credit and Purchase of Participations Therein.
(a) Letters of Credit
. During the period from the Closing Date until the thirtieth
(30 th ) day before the end of the Revolving
Commitment Period, subject to the terms and conditions hereof,
Issuing Bank agrees to issue Letters of Credit for the account of
the Company in the aggregate amount up to but not exceeding the
Letter of Credit Sublimit; provided , (i) each Letter of
Credit shall be denominated in Dollars; (ii) the stated amount of
each Letter of Credit shall be in an amount as is reasonably
acceptable to Issuing Bank; (iii) after giving effect to such
issuance, in no event shall the Total Utilization of Revolving
Commitments exceed the Revolving Commitments then in effect; (iv)
after giving effect to such issuance, in no event shall the Letter
of Credit Usage exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit then in
effect; (v) in no event shall any standby Letter of Credit have an
expiration date later than the earlier of (1) the tenth (10
th ) Business Day prior to the Revolving
Commitment Termination Date and (2) the date which is one year from
the date of issuance of such standby Letter of Credit; (vi) in no
event shall any commercial Letter of Credit have an expiration date
later than the earlier of (1) the thirtieth (30 th
) day prior
to the Revolving Loan Commitment Termination Date and (2) the date
which is one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of issuance of
such commercial Letter of Credit, (vii) in no event shall any
Letter of Credit be issued if such Letter of Credit is otherwise
unacceptable to Issuing Bank in its reasonable discretion and
(viii) all such Letters of Credit shall provide for sight drawings.
Subject to the foregoing, Issuing Bank may agree that a standby
Letter of Credit will automatically be extended for one or more
successive periods not to exceed one year each, unless Issuing Bank
elects not to extend for any such additional period;
provided , Issuing Bank shall not extend any such Letter of
Credit if it has received written notice that an Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing at the time Issuing Bank must elect
to allow such extension; provided , further , in the
event a Funding Default exists, Issuing Bank shall not be required
to issue any Letter of Credit unless Issuing Bank has entered into
arrangements satisfactory to it, the Administrative Agent and the
Company to eliminate Issuing Bank’s risk with respect to the
participation in Letters of Credit of the Defaulting Lender,
including by cash collateralizing such Defaulting Lender’s
Pro Rata Share of the Letter of Credit Usage.
(b) Notice of Issuance
. Whenever the Company desires the issuance of a Letter of Credit,
it shall deliver to Administrative Agent (with a copy to the
Issuing Bank) an Issuance Notice no later than 1:00 p.m. (New York
City time) at least three Business Days (in the case of standby
letters of credit) or three Business Days (in the case of
commercial letters of credit) or in each case such shorter period
as may be agreed to by Issuing Bank in any particular instance, in
advance of the proposed date of issuance. Upon satisfaction or
waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 3.2, Issuing Bank
shall issue the requested Letter of Credit only in accordance with
Issuing Bank’s standard operating procedures. Promptly after
the issuance or amendment of a standby Letter of Credit, the
Issuing Bank shall notify the Company and the Administrative Agent,
in writing, of such issuance or amendment and such notice shall be
accompanied by a copy of such issuance or amendment. Upon receipt
of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each
Lender, in writing, of such issuance or amendment and if so
requested by a Lender, the Administrative Agent shall furnish such
Lender with a copy of such issuance or amendment. With regards to
commercial Letters of Credit, the Issuing Bank shall furnish the
Administrative Agent, by facsimile, on the first Business Day of
each week with a report detailing the daily aggregate commercial
Letter of Credit outstanding for the previous week. In the event of
any conflict between the terms of a Letter of Credit or Letter of
Credit application and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement
shall govern and control.
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(c) Responsibility of
Issuing Bank With Respect to Requests for Drawings and Payments
. In determining whether to honor any drawing under any Letter of
Credit by the beneficiary thereof, Issuing Bank shall be
responsible only to examine the documents delivered under such
Letter of Credit with reasonable care so as to ascertain whether
they appear on their face to be in accordance with the terms and
conditions of such Letter of Credit. As between the Company and
Issuing Bank, the Company assumes all risks of the acts and
omissions of, or misuse of the Letters of Credit issued by Issuing
Bank, by the respective beneficiaries of such Letters of Credit. In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, Issuing Bank
shall not be responsible for: (i) the form, validity, sufficiency,
accuracy, genuineness or legal effect of any document submitted by
any party in connection with the application for and issuance of
any such Letter of Credit, even if it should in fact prove to be in
any or all respects invalid, insufficient, inaccurate, fraudulent
or forged; (ii) the validity or sufficiency of any instrument
transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any
such Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or
proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be
invalid or ineffective for any reason; (iii) failure of the
beneficiary of any such Letter of Credit to comply fully with any
conditions required in order to draw upon such Letter of Credit so
long as such conditions are complied with in all material respects;
(iv) errors, omissions, interruptions or delays in transmission or
delivery of any messages, by mail, cable, telegraph, telex or
otherwise, whether or not they be in cipher; (v) errors in
interpretation of technical terms; (vi) any loss or delay in the
transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make
a drawing under any such Letter of Credit or of the proceeds
thereof; (vii) the misapplication by the beneficiary of any such
Letter of Credit of the proceeds of any drawing under such Letter
of Credit; or (viii) any consequences arising from causes beyond
the control of Issuing Bank, including any Governmental Acts; none
of the above shall affect or impair, or prevent the vesting of, any
of Issuing Bank’s rights or powers hereunder. Without
limiting the foregoing and in furtherance thereof, any action taken
or omitted by Issuing Bank under or in connection with the Letters
of Credit or any documents and certificates delivered thereunder,
if taken or omitted in good faith, shall not give rise to any
liability on the part of Issuing Bank to the Company.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section
2.4(c), the Company shall retain any and all rights it may have
against Issuing Bank for any liability arising solely out of the
gross negligence or willful misconduct of Issuing Bank or from
honoring a Letter of Credit that does not substantially comply with
the conditions to draw on such Letter of Credit under the relevant
documents entered into between the Company and the Issuing Bank
relating thereto.
(d) Reimbursement by the
Company of Amounts Drawn or Paid Under Letters of Credit . In
the event Issuing Bank has determined to honor a drawing under a
Letter of Credit, it shall immediately notify the Company and
Administrative Agent, and the Company shall reimburse Issuing Bank
on or before the Business Day immediately following the date on
which such drawing is honored (the “Reimbursement
Date” ) in an amount in Dollars and in same day funds
equal to the amount of such honored drawing; provided ,
anything contained herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (i)
unless the Company shall have notified Administrative Agent and
Issuing Bank prior to 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date
such drawing is honored that the Company intends to reimburse
Issuing Bank for the amount of such honored drawing with funds
other than the proceeds of Revolving Loans, the Company shall be
deemed to have given a timely Funding Notice to Administrative
Agent requesting Lenders having a Revolving Commitment to make
Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans on the Reimbursement Date
in
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an amount in Dollars equal to
the amount of such honored drawing (and Administrative Agent shall
promptly notify each such Lender having a Revolving Commitment of
such deemed request), and (ii) subject to satisfaction or waiver of
the conditions specified in Section 3.2, Lenders shall, on the
Reimbursement Date, make Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans
in the amount of such honored drawing, the proceeds of which shall
be applied directly by Administrative Agent to reimburse Issuing
Bank for the amount of such honored drawing; and provided
further , if for any reason proceeds of Revolving Loans are
not received by Issuing Bank on the Reimbursement Date in an amount
equal to the amount of such honored drawing, the Company shall
reimburse Issuing Bank, on demand, in an amount in same day funds
equal to the excess of the amount of such honored drawing over the
aggregate amount of such Revolving Loans, if any, which are so
received. Nothing in this Section 2.4(d) shall be deemed to relieve
any Lender having a Revolving Commitment from its obligation to
make Revolving Loans on the terms and conditions set forth herein,
and the Company shall retain any and all rights it may have against
any such Lender resulting from the failure of such Lender to make
such Revolving Loans under this Section 2.4(d).
(e) Lenders’
Purchase of Participations in Letters of Credit . Immediately
upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit (or on the Closing Date
in respect of Letters of Credit which were previously Existing
Letters of Credit), each Lender having a Revolving Commitment shall
be deemed to have purchased, and hereby agrees to irrevocably
purchase, from Issuing Bank a participation in such Letter of
Credit and any drawings honored thereunder in an amount equal to
such Lender’s Pro Rata Share (with respect to the Revolving
Commitments) of the maximum amount which is or at any time may
become available to be drawn thereunder. In the event that the
Company shall fail for any reason to reimburse Issuing Bank as
provided in Section 2.4(d), Issuing Bank shall promptly notify each
Lender having a Revolving Commitment of the unreimbursed amount of
such honored drawing and of such Lender’s respective
participation therein based on such Lender’s Pro Rata Share
of the Revolving Commitments. Each Lender having a Revolving
Commitment shall make available to Issuing Bank an amount equal to
its respective participation, in Dollars and in same day funds, at
the office of Issuing Bank specified in such notice, not later than
12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the first Business Day (under
the laws of the jurisdiction in which such office of Issuing Bank
is located which is also a Business Day in New York City) after the
date notified by Issuing Bank. In the event that any Lender having
a Revolving Commitment fails to make available to Issuing Bank on
such business day the amount of such Lender’s participation
in such Letter of Credit as provided in this Section 2.4(e),
Issuing Bank shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand
from such Lender together with interest thereon for three Business
Days at the rate customarily used by Issuing Bank for the
correction of errors among banks and thereafter at the Base Rate.
Nothing in this Section 2.4(e) shall be deemed to prejudice the
right of any Lender having a Revolving Commitment to recover from
Issuing Bank any amounts made available by such Lender to Issuing
Bank pursuant to this Section in the event that it is determined
that the payment with respect to a Letter of Credit in respect of
which payment was made by such Lender constituted gross negligence
or willful misconduct on the part of Issuing Bank. In the event
Issuing Bank shall have been reimbursed by other Lenders pursuant
to this Section 2.4(e) for all or any portion of any drawing
honored by Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit, such Issuing Bank
shall distribute to each Lender which has paid all amounts payable
by it under this Section 2.4(e) with respect to such honored
drawing such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all payments
subsequently
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EXECUTION |
received by Issuing Bank from
the Company in reimbursement of such honored drawing when such
payments are received. Any such distribution shall be made to a
Lender having a Revolving Commitment at its primary address set
forth below its name on Appendix B or at such other address as such
Lender may request.
(f) Obligations
Absolute . The obligation of the Company to reimburse Issuing
Bank for drawings honored under the Letters of Credit issued by it
and to repay any Revolving Loans made by Lenders pursuant to
Section 2.4(d) and the obligations of Lenders under Section 2.4(e)
shall be unconditional and irrevocable and shall be paid strictly
in accordance with the terms hereof under all circumstances
including any of the following circumstances: (i) any lack of
validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit; (ii) the
existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right which the
Company or any Lender may have at any time against a beneficiary or
any transferee of any Letter of Credit (or any Persons for whom any
such transferee may be acting), Issuing Bank, Lender or any other
Person or, in the case of a Lender, against the Company, whether in
connection herewith, the transactions contemplated herein or any
unrelated transaction (including any underlying transaction between
the Company or one of its Subsidiaries and the beneficiary for
which any Letter of Credit was procured); (iii) any draft or other
document presented under any Letter of Credit proving to be forged,
fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement
therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; (iv) payment by
Issuing Bank under any Letter of Credit against presentation of a
draft or other document which does not substantially comply with
the terms of such Letter of Credit; (v) any adverse change in the
business, results of operations, properties, assets, financial
condition or prospects of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries; (vi)
any breach hereof or any other Credit Document by any party
thereto; (vii) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever,
whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; or (viii) the fact
that an Event of Default or a Default shall have occurred and be
continuing; provided , in each case, that payment by Issuing
Bank under the applicable Letter of Credit shall not have
constituted gross negligence or willful misconduct of Issuing Bank
under the circumstances in question.
(g) Indemnification .
Without duplication of any obligation of the Company under Section
10.2 or 10.3, in addition to amounts payable as provided herein,
the Company hereby agrees to protect, indemnify, pay and save
harmless Issuing Bank from and against any and all claims, demands,
liabilities, damages, losses, costs, charges and expenses
(including reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel
and allocated costs of internal counsel) which Issuing Bank may
incur or be subject to as a consequence, direct or indirect, of (i)
the issuance of any Letter of Credit by Issuing Bank, other than as
a result of (1) the gross negligence or willful misconduct of
Issuing Bank or (2) the wrongful dishonor by Issuing Bank of a
proper demand for payment made under any Letter of Credit issued by
it, or (ii) the failure of Issuing Bank to honor a drawing under
any such Letter of Credit as a result of any Governmental
Act.
(h) Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary herein, the Existing Letters of Credit shall be
deemed to be Letters of Credit issued hereunder.
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2.5. Pro Rata Shares;
Availability of Funds.
(a) Pro Rata Shares .
All Loans shall be made, and all participations purchased, by
Lenders simultaneously and proportionately to their respective Pro
Rata Shares, it being understood that no Lender shall be
responsible for any default by any other Lender in such other
Lender’s obligation to make a Loan requested hereunder or
purchase a participation required hereby nor shall any Term Loan
Commitment or any Revolving Commitment of any Lender be increased
or decreased as a result of a default by any other Lender in such
other Lender’s obligation to make a Loan requested hereunder
or purchase a participation required hereby.
(b) Availability of
Funds . Unless Administrative Agent shall have been notified by
any Lender prior to the applicable Credit Date that such Lender
does not intend to make available to Administrative Agent the
amount of such Lender’s Loan requested on such Credit Date,
Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such
amount available to Administrative Agent on such Credit Date and
Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, but shall not be
obligated to, make available to the Company a corresponding amount
on such Credit Date. If such corresponding amount is not in fact
made available to Administrative Agent by such Lender,
Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover such
corresponding amount on demand from such Lender together with
interest thereon, for each day from such Credit Date until the date
such amount is paid to Administrative Agent, at the customary rate
set by Administrative Agent for the correction of errors among
banks for three Business Days and thereafter at the Base Rate. If
such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon
Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, Administrative Agent
shall promptly notify the Company and the Company shall immediately
pay such corresponding amount to Administrative Agent together with
interest thereon, for each day from such Credit Date until the date
such amount is paid to Administrative Agent, at the rate payable
hereunder for Base Rate Loans for such Class of Loans. Nothing in
this Section 2.5(b) shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its
obligation to fulfill its Term Loan Commitments and Revolving
Commitments hereunder or to prejudice any rights that the Company
may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such
Lender hereunder.
2.6. Use of Proceeds.
The proceeds of the Tranche B Term Loans, and up to $15,000,000 of
Revolving Loans, shall be applied by the Company together with the
proceeds from the issuance of the Senior Subordinated Notes to fund
in part, the Merger, the repayment of the Existing Indebtedness,
the redemption or repurchase of the Bell Preferred Stock, and the
payment of fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing. The
proceeds of the Revolving Loans, Swing Line Loans and Letters of
Credit made after the Closing Date shall be applied by the Company
for working capital and general corporate purposes of Holdings and
its Subsidiaries, including Permitted Acquisitions and permitted
capital expenditures. No portion of the proceeds of any Credit
Extension shall be used in any manner that causes or might cause
such Credit Extension or the application of such proceeds to
violate Regulation T, Regulation U or Regulation X of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation
thereof or to violate the Exchange Act.
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EXECUTION |
2.7. Evidence of Debt;
Register; Lenders’ Books and Records; Notes.
(a) Lenders’
Evidence of Debt . Each Lender shall maintain on its internal
records an account or accounts evidencing the Obligations of the
Company to such Lender, including the amounts of the Loans made by
it and each repayment and prepayment in respect thereof. Any such
recordation shall be conclusive and binding on the Company, absent
manifest error; provided , that the failure to make any such
recordation, or any error in such recordation, shall not affect any
Lender’s Revolving Commitments or the Company’s
Obligations in respect of any applicable Loans; and provided
further , in the event of any inconsistency between the
Register and any Lender’s records, the recordations in the
Register shall govern.
(b) Register .
Administrative Agent shall maintain at its Principal Office a
register for the recordation of the names and addresses of Lenders
and the Revolving Commitments and Loans of each Lender from time to
time (the “Register” ). The Register shall be
available for inspection by the Company or any Lender at any
reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
Administrative Agent shall record in the Register the Revolving
Commitments and the Loans, and each repayment or prepayment in
respect of the principal amount of the Loans, and any such
recordation shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and each
Lender, absent manifest error; provided , failure to make
any such recordation, or any error in such recordation, shall not
affect any Lender’s Revolving Commitments or the
Company’s Obligations in respect of any Loan. The Company
hereby designates GSCP to serve as the Company’s agent solely
for purposes of maintaining the Register as provided in this
Section 2.7, and the Company hereby agrees that, to the extent GSCP
serves in such capacity, GSCP and its officers, directors,
employees, agents and affiliates shall constitute
“Indemnitees.”
(c) Notes . If so
requested by any Lender by written notice to the Company (with a
copy to Administrative Agent) at least two Business Days prior to
the Closing Date, or at any time thereafter, the Company shall
execute and deliver to such Lender (and/or, if applicable and if so
specified in such notice, to any Person who is an assignee of such
Lender pursuant to Section 10.6) on the Closing Date (or, if such
notice is delivered after the Closing Date, promptly after the
Company’s receipt of such notice) a Note or Notes to evidence
such Lender’s Tranche B Term Loan, New Term Loan, Revolving
Loan or Swing Line Loan, as the case may be.
2.8. Interest on
Loans.
(a) Except as otherwise set
forth herein, each Class of Loan shall bear interest on the unpaid
principal amount thereof from the date made through repayment
(whether by acceleration or otherwise) thereof as
follows:
(i) in the case of Revolving
Loans:
(1) if a Base Rate Loan, at
the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin; or
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EXECUTION |
(2) if a Eurodollar Rate
Loan, at the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable
Margin;
(ii) in the case of Swing
Line Loans, at the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin;
and
(iii) in the case of Tranche
B Term Loans:
(1) if a Base Rate Loan, at
the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin; or
(2) if a Eurodollar Rate
Loan, at the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate plus the Applicable
Margin;
(b) The basis for determining
the rate of interest with respect to any Loan (except a Swing Line
Loan which can be made and maintained as Base Rate Loans only), and
the Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, shall
be selected by the Company and notified to Administrative Agent and
Lenders pursuant to the applicable Funding Notice or
Conversion/Continuation Notice, as the case may be; provided
, (i) the Term Loans initially shall be made as Base Rate Loans
until the earlier of (x) the date which is fifteen (15) days
following the Closing Date or such earlier date otherwise agreed by
the Administrative Agent and (y) the date upon which the primary
syndication of the Loans and Revolving Commitments as determined by
the Administrative Agent has been completed and (ii) until the date
that Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the primary
syndication of the Loans and Revolving Commitments has been
completed, as determined by Administrative Agent, the Term Loans
shall be maintained as either (1) Eurodollar Rate Loans having an
Interest Period of no longer than one month or (2) Base Rate Loans.
If on any day a Loan is outstanding with respect to which a Funding
Notice or Conversion/Continuation Notice has not been delivered to
Administrative Agent in accordance with the terms hereof specifying
the applicable basis for determining the rate of interest, then for
that day such Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan.
(c) In connection with
Eurodollar Rate Loans there shall be no more than eight (8)
Interest Periods outstanding at any time. In the event the Company
fails to specify between a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan
in the applicable Funding Notice or Conversion/Continuation Notice,
such Loan (if outstanding as a Eurodollar Rate Loan) will be
automatically converted into a Base Rate Loan on the last day of
the then-current Interest Period for such Loan (or if outstanding
as a Base Rate Loan will remain as, or (if not then outstanding)
will be made as, a Base Rate Loan). In the event the Company fails
to specify an Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Loan in the
applicable Funding Notice or Conversion/Continuation Notice, the
Company shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one
month. As soon as practicable after 10:00 a.m. (New York City time)
on each Interest Rate Determination Date, Administrative Agent
shall determine (which determination shall, absent manifest error,
be final, conclusive and binding upon all parties) the interest
rate that shall apply to the Eurodollar Rate Loans for which an
interest rate is then being determined for the applicable Interest
Period and shall promptly give notice thereof (in writing or by
telephone confirmed in writing) to the Company and each
Lender.
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EXECUTION |
(d) Interest payable pursuant
to Section 2.8(a) shall be computed (i) in the case of Base Rate
Loans on the basis of a 365-day or 366-day year, as the case may
be, and (ii) in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, on the basis of
a 360-day year, in each case for the actual number of days elapsed
in the period during which it accrues. In computing interest on any
Loan, the date of the making of such Loan or the first day of an
Interest Period applicable to such Loan or, with respect to a Base
Rate Loan being converted from a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the date of
conversion of such Eurodollar Rate Loan to such Base Rate Loan, as
the case may be, shall be included, and the date of payment of such
Loan or the expiration date of an Interest Period applicable to
such Loan or, with respect to a Base Rate Loan being converted to a
Eurodollar Rate Loan, the date of conversion of such Base Rate Loan
to such Eurodollar Rate Loan, as the case may be, shall be
excluded; provided , if a Loan is repaid on the same day on
which it is made, one day’s interest shall be paid on that
Loan.
(e) Except as otherwise set
forth herein, interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on
and to (i) each Interest Payment Date applicable to that Loan; (ii)
upon any prepayment of that Loan, whether voluntary or mandatory,
to the extent accrued on the amount being prepaid; and (iii) at
maturity, including final maturity; provided , however, with
respect to any voluntary prepayment of a Base Rate Loan, accrued
interest shall instead be payable on the applicable Interest
Payment Date.
(f) The Company agrees to pay
to Issuing Bank, with respect to drawings honored under any Letter
of Credit, interest on the amount paid by Issuing Bank in respect
of each such honored drawing from the date such drawing is honored
to but excluding the date such amount is reimbursed by or on behalf
of the Company at a rate equal to (i) for the period from the date
such drawing is honored to but excluding the applicable
Reimbursement Date, the rate of interest otherwise payable
hereunder with respect to Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans,
and (ii) thereafter, a rate which is 2% per annum in excess of the
rate of interest otherwise payable hereunder with respect to
Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans.
(g) Interest payable pursuant
to Section 2.8(f) shall be computed on the basis of a 365/366-day
year for the actual number of days elapsed in the period during
which it accrues, and shall be payable on demand or, if no demand
is made, on the date on which the related drawing under a Letter of
Credit is reimbursed in full. Promptly upon receipt by Issuing Bank
of any payment of interest pursuant to Section 2.8(f), Issuing Bank
shall distribute to each Lender, out of the interest received by
Issuing Bank in respect of the period from the date such drawing is
honored to but excluding the date on which Issuing Bank is
reimbursed for the amount of such drawing (including any such
reimbursement out of the proceeds of any Revolving Loans), the
amount that such Lender would have been entitled to receive in
respect of the letter of credit fee that would have been payable in
respect of such Letter of Credit for such period if no drawing had
been honored under such Letter of Credit. In the event Issuing Bank
shall have been reimbursed by Lenders for all or any portion of
such honored drawing, Issuing Bank shall distribute to each Lender
which has paid all amounts payable by it under Section 2.4(e) with
respect to such honored drawing such Lender’s Pro Rata Share
of any interest received by Issuing Bank in respect of that portion
of such honored drawing so reimbursed by Lenders for the period
from the date on which Issuing Bank was so reimbursed by Lenders to
but excluding the date on which such portion of such honored
drawing is reimbursed by the Company.
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EXECUTION |
2.9.
Conversion/Continuation.
(a) Subject to Section 2.18
and so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred
and then be continuing, the Company shall have the
option:
(i) to convert at any time
all or any part of any Term Loan or Revolving Loan equal to
$1,000,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess of that
amount from one Type of Loan to another Type of Loan;
provided , a Eurodollar Rate Loan may only be converted on
the expiration of the Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar
Rate Loan unless the Company shall pay all amounts due under
Section 2.18 in connection with any such conversion; or
(ii) upon the expiration of
any Interest Period applicable to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, to
continue all or any portion of such Loan equal to $1,000,000 and
integral multiples of $100,000 in excess of that amount as a
Eurodollar Rate Loan.
(b) The Company shall deliver
a Conversion/Continuation Notice to Administrative Agent no later
than 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) at least one Business Day in
advance of the proposed conversion date (in the case of a
conversion to a Base Rate Loan) and at least three Business Days in
advance of the proposed conversion/continuation date (in the case
of a conversion to, or a continuation of, a Eurodollar Rate Loan).
Except as otherwise provided herein, a Conversion/Continuation
Notice for conversion to, or continuation of, any Eurodollar Rate
Loans (or telephonic notice in lieu thereof) shall be irrevocable
on and after the related Interest Rate Determination Date, and the
Company shall be bound to effect a conversion or continuation in
accordance therewith.
2.10. Default
Interest. The principal amount of all Loans not paid when due
and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any interest
payments on the Loans or any fees or other amounts owed hereunder
not paid when due, shall thereafter bear interest (including
post-petition interest in any proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code
or other applicable bankruptcy laws) payable on demand at a rate
that is 2% per annum in excess of the interest rate otherwise
payable hereunder with respect to the applicable Loans (or, in the
case of any such fees and other amounts, at a rate which is 2% per
annum in excess of the highest interest rate otherwise then payable
hereunder for Base Rate Loans); provided , in the case of
Eurodollar Rate Loans, upon the expiration of the Interest Period
in effect at the time any such increase in interest rate is
effective such Eurodollar Rate Loans shall thereupon become Base
Rate Loans and shall thereafter bear interest payable upon demand
at a rate which is 2% per annum in excess of the highest interest
rate otherwise then payable hereunder for Base Rate Loans. Payment
or acceptance of the increased rates of interest provided for in
this Section 2.10 is not a permitted alternative to timely payment
and shall not constitute a waiver of any Event of Default or
otherwise prejudice or limit any rights or remedies of
Administrative Agent or any Lender.
2.11. Fees.
(a) The Company agrees to pay
to Lenders having Revolving Exposure:
(i) commitment fees equal to
(1) the average of the daily difference between (a) the Revolving
Commitments, and (b) the sum of (x) the aggregate principal amount
of outstanding Revolving Loans (but not any outstanding Swing Line
Loans) plus (y) the Letter of Credit Usage, times (2) the
Commitment Fee Percentage; and
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EXECUTION |
(ii) letter of credit fees
equal to (1) the Applicable Margin for Revolving Loans that are
Eurodollar Rate Loans, times (2) the aggregate daily maximum amount
available to be drawn under all such Letters of Credit (regardless
of whether any conditions for drawing could then be met and
determined as of the close of business on any date of
determination).
All fees referred to in this Section
2.11(a) shall be paid to Administrative Agent at its Principal
Office and upon receipt, Administrative Agent shall promptly
distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof.
(b) The Company agrees to pay
directly to Issuing Bank, for its own account, the following fees
(including, without limitation, in respect of the Existing Letters
of Credit on and after the Closing Date):
(i) a fronting fee equal to
0.125%, per annum, times the aggregate daily maximum amount
available to be drawn under all Letters of Credit outstanding
(determined as of the close of business on any date of
determination); and
(ii) such documentary and
processing charges for any issuance, amendment, transfer or payment
of a Letter of Credit as are in accordance with Issuing
Bank’s standard schedule for such charges and as in effect at
the time of such issuance, amendment, transfer or payment, as the
case may be.
(c) All fees referred to in
Section 2.11(a) and 2.11(b)(i) shall be calculated on the basis of
a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed and shall be
payable quarterly in arrears on each of the dates specified in
Section 2.12(a) for payment of principal during the Revolving
Commitment Period, commencing on the first such date to occur after
the Closing Date, and on the Revolving Commitment Termination
Date.
(d) In addition to any of the
foregoing fees, the Company agrees to pay to Agents such other fees
in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon.
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EXECUTION |
2.12. Scheduled
Payments/Commitment Reductions.
(a) Scheduled
Installments . The principal amounts of the Tranche B Term
Loans shall be repaid in consecutive quarterly installments (each,
an “Installment” ) in the aggregate amounts set
forth below on the Business Day immediately following the last day
of each Fiscal Quarter (each, an “Installment
Date” ), commencing December 31, 2004:
|
|
|
|
|
Fiscal Quarter
|
|
Tranche B Term Loan
Installments
|
|
December 31, 2004
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2005
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2005
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
September 30, 2005
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
December 31, 2005
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2006
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2006
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
September 30, 2006
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
December 31, 2006
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2007
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2007
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
September 30, 2007
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
December 31, 2007
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2008
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2008
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
September 30, 2008
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
December 31, 2008
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2009
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2009
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
September 30, 2009
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2010
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
September 30, 2010
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
December 31, 2010
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
March 30, 2011
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
June 30, 2011
|
|
$ |
275,000 |
|
Tranche B Term Loan Maturity
Date
|
|
$ |
102,575,000 |
; provided , in the event any New
Term Loans are made, such New Term Loans shall be repaid on each
Installment Date occurring on or after the applicable Increased
Amount Date in an amount equal to (i) the aggregate principal
amount of New Term Loans of the applicable Series of New Term
Loans, times (ii) the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of (y) the
amount of all other Term
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EXECUTION |
Loans being repaid on such Installment
Date and (z) the total aggregate principal amount of all other Term
Loans outstanding on such Increased Amount Date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) such
Installments shall be reduced in connection with any voluntary or
mandatory prepayments of the Tranche B Term Loans, in accordance
with Sections 2.13, 2.14 and 2.15, as applicable; and (y) the
Tranche B Term Loans, together with all other amounts owed
hereunder with respect thereto, shall, in any event, be paid in
full no later than the Tranche B Term Loan Maturity
Date.
(b) Revolving Loans shall be
paid in full on the Revolving Commitment Termination
Date.
2.13. Voluntary
Prepayments/Commitment Reductions.
(a) Voluntary
Prepayments .
(i) Any time and from time to
time:
(1) with respect to Base Rate
Loans, the Company may prepay any such Loans on any Business Day in
whole or in part, in an aggregate minimum amount of $500,000 and
integral multiples of $100,000 in excess of that amount;
(2) with respect to
Eurodollar Rate Loans, the Company may prepay any such Loans on any
Business Day in whole or in part in an aggregate minimum amount of
$1,000,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess of that
amount; and
(3) with respect to Swing
Line Loans, the Company may prepay any such Loans on any Business
Day in whole or in part in an aggregate minimum amount of $100,000,
and in integral multiples of $25,000 in excess of that
amount.
(ii) All such prepayments
shall be made:
(1) upon not less than one
Business Day’s prior written or telephonic notice in the case
of Base Rate Loans;
(2) upon not less than three
Business Days’ prior written or telephonic notice in the case
of Eurodollar Rate Loans; and
(3) upon written or
telephonic notice on the date of prepayment, in the case of Swing
Line Loans;
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EXECUTION |
in each case given to Administrative
Agent or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, by 1:00 p.m. (New
York City time) on the date required and, if given by telephone,
promptly confirmed in writing to Administrative Agent (and
Administrative Agent will promptly transmit such telephonic or
original notice for Term Loans or Revolving Loans, as the case may
be, by telefacsimile or telephone promptly confirmed in writing to
each Lender) or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. Upon the
giving of any such notice, the principal amount of the Loans
specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the
prepayment date specified therein. Any such voluntary prepayment
shall be applied as specified in Section 2.15(a).
(b) Voluntary Commitment
Reductions .
(i) The Company may, upon not
less than three Business Days’ prior written or telephonic
notice confirmed in writing to Administrative Agent (which original
written or telephonic notice Administrative Agent will promptly
transmit by telefacsimile or telephone promptly confirmed in
writing to each applicable Lender), at any time and from time to
time terminate in whole or permanently reduce in part, without
premium or penalty, the Revolving Commitments in an amount up to
the amount by which the Revolving Commitments exceed the Total
Utilization of Revolving Commitments at the time of such proposed
termination or reduction; provided , any such partial
reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an aggregate
minimum amount of $1,000,000 and integral multiples of $500,000 in
excess of that amount.
(ii) The Company’s
notice to Administrative Agent shall designate the date (which
shall be a Business Day) of such termination or reduction and the
amount of any partial reduction, and such termination or reduction
of the Revolving Commitments shall be effective on the date
specified in the Company’s notice and shall reduce the
Revolving Commitment of each Lender proportionately to its Pro Rata
Share thereof.
2.14. Mandatory
Prepayments/Commitment Reductions.
(a) Asset Sales . No
later than the first Business Day following the date of receipt by
Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries of any Net Asset Sale Proceeds
in excess of $2,000,000 from the Closing Date through the
applicable date of determination, the Company shall prepay the
Loans and/or the Revolving Commitments shall be permanently reduced
as set forth in Section 2.15(b) in an aggregate amount equal to
such amount of Net Asset Sale Proceeds in excess of $2,000,000 from
the Closing Date; provided, so long as no Default or Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall
have the option, directly or through one or more of its
Subsidiaries, to invest Net Asset Sale Proceeds within three
hundred-sixty (360) days of receipt thereof in long-term productive
assets of the general type used in the business of the Company and
its Subsidiaries; provided further, pending any such investment all
such Net Asset Sale Proceeds shall be applied to prepay Revolving
Loans to the extent outstanding (without a reduction in Revolving
Commitments). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i)
in the event of the sale of Chicago Real Property, the Net Asset
Sale Proceeds thereof shall not be subject to this Section 2.14(a)
to the extent that such proceeds are used to consummate Permitted
Acquisitions pursuant to Section 6.9(e) or for plant relocation
purposes (moving, facility improvement and related expenses)
without time limit, provided, that, within
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180 days of the receipt of
such proceeds, the Company shall deliver to the Administrative
Agent a certificate setting forth a schedule and estimated costs
for such plant relocation and (ii) in the event of the sale of the
Bell Fitness Business Unit, the Net Asset Sale Proceeds thereof
shall not be subject to this Section 2.14(a) to the extent that
such proceeds are used to consummate Permitted Acquisitions
pursuant to Section 6.9(e).
(b) Insurance/Condemnation
Proceeds . No later than the first Business Day following the
date of receipt by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, or
Administrative Agent as loss payee, of any Net
Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds in excess of $2,000,000 from the
Closing Date through the applicable date of determination, the
Company shall prepay the Loans and/or the Revolving Commitments
shall be permanently reduced as set forth in Section 2.15(b) in an
aggregate amount equal to such amount of Net Insurance/Condemnation
Proceeds in excess of $2,000,000; provided , so long as no
Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,
the Company shall have the option, directly or through one or more
of its Subsidiaries to invest such Net Insurance/Condemnation
Proceeds within three hundred-sixty (360) days of receipt thereof
in long term productive assets of the general type used in the
business of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, which investment may
include the repair, restoration or replacement of the applicable
assets thereof; provided further , pending any such
investment all such Net Insurance/Condemnation Proceeds, as the
case may be, shall be applied to prepay Revolving Loans to the
extent outstanding (without a reduction in Revolving
Commitments).
(c) Issuance of Equity
Securities . On the date of receipt by Parent or Holdings of
any Cash proceeds from a capital contribution to, or the issuance
of any Capital Stock of, Parent or Holdings or any of their
respective Subsidiaries (other than pursuant to any employee stock
or stock option compensation plan or equity issued to the Equity
Investors; it being acknowledged that any Capital Stock issued in
connection with a Permitted Acquisition in exchange for the Capital
Stock of the acquired entity does not constitute receipt of Cash
proceeds under this Section 2.14(c)), the Company shall prepay the
Loans and/or the Revolving Commitments shall be permanently reduced
as set forth in Section 2.15(b) in an aggregate amount equal to
75.0% of such proceeds, net of underwriting discounts and
commissions and other reasonable costs and expenses associated
therewith, payable to a Person that is not Parent, Holdings or
their Subsidiaries, including reasonable legal fees and expenses;
provided , during any period in which the Leverage Ratio
(determined for any such period by reference to the most recent
Compliance Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(d)
calculating the Leverage Ratio) shall be 4.00:1.00 or less, the
Company shall only be required to make the prepayments and/or
reductions otherwise required hereby in an amount equal to 50.0% of
such issuance.
(d) Issuance of Debt .
No later than the first Business Day following the date of receipt
by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries of any Cash proceeds from
the incurrence of any Indebtedness of Holdings or any of its
Subsidiaries (other than with respect to any Indebtedness permitted
to be incurred pursuant to Section 6.1, but expressly including the
proceeds of any sale and leaseback pursuant to Section 6.11), the
Company shall prepay the Loans and/or the Revolving Commitments
shall be permanently reduced as set forth in Section 2.15(b) in an
aggregate amount equal to 100% of such proceeds, net of
underwriting discounts and
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commissions and other
reasonable costs and expenses associated therewith, payable to a
Person that is not Holdings or its Subsidiaries, including
reasonable legal fees and expenses.
(e) Consolidated Excess
Cash Flow . In the event that there shall be Consolidated
Excess Cash Flow for any Fiscal Year (commencing with Fiscal Year
2005), the Company shall, no later than one hundred-twenty (120)
days after the end of such Fiscal Year, prepay the Loans and/or the
Revolving Commitments shall be permanently reduced as set forth in
Section 2.15(b) in an aggregate amount equal to 75.0% of such
Consolidated Excess Cash Flow; provided , during any period
in which the Leverage Ratio (determined for any such period by
reference to the most recent Compliance Certificate delivered
pursuant to Section 5.1(d) calculating the Leverage Ratio) shall be
4.00:1.00 or less, the Company shall only be required to make the
prepayments and/or reductions otherwise required hereby in an
amount equal to 50.0% of such Consolidated Excess Cash Flow. In
computing amounts owing under this clause (e), credit shall be
given for any voluntary prepayments of the Loans (excluding
repayments of Revolving Loans or Swing Line Loans except to the
extent the Revolving Commitments are permanently reduced in
connection with such repayments). Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Section 2.14(e), to the extent that any prepayment
required by this Section 2.14(e) would result in the Company and
its Subsidiaries having Cash and Cash Equivalents of less than
$12,500,000 immediately after giving effect to such prepayment the
amount of such prepayment required hereby shall be reduced by an
amount such that after giving effect to such prepayment Company and
its Subsidiaries shall have Cash and Cash Equivalents equal to
$12,500,000.
(f) Revolving Loans and
Swing Loans . The Company shall from time to time prepay
first , the Swing Line Loans, and second , the
Revolving Loans to the extent necessary so that the Total
Utilization of Revolving Commitments shall not at any time exceed
the Revolving Commitments then in effect.
(g) Prepayment
Certificate . Concurrently with any prepayment of the Loans
and/or reduction of the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Sections
2.14(a) through 2.14(e), the Company shall deliver to
Administrative Agent a certificate of an Authorized Officer
demonstrating the calculation of the amount of the applicable net
proceeds or Consolidated Excess Cash Flow, as the case may be. In
the event that the Company shall subsequently determine that the
actual amount received exceeded the amount set forth in such
certificate, the Company shall promptly make an additional
prepayment of the Loans and/or the Revolving Commitments shall be
permanently reduced in an amount equal to such excess, and the
Company shall concurrently therewith deliver to Administrative
Agent a certificate of an Authorized Officer demonstrating the
derivation of such excess.
(h) Subordinated
Indebtedness . In the event that the Company shall otherwise be
required to make any mandatory prepayment of Indebtedness under the
Senior Subordinated Notes (other than Refinancing Notes), any
Refinancing Notes or the Additional Senior Subordinated Notes, the
Company shall prepay the Loans and reduce the Commitments in
accordance with Section 2.15 in an aggregate amount equal to the
amount of such mandatory prepayment.
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2.15. Application of
Prepayments/Reductions.
(a) Application of
Voluntary Prepayments by Type of Loans . Any prepayment of any
Loan pursuant to Section 2.13(a) shall be applied as specified by
the Company in the applicable notice of prepayment; provided
, in the event the Company fails to specify the Loans to which any
such prepayment shall be applied, such prepayment shall be applied
as follows:
first , to repay
outstanding Swing Line Loans to the full extent thereof;
second , to repay
outstanding Revolving Loans to the full extent thereof;
and
third , to prepay the
Term Loans on a pro rata basis (in accordance with the respective
outstanding principal amounts thereof).
Any prepayment of any Term
Loan pursuant to Section 2.13(a) shall
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