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Exhibit
10.1
U.S. $125,000,000
3-YEAR LETTER OF CREDIT
AGREEMENT
Dated as of May 6,
2005
among
THE GAP, INC.
as Company
,
THE SUBSIDIARIES OF THE
COMPANY NAMED HEREIN,
as LC Subsidiaries
,
and
BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.,
as LC
Issuer
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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| ARTICLE I |
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| DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING
TERMS |
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SECTION 1.01
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Certain
Defined Terms |
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1 |
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SECTION 1.02
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Computation of Time Periods |
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14 |
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SECTION 1.03
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Accounting Terms |
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14 |
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| ARTICLE II |
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| AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF LETTERS OF
CREDIT |
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SECTION 2.01
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Letters
of Credit |
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14 |
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SECTION 2.02
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Limitation on Obligation to Issue Letters of Credit Denominated
in Alternative Currencies |
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15 |
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SECTION 2.03
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Issuing
the Letters of Credit |
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15 |
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SECTION 2.04
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Reimbursement Obligations |
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15 |
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SECTION 2.05
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Letter of
Credit Facility Fees |
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16 |
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SECTION 2.06
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Indemnification; Nature of the LC Issuer’s
Duties |
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16 |
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SECTION 2.07
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Increased
Costs |
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17 |
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SECTION 2.08
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Uniform
Customs and Practice |
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18 |
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SECTION 2.09
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Reductions in Facility Amount |
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18 |
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SECTION 2.10
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Existing
Letters of Credit/Deemed Letters of Credit |
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18 |
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SECTION 2.11
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Currency
Provisions. |
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19 |
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SECTION 2.12
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Company
Guaranty. |
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20 |
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SECTION 2.13
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Dollar
Payment Obligation |
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22 |
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SECTION 2.14
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Applications; Survival of Provisions |
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23 |
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SECTION 2.15
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Letters
of Credit Outstanding on Termination Date |
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23 |
i
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SECTION 2.16
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LC
Subsidiaries |
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23 |
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| ARTICLE III |
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| PAYMENTS, TAXES, ETC. |
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SECTION 3.01
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Payments
and Computations |
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24 |
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SECTION 3.02
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Taxes |
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24 |
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| ARTICLE IV |
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| CONDITIONS OF ISSUANCE |
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SECTION 4.01
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Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of this
Agreement |
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28 |
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SECTION 4.02
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Conditions Precedent to Each Issuance |
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29 |
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| ARTICLE V |
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| REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES |
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SECTION 5.01
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Representations and Warranties of the Company |
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30 |
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| ARTICLE VI |
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| COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY |
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SECTION 6.01
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Affirmative Covenants |
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32 |
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SECTION 6.02
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Negative
Covenants |
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33 |
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SECTION 6.03
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Financial
Covenants |
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36 |
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SECTION 6.04
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Reporting
Requirements |
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36 |
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| ARTICLE VII |
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| EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
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SECTION 7.01
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Events of
Default |
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38 |
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| ARTICLE VIII |
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| MISCELLANEOUS |
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SECTION 8.01
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Amendments, Etc. |
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40 |
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SECTION 8.02
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Notices,
Etc |
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41 |
ii
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SECTION 8.03
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No
Waiver; Remedies |
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41 |
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SECTION 8.04
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Costs and
Expenses. |
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41 |
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SECTION 8.05
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Right of
Set-off |
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42 |
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SECTION 8.06
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Binding
Effect |
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43 |
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SECTION 8.07
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Assignments and Participations |
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43 |
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SECTION 8.08
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Severability of Provisions |
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44 |
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SECTION 8.09
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Independence of Provisions |
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45 |
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SECTION 8.10
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Confidentiality |
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45 |
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SECTION 8.11
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Headings |
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45 |
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SECTION 8.12
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Entire
Agreement |
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45 |
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SECTION 8.13
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Execution
in Counterparts |
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45 |
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SECTION 8.14
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Judgment
Currency |
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46 |
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SECTION 8.15
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Consent
to Jurisdiction |
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46 |
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SECTION 8.16
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GOVERNING
LAW |
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46 |
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SECTION 8.17
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WAIVER OF
JURY TRIAL |
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46 |
iii
SCHEDULES AND
EXHIBITS
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Schedules
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Schedule I
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- |
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Change of
Control |
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Schedule II
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- |
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Outstanding Balance of Existing Letters of Credit |
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Schedule III
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- |
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LC
Subsidiaries |
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Schedule IV
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- |
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Plans |
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Schedule V
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- |
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ERISA
Matters |
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Schedule VI
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- |
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Environmental Matters |
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Schedule VII
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- |
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Existing
Debt |
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Schedule VIII
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- |
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Existing
Liens |
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| Exhibits |
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Exhibit A-1
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Form of
Opinion of Counsel to the Account Parties |
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Exhibit A-2
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Form of
Corporate Opinion of Special New York Counsel to the Account
Parties |
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Exhibit B
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Form of
Compliance Certificate |
iv
3-YEAR LETTER OF CREDIT
AGREEMENT , dated as of May 6, 2005 (this “
Agreement ”), among The Gap, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “ Company ”), the LC
Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined) and Bank of America, N.A.
(the “ LC Issuer ”).
PRELIMINARY
STATEMENTS:
(1) The Company, certain of
its subsidiaries, and the LC Issuer entered into a Letter of Credit
Agreement dated as of June 25, 2003 (the “ Existing Letter
of Credit Agreement ”).
(2) The Company and the LC
Subsidiaries are to enter into a 364-day letter of credit agreement
on or about the date hereof with the LC Issuer, on substantially
similar terms to the terms hereof (the “ 364-Day
Agreement ”).
(3) The Company, the LC
Subsidiaries and the LC Issuer desire to enter into this Agreement
to provide a trade letter of credit facility to the Company and the
LC Subsidiaries as set forth below and, together with the 364-Day
Agreement, to replace the Existing Letter of Credit
Agreement.
NOW THEREFORE, the Company,
the LC Subsidiaries and the LC Issuer agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING
TERMS
SECTION 1.01 Certain
Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
“ Account
Parties ” means, collectively, the Company and each of
the LC Subsidiaries.
“ Affiliate
” means, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or
indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control
with, such Person.
“ Alternative
Currency ” means any lawful currency other than Dollars
which is freely transferable and convertible into Dollars and which
the LC Issuer can obtain in the ordinary course of its
business.
“ Applicable Issuing
Office ” means the office of the LC Issuer specified as
its “Issuing Office” on the signature page hereto, or
such other office of the LC Issuer as the LC Issuer may from time
to time specify to the Company.
“ Applicable
Margin ” means, as of any date, a percentage per annum
determined by reference to the applicable Performance Level in
effect on such date as set forth below:
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Performance Level
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Level 1
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Level 2
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Level 3
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Level 4
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Level 5
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Level 6
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Percentage Per Annum
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0.100 |
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0.125 |
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0.150 |
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0.200 |
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0.250 |
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0.375 |
1
“ Base Rate
” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per
annum as shall be in effect from time to time which rate per annum
shall at all times be equal to the highest of:
(a) the rate of interest
announced publicly by the LC Issuer in New York, New York, from
time to time, as the LC Issuer’s base rate;
(b) 1/2% per annum above the
latest three-week moving average of secondary market morning
offering rates in the United States for three-month certificates of
deposit of major United States money market banks, such three-week
moving average being determined weekly on each Monday (or, if any
such date is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business
Day) for the three-week period ending on the previous Friday by the
LC Issuer on the basis of such rates reported by certificate of
deposit dealers to and published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York or, if such publication shall be suspended or terminated, on
the basis of quotations for such rates received by the LC Issuer
from three New York certificate of deposit dealers of recognized
standing selected by the LC Issuer, in either case adjusted to the
nearest 1/4 of one percent or, if there is no nearest 1/4 of one
percent, to the next higher 1/4 of one percent; and
(c) 1/2% per annum above the
Federal Funds Rate.
“ Business Day
” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or
authorized to close in New York City or San Francisco, California,
or Hong Kong to the extent any Letter of Credit is issued in Hong
Kong, and a day on which wire transfers may be effectuated among
member banks of the Federal Reserve System through use of the
fedwire funds transfer system and if the applicable Business Day
relates to any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative
Currency, a day on which commercial banks are open for business in
the country of issue of such Alternative Currency and on which
dealings in such Alternative Currency are carried on by such
commercial banks in such country of issue (if such Alternative
Currency is other than the Euro) or if such Alternative Currency is
the Euro, a day on which the Trans-European Automated Real-Time
Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) System is in
operation.
“ Capital Lease
” of any Person means any lease of any property (whether
real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee, which lease
should, in accordance with GAAP, be required to be accounted for as
a capital lease on the balance sheet of such Person.
“ Capital Lease
Obligations ” means the obligations of any Person to pay
rent or other amounts under a Capital Lease, the amount of which is
required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person in
accordance with GAAP.
2
“ CERCLA ”
means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.),
and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ Change of
Control ” means the occurrence, after the date of this
Agreement, of (i) any Person or two or more Persons acting in
concert acquiring beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule
13d-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (or
other securities convertible into such securities) representing 50%
or more of the combined voting power of all securities of the
Company entitled to vote in the election of directors; or (ii)
during any period of up to 24 consecutive months, commencing before
or after the date of this Agreement, individuals who at the
beginning of such 24-month period were directors of the Company
ceasing for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board of
Directors of the Company unless the Persons replacing such
individuals were nominated by the Board of Directors of the
Company; or (iii) any Person or two or more Persons acting in
concert acquiring by contract or otherwise, or entering into a
contract or arrangement which upon consummation will result in its
or their acquisition of, control over securities of the Company (or
other securities convertible into such securities) representing 50%
or more of the combined voting power of all securities of the
Company entitled to vote in the election of directors;
provided , that , the Person or group of Persons
referred to in clauses (i) and (iii) of this definition of Change
of Control shall not include any Person listed on Schedule I hereto
or any group of Persons in which one or more of the Persons listed
on Schedule I are members.
“ Confidential
Information ” means certain non-public, confidential or
proprietary information and material disclosed, from time to time,
either orally, in writing, electronically or in some other form by
the Company in connection with the LC Facility Documents.
Confidential Information shall include, but not be limited to
non-public, confidential or proprietary information, trade secrets,
know-how, inventions, techniques, processes, algorithms, software
programs, documentation, screens, icons, schematics, software
programs, source documents and other MIS related information;
contracts, customer lists, financial information, financial
forecasts, sales and marketing plans and information and business
plans, products and product designs; textile projections and
results; ideas, designs and artwork for all types of marketing,
advertising, public relations and commerce (including ideas,
designs and artwork related to the World Wide Web and any Web Site
of the Company or any Subsidiary); textile designs; advertising,
strategies, plans and results; sourcing information; vendor lists,
potential product labeling and marking ideas; all materials
including, without limitation, documents, drawings, samples,
sketches, designs, and any other information concerning, color
palette and color standards furnished to the LC Issuer by the
Company or any Subsidiary; customer base(s); and other non-public
information relating to the Company’s or any
Subsidiary’s business.
“ Consolidated
” and any derivative thereof each means, with reference to
the accounts or financial reports of any Person, the consolidated
accounts or financial reports of such Person and each Subsidiary of
such Person determined in accordance with GAAP, including
principles of consolidation, consistent with those applied in the
preparation of the Consolidated financial statements of the Company
referred to in Section 5.01(e) hereof.
3
“ Constitutive
Documents ” means, with respect to any Person, the
certificate of incorporation or registration (including, if
applicable, certificate of change of name), articles of
incorporation or association, memorandum of association, charter,
bylaws, certificate of limited partnership, partnership agreement,
trust agreement, joint venture agreement, certificate of formation,
articles of organization, limited liability company operating or
members agreement, joint venture agreement or one or more similar
agreements, instruments or documents constituting the organization
or formation of such Person.
“ Debt ”
of any Person means, without duplication, (i) all indebtedness of
such Person for borrowed money or for the deferred purchase price
(excluding any deferred purchase price that constitutes an account
payable incurred in the ordinary course of business) of property or
services, (ii) all obligations of such Person in connection with
any agreement to purchase, redeem, exchange, convert or otherwise
acquire for value any capital stock of such Person or to purchase,
redeem or acquire for value any warrants, rights or options to
acquire such capital stock, now or hereafter outstanding, (iii) all
obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures,
convertible debentures or other similar instruments, (iv) all
indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other
title retention agreement (other than under any such agreement
which constitutes or creates an account payable incurred in the
ordinary course of business) with respect to property acquired by
such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or
lender under such agreement in the event of default, acceleration,
or termination are limited to repossession or sale of such
property), (v) all Capital Lease Obligations, (vi) obligations
under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and obligations
(contingent or otherwise) to purchase or acquire, or otherwise to
assure a creditor against loss in respect of, indebtedness or
obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (i)
through (v) above, (vii) all Debt referred to in clause (i), (ii),
(iii), (iv), (v), or (vi) above secured by (or for which the holder
of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be
secured by) any lien, security interest or other charge or
encumbrance upon or in property (including, without limitation,
accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though
such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of
such Debt and (viii) all mandatorily redeemable preferred stock of
such Person, valued at the applicable redemption price, plus
accrued and unpaid dividends payable in respect of such redeemable
preferred stock.
“ Default
” means an event which would constitute an Event of Default
but for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse, or
both.
“ Dollars
,” “ dollars ” and the sign “
$ ” each means lawful money of the United
States.
“ Domestic
Subsidiary ” means, at any time, any of the direct or
indirect Subsidiaries of the Company that is incorporated or
organized under the laws of any state of the United States of
America or the District of Columbia.
4
“ EBITDA ”
means, for any period, Net Income plus , to the extent
deducted in determining such Net Income, the sum of (a) Interest
Expense, (b) income tax expense, (c) depreciation expense and (d)
amortization expense, all determined on a Consolidated basis for
the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Effective Date
” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01
hereof.
“ Effective Date
Rating ” means, with respect to the non-credit-enhanced
long-term senior unsecured debt issued by the Company, BBB- by
S&P and Baa3 by Moody’s.
“ Eligible
Assignee ” means (i) a commercial bank organized under
the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000; (ii) a
commercial bank organized under the laws of any other country which
is a member of the OECD, or a political subdivision of any such
country, and having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$100,000,000; provided , that , such bank is acting
through a branch or agency located in the United States; (iii) a
Person that is primarily engaged in the business of commercial
banking and that is (a) a Subsidiary of the LC Issuer, (b) a
Subsidiary of a Person of which the LC Issuer is a Subsidiary, or
(c) a Person of which the LC Issuer is a Subsidiary; (iv) an
Affiliate of the LC Issuer; (v) except with respect to an
assignment of the obligation to Issue Letters of Credit, any other
entity which is an “accredited investor” (as defined in
Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) which
extends credit or buys loans as one of its businesses, including
but not limited to, insurance companies, mutual funds and lease
financing companies; and (vi) any other Person acceptable to the LC
Issuer and, provided no Event of Default is continuing, the
Company. No Account Party or any Affiliate thereof shall be an
Eligible Assignee.
“ Environmental
Law ” means any Requirement of Law relating to (a) the
generation, use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage,
disposal, release or discharge of Hazardous Substances, (b)
pollution or the protection of the environment, health, safety or
natural resources or (c) occupational safety and health, industrial
hygiene, land use or the protection of human, plant or animal
health or welfare, including, without limitation, CERCLA, in each
case as amended from time to time, and including the regulations
promulgated and the rulings issued from time to time
thereunder.
“ ERISA
Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) which is a member of a controlled group of which the
Company or any Subsidiary of the Company is a member or which is
under common control with the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations
promulgated and rulings issued thereunder.
“ ERISA ”
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and
rulings issued thereunder.
5
“ ERISA Event
” means a reportable event with respect to a Plan within the
meaning of §4043 of ERISA.
“ Euro ”
means the single currency of participating member states of the
European Union.
“ Events of
Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.01
hereof.
“ Existing Letter of
Credit Agreement ” has the meaning specified in
Preliminary Statement (1).
“ Existing Letters
of Credit ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.10
hereof.
“ Facility
Amount ” means $125,000,000 as such amount may be reduced
or increased from time to time in accordance with this
Agreement.
“ Federal Funds
Rate ” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate
per annum equal for each day during such period to the weighted
average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with
members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds
brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day is not a
Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for
any day which is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for
such day on such transactions received by the LC Issuer from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by
it.
“ Fiscal Quarter
” means any quarter in any Fiscal Year, the duration of such
quarter being defined in accordance with GAAP applied consistently
with that applied in the preparation of the Company’s
financial statements referred to in Section 5.01(e)
hereof.
“ Fiscal Year
” means a fiscal year of the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
“ Fixed Charge
Coverage Ratio ” means, for any period, the ratio of (a)
the amount equal to the sum of (i) Consolidated EBITDA and (ii)
Lease Expense in each case for the Company and its Subsidiaries for
such period, to (b) the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Expense
and (ii) Lease Expense, in each case for the Company and its
Subsidiaries for such period.
“ Foreign
Subsidiary ” means, at any time, any direct or indirect
Subsidiary of the Company that is not a Domestic
Subsidiary.
“ Funded Debt
” means, as of any date of determination, all indebtedness
(including Capital Lease Obligations but excluding all accounts
payable incurred in the ordinary course of business) of the Company
and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis that would (or would
be required to) appear as liabilities for long-term Debt,
short-term Debt, current maturities of Debt, and other similar
interest-bearing obligations on a Consolidated balance sheet of the
Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
6
“ GAAP ”
means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting
Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be
approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in
the United States, applied on a basis consistent (except for
changes concurred in by the Company’s independent public
accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial
statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries delivered pursuant
to Section 6.04.
“ Governmental
Authority ” means any nation or government, any state,
province, city, municipal entity or other political subdivision
thereof, and any governmental, executive, legislative, judicial,
administrative or regulatory agency, department, authority,
instrumentality, commission, board or similar body, whether
federal, state, provincial, territorial, local or
foreign.
“ Governmental
Authorization ” means any authorization, approval,
consent, franchise, license, covenant, order, ruling, permit,
certification, exemption, notice, declaration or similar right,
undertaking or other action of, to or by, or any filing,
qualification or registration with, any Governmental
Authority.
“ Hazardous
Substance ” means (i) any hazardous substance or toxic
substance as such terms are presently defined or used in §
101(14) of CERCLA (42 U.S.C. § 9601(14)), in 33 U.S.C. §
1251 et . seq . (Clean Water Act), or 15 U.S.C.
§ 2601 et . seq . (Toxic Substances Control Act)
and (ii) as of any date of determination, any additional substances
or materials which are hereafter incorporated in or added to the
definition of “hazardous substance” or “toxic
substance” for purposes of CERCLA or any other applicable
law.
“ Hedge
Agreements ” means (a) any and all interest rate swaps,
basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate
transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity
contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond
price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward
bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate
options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions,
floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swaps,
cross-currency rate swaps, currency options, spot contracts or any
other similar transactions or any combination of any of the
foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the
foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or
subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions
of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to
the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master
agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives
Association, Inc., the International Foreign Exchange Master
Agreement, or any other master agreement, including any such
obligations or liabilities under any such agreement.
“ Information
Memorandum ” means the information memorandum dated
August 2004 prepared in connection with the Revolving Credit
Agreement.
7
“ Interest
Expense ” of any Person for any period means the
aggregate amount of interest or fees paid, accrued or scheduled to
be paid or accrued in respect of any Debt (including the interest
portion of rentals under Capital Leases) and all but the principal
component of payments in respect of conditional sales, equipment
trust or other title retention agreements paid, accrued or
scheduled to be paid or accrued by such Person during such period,
net of interest income, determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Issue ”
means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, either to issue, or to
extend the expiry of, or to renew, or to increase the amount of,
such Letter of Credit, and the term “Issued” or
“Issuance” shall have corresponding
meanings.
“ LC Collateral
Account ” means a deposit account in the name of the
Company to be designated by the LC Issuer from time to time in
which cash has been deposited as collateral security for the
reimbursement of drawings under any outstanding Letters of Credit
in accordance with Sections 2.15 and 7.01.
“ LC Facility
Documents ” means, collectively, this Agreement, and each
application or agreement and other documents delivered in
connection with Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 2.03 hereof,
in each case as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified
hereafter from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof
and Section 8.01 hereof.
“ LC Issuer
” means Bank of America, N.A. or any Affiliate thereof as
agreed to from time to time by the Company and the LC Issuer, that
may from time to time Issue Letters of Credit for the account of
the Company or for the account of any LC Subsidiary.
“ LC Subsidiary
” means, as of the date hereof, the Subsidiaries of the
Company listed on Schedule III hereto and, after the date hereof,
any other Subsidiary of the Company that may from time to time
become a party hereto and in connection therewith such other
Subsidiary shall execute such documents as are reasonably requested
by the LC Issuer to evidence its agreement to be bound hereunder as
an LC Subsidiary, and for whose account the LC Issuer may from time
to time Issue Letters of Credit.
“ Lease Expense
” means, with respect to any Person, for any period for such
Person and its subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, lease and
rental expense accrued during such period under all leases and
rental agreements, other than Capital Leases and leases of personal
property, determined in conformity with GAAP.
“ Letter of
Credit ” means a Trade Letter of Credit which is in form
and substance satisfactory to the LC Issuer, as amended,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“ Letter of Credit
Liability ” means, as of any date of determination, all
then existing liabilities of the Company and the LC Subsidiaries to
the LC Issuer in respect of the Letters of Credit Issued for the
Company’s account and for the account of the LC Subsidiaries,
whether such liability is contingent or fixed, and shall, in each
case, consist of the sum of (i) the aggregate maximum amount (the
determination of such maximum amount to assume compliance with all
conditions for drawing) then available to be drawn
8
under such Letters of Credit
(including, without limitation, amounts available under such
Letters of Credit for which a draft has been presented but not yet
honored) and (ii) the aggregate amount which has then been paid by,
and not been reimbursed to, the LC Issuer under such Letters of
Credit. For the purposes of determining the Letter of Credit
Liability, the face amount of Letters of Credit outstanding in an
Alternative Currency shall be expressed as the equivalent of such
Alternative Currency in Dollars as determined in Section 2.11(a)
hereof.
“ Leverage Ratio
” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a)
the amount equal to Consolidated Funded Debt for the most recently
completed four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ending on or prior to
such date, to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently
completed four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ending on or prior to
such date, in each case for the Company and its Subsidiaries as of
such date.
“ Lien ”
means any assignment, chattel mortgage, pledge or other security
interest or any mortgage, deed of trust or other lien, or other
charge or encumbrance, upon property or rights (including after
acquired property or rights), or any preferential arrangement with
respect to property or rights (including after acquired property or
rights) which has the practical effect of constituting a security
interest or lien.
“ Loan Party
” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Revolving
Credit Agreement.
“ Margin Stock
” has the meaning assigned to such term in Regulation U of
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect
from time to time.
“ Material Adverse
Change ” means any material adverse change in the
business, condition (financial or otherwise), results of
operations, or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken
as a whole; provided , that a downgrade of the
Company’s public debt ratings or a Negative Pronouncement
shall not by itself be deemed to be a material adverse change;
provided , further , the occurrence or subsistence of
any such material adverse change which has been disclosed (a) by
the Company in any filing made with the Securities and Exchange
Commission prior to the date of this Agreement, (b) by the Company
in a public announcement prior to the date of this Agreement, or
(c) in the Information Memorandum, shall not constitute a Material
Adverse Change.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means a material adverse effect on the financial
condition or results of operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
“ Material LC
Subsidiary ” means, at any date of determination, an LC
Subsidiary that, either individually or together with its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, has assets exceeding one percent
(1%) of the consolidated total assets of the Company and its
Subsidiaries as at the end of the immediately preceding fiscal
year.
“ Moody’s
” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
“ Multiemployer
Plan ” means a “multiemployer plan” as
defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which the Company or any
Subsidiary of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate is making or
accruing an obligation to make contributions or has within any of
the preceding five plan years made or accrued an obligation to make
contributions.
9
“ Negative
Pronouncement ” means a public announcement by either
S&P or Moody’s in respect to a possible downgrade of, or
negative outlook with respect to, the public debt rating of the
Company.
“ Net Income
” of any Person means, for any period, net income before (i)
extraordinary items, (ii) the results of discontinued operations
and (iii) the effect of any cumulative change in accounting
principles, determined in accordance with GAAP.
“ Obligation
” means, with respect to any Person, any payment, performance
or other obligation of such Person of any kind, including, without
limitation, any liability of such Person on any claim, whether or
not the right of any creditor to payment in respect of such claim
is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed,
contingent, matured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable,
secured or unsecured, and whether or not such claim is discharged,
stayed or otherwise affected by any proceeding referred to in
Section 7.01(e) hereof. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Obligations of the Account Parties under the LC
Facility Documents include (a) the obligation to pay any
reimbursement amount, interest, commissions, charges, expenses,
fees, attorneys’ fees and disbursements, indemnity payments
and other amounts payable by any Account Party under any LC
Facility Document and (b) the obligation of any Account Party to
reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing items that
the LC Issuer, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance
on behalf of such Account Party.
“ OECD ”
means the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development.
“ Other LC
Facilities ” means the letter of credit facilities
entered into on or about the date hereof among the Company, the L/C
Subsidiaries and each of Citibank, N.A., HSBC Bank, National
Association and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., each on terms
substantially similar to the terms hereof and of the 364-Day
Agreement, respectively, as each such agreement may be replaced,
amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“ Other Taxes
” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(b)
hereof.
“ Payment Office
” means the office of the LC Issuer as shall be from time to
time selected by the LC Issuer and notified by the LC Issuer to the
Company and the LC Subsidiaries.
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“ Performance
Level ” means Performance Level 1, Performance Level 2,
Performance Level 3, Performance Level 4, Performance Level 5, or
Performance Level 6, as identified by reference to the public debt
rating and Leverage Ratio in effect on such date as set forth
below:
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Performance Level
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Public Debt Rating
|
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Level 1
|
|
Long-term
senior unsecured Debt of the Company rated at least A- by
S&P or A3 by Moody’s or the Leverage
Ratio is less than or equal to 1.25:1.00 |
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Level 2
|
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Long-term
senior unsecured Debt of the Company rated less than Level 1 but at
least BBB+ by S&P or Baa1 by Moody’s
or the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to
1.25:1.00 |
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Level 3
|
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Long-term
senior unsecured Debt of the Company rated less than Level 2 but at
least BBB by S&P or Baa2 by Moody’s
or the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to
1.25:1.00 |
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Level 4
|
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Long-term
senior unsecured Debt of the Company rated less than Level 3 but at
least BBB- by S&P or Baa3 by Moody’s
or the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to
1.50:1.00 |
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Level 5
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Long-term
senior unsecured Debt of the Company rated less than Level 4 but at
least BB+ by S&P or Ba1 by Moody’s
or the Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to
1.75:1.00 |
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Level 6
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Long-term
senior unsecured Debt of the Company rated less than Level 5
or the Leverage Ratio is greater than 1.75:1.00 |
For purposes of this definition, the
Performance Level shall be determined by the applicable public debt
rating or Leverage Ratio as follows: (a) the public debt ratings
above shall be determined as follows: (i) the public debt ratings
shall be determined by the then-current rating announced by either
S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, for any class of
non-credit-enhanced long-term senior unsecured debt issued by the
Company, (ii) if only one of S&P and Moody’s shall have
in effect a public debt rating, the Performance Level shall be
determined by reference to the available rating; (iii) if neither
S&P nor Moody’s shall have in effect a public debt
rating, the applicable Performance Level will be Performance Level
6; (iv) if the ratings on the Company’s long-term senior
unsecured debt established by S&P and Moody’s shall fall
within different levels, the public debt rating will be determined
by the higher of the two ratings, provided , that ,
in the event that the lower of such ratings is more than one level
below the higher of such ratings, the public debt rating will be
determined based upon the level that is one level above the lower
of such ratings; (v) if any rating established by S&P or
Moody’s shall be changed, such change shall be effective as
of the date on which such change is first announced publicly by the
rating agency making such change; and (vi) if S&P or
Moody’s shall change the basis on which ratings are
established, each reference to the public debt rating announced by
S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, shall refer to the
then equivalent rating by S&P or Moody’s, as the case may
be; (b) the Leverage Ratio shall be determined on the basis of the
most recent certificate of the Company to be delivered pursuant to
Section 6.04(c) for the most recently ended Fiscal Quarter or
Fiscal Year and any change in the Leverage Ratio shall
be
11
effective one Business Day after the
date on which the LC Issuer receives such certificate;
provided , that until the Company has delivered to
the LC Issuer such certificate pursuant to Section 6.04(c) in
respect of the first Fiscal Quarter of 2005, the Leverage Ratio
shall be deemed to be at Level 3; provided , further
, that for so long as the Company has not delivered such
certificate when due pursuant to Section 6.04(c), the Leverage
Ratio shall be deemed to be at the level set forth in Level 6 until
the respective certificate is delivered to the LC Issuer; and (c)
the Performance Level shall be determined in accordance with the
Company’s respective public debt rating and Leverage Ratio,
provided , that , if the Company’s public debt
rating and the Leverage Ratio shall fall within different levels,
the Performance Level will be determined by the higher of the
public debt rating and the Leverage Ratio, provided ,
further , that , in the event that the lower of the
Company’s public debt rating and the Leverage Ratio is more
than one level below the higher of the Company’s public debt
rating and the Leverage Ratio, the Performance Level shall be
determined based upon the level that is one level above the lower
of the Company’s public debt rating and the Leverage
Ratio.
“ Permitted
Liens ” means:
(i) Liens for taxes,
assessments or governmental charges or levies to the extent not
past due or to the extent contested, in good faith, by appropriate
proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been
established;
(ii) Liens imposed by law,
such as materialman’s, mechanic’s, carrier’s,
worker’s, landlord’s and repairman’s Liens and
other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business
which relate to obligations which are not overdue for a period of
more than 30 days or which are being contested in good faith, by
appropriate proceedings and for which reserves required by GAAP
have been established;
(iii) pledges or deposits in
the ordinary course of business to secure obligations (including to
secure letters of credit posted in connection therewith) under
worker’s compensation or unemployment laws or similar
legislation or to secure the performance of leases or contracts
(including insurance contracts issued by insurance companies which
are Subsidiaries of the Company) entered into in the ordinary
course of business or of public or statutory obligations, bids, or
appeal bonds;
(iv) zoning restrictions,
easements, licenses, landlord’s Liens or restrictions on the
use of property which do not materially impair the use of such
property in the operation of the business of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries;
(v) Liens upon assets subject
to a Capital Lease and securing payment of the obligations arising
under such Capital Lease;
(vi) Liens of the Company and
its Subsidiaries not described in the foregoing clauses (i) through
(v) existing on the Effective Date and listed on Schedule VIII and
any extensions, renewals or replacements of such Liens for the same
or lesser amount, provided , that , no such
extension, renewal or replacement shall extend to or cover any
property not theretofore subject to the Lien being extended,
renewed or replaced;
12
(vii) judgment Liens in
respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default
under Section 7.01(f); and
(viii) Liens arising out of
or pursuant to this Agreement and the Other LC
Facilities.
“ Person ”
means an individual, partnership, limited liability company,
corporation (including a business trust), joint stock company,
trust, unincorporated association, joint venture or other entity,
or a government or any political subdivision or agency
thereof.
“ Plan ”
means an employee benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan)
maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company or any
ERISA Affiliate for its employees and subject to Title IV of
ERISA.
“ Requirements of
Law ” means, with respect to any Person, all laws,
constitutions, statutes, treaties, ordinances, rules and
regulations, all orders, writs, decrees, injunctions, judgments,
determinations and awards of an arbitrator, a court or any other
Governmental Authority, and all Governmental Authorizations,
binding upon or applicable to such Person or to any of its
properties, assets or businesses.
“ Responsible
Officer ” means, with respect to any certificate, report
or notice to be delivered or given hereunder, unless the context
otherwise requires, the president, chief executive officer, chief
financial officer or treasurer of the Company or other executive
officer of the Company who in the normal performance of his or her
operational duties would have knowledge of the subject matter
relating to such certificate, report or notice.
“ Revolving Credit
Agreement ” means that certain Revolving Credit Agreement
dated as of August 30, 2004 between the Company, certain of its
Subsidiaries and the banks and financial institutions listed
therein, as such agreement may be replaced, amended, supplemented
or otherwise modified from time to time.
“ S&P
” means Standard & Poor’s, a division of The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
“ Subsidiary
” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation,
partnership, trust or other Person of which more than 50% of the
outstanding capital stock (or similar property right in the case of
partnerships and trusts and other Persons) having ordinary voting
power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such
corporation (or similar governing body or Person with respect to
partnerships and trusts and other Persons) (irrespective of whether
or not at the time capital stock of any other class or classes of
such corporation shall or might have voting power upon the
occurrence of any contingency) is at the time directly or
indirectly owned by such Person, by such Person and one or more
other Subsidiaries of such Person, or by one or more other
Subsidiaries of such Person.
“ Subsidiary LC
Obligations ” has the meaning specified in Section
2.12(b) hereof.
13
“ Tangible Net
Worth ” means the consolidated shareholder’s equity
of the Company and its Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with
GAAP less goodwill and other intangibles (other than patents,
trademarks, licenses, copyrights and other intellectual property
and prepaid assets).
“ Taxes ”
has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(a) hereof.
“ Termination
Date ” means the third anniversary of the date of this
Agreement, or the earlier date of termination of the obligation of
the LC Issuer to issue Letters of Credit pursuant to Section 7.01
hereof.
“ 364-Day
Agreement ” has the meaning set forth in the Preliminary
Statements hereto.
“ Total Assets
” means, as of any date of determination, the consolidated
assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries at the end of the Fiscal
Quarter immediately preceding such date, determined in accordance
with GAAP.
“ Trade Letter of
Credit ” means a direct-pay trade or documentary letter
of credit issued for the benefit of a vendor in connection with the
purchase of goods by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business.
“ UCP ”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.08 hereof.
“ Withdrawal
Liability ” has the meaning specified in Part I of
Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02 Computation
of Time Periods . In this Agreement in the computation of
periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date,
the word “from” means “from and including”
and the words “to” and “until” each means
“to but excluding”.
SECTION 1.03 Accounting
Terms . All accounting terms not specifically defined herein
shall be construed in accordance with GAAP applied in a consistent
manner with that applied in the preparation of the financial
statements referred to in Section 5.01(e) hereof.
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF
LETTERS OF CREDIT
SECTION 2.01 Letters of
Credit . The LC Issuer agrees, on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, to Issue for the account of the Company or
any LC Subsidiary, one or more Letters of Credit from time to time
during the period from the date of this Agreement until the day
that is five Business Days prior to the Termination Date in an
aggregate undrawn amount not to exceed at any time the Facility
Amount in effect at such time (inclusive of the Dollar equivalent
of Letters of Credit Issued in Euro, or in any other Alternative
Currency if the LC Issuer agrees to issue Letters of Credit in such
other Alternative Currency), each such Letter of Credit upon its
Issuance to expire on or before the date which occurs one year from
the
14
date of its initial Issuance;
provided , however, that the LC Issuer shall not be
obligated to, and shall not, Issue any Letter of Credit
if:
(a) after giving effect to
the Issuance of such Letter of Credit, the then outstanding
aggregate amount of all Letter of Credit Liability shall exceed the
Facility Amount then in effect;
(b) the LC Issuer shall have
notified the Company that no further Letters of Credit are to be
Issued by the LC Issuer due to failure to meet any of the
applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, and such notice has
not been withdrawn; or
(c) such Letter of Credit is
requested to be Issued for the account of any LC Subsidiary that is
not a Material Subsidiary but is the subject of any of the
circumstances described in Section 7.01(e) hereof.
Within the limits of the obligations of
the LC Issuer set forth above and in Section 2.02 hereof, the
Company and each LC Subsidiary may request the LC Issuer to Issue
one or more Letters of Credit, reimburse the LC Issuer for payments
made thereunder pursuant to Section 2.04(a) hereof and request the
LC Issuer to Issue one or more additional Letters of Credit under
this Section 2.01.
SECTION 2.02 Limitation on
Obligation to Issue Letters of Credit Denominated in Alternative
Currencies . The LC Issuer agrees to Issue from time to time
Letters of Credit denominated in Euro and in its sole discretion
upon request agrees to Issue from time to time Letters of Credit
denominated in other Alternative Currencies, provided ,
that the LC Issuer shall not be obligated to Issue any
Letter of Credit denominated in Euro if, after giving effect to the
Issuance of any such Letter of Credit denominated in Euro, the then
outstanding aggregate amount of all Letter of Credit Liability with
respect to all Letters of Credit denominated in Euro equals or
exceeds (on a Dollar equivalent basis) $50,000,000.
SECTION 2.03 Issuing the
Letters of Credit . Each Letter of Credit shall be Issued on a
Business Day on reasonable prior notice by hand delivery,
telecopier or transmitted by electronic communication (if
arrangements for doing so have been approved by the LC Issuer) from
the Company or any LC Subsidiary, as the case may be, to the LC
Issuer as provided in the application and agreement governing such
Letter of Credit specifying the date, amount, currency, expiry and
beneficiary thereof, accompanied by such documents as the LC Issuer
may specify to the Company or LC Subsidiary, as the case may be, in
form and substance satisfactory to the LC Issuer. On the date
specified by the Company or LC Subsidiary, as the case may be, in
such notice and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set
forth in Section 2.01 hereof, the LC Issuer will Issue such Letter
of Credit.
SECTION 2.04 Reimbursement
Obligations . The Company or the appropriate LC Subsidiary, as
the case may be, shall:
(a) pay to the LC Issuer an
amount equal to, and in reimbursement for, each amount which the LC
Issuer pays under any Letter of Credit not later than the date
which occurs one Business Day after notice from the LC Issuer to
the Company of the payment of such amount by the LC Issuer under
such Letter of Credit; and
15
(b) pay to the LC Issuer
interest on each amount which the LC Issuer pays under any Letter
of Credit from the date on which the LC Issuer pays such amount
until such amount is reimbursed in full to the LC Issuer pursuant
to subclause (i) above, payable on demand, at a fluctuating rate
per annum equal to 2% per annum above the Base Rate in effect from
time to time.
SECTION 2.05 Letter of
Credit Facility Fees . The Company hereby agrees to pay to the
LC Issuer a letter of credit facility fee, accruing from the date
hereof until the Termination Date, at a rate per annum equal to the
Applicable Margin in effect from time to time (i) on the Facility
Amount in effect from time to time from and after such date
(regardless of the actual or deemed usage thereof), payable
quarterly in arrears on the last day of each January, April, July
and October and on the Termination Date and (ii) on the aggregate
amount of Letter of Credit Liability under all Letters of Credit
that are outstanding beyond the Termination Date payable in arrears
on the last day of each January, April, July and October after the
Termination Date and on the first day after the Termination Date on
which no Letters of Credit are outstanding.
SECTION 2.06
Indemnification; Nature of the LC Issuer’s Duties .
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and save harmless the LC Issuer
from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, damages,
losses, costs, charges and expenses (including reasonable
attorneys’ fees) which the LC Issuer may incur or be subject
to as a consequence, direct or indirect, of (i) the Issuance of any
Letter of Credit or (ii) any action or proceeding relating to a
court order, injunction, or other process or decree restraining or
seeking to restrain the LC Issuer from paying any amount under any
Letter of Credit; provided , that , the LC Issuer
shall not be indemnified for any of the foregoing caused by its
gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The obligations of the
Company and each LC Subsidiary hereunder with respect to Letters of
Credit shall be unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid
strictly in accordance with the terms hereof under all
circumstances, including, without limitation, any of the following
circumstances:
(a) any lack of validity or
enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement or any
agreement or instrument relating thereto;
(b) the existence of any
claim, setoff, defense or other right which the Company or any LC
Subsidiary may have at any time against the beneficiary, or any
transferee, of any Letter of Credit, the LC Issuer, or any other
Person;
(c) any draft, certificate,
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;
(d) any lack of validity,
effectiveness, or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or
assigning or purporting to transfer or assign any Letter of Credit
or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole
or in part;
16
(e) any loss or delay in the
transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make
a drawing under any Letter of Credit or of the proceeds
thereof;
(f) any exchange, release or
non-perfection of any collateral, or any release or non-perfection
of any collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or
consent to departure from any guarantee, for all or any of the
obligations of the Company or an LC Subsidiary in respect of the
Letters of Credit;
(g) any change in the time,
manner or place of payment of, or in any other terms of, all or any
of the obligations of the Company or any LC Subsidiary in respect
of the Letters of Credit or any other amendment or waiver of or any
consent to departure from all or any of this Agreement;
(h) any failure of the
beneficiary of a Letter of Credit to strictly comply with the
conditions required in order to draw upon any Letter of
Credit;
(i) any misapplication by the
beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of the proceeds of any drawing
under such Letter of Credit; or
(j) any other circumstance or
happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to the
foregoing;
provided , that ,
notwithstanding the foregoing, the LC Issuer shall not be relieved
of any liability it may otherwise have as a result of its gross
negligence or willful misconduct.
SECTION 2.07 Increased
Costs . (a) Change in Law . If, at any time after the
date of this Agreement, any change in any law or regulation or in
the interpretation thereof by any court or administrative or
governmental authority charged with the administration thereof
shall either (i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve,
special deposit or similar requirement against letters of credit or
guarantees issued by, or assets held by or deposits in or for the
account of, the LC Issuer or (ii) impose on the LC Issuer any other
condition regarding this Agreement or the Letters of Credit or any
collateral thereon, and the result of any event referred to in
clause (i) or (ii) above shall be to increase the cost (other than
an increase in taxes, which increase is dealt with exclusively in
Article III) to the LC Issuer of issuing, maintaining or funding
the Letters of Credit, then, upon demand by the LC Issuer, the
Company shall pay to the LC Issuer, from time to time as specified
by the LC Issuer, additional amounts sufficient to compensate the
LC Issuer for such increased cost; provided , that ,
the Company shall have no obligation to reimburse the LC Issuer for
increased costs incurred more than 60 days prior to the date of
such demand. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost
setting forth the basis for the calculation of such increased
costs, submitted by the LC Issuer to the Company, shall be
conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest
error.
(b) Capital . If, at
any time after the date of this Agreement, the LC Issuer determines
that compliance with any law or regulation or any guideline or
request from any central bank or other governmental authority
(whether or not having the force of law) affects or would affect
the amount of capital required or expected to be maintained by the
LC Issuer or any corporation controlling the LC Issuer and that the
amount of such
17
capital is increased by or
based upon the existence of the LC Issuer’s commitment
hereunder and other commitments of this type or the issuance of the
Letters of Credit (or similar contingent obligations), then, upon
written demand by the LC Issuer, the Company shall pay to the LC
Issuer, from time to time as specified by the LC Issuer, additional
amounts sufficient to compensate the LC Issuer or such corporation
in the light of such circumstances, to the extent that the LC
Issuer reasonably determines such increase in capital to be
allocable to the existence of the LC Issuer’s commitment
hereunder; provided , that , the Company shall have
no obligation to pay such compensatory amounts that relate to an
actual increase in the capital of the LC Issuer undertaken by the
LC Issuer more than 60 days prior to the date of such demand. A
certificate as to such amounts setting forth the basis for the
calculation of such amount submitted to the Company by the LC
Issuer shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent
manifest error.
(c) Without prejudice to the
survival of any other agreement of the Company hereunder, the
agreements and obligations of the Company contained in this Section
2.07 shall survive the payment in full (after the Termination Date)
of all Obligations.
(d) Without affecting its
rights under Sections 2.07(a) or 2.07(b) hereof or any other
provision of this Agreement, the LC Issuer agrees that if there is
any increase in any cost to or reduction in any amount receivable
by the LC Issuer with respect to which the Company would be
obligated to compensate the LC Issuer pursuant to Sections 2.07(a)
or 2.07(b) hereof, the LC Issuer shall use reasonable efforts to
select an alternative Applicable Issuing Office, which would not
result in any such increase in any cost to or reduction in any
amount receivable by the LC Issuer; provided ,
however , that the LC Issuer shall not be obligated to
select an alternative Applicable Issuing Office if the LC Issuer
determines that (i) as a result of such selection the LC Issuer
would be in violation of any applicable law, regulation, treaty, or
guideline, or would incur additional costs or expenses or (ii) such
selection would be inadvisable for regulatory reasons or
inconsistent with the interests of the LC Issuer.
SECTION 2.08 Uniform
Customs and Practice . The Uniform Customs and Practice for
Documentary Credits as most recently published by the International
Chamber of Commerce (“ UCP ”) shall in all
respects be deemed a part of this Article II as if incorporated
herein and shall apply to the Letters of Credit.
SECTION 2.09 Reductions in
Facility Amount . The Company shall have the right, upon at
least three Business Days’ notice to the LC Issuer, to reduce
in whole or in part the Facility Amount, provided ,
that , each partial reduction shall be in the aggregate
amount of $10,000,000 or an integral multiple of $5,000,000 in
excess thereof and no such reduction shall reduce the Facility
Amount below the then outstanding aggregate amount of all Letter of
Credit Liability.
SECTION 2.10 Existing
Letters of Credit/Deemed Letters of Credit . (a) Existing
Letters of Credit . There currently are outstanding certain
Trade Letters of Credit issued by the LC Issuer under the Existing
Letter of Credit Agreement the outstanding balance of each of which
is set forth on Schedule II hereto (as such Schedule may be
modified between the date
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hereof and the fifth Business Day after
the Effective Date) (collectively, the “ Existing Letters
of Credit ”). From and after the date hereof and upon
fulfillment of the conditions to initial Issuance specified in
Section 4.01 hereof, each such Existing Letter of Credit shall be
deemed and treated for all purposes hereof (including, without
limitation, the calculation of fees payable under Section 2.05
hereof, and calculating the usage of the Facility Amount under
Section 2.01 hereof) as a “Letter of Credit” hereunder,
any participation interest existing prior to the date hereof of the
LC Issuer in such Existing Letters of Credit shall, without further
action on its part, be deemed extinguished in full and the LC
Issuer, without further act on its part, shall be deemed to have
Issued each such Existing Letter of Credit as provided in Section
2.01 hereof.
(b) Deemed Letters of
Credit . The Company may, not less than 30 days prior to the
date upon which the commitments under the 364-Day Agreement will
terminate (the “ 364-Day Termination Date ”)
deliver a notice to the LC Issuer (the “ Notice of
Election ”), notifying the LC Issuer that the Company is
electing to treat certain letters of credit issued under the
364-Day Agreement as issued under this Agreement. On the 364-Day
Termination Date, and upon fulfillment of the conditions to
Issuance set forth in Section 4.02 hereof, any letter of credit
issued pursuant to the terms of the 364-Day Agreement and
identified by the Company not less than five days prior to the
364-Day Termination Date in a written notice to the LC Issuer as
being the subject of this Section 2.10(b) shall be deemed and
treated for all purposes hereof (including, without limitation,
calculating the usage of the Facility Amount under Section 2.01
hereof) as a “Letter of Credit” hereunder and the LC
Issuer, without further act on its part, shall be deemed to have
Issued each such letter of credit as provided in Section 2.01
hereof; provided , however, that the LC Issuer shall not be
obligated to, and shall not, treat any such letter of credit as
having been Issued hereunder if, after giving
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