CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS CREDIT
AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is entered into as of March 14, 2007,
by and between COST-U-LESS, INC., a Washington corporation
("Borrower"), and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
("Bank").
RECITALS
Borrower has
requested that Bank extend or continue credit to Borrower as
described below, and Bank has agreed to provide such credit to
Borrower on the terms and conditions contained herein.
NOW, THEREFORE,
for valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which
are hereby acknowledged, Bank and Borrower hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
CREDIT TERMS
SECTION
1.1. LINE OF CREDIT.
(a)
Line of Credit
. Subject to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, Bank hereby agrees to make advances
to Borrower from time to time up to and including April 1, 2009,
not to exceed at any time the aggregate principal amount of Six
Million Dollars ($6,000,000) ("Line of Credit"), the proceeds of
which shall be used to finance Borrower’s working capital
requirements. Borrower's obligation to repay advances under the
Line of Credit shall be evidenced by a promissory note dated as of
March 14, 2007 ("Line of Credit Note"), all terms of which are
incorporated herein by this reference.
(b)
Letter of Credit
Subfeature . As a
subfeature under the Line of Credit, Bank agrees from time to time
during the term thereof to issue or cause an affiliate to issue
standby and/or commercial letters of credit for the account of
Borrower (each, a "Letter of Credit" and collectively, "Letters of
Credit"); provided however, that the aggregate undrawn amount of
all outstanding Letters of Credit shall not at any time exceed One
Million Dollars ($1,000,000). The form and substance of each Letter
of Credit shall be subject to approval by Bank, in its sole
discretion. No Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date
subsequent to the maturity date of the Line of Credit. The undrawn
amount of all Letters of Credit shall be reserved under the Line of
Credit and shall not be available for borrowings thereunder. Each
Letter of Credit shall be subject to the additional terms and
conditions of the Letter of Credit agreements, applications and any
related documents required by Bank in connection with the issuance
thereof. Each drawing paid under a Letter of Credit shall be deemed
an advance under the Line of Credit and shall be repaid by Borrower
in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement
applicable to such advances; provided however, that if advances
under the Line of Credit are not available, for any reason, at the
time any drawing is paid, then Borrower shall immediately pay to
Bank the full amount drawn, together with interest thereon from the
date such drawing is paid to the date such amount is fully repaid
by Borrower, at the rate of interest applicable to advances under
the Line of Credit. In such event Borrower agrees that Bank, in its
sole discretion, may debit any account maintained by Borrower with
Bank for the amount of any such drawing.
(c)
Borrowing and
Repayment . Borrower may
from time to time during the term of the Line of Credit borrow,
partially or wholly repay its outstanding borrowings, and reborrow,
subject to all of the limitations, terms and conditions contained
herein or in the Line of Credit Note; provided however, that the
total outstanding borrowings under the Line of Credit shall not at
any time exceed the maximum principal amount available thereunder,
as set forth above.
SECTION
1.2. INTEREST/FEES.
(a)
Interest . The outstanding principal balance of each
credit subject hereto shall bear interest, and the amount of each
drawing paid under any Letter of Credit shall bear interest from
the date such drawing is paid to the date such amount is fully
repaid by Borrower, at the rate of interest set forth in each
promissory note or other instrument or document executed in
connection therewith.
(b)
Computation and
Payment . Interest shall
be computed on the basis of a 360-day year, actual days elapsed.
Interest shall be payable at the times and place set forth in each
promissory note or other instrument or document required
hereby.
(c)
Unused Commitment Fee
. Borrower shall pay to Bank a fee
equal to zero point three zero percent (0.30%) per annum (computed
on the basis of a 360-day year, actual days elapsed) on the average
daily unused amount of the Line of Credit, which fee shall be
calculated on a monthly basis by Bank and shall be due and payable
by Borrower in arrears on the last day of the month.
(d)
Letter of Credit Fees
. Borrower shall pay to Bank (i)
fees upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit equal to one and
three quarters percent (1.75%) of the face amount thereof, (ii)
fees upon the payment or negotiation of each drawing under any
Letter of Credit equal to the greater of one and three quarters
percent (1.75%) of the amount drawn or $1,000, and (iii) fees upon
the occurrence of any other activity with respect to any Letter of
Credit (including without limitation, the transfer, amendment or
cancellation of any Letter of Credit) determined in accordance with
Bank's standard fees and charges then in effect for such
activity.
(e)
Letter of Credit Fees
. Borrower shall pay to Bank (i)
fees upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit equal to one and
three quarters percent (1.75%) per annum (computed on the basis of
a 360-day year, actual days elapsed) of the face amount thereof,
and (ii) fees upon the payment or negotiation of each drawing under
any Letter of Credit and fees upon the occurrence of any other
activity with respect to any Letter of Credit (including without
limitation, the transfer, amendment or cancellation of any Letter
of Credit) determined in accordance with Bank's standard fees and
charges then in effect for such activity.
SECTION
1.3. COLLECTION OF PAYMENTS. Borrower authorizes
Bank to collect all principal, interest and fees due under each
credit subject hereto by charging Borrower's deposit
account with Bank, or any other deposit account maintained by
Borrower with Bank, for the full amount thereof. Should there be
insufficient funds in any such deposit account to pay all such sums
when due, the full amount of such deficiency shall be immediately
due and payable by Borrower.
SECTION
1.4. COLLATERAL.
As security for
all indebtedness and other obligations of Borrower to Bank subject
hereto, Borrower hereby grants to Bank security interests of first
priority in all Borrower's accounts receivable and other rights to
payment, general intangibles and inventory.
All of the
foregoing shall be evidenced by and subject to the terms of such
security agreements, financing statements, deeds or mortgages, and
other documents as Bank shall reasonably require, all in form and
substance satisfactory to Bank. Borrower shall pay to Bank
immediately upon demand the full amount of all charges, costs and
expenses (to include fees paid to third parties and all allocated
costs of Bank personnel), expended or incurred by Bank in
connection with any of the foregoing security, including without
limitation, filing and recording fees and costs of appraisals,
audits and title insurance; provided, however, that the amount
Borrower is obligated to pay under this Section 1.4 shall be
limited as set forth in Section 7.3.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
Borrower makes
the following representations and warranties to Bank, which
representations and warranties shall survive the execution of this
Agreement and shall continue in full force and effect until the
full and final payment, and satisfaction and discharge, of all
obligations of Borrower to Bank subject to this
Agreement.
SECTION
2.1. LEGAL STATUS. Borrower is a corporation, duly
organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of
Washington, and is qualified or licensed to do business (and is in
good standing as a foreign corporation, if applicable) in all
jurisdictions in which such qualification or licensing is required
or in which the failure to so qualify or to be so licensed could
have a material adverse effect on Borrower.
SECTION
2.2. AUTHORIZATION AND VALIDITY. This Agreement and
each promissory note, contract, instrument and other document
required hereby or at any time hereafter delivered to Bank in
connection herewith (collectively, the "Loan Documents") have been
duly authorized, and upon their execution and delivery in
accordance with the provisions hereof will constitute legal, valid
and binding agreements and obligations of Borrower or the party
which executes the same, enforceable in accordance with their
respective terms.
SECTION
2.3. NO VIOLATION. The execution, delivery and
performance by Borrower of each of the Loan Documents do not
violate any provision of any law or regulation, or contravene any
provision of the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of Borrower,
or result in any breach of or default under any contract,
obligation, indenture or other instrument to which Borrower is a
party or by which Borrower may be bound.
SECTION
2.4. LITIGATION. There are no pending, or to the
best of Borrower's knowledge threatened, actions, claims,
investigations, suits or proceedings by or before any governmental
authority, arbitrator, court or administrative agency which could
have
a material
adverse effect on the financial condition or operation of Borrower
other than those disclosed by Borrower to Bank in writing prior to
the date hereof.
SECTION
2.5. CORRECTNESS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The annual
financial statement of Borrower dated December 31, 2006, and all
interim financial statements delivered to Bank since said date,
true copies of which have been delivered by Borrower to Bank prior
to the date hereof, (a) are complete and correct and present fairly
the financial condition of Borrower, (b) disclose all liabilities
of Borrower that are required to be reflected or reserved against
under generally accepted accounting principles, whether liquidated
or unliquidated, fixed or contingent, and (c) have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied. Since the dates of such financial statements
there has been no material adverse change in the financial
condition of Borrower, nor has Borrower mortgaged, pledged, granted
a security interest in or otherwise encumbered any of its assets or
properties except in favor of Bank or as otherwise permitted by
Bank in writing.
SECTION
2.6. INCOME TAX RETURNS. Borrower has no knowledge
of any pending assessments or adjustments of its income tax payable
with respect to any year.
SECTION
2.7. NO SUBORDINATION. There is no agreement,
indenture, contract or instrument to which Borrower is a party or
by which Borrower may be bound that requires the subordination in
right of payment of any of Borrower's obligations subject to this
Agreement to any other obligation of Borrower.
SECTION
2.8. PERMITS, FRANCHISES. Borrower possesses, and
will hereafter possess, all permits, consents, approvals,
franchises and licenses required and rights to all trademarks,
trade names, patents, and fictitious names, if any, necessary to
enable it to conduct the business in which it is now engaged in
compliance with applicable law.
SECTION
2.9. ERISA. Borrower is in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended or recodified
from time to time ("ERISA"); Borrower has not violated any
provision of any defined employee pension benefit plan (as defined
in ERISA) maintained or contributed to by Borrower (each, a
"Plan"); no Reportable Event as defined in ERISA has occurred and
is continuing with respect to any Plan initiated by Borrower;
Borrower has met its minimum funding requirements under ERISA with
respect to each Plan; and each Plan will be able to fulfill its
benefit obligations as they come due in accordance with the Plan
documents and under generally accepted accounting
principles.
SECTION
2.10. OTHER OBLIGATIONS. Borrower is not in default
on any obligation for borrowed money, any purchase money obligation
or any other material lease, commitment, contract, instrument or
obligation.
SECTION
2.11. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Except as disclosed by
Borrower to Bank in writing prior to the date hereof, Borrower is
in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal
or state environmental, hazardous waste, health and safety
statutes, and any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto,
which govern or affect any of Borrower's operations and/or
properties, including without
limitation, the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act of 1980, the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of
1986, the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976,
and the Federal Toxic Substances Control Act, as any of the same
may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time. None of
the operations of Borrower is the subject of any federal or state
investigation evaluating whether any remedial action involving a
material expenditure is needed to respond to a release of any toxic
or hazardous waste or substance into the environment. Borrower has
no material contingent liability in connection with any release of
any toxic or hazardous waste or substance into the
environment.
ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS
SECTION
3.1. CONDITIONS OF INITIAL EXTENSION OF CREDIT. The
obligation of Bank to extend any credit contemplated by this
Agreement is subject to the fulfillment to Bank's satisfaction of
all of the following conditions:
(a)
Approval of Bank
Counsel . All legal
matters incidental to the extension of credit by Bank shall be
satisfactory to Bank's counsel.
(b)
Documentation
. Bank shall have received, in form
and substance satisfactory to Bank, each of the following, duly
executed:
(i)This Agreement and each promissory note or
other instrument or document required hereby.
(ii)Certificate of Incumbency.
(iii)Corporate Resolution: Borrowing.
(iv)Security Agreement; Borrower: Continuing
Rights to Payments and Inventory.
(vi)Such other documents as Bank may require
under any other Section of this Agreement.
(c)
Financial Condition
. There shall have been no material
adverse change, as determined by Bank, in the financial condition
or business of Borrower, nor any material decline, as determined by
Bank, in the market value of any collateral required hereunder or a
substantial or material portion of the assets of
Borrower.
(d)
Insurance . Borrower shall have delivered to Bank evidence
of insurance coverage on all Borrower's property, in form,
substance, amounts, covering risks and issued by companies
satisfactory to Bank, and where required by Bank, with loss payable
endorsements in favor of Bank.
SECTION
3.2. CONDITIONS OF EACH EXTENSION OF CREDIT. The
obligation of Bank to make each extension of credit requested by
Borrower hereunder shall be subject to the fulfillment to Bank's
satisfaction of each of the following conditions:
(a)
Compliance
. The representations and warranties
contained herein and in each of the other Loan Documents shall be
true on and as of the date of the signing of
this Agreement
and on the date of each extension of credit by Bank pursuant
hereto, with the same effect as though such representations and
warranties had been made on and as of each such date, and on each
such date, no Event of Default as defined herein, and no condition,
event or act which with the giving of notice or the passage of time
or both would constitute such an Event of Default, shall have
occurred and be continuing or shall exist.
(b)
Documentation
. Bank shall have received all
additional documents which may be required in connection with such
extension of credit.
(c)
Additional Letter of Credit
Documentation . Prior to
the issuance of each Letter of Credit, Bank shall have received a
Letter of Credit Agreement, properly completed and duly executed by
Borrower.
ARTICLE IV
AFFIRMATIVE
COVENANTS
Borrower
covenants that so long as Bank remains committed to extend credit
to Borrower pursuant hereto, or any liabilities (whether direct or
contingent, liquidated or unliquidated) of Borrower to Bank under
any of the Loan Documents remain outstanding, and until payment in
full of all obligations of Borrower subject hereto, Borrower shall,
unless Bank otherwise consents in writing:
SECTION
4.1. PUNCTUAL PAYMENTS. Punctually pay all
principal, interest, fees or other liabilities due under any of the
Loan Documents at the times and place and in the manner specified
therein, and immediately upon demand by Bank, the amount by which
the outstanding principal balance of any credit subject hereto at
any time exceeds any limitation on borrowings applicable
thereto.
SECTION
4.2. ACCOUNTING RECORDS. Maintain adequate books and
records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied, and permit any representative of Bank, at any
reasonable time, to inspect, audit and examine such books and
records, to make copies of the same, and to inspect the properties
of Borrower.
SECTION
4.3. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Provide to Bank all of
the following, in form and detail satisfactory to Bank:
(a)
not later than 120 days after and
as of the end of each fiscal year, a consolidated copy of 10K
report filed with the Securities E