dated as of January 24,
2007
Alliance
Data Systems Corporation,
as Borrower,
The
Guarantors Party Hereto,
Bank of
Montreal,
as Administrative Agent
BMO Capital
Markets,
as Lead Arranger
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Section
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Heading
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Page
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Definitions
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1
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Definitions
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1
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Accounting
Terms and Determinations
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15
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Types of
Borrowings
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16
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The Credits
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16
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Commitments to
Lend
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16
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Notice of
Borrowing
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16
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Notice to Banks
Funding of Loans
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16
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Evidence of
Indebtedness
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17
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Maturity of
Loans
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18
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Interest
Rates
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18
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[Intentionally
Omitted]
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19
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[Intentionally
Omitted]
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19
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Method of
Electing Interest Rates for Loans
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19
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Optional
Prepayments
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19
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Mandatory
Prepayments
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20
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General
Provisions as to Payments
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21
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Funding
Losses
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21
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Computation of
Interest
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22
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Regulation D
Compensation
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22
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Additional
Commitments
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22
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Conditions
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23
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Initial
Borrowing
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23
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Each
Borrowing
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23
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Representations and
Warranties
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24
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Existence and
Power
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24
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Corporate and
Governmental Authorization; No Contravention
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24
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Binding
Effect
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25
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Financial
Information
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25
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Litigation
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26
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Compliance with
ERISA
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26
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Environmental
Matters
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26
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Taxes
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27
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Subsidiaries
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27
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Investment
Company
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27
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Full
Disclosure
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27
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-i-
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Section
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Heading
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Page
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Covenants
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28
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Information
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28
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Payment of
Obligations
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30
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Maintenance of
Property; Insurance
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31
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Conduct of
Business and Maintenance of Existence
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31
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Compliance with
Laws
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31
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Inspection of
Property, Books and Records
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31
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Mergers and
Sales of Assets
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31
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Use of
Proceeds
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32
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Negative
Pledge
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32
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End of Fiscal
Years and Fiscal Quarters
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33
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Maximum Total
Capitalization Ratio
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33
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Senior Leverage
Ratio
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33
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Interest
Coverage Ratio
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33
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Delinquency
Ratio
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34
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Debt
Limitation
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34
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Capitalization
of Insured Subsidiaries
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34
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Restricted
Payments; Required Dividends
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34
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Equity
Ownership, Limitation On Creation Of Subsidiaries
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35
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Change Of
Business
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35
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Limitation On
Issuance Of Capital Stock
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35
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Investments;
Restricted Acquisition
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36
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No
Restrictions
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37
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Guarantors
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38
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Defaults
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39
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Events of
Default
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39
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Notice of
Default
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41
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The Agent
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41
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Appointment and
Authorization
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41
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Administrative
Agent and Affiliates
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41
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Action By
Administrative Agent
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42
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Consultation
with Experts
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42
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Liability of
Administrative Agent
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42
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Indemnification
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42
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Credit
Decision
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42
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Successor
Administrative Agent
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43
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Change in
Circumstances
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43
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Basis for
Determining Interest Rate Inaccurate or Unfair
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43
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Illegality
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44
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Increased Cost
and Reduced Return
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44
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Taxes
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45
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-ii-
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Section
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Heading
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Page
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Base Rate Loans
Substituted for Affected Fixed Rate Loans
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47
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Limitations on
Reimbursement
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47
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Performance and Payment
Guaranty
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48
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Unconditional
and Irrevocable Guaranty
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48
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Enforcement
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49
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Obligations
Absolute
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49
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Waiver
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50
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Subrogation
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50
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Survival
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50
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Guarantors’ Consent to Assigns
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50
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Continuing
Agreement
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50
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Entire
Agreement
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51
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Application
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51
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Miscellaneous
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51
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Notices
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51
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No
Waivers
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51
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Expenses;
Indemnification
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51
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Sharing of
Set-Offs
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52
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Amendment or
Waiver, etc
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52
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Successors and
Assigns
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53
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Collateral
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55
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Governing Law;
Submission to Jurisdiction
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55
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Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness
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55
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Waiver of Jury
Trial
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56
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Limitation on
Interest
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56
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Currency
Equivalent Generally
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57
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USA Patriot
Act
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57
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Confidentiality
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57
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—
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Commitments
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—
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Investment
Plan
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—
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Existing
Liens
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—
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Intercompany
Investment Commitments
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—
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Pricing
Schedule
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—
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Form of
Assignment and Assumption Agreement
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—
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Form of
Note
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—
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Form of
Guarantor Supplement
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—
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Form of
Commitment Amount Increase Request
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-iii-
This Credit Agreement , dated as of
January 24, 2007, is entered into by and among Alliance Data Systems
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
“Borrower” ), the Guarantors from time to time
party hereto, the Banks from time to time party
hereto, and Bank of
Montreal , as Administrative Agent.
Whereas , the Borrower has
requested that the Banks provide a credit facility to the Borrower
on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
Now, Therefore , the parties
hereto agree as follows:
Section 1.1 Definitions . The following terms, as used
herein, have the following meanings:
“Act” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.13.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of Montreal in
its capacity as agent for the Banks hereunder, and its successors
in such capacity.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an
administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by the
Administrative Agent.
“ADSI” means ADS Alliance Data Systems, Inc., a
Delaware corporation.
“Affected Loans” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.11(c).
“Affiliate” means (i) any Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
controls the Borrower (a “ Controlling Person” )
or (ii) any Person (other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary
thereof) which is controlled by or is under common control with a
Controlling Person. As used herein, the term “control”
means possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to vote 10%
or more of any class of voting securities of a Person or to direct
or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise. The Affiliates of a Person shall include any officer or
director of such Person.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as
modified, supplemented, amended, restated (including any amendment
and restatement hereof), extended, renewed or refinanced from time
to time.
“Annual
Measurement Period” has the meaning set forth in
Section 5.17(a).
“Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect
to any Bank, (i) in the case of its Base Rate Loans, its
Domestic Lending Office and (ii) in the case of its
Euro-Dollar Loans, its Euro-Dollar Lending Office.
“Assignment and Assumption Agreement” means an
appropriately completed Assignment and Assumption Agreement in the
form of Exhibit A hereto.
“Bank” means each bank listed on the signature
pages hereof, each Assignee which becomes a Bank pursuant to
Section 10.6(c), and their respective successors.
“Bankruptcy Code” has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.3.
“Base
Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the
higher of (i) the Prime Rate for such day and (ii) the
sum of 1/2 of 1% plus the Federal Funds Rate for such
day.
“Base
Rate Loan ” means a Loan which bears interest at the Base
Rate pursuant to the provisions of Articles 2 or 8
hereof.
“Base
Rate Margin” means a percentage per annum equal to the
applicable percentage specified in the pricing schedule attached
hereto as Appendix 1.
“Beneficiaries” has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.1.
“Benefit
Arrangement” means at any time an employee benefit plan
within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA which is not a Plan or
a Multiemployer Plan and which is maintained or otherwise
contributed to by any member of the ERISA Group.
“Borrower” has the meaning provided in the first
paragraph of this Agreement.
“Borrowing” has the meaning set forth in
Section 1.3.
“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday,
Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Chicago, Illinois
are authorized by law to close and, if the applicable Business Day
relates to an advance or continuation of, or conversion into, or
payment of, a Euro-Dollar Loan, on which commercial banks are open
for international business (including dealing in U.S. Dollar
deposits) in London, England.
“Canadian Dollars” and “Cdn$”
each mean the lawful currency of Canada.
“Canadian Scheme License” means the Amended and
Restated License to Use and Exploit the Air Miles Scheme in Canada,
made as of July 24, 1998, between Air Miles International
Trading B.V. and Loyalty Management, as such may be amended from
time to time.
-2-
“Canadian Trademark License” means the Amended
and Restated License to Use the Air Miles Trade Marks in Canada,
dated July 24, 1998, between Air Miles International Holdings
N.V. and Loyalty Management, as such may be amended from time to
time.
“Capital
Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which
the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of
an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with
GAAP.
“Capital
Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation,
capital stock, (b) in the case of a partnership, partnership
interests (whether general or limited), (c) in the case of a
limited liability company, membership interests and (d) any
other interest or participation in a Person that confers on the
holder the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of,
or distributions of assets of, such Person.
“Change
of Control” means the acquisition by any
“person” or “group” (as such
terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) at any time of beneficial
ownership of 30% or more of the outstanding Voting Stock of the
Borrower on a fully-diluted basis, other than acquisitions of such
interests by the Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Partnerships
or The Limited; provided , that common stock owned by
employees (either individually or through employee stock ownership
or other stock based benefit plans) of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries shall not be included in the calculation of ownership
interests for purposes of this definition or any “change of
control.”
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated
and rulings issued thereunder. Section references to the Code are
to the Code, as in effect on the Effective Date and any subsequent
provisions of the Code, amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or
substituted therefor.
“Commitment” means, (i) with respect to
each Bank listed on the signature pages hereof, the amount set
forth opposite its name on Schedule I hereto under the heading
“Commitment” and (ii) with respect to any Bank
that becomes a “Bank” pursuant to
Section 2.16, the amount of such Bank’s Commitment set
forth in the applicable Commitment Amount Increase
Request.
“Commitment Amount Increase” has the meaning set
forth in Section 2.16.
“Commitment Amount Increase Request” means a
Commitment Amount Increase Request in the form of
Exhibit D.
“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” of any
Person means, for any period, the additions to property, plant and
equipment and other capital expenditures of such Person and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries for such period, as the same are or would
be set forth in a consolidated statement of cash flows of such
Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such
period.
“Consolidated Debt” of any Person means, at any
date, the Debt of such Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries,
determined on a consolidated basis as of such date.
-3-
“Consolidated EBIT” means, for any period, the
sum of Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus , to
the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income,
(i) Consolidated Interest Expense and (ii) federal,
state, local and foreign income, value added and similar taxes. If,
during the period for which Consolidated EBIT is being calculated,
the Borrower or any Subsidiary has (i) acquired sufficient
Capital Stock of a Person to cause such Person to become a
Subsidiary; (ii) acquired all or substantially all of the
assets or operations, division or line of business of a Person;
(iii) disposed of sufficient Capital Stock of a Subsidiary to
cause such Subsidiary to cease to be a Subsidiary; or
(iv) disposed of all or substantially all of the assets or
operations of a Subsidiary, Consolidated EBIT shall be calculated
after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such acquisition
or disposition had occurred on the first day of such
period.
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any
period, the total interest expense paid on Debt of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries (including the interest component of Capital
Leases) for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net Income” of any Person means,
for any fiscal period, the net income of such Person and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis for
such period, exclusive of the effect of any extraordinary or other
nonrecurring gain and loss and excluding all non-cash adjustments;
provided that any cash payment made (or received) with
respect to any such non-cash charge, expense or loss shall be
subtracted (added) in computing Consolidated Net Income during
the period in which such cash payment is made (or
received).
“Consolidated Net Worth” of any Person means at
any date the consolidated stockholders’ equity of such Person
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated Operating EBITDA” means, for any
period, the sum of Consolidated EBIT for such period, plus,
to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income,
(i) depreciation and amortization expense, including
amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets and
(ii) the amount of any change in the Deferred Revenue Account
from the beginning of such period to the last day of such period,
less (iii) the amount of any change in the Restricted
Cash Account from the beginning of such period to the last day of
such period. If, during the period for which Consolidated Operating
EBITDA is being calculated, the Borrower or any Subsidiary has
(i) acquired sufficient Capital Stock of a Person to cause
such Person to become a Subsidiary; (ii) acquired all or
substantially all of the assets or operations, division or line of
business of a Person; (iii) disposed of sufficient Capital Stock of
a Subsidiary to cause such Subsidiary to cease to be a Subsidiary;
or (iv) disposed or all or substantially all of the assets or
operations of a Subsidiary, Consolidated Operation EBITDA shall be
calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such
acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of such
period.
“Consolidated Subsidiary” of any Person means,
at any date, any Subsidiary or other entity the accounts of which
would be consolidated with those of such Person in its consolidated
financial statements if such statements were prepared as of such
date.
-4-
“Consolidated Total Assets” of any Person means
total assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries, determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles less any amount of assets reflected therein to the
extent that they have been sold or pledged pursuant to a Qualified
Securitization Transaction that are or may be reflected as Debt on
a balance sheet of such Person.
“Credit
Document” means this Agreement, the Notes and each other
document (including any additional guarantees) executed or
delivered in connection herewith or therewith.
“Credit
Party” shall mean the Borrower and each
Guarantor.
“Debt” of any Person means at any date, without
duplication (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed
money, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii) all
obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of
property or services, except trade accounts payable arising in the
ordinary course of business, (iv) all obligations of such
Person as lessee which are capitalized in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, (v) all non-contingent
obligations (and, for purposes of Section 5.9, Section 5.15
and the definitions of “Material Debt” and
“Material Financial Obligations,” all contingent
obligations) of such Person to reimburse any bank or other Person
in respect of amounts paid under a letter of credit or similar
instrument, (vi) all Debt secured by a Lien on any asset of
such Person, whether or not such Debt is otherwise an obligation of
such Person, (vii) all Debt of others Guaranteed by such
Person, but excluding any Qualifying Deposits and
(viii) Redeemable Stock of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, valued at the amount of all obligations with respect
to the redemption or repurchase thereof or the applicable
liquidation preference. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall
be excluded from Debt of any Person any obligations of such Person
under a Qualified Securitization Transaction that are or may be
reflected as Debt on a balance sheet of such Person.
“Default” means any condition or event which
constitutes an Event of Default or which with the giving of notice
or lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an
Event of Default.
“Deferred Revenue Account” means the account on
the consolidating balance sheet of the Borrower associated solely
with the change in revenue recognition by Loyalty Management as
required by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United
States of America.
“Delinquency Ratio” means, for any calendar
month, the percentage equivalent of a fraction (a) the numerator of
which is the aggregate amount of all Managed Receivables the
minimum payments on which are more than 90 days contractually
overdue and (b) the denominator of which is all Managed
Receivables, in each case determined as of the last day of such
calendar month.
“Derivatives Obligations” of any Person means
all obligations of such Person in respect of any rate swap
transaction, basis swap, forward rate transaction, commodity swap,
commodity option, equity or equity index swap, equity or equity
index option, bond option, interest rate option, foreign exchange
transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction, collar
transaction,
-5-
currency swap
transaction, cross-currency rate swap transaction, currency option
or any other similar transaction (including any option with respect
to any of the foregoing transactions), any transaction whose value
is derived from another asset or security, or any combination of
the foregoing transactions.
“Dollars” and “$” means
freely transferable lawful money of the United States of
America.
“Domestic Lending Office” means, as to each
Bank, its office identified as such on its Administrative
Questionnaire or such other office as such Bank may hereafter
designate as its Domestic Lending Office by notice to the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent, which office shall be located in the
United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of
the Borrower incorporated or organized in the United States or any
state or territory thereof.
“Effective Date” means January 24,
2007.
“Eligible Transferee” means and includes a
commercial bank, insurance company, financial institution, fund or
other Person (other than a natural person) which regularly
purchases interests in loans or extensions of credit of the types
made pursuant to this Agreement, any other Person (other than a
natural person) which would constitute a “qualified
institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A
under the Securities Act as in effect on the Effective Date or
other “accredited investor” (other than a natural
person) (as defined in Regulation D of the Securities
Act).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal,
state, provincial, local and foreign statutes, laws, judicial
decisions, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders,
decrees, plans, injunctions, permits, concessions, grants,
franchises, licenses, agreements and other governmental
restrictions relating to the environment, the effect of the
environment on human health or to emissions, discharges or releases
of pollutants, contaminants, Hazardous Substances or wastes into
the environment including, without limitation, ambient air, surface
water, ground water, or land, or otherwise relating to the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of pollutants, contaminants,
Hazardous Substances or wastes or the cleanup or other remediation
thereof.
“ERISA” means the U.S. Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or any successor
statute.
“ERISA
Group” of any Person means such Person, any Subsidiary
and all members of a controlled group of corporations and all
trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common
control which, together with the Borrower or any Subsidiary, are
treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the
Code.
“Euro-Dollar Lending Office” means, as to each
Bank, its office, branch or affiliate identified as such on the
signature pages hereto or such other office, branch or affiliate of
such
-6-
Bank as it may
hereafter designate as its Euro-Dollar Lending Office by notice to
the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“Euro-Dollar Loan” means (i) a Loan which
bears interest at a Euro-Dollar Rate or (ii) an overdue amount
which was a Euro-Dollar Loan immediately before it became
overdue.
“Euro-Dollar Margin” means a percentage per
annum equal to the applicable percentage specified in the pricing
schedule attached hereto as Appendix 1.
“Euro-Dollar Rate” means a rate of interest
determined pursuant to Section 2.6(b) on the basis of the
London Interbank Offered Rate.
“Event
of Default” has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.1.
“Federal
Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum
(rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th 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 , that (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 quoted to the
Administrative Agent on such day on such transactions as determined
by the Administrative Agent.
“Foreign
Pension Plan” means any plan, fund (including, without
limitation, any superannuation fund) or other similar program
established or maintained outside the United States of America by
the Borrower or any one or more of its Subsidiaries primarily for
the benefit of employees of the Borrower or such Subsidiaries
residing outside the United States of America, which plan, fund or
other similar program provides, or results in, retirement income, a
deferral of income in contemplation of retirement or payments to be
made upon termination of employment, and which plan is not subject
to ERISA or the Code.
“Foreign
Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower other
than a Domestic Subsidiary.
“GAAP” has the meaning set forth in
Section 1.2.
“Granting Bank” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.6(e).
“Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning set
forth in Section 9.1.
“Guarantor” means each direct and indirect
Material Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that becomes a
Guarantor from time to time after the Effective Date pursuant to
Section 5.23.
-7-
“Guarantor Supplement” means an appropriately
completed Guarantor Supplement substantially in the form of
Exhibit C hereto.
“Guaranty” by any Person means any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person directly or indirectly
guaranteeing any Debt of any other Person and, without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person (i) to purchase or pay
(or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such
Debt (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, by
agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or
services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement
conditions or otherwise) or (ii) entered into for the purpose
of assuring in any other manner the holder of such Debt of the
payment thereof to protect such holder against loss in respect
thereof (in whole or in part), provided , that the term
Guaranty shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit
in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guaranty”
used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Hazardous Substances” means any toxic,
radioactive, caustic or otherwise hazardous substance, including
petroleum, its derivatives, by-products and other hydrocarbons, or
any substance having any constituent elements displaying any of the
foregoing characteristics.
“Hostile
Acquisition” means the acquisition of the capital stock
or other equity interests of a Person through a tender offer or
similar solicitation of the owners of such capital stock or other
equity interests which has not been approved (prior to such
acquisition) by resolutions of the board of directors of such
Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation,
and as to which such approval has not been withdrawn.
“Indemnitee” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.3(b).
“Insured
Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Borrower which is
an “insured depository institution” under and as
defined in the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C.
1813(c)(2)) or any successor statute.
“Intercompany Note” means a promissory note made
by the Borrower or any Subsidiary payable to the order of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Interest Coverage Ratio” of any Person means,
for any period, the ratio of Consolidated Operating EBITDA of such
Person for such period to Consolidated Interest Expense of such
Person for such period.
“Interest Period” means with respect to each
Euro-Dollar Loan, the period commencing on the date of borrowing
specified in the applicable Notice of Borrowing or on the date
specified in the applicable Notice of Interest Period Election and
ending one, two or three months thereafter, as the Borrower may
elect in the applicable notice; provided that:
(i) any Interest
Period which would otherwise end on a day which is not a Business
Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless
such
-8-
Business Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period
shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
(ii) any Interest
Period which 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 clause (iii) below, end on the last Business Day of
a calendar month; and
(iii) any Interest
Period which would otherwise end after the Maturity Date shall end
on the Maturity Date (unless such date is not a Business Day, in
which case such Interest Period shall end on the latest Business
Day to occur prior to the Maturity Date).
“Investment” means any investment in any Person,
whether by means of share purchase, capital contribution, loan,
Guaranty, time deposit or otherwise (but not including any demand
deposit).
“License
Agreements” means the Canadian Trademark License, the US
Trademark License, the Canadian Scheme License, and the US Scheme
License.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any
mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, hypothec, security interest or
encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential
arrangement that has the practical effect of creating a security
interest, in respect of such asset. For the purposes of this
Agreement, the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to own
subject to a Lien any asset which it has acquired or holds subject
to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale
agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement
relating to such asset.
“Loan” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1(a); provided, that if any such Loan or
Loans (or portions thereof) are combined or subdivided pursuant to
a Notice of Interest Period Election, the term
“Loan” shall refer to the combined principal
amount resulting from such combination or to each of the separate
principal amounts resulting from such subdivision, as the case may
be.
“London
Interbank Offered Rate” means, for any Interest Period,
with respect to any Euro-Dollar Loan, either (i) the rate per
annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100th of
1%) for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to such Interest
Period, which appears on Telerate Page 3750 (or any successor page)
as of 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on the day two
Business Days before the commencement of such Interest Period or
(ii) if the rate in clause (i) of this definition is not
shown for any particular day, the rate per annum (rounded upward,
if necessary, to the next higher 1/100th of 1%) at which deposits
in U.S. Dollars are offered to the Administrative Agent in the
London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London,
England time) two Business Days before the first day of such
Interest Period in an amount approximately equal to the principal
amount of the Euro-Dollar Loans of the Administrative Agent to
which such Interest Period is to apply and for a period of time
comparable to such Interest Period for which such rate will apply
as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) two
Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest
Period.
-9-
“Loyalty
Management” means Loyalty Management Group Canada Inc.,
an Ontario corporation.
“Managed
Receivables” of any Person means for any date all credit
card receivables originated by such Person as of such date
regardless of whether such credit card receivables are determined,
with respect to such Person’s financial statements, to be
“on-balance sheet” or “off-balance
sheet.”
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a
material adverse change in, or material adverse effect upon, the
business, financial condition or operations of the Borrower and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) a material
impairment of the ability of the Borrower and the Guarantors to
perform their material obligations under the Credit Documents or
(c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity,
binding effect or enforceability against the Credit Parties of the
Credit Documents or the material rights and remedies of the
Administrative Agent and the Banks thereunder.
“Material Asset” means an asset or assets having
a fair market value in excess of $25,000,000.
“Material Debt” means Debt (other than the Loans
hereunder) (i) of a Person and/or one or more of its
Subsidiaries, arising in one or more related or unrelated
transactions, in an aggregate principal or face amount exceeding
U.S. $25,000,000, (ii) under the Revolving Credit Agreement
and (iii) under the Note Purchase Agreement.
“Material Domestic Subsidiary” means each
Domestic Subsidiary that is a Material Subsidiary.
“Material Financial Obligations” of any Person
means a principal or face amount of Debt and/or payment or
collateralization obligations in respect of Derivatives Obligations
of such Person and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries, arising in
one or more related or unrelated transactions, exceeding in the
aggregate U.S. $25,000,000.
“Material Plan” means at any time a Plan or
Plans having aggregate Unfunded Liabilities in excess of U.S.
$25,000,000.
“Material Subsidiary” means each direct or
indirect Subsidiary which (i) owned as of the end of the most
recently completed fiscal quarter (or, in the case of an acquired
Subsidiary, on a pro forma basis would have owned) assets
that represent in excess of 10% of the Consolidated Total Assets of
the Borrower as of the end of such fiscal quarter or
(ii) generated (or, in the case of an acquired Subsidiary, on
a pro forma basis would have generated) annual revenues in
excess of 10% of the consolidated total revenues for the Borrower
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for the most recently completed
fiscal year.
“Maturity Date” means July 24,
2007.
“Maximum
Annual Amount” is defined in
Section 5.17(a).
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“Multiemployer Plan” means at any time an
employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which any member of the ERISA
Group is then making or accruing an obligation to make
contributions or has within the preceding five plan years made
contributions, including for these purposes any Person which ceased
to be a member of the ERISA Group during such five year
period.
“Net
Cash Proceeds” means with respect to any offering of
equity securities of a Person or the issuance of any Debt by a
Person, as applicable, cash and cash equivalent proceeds received
by or for such Person’s account, net of legal, underwriting,
and other fees and expenses incurred as a direct result
thereof.
“Note” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4(d).
“Note
Purchase Agreement” means the Note Purchase Agreement
dated as of May 1, 2006 among the Borrower and the Purchasers
from time to time party thereto relating to the sale by the
Borrower of its $250,000,000 6.00% Senior Notes, Series A, due
May 16, 2009 and its $250,000,000 6.14% Senior Notes,
Series B, due May 16, 2011, as the same may be amended,
modified, supplemented, replaced or refinanced from time to
time.
“Notice
of Borrowing” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.2.
“Notice
of Interest Period Election” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.9.
“Obligations” means (i) all amounts owing
to the Administrative Agent or any Bank pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement or any other Credit Document and (ii) so long
as there are amounts owing under clause (i), Derivatives
Obligations from time to time owed to a Person that, at the time of
incurrence thereof, was a Bank or an Affiliate of a
Bank.
“Other
Taxes” has the meaning set forth in
Section 8.4(a).
“Parent” means, with respect to any Bank, any
Person controlling such Bank.
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.6(b).
“Payment
Office” means the office of the Administrative Agent
located at 115 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, or
such other office as the Administrative Agent may hereafter
designate in writing as such to the other parties
hereto.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions
under ERISA.
“Percentage” means at any time for each Bank
with a Commitment, the percentage obtained by dividing such
Bank’s Commitment by the Total Commitment, provided
that if the Total Commitment has been terminated, the Percentage of
each Bank shall be determined by dividing the percentage held by
such Bank, of the aggregate principal amount of all
Loans.
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“Person” means an individual, a corporation, a
limited liability company, a partnership, an association, a trust
or any other entity or organization, including a government or
political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality
thereof.
“Plan” means at any time an employee pension
benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) which is covered by
Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding standards under
Section 412 of the Code and either (i) is maintained, or
contributed to, by any member of the ERISA Group for employees of
any member of the ERISA Group or (ii) has at any time within
the preceding five years been maintained, or contributed to, by any
Person which was at such time a member of the ERISA Group for
employees of any Person which was at such time a member of the
ERISA Group.
“Prime
Rate” means the rate of interest announced or otherwise
established by the Administrative Agent from time to time as its
Prime Rate.
“Qualified Securitization Subsidiary” means a
Subsidiary that is a special purpose entity used in connection with
a Qualified Securitization Transaction.
“Qualified Securitization Transaction” means a
securitization or other sale or financing of credit card
receivables.
“Qualifying Deposits” means deposits that are
(i) insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
and (ii) do not exceed the difference between (A) the
amount of seller’s interest and credit card receivables
minus (B) the allowance for doubtful accounts related
to seller’s interest and credit card receivables, in each
case as shown on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and
its Subsidiaries.
“Quarterly Dates” has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.6(a).
“Redeemable Stock” means Capital Stock of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is redeemable at the
option of the holder thereof or that constitutes preferred
stock.
“Regulation U” means Regulation U of
the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, as in
effect from time to time.
“Required Banks” means Banks the sum of whose
outstanding Commitments (or after the termination thereof,
outstanding Loans) represent an amount greater than 50% of the sum
of the Total Commitment (or after the termination thereof, the sum
of the total outstanding Loans at such time).
“Reserve
Percentage” means for any day that percentage (expressed
as a decimal) which is in effect on such day, as prescribed by the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor)
for determining the maximum reserve requirement for a member bank
of the Federal Reserve System in New York City with deposits
exceeding five billion dollars in respect of “Eurocurrency
Liabilities” (or in respect of any other category of
liabilities which includes deposits by reference to which the
interest rate on Euro-Dollar Loans is determined or any
-12-
category of
extensions of credit or other assets which includes loans by a
non-United States office of any Bank to United States
residents).
“Restricted Acquisition” means any acquisition,
whether in a single transaction or series of related transactions,
by the Borrower or any one or more of its Subsidiaries, or any
combination thereof, of (i) all or a substantial part of the
assets, or all or any substantial part of a going business or
division, of any Person, whether through purchase of assets or
securities, by merger or otherwise, (ii) control of securities
of an existing corporation or other Person having ordinary voting
power (apart from rights accruing under special circumstances) to
elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation or
other Person or (iii) control of a greater than 50% ownership
interest in any existing partnership, joint venture or other
Person).
“Restricted Cash” means cash required by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries to fund securitization spread
accounts, cash collateral accounts relating to securitization of
credit card receivables, excess funding accounts relating to
securitization of credit card receivables and cash restricted to
fund future Air Miles redemptions.
“Restricted Cash Account” means the account on
the consolidating balance sheet of the Borrower related solely to
redemption settlement assets of Loyalty Management’s
“Air Miles Program.”
“Restricted Payment” means (i) any dividend
or other distribution on any shares of a Person’s (including
any Credit Party’s) capital stock (except dividends or
distributions payable solely in shares of its capital stock and
except dividends and distributions payable to the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries) or (ii) any payment on account of the
purchase, redemption, retirement or acquisition of (a) any
shares of a Person’s (including any Credit Party’s)
capital stock or (b) any option, warrant or other right to
acquire shares of a Person’s capital stock (but not including
(1) payments of principal, premium (if any) or interest made
pursuant to the terms of convertible debt securities prior to
conversion, (2) payments made to the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries, and (3) payments made solely in shares of (or
solely out of the net proceeds of a substantially concurrent
issuance of) such Person’s (including any Credit
Party’s) capital stock or options, warrants or other rights
to acquire shares of such Persons’ (including any Credit
Party’s) capital stock).
“Revolving Credit Agreement” means that certain
Credit Agreement dated as of September 29, 2006, by and among
the Borrower, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, the
financial institutions from time to time party thereto, Bank of
Montreal as Letter of Credit Issuer, and Bank of Montreal as
Administrative Agent, as amended, supplemented or otherwise
modified from time to time.
“Senior
Leverage Ratio” means, at any time, the ratio of
(x) all principal amounts owing by the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of (i) this Agreement, any
other Credit Document, the Revolving Credit Agreement and the Note
Purchase Agreement and all extensions, renewals, refinancings,
refundings and replacements of any of the foregoing, in whole or in
part (in each case other than Subordinated Debt), and (ii) any
credit agreement, note purchase agreement, indenture or other
credit facility relating to Debt (in each case other
than
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Subordinated
Debt) permitted by Section 5.15(viii) to (y) Consolidated
Operating EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the
twelve months then most recently ended.
“SPC” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.6(e).
“Subordinated Debt” means subordinated Debt of
the Borrower or any Guarantor, provided that (i) such
Debt shall be expressly subordinated in right of payment to the
Obligations in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative
Agent and (ii) such Debt shall be unsecured and unguaranteed
other than guarantees issued by Guarantors which are subordinated
in right of payment to the obligations of such Guarantors hereunder
pursuant to subordination terms reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent.
“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any
corporation or other entity of which securities or other ownership
interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the
board of directors or other persons performing similar functions
are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person; unless
otherwise specified, “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of
the Borrower.
“Taxes” is defined in
Section 8.4(a).
“The
Community Reinvestment Act” means The Community
Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2901 et seq. ) as
amended.
“The
Limited” means Limited Commerce Corp., a Delaware
corporation and its successors and assigns.
“Total
Capitalization Ratio” means, for any Person, the ratio of
(x) Consolidated Debt of such Person at such time to
(y) the sum of (i) Consolidated Debt of such Person at
such time plus (ii) Consolidated Net Worth of such Person at
such time.
“Total
Commitment” means the aggregate amount of the Commitments
of each of the Banks.
“Type” means the type of Loan determined
according to the interest option applicable thereto; i.e. ,
whether a Base Rate Loan or a Euro-Dollar Loan.
“Unfunded Liabilities” means, with respect to
any Plan at any time, the amount (if any) by which (i) the
value of all benefit liabilities under such Plan, determined on a
plan termination basis using the assumptions prescribed by the PBGC
for purposes of Section 4044 of ERISA, exceeds (ii) the
fair market value of all Plan assets allocable to such liabilities
under Title IV of ERISA (excluding any accrued but unpaid
contributions), all determined as of the then most recent valuation
date for such Plan, but only to the extent that such excess
represents a potential liability of a member of the ERISA Group to
the PBGC or any other Person under Title IV of ERISA.
-14-
“United
States” means the United States of America, including the
States and the District of Columbia, but excluding its territories
and possessions.
“U.S.
Dollars” and “U.S. $” shall mean
freely transferable lawful money of the United States of
America.
“US
Scheme License” means the Amended and Restated License to
Use and Exploit the Air Miles Scheme in the United States, dated
July 24, 1998, between Air Miles International Trading B.V.
and the Borrower, as such agreement may be amended from time to
time.
“US
Trademark License” means the Amended and Restated License
to Use the Air Miles Trade Marks in the United States, dated
July 24, 1998, between Air Miles International Holdings B.V.
and the Borrower, as such agreement may be amended from time to
time.
“Voting
Stock” of any Person means the equity interests of such
Person that are, under ordinary circumstances, entitled to vote in
the election of the board of directors or other persons performing
similar functions of such Person.
“Welsh,
Carson, Anderson & Stowe Partnerships” means each
Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe limited partnership, as
constituted on the Effective Date, as may be constituted in the
future and any partner, partnership or Affiliate of any of them and
their respective successors and assigns.
“WFNNB” means World Financial Network National
Bank, a limited purpose national banking association wholly owned
by the Borrower.
“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means, as to any
Person, any corporation or other entity 100% of whose Voting Stock
(other than director’s qualifying shares) is at the time
owned by such Person and/or one or more Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries
of such Person.
Section 1.2. Accounting Terms and Determinations .
Unless otherwise specified herein, all accounting terms used herein
shall be interpreted, all accounting determinations hereunder shall
be made, and all financial statements required to be delivered
hereunder shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States as in effect from time
to time, applied on a basis consistent (except for changes
concurred in by the Borrower’s independent public
accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial
statements of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries
delivered to the Banks ( “GAAP” );
provided that, (i) all calculations of financial covenants
and corresponding accounting terms shall include for all periods
covered thereby pro forma adjustments for the
(x) actual historical financial performance of and
(y) identifiable cost savings associated with providing data
processing services to any entities acquired as permitted under
Section 5.21(b) and (ii) if the Borrower notifies the
Administrative Agent that the Borrower wishes to amend any covenant
in Article 5 to eliminate the effect of any change in
generally accepted accounting principles on the operation of such
covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that
the Required Banks wish to amend Article 5 for such purpose), then
the Borrower’s compliance with such covenant shall be
determined on the basis of generally accepted accounting principles
in
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effect
immediately before the relevant change in generally accepted
accounting principles became effective, until either such notice is
withdrawn or such covenant is amended in a manner satisfactory to
the Borrower and the Required Banks.
Section 1.3. Types of Borrowings . The term
“Borrowing” denotes the aggregation of Loans of
one or more Banks to be made to the Borrower pursuant to
Article 2 on the same date, all of which Loans are of the same
Type (subject to Article 8) and, except in the case of Base
Rate Loans, have the same initial Interest Period.
Section 2.1. Commitments to Lend . Each Bank with a
Commitment severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth
in this Agreement, to make loans (each a “Loan”
and, collectively, the “Loans" ) to the Borrower
pursuant to this Section in U.S. Dollars in an amount equal to its
Commitment. The Borrowing under this Section shall be made in a
single Borrowing on the Effective Date from the several Banks
ratably in proportion to their respective Commitments, at which
time the Commitments shall expire. Loans shall either be Base Rate
Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans. No amount repaid or prepaid on any Loan
may be borrowed again.
Section 2.2. Notice of Borrowing . The Borrower shall
give the Administrative Agent notice (a “Notice of
Borrowing" ) in respect of the Borrowing of Loans not later
than 11:00 a.m. (Chicago, Illinois, time) on (x) the
Business Day of the Borrowing if such Borrowing is to be a Base
Rate Borrowing and (y) the third Business Day immediately
preceding the date of the Borrowing if such Borrowing is to be a
Euro-Dollar Borrowing, specifying:
(i) the date of
such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(ii) what Type of
Loans are to be borrowed;
(iii) in the case
of a Euro-Dollar Borrowing, the duration of the initial Interest
Period applicable thereto, subject to the provisions of the
definition of Interest Period and in the case of a Base Rate
Borrowing, the date, if any, on which such Loan will be converted
to a Euro-Dollar Loan; and
(iv) the aggregate
amount of such Borrowing.
Section 2.3. Notice to Banks Funding of Loans .
(a) Upon receipt of a Notice of Borrowing, the Administrative
Agent shall promptly notify each Bank of the contents thereof and
of such Bank’s share of such Borrowing and such Notice of
Borrowing shall not thereafter be revocable by the
Borrower.
(b) Not later
than 1:30 p.m. (Chicago, Illinois time) on the date of each
Borrowing, each Bank shall make available its share of such
Borrowing, in Federal or other funds immediately available in
Chicago, Illinois, to the Administrative Agent at its address
referred to
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in
Section 10.1. Unless the Administrative Agent determines that
any applicable condition specified in Article 3 has not been
satisfied, the Administrative Agent will make the funds so received
from the Banks available to the Borrower at the Administrative
Agent’s aforesaid address.
(c) Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Bank
prior to the date of any Borrowing that such Bank will not make
available to the Administrative Agent such Bank’s share of
such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Bank
has made such share available to the Administrative Agent on the
date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (b) of
this Section and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon
such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a
corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Bank shall not
have so made such share available to the Administrative Agent, such
Bank and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the
Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount
together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such
amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount
is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of
the Borrower, a rate per annum equal to the higher of the Federal
Funds Rate and the interest rate applicable thereto pursuant to
Section 2.6 and (ii) in the case of such Bank, the
Federal Funds Rate. If such Bank shall repay to the Administrative
Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall
constitute such Bank’s Loan included in such Borrowing for
purposes of this Agreement.
Section 2.4. Evidence of Indebtedness . (a) Each
Bank shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an
account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to
such Bank resulting from each Loan made by such Bank from time to
time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and
paid to such Bank from time to time hereunder.
(b) The
Administrative Agent shall also maintain accounts in which it will
record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the type
thereof and the Interest Period with respect thereto, (ii) the
amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become
due and payable from the Borrower to each Bank hereunder and
(iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative
Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Bank’s share
thereof.
(c) The
entries maintained in the accounts maintained pursuant to
paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall be prima facie
evidence of the existence and amounts of the Obligations therein
recorded; provided, however, that the failure of the
Administrative Agent or any Bank to maintain such accounts or any
error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the
Borrower to repay the Obligations in accordance with their
terms.
(d) Any Bank
may request that its Loans be evidenced by a promissory note or
notes in the forms of Exhibit B (collectively, the
“Notes” and individually, as a
“Note" ). In such event, the Borrower shall prepare,
execute and deliver to such Bank a Note payable to the order of
such Bank. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such Note or Notes
and interest thereon shall at all times (including after any
assignment pursuant to Section 10.6) be represented by one or
more Notes payable to the order of the payee named therein or any
assignee pursuant to Section 10.6, except to the extent that
any such Bank or assignee subsequently returns any such Note
for
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cancellation
and requests that such Loans once again be evidenced as described
in subsections (a) and (b) above.
Section 2.5. Maturity of Loans . The principal amount
of all then outstanding Loans, together with accrued interest
thereon, shall be due and payable in full on the Maturity
Date.
Section 2.6. Interest Rates . (a) Each Base Rate
Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount
thereof, for each day from the date such Loan is made (or converted
pursuant to Article 8) until it becomes due, at a rate per
annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Base Rate Margin for
such day. Such interest shall be payable quarterly in arrears on
the last day of each March, June, September, and December in each
year (each, a “Quarterly Date" ) and, with respect to
the principal amount of any Base Rate Loan converted to a
Euro-Dollar Loan, on each date a Base Rate Loan is so converted.
Any overdue principal of or interest on any Base Rate Loan shall
bear interest, payable on demand, for each day until paid at a rate
per annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the rate otherwise
applicable to Base Rate Loans for such day.
(b) Each
Euro-Dollar Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal
amount thereof, for each day during each Interest Period applicable
thereto, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Euro-Dollar
Margin for such day plus the London Interbank Offered Rate
applicable to such Interest Period. Such interest shall be payable
for each Interest Period on the last day thereof.
(c) Any
overdue principal of, or interest on, any Euro-Dollar Loan shall
bear interest, payable on demand, for each day until paid at a rate
per annum equal to the higher of (i) the sum of 2% plus
the Euro-Dollar Margin for such day plus the quotient
obtained (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of
it) by dividing (x) the average rate per annum (rounded
upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) of the
respective rates per annum at which one day (or, if such amount due
remains unpaid more than three Business Days, then for such other
period of time not longer than three months as the Administrative
Agent may select) deposits in Dollars in an amount approximately
equal to such overdue payment due to the Administrative Agent is
offered to the Administrative Agent in the London interbank market
for the applicable period determined as provided above by
(y) one minus the Reserve Percentage (or, if the
circumstances described in clause (a) or (b) of
Section 8.1 shall exist, at a rate per annum equal to the sum
of 2% plus the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans for such
day) and (ii) the sum of 2% plus the Euro-Dollar Margin
for such day plus the London Interbank Offered Rate
applicable to such Loan at the date such payment was
due.
(d) The
Administrative Agent shall determine each interest rate applicable
to the Loans hereunder. The Administrative Agent shall give prompt
notice to the Borrower and the participating Banks of each rate of
interest so determined, and its determination thereof shall be
conclusive in the absence of manifest error.
(e) The
Administrative Agent agrees to use its best efforts to furnish
quotations as contemplated by this Section. If the Administrative
Agent is unable to provide a quotation, the provisions of
Section 8.1 shall apply.
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Section 2.7. [Intentionally Omitted.]
Section 2.8. [Intentionally Omitted.]
Section 2.9. Method of Electing Interest Rates for
Loans . (a) The Loans initially shall be the Type of Loan
specified by the Borrower in the Notice of Borrowing given pursuant
to Section 2.2. Thereafter, the Borrower shall deliver a notice (a
“Notice of Interest Period Election" ) to the
Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (Chicago,
Illinois, time) on the third Business Day prior to (i) if such
Borrowing was initially a Base Rate Borrowing, the commencement of
the first Interest Period with respect to the conversion of such
Base Rate Loan into a Euro-Dollar Loan specifying the duration of
such Interest Period, or (ii) at any other time, the last day
of the current Interest Period specifying the duration of the
additional Interest Period which is to commence. Each Interest
Period specified in a Notice of Interest Period Election shall
comply with the provisions of the definition of “Interest
Period.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may not
elect to convert any Loan into, or continue any Loan as, a
Euro-Dollar Loan pursuant to any Notice of Interest Period Election
if at the time such notice is delivered an Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing.
(b) Each
Notice of Interest Period Election shall specify:
(i) the Borrowing
of Loans (or portion thereof) to which such notice
applies;
(ii) the date on
which the conversion or continuation selected in such notice is to
be effective, which shall comply with the applicable clause of
subsection (a) above;
(iii) if the Loans
comprising such Borrowing are to be converted, the new Type of
Loans and, if the Loans being converted are to be Euro-Dollar
Loans, the duration of the next succeeding Interest Period
applicable thereto; and
(iv) if such Loans
are to be continued as Euro-Dollar Loans for an additional Interest
Period, the duration of such additional Interest Period.
(c) Upon
receipt of a Notice of Interest Period Election from the Borrower
pursuant to subsection (a) above, the Administrative Agent
shall promptly notify each Bank of the contents thereof and such
notice shall not thereafter be revocable by the Borrower. If no
Notice of Interest Period Election is timely received prior to the
end of an Interest Period, the Borrower shall be deemed to have
elected that such Loan be continued as a Base Rate Loan.
(d) An
election by the Borrower to change or continue the rate of interest
applicable to any Borrowing of Loans pursuant to this Section shall
not constitute a “Borrowing” subject to the provisions
of Section 3.2.
Section 2.10. Optional Prepayments . (a) Subject,
in the case of Euro-Dollar Loans, to Section 2.13, the Borrower
may, upon at least one Business Day’s notice to the
Administrative Agent, prepay any Base Rate Loans or, upon at least
three Business Days’ notice to the Administrative Agent,
prepay any Euro-Dollar Loans, in each case in whole at any time, or
from
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time to time in
part, without premium or penalty, in amounts aggregating $5,000,000
or any larger multiple of $1,000,000, by paying the principal
amount to be prepaid together with accrued interest thereon to the
date of prepayment. Each such optional prepayment shall be applied
to prepay ratably the Loans of the several Banks.
(b) Upon
receipt of a notice of prepayment pursuant to this Section, the
Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Bank with Loans
outstanding of the contents thereof and of such Bank’s
ratable share (if any) of such prepayment and such notice shall not
thereafter be revocable by the Borrower.
(c) The
Borrower may elect to utilize the option set forth in
Section 2.11(c) in connection with any optional
prepayment.
Section 2.11. Mandatory Prepayments . (a)
Requirements . If after the Effective Date the Borrower or
any Subsidiary shall issue any (i) Debt (other than Debt
permitted under clauses (i)-(vii) of Section 5.15 and Debt
incurred under the Revolving Credit Agreement) or (ii) new
equity securities (whether common or preferred stock or otherwise),
other than equity securities issued pursuant to or in connection
with an employee stock or stock option plan and capital stock
issued to the seller of an acquired business in connection with an
acquisition permitted hereby, the Borrower shall promptly notify
the Administrative Agent of the estimated Net Cash Proceeds of such
issuance to be received by or for the account of the Borrower or
such Subsidiary in respect thereof. Promptly upon receipt by the
Borrower or such Subsidiary of Net Cash Proceeds of such issuance,
the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an aggregate amount equal to
100% of the amount of such Net Cash Proceeds.
(b)
Application . With respect to each prepayment of Loans
required by Section 2.11(a), the Borrower may designate the
Types of Loans which are to be prepaid and the specific Borrowing
or Borrowings pursuant to which made, provided that
(i) Euro-Dollar Loans may be so designated for prepayment
pursuant to this Section 2.11 only on the last day of an
Interest Period applicable thereto unless all Euro-Dollar Loans
with Interest Periods ending on such date of required prepayment
and all Base Rate Loans have been paid in full; (ii) if any
prepayment of Euro-Dollar Loans made pursuant to a single Borrowing
shall reduce the outstanding Loans made pursuant to such Borrowing
to an amount less than $5,000,000, such Borrowing shall be
immediately converted into Base Rate Loans; and (iii) each
prepayment of Loans pursuant to a Borrowing shall be applied pro
rata among such Loans. In the absence of a designation by the
Borrower as described in the preceding sentence, the Administrative
Agent shall, subject to the above, make such designation in its
sole discretion with a view, but no obligation, to minimize
breakage costs.
(c) Cash
Collateral to Avoid Breakage . Notwithstanding the provisions
of Section 2.11(b), if at any time a mandatory or voluntary
prepayment of Loans pursuant to Sections 2.10 or 2.11(a) above
would result, after giving effect to the procedures set forth
above, in the Borrower incurring breakage costs as a result of
Euro-Dollar Loans being prepaid other than on the last day of an
Interest Period applicable thereto (the “Affected
Loans" ), then the Borrower may in its sole discretion
initially deposit a portion (up to 100%) of the amounts that
otherwise would have been paid in respect of the Affected Loans
with the Administrative Agent
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(which deposit
must be equal in amount to the amount of the Affected Loans not
immediately prepaid) to be held as security for the obligations of
the Borrower hereunder pursuant to a cash collateral arrangement
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall
provide for investments reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent, with such cash collateral to be directly
applied upon the first occurrence (or occurrences) thereafter of
the last day of an Interest Period applicable to the relevant Loans
(or such earlier date or dates as shall be requested by the
Borrower), to repay an aggregate principal amount of such Loans
equal to the Affected Loans not initially prepaid pursuant to this
sentence. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the
immediately preceding sentence, all amounts deposited as cash
collateral pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be
held for the sole benefit of the Banks whose Loans would otherwise
have been immediately prepaid with the amounts deposited and upon
the taking of any action by the Administrative Agent or the Banks
pursuant to the remedial provisions of Article 6, any amounts
held as cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.11(c)
shall, subject to the requirements of applicable law, be
immediately applied to repay such Loans.
Section 2.12. General Provisions as to Payments .
(a) The Borrower shall make each payment of principal of, and
interest on, the Loans (i) not later than 12:00 Noon (Chicago,
Illinois time) on the date when due, in Federal or other funds
immediately available in Chicago, Illinois, to the Administrative
Agent at its address referred to in Section 10.1, and
(ii) without any right to set-off, deduction or counterclaim
by the Borrower. All payments made hereunder shall be made in U.S.
Dollars in immediately available funds at the place of payment. The
Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Bank its
ratable share of each such payment received by the Administrative
Agent for the account of the Banks. Whenever any payment of
principal of, or interest on, the Base Rate Loans or of fees shall
be due on a day which is not a Business Day, the date for payment
thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day.
Whenever any payment of principal of, or interest on, the
Euro-Dollar Loans shall be due on a day which is not a Business
Day, the date for payment thereof shall be extended to the next
succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another
calendar month, in which case the date for payment thereof shall be
the next preceding Business Day. If the date for any payment of
principal is extended by operation of law or otherwise, interest
thereon shall be payable for such extended time.
(b) Unless
the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the
Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Banks
hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the
Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such
payment in full to the Administrative Agent on such date and the
Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause
to be distributed to each Bank on such due date an amount equal to
the amount then due such Bank. If and to the extent that the
Borrower shall not have so made such payment, each Bank shall repay
to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such amount
distributed to such Bank together with interest thereon, for each
day from the date such amount is distributed to such Bank until the
date such Bank repays such amount to the Administrative Agent, at
the Federal Funds Rate.
Section 2.13. Funding Losses . If the Borrower makes
any payment of principal with respect to any Euro-Dollar Loan or
any Euro-Dollar Loan is prepaid, converted or becomes due (pursuant
to Article 2, 6, or 8 or otherwise) on any day other than the
last day of an Interest
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Period
applicable thereto, or if the Borrower fails to borrow, prepay or
continue any Euro-Dollar Loans after notice has been given to any
Bank in accordance with Section 2.2, 2.9, or 2.10, the
Borrower shall reimburse each Bank within 15 days after demand
for any resulting loss or expense incurred by it (or by an existing
or prospective Participant in the related Loan), including, without
limitation, any loss incurred in obtaining, liquidating or
employing deposits from third parties, but excluding loss of margin
for the period after any such payment or conversion or failure to
borrow, prepay, convert or continue, provided that such Bank
shall have delivered to the Borrower a certificate as to the amount
of such loss or expense, which certificate shall be conclusive in
the absence of manifest error.
Section 2.14. Computation of Interest . Interest based
on the Prime Rate hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a
year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year) and paid
for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day). All other interest shall be computed on
the basis of a year of 360 days and paid for the actual number
of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day
if and only if such payment is made in accordance with the
provisions of the first sentence of
Section 2.12(a)).
Section 2.15. Regulation D Compensation . Without
duplication of amounts payable under Section 2.6(c)(i), each Bank
may require the Borrower to pay, contemporaneously with each
payment of interest on the Euro-Dollar Loans, additional interest
on the related Euro-Dollar Loan of such Bank at a rate per annum
determined by such Bank up to but not exceeding the excess of (i)
(A) the London Interbank Offered Rate then in effect for such
Loan divided by (B) one minus the Reserve Percentage over
(ii) such London Interbank Offered Rate. Any Bank wishing to
require payment of such additional interest (x) shall so
notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, in which case
such additional interest on the Euro-Dollar Loan of such Bank shall
be payable to such Bank at the place indicated in such notice with
respect to each Interest Period commencing at least three Business
Days after the giving of such notice and (y) shall notify the
Borrower at least five Business Days prior to each date on which
interest is payable on the Euro-Dollar Loans of the amount then due
it under this Section. The Borrower’s obligations under this
Section 2.15 are limited as set forth in
Section 8.6.
Section 2.16. Additional Commitments . Provided there
exists no Default, the Borrower on behalf of the Borrower and
Guarantors may, on any Business Day after the date hereof, without
the consent of any Bank but with the written consent of the
Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld or delayed), obtain additional Commitments by delivering a
Commitment Amount Increase Request at least five (5) Business
Days prior to the desired effective date of such increase (the
“Commitment Amount Increase" ) identifying an
additional Bank (or additional Commitment agreed to be made by any
existing Bank) and the amount of its Commitment (or additional
Commitment); provided, however, that any increase in the
aggregate amount of the Commitments to an amount in excess of U.S.
$400,000,000 will require the approval of the Required Banks;
provided further that prior to approaching an additional
Bank, the Borrower shall have offered to the existing Banks the
opportunity to provide an additional Commitment. The effective date
of the Commitment Amount Increase shall be agreed upon by the
Borrower and the Administrative Agent. Upon the effectiveness
thereof, each new Bank (or, if applicable, each existing Bank which
consented to an additional Commitment) shall advance Loans in an
amount equal to its Commitment, at which time the
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Commitments
shall expire. It shall be a condition to such effectiveness that no
Euro-Dollar Loans be outstanding on the date of such effectiveness.
The Borrower agrees to pay any out-of-pocket expenses of the
Administrative Agent relating to any Commitment Amount Increase.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Bank shall have
any obligation to agree to provide an additional Commitment and no
Bank’s Commitment shall be increased without its consent
thereto, and each Bank may at its option, unconditionally and
without cause, decline to provide any such additional
Commitment.
Section 3.1. Initial Borrowing . The obligations of the
Banks to make the Loans hereunder are subject to receipt by the
Administrative Agent of the following documents and satisfaction of
the following conditions:
(a) an opinion of
counsel for the Credit Parties in a form reasonably acceptable to
the Administrative Agent and covering such matters relating to the
transactions contemplated hereby as the Administrative Agent or the
Required Banks may reasonably request;
(b) all documents
the Administrative Agent may reasonably request relating to the
corporate authority of each Credit Party which is a party hereto or
any other Credit Document and the validity of this Agreement and
each other Credit Document, all in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(c) copies of this
Agreement executed by the Borrower, each Guarantor and each of the
Banks; and
(d) the
Administrative Agent shall have received fully executed copies of
the License Agreements.
The Administrative
Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Banks of the
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in this Section 3.1,
and such notice shall be conclusive and binding on all parties
hereto.
Section 3.2. Each Borrowing . The obligation of the
Banks to make each Loan hereunder is subject at the time of such
Loan to the satisfaction of the following additional
conditions:
(a) receipt by the
Administrative Agent of a Notice of Borrowing as required by
Section 2.2;
(b) the fact that,
immediately before and after such Borrowing, no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing;
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(c) the fact that
the representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained
in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material
respects on and as of the date of such Borrowing (other than
representations and warranties that relate to a specific date,
which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such
date); and
(d) with respect
to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, each Credit
Party shall have obtained any necessary consents, waivers,
approvals, authorizations, registrations, filings, licenses and
notifications (including, if necessary, qualifying to do business
in, and qualifying under the applicable consumer laws of, each
jurisdiction where the applicable party is then doing business, or
is in the process of obtaining such qualification in each
jurisdiction where the applicable party is expected to be doing
business utilizing the proceeds of such Loan) and the same shall be
in full force and effect, except where the failure to obtain such
consent, qualification or other item could not reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Each Borrowing
hereunder shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by
the Borrower on the date of such Borrowing as to the facts
specified in clauses (b), (c), and (d) of this
Section.
No Bank shall have
any obligation to make a Loan hereunder at any time unless all
conditions precedent have been satisfied before or at such time.
The conditions precedent are included for the exclusive benefit of
the Administrative Agent and the Banks. In the event that any one
more Banks makes available its Loan at the request of the Borrower
notwithstanding that any one or more of the conditions precedent
thereto have not been satisfied in whole or in part, such waiver
shall not operate as to waive the right of the Administrative Agent
and the Banks to require strict compliance thereafter.
Representations and
Warranties
The Borrower
represents and warrants that:
Section 4.1. Existence and Power . Each Credit Party is
a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other
organization, duly organized and validly existing and, where
applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its organization, and has all corporate or other powers and all
material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and
approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted except
where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.2. Corporate and Governmental Authorization; No
Contravention . The execution, delivery and performance by each
Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which it is a party (i) are
within the corporate or other powers of such Credit Party,
(ii) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or
other action, (iii) require no action by or in respect of, or
filing with, any governmental body, agency or officials except
where the failure to do so could
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