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CREDIT AGREEMENT

Loan Agreement

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COLDWATER CREEK U.S. INC | WELLS FARGO RETAIL FINANCE, LLC

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Title: CREDIT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: New York     Date: 4/1/2009
Industry: Retail (Apparel)     Law Firm: Hogan Hartson     Sector: Services

CREDIT AGREEMENT, Parties: coldwater creek u.s. inc , wells fargo retail finance  llc
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Exhibit 10.3

 

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of February 13, 2009

among

COLDWATER CREEK U.S. INC.,
as the Lead Borrower

and

THE OTHER BORROWERS PARTY HERETO

and

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO

and

WELLS FARGO RETAIL FINANCE, LLC,
as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Swing Line Lender

and

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Section

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1.01

 

Defined Terms

 

1

1.02

 

Other Interpretive Provisions

 

41

1.03

 

Accounting Terms

 

42

1.04

 

Rounding

 

42

1.05

 

Times of Day

 

42

1.06

 

Letter of Credit Amounts

 

42

1.07

 

Currency Equivalents Generally

 

43

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

43

 

 

 

 

 

2.01

 

Committed Loans; Reserves

 

43

2.02

 

Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans

 

44

2.03

 

Letters of Credit

 

45

2.04

 

Swing Line Loans

 

53

2.05

 

Prepayments

 

56

2.06

 

Termination or Reduction of Commitments

 

57

2.07

 

Repayment of Loans

 

57

2.08

 

Interest

 

58

2.09

 

Fees

 

58

2.10

 

Computation of Interest and Fees

 

59

2.11

 

Evidence of Debt

 

59

2.12

 

Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

 

59

2.13

 

Sharing of Payments by Lenders

 

61

2.14

 

Settlement Amongst Lenders

 

61

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY; APPOINTMENT OF LEAD BORROWER

 

62

 

 

 

 

 

3.01

 

Taxes

 

62

3.02

 

Illegality

 

63

3.03

 

Inability to Determine Rates

 

64

3.04

 

Increased Costs; Reserves on LIBO Rate Loans

 

64

3.05

 

Compensation for Losses

 

65

3.06

 

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

 

66

3.07

 

Survival

 

66

3.08

 

Designation of Lead Borrower as Borrowers’ Agent

 

66

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

67

 

 

 

 

 

4.01

 

Conditions of Initial Credit Extension

 

67

4.02

 

Conditions to all Credit Extensions

 

70

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

71

 

 

 

 

 

5.01

 

Existence, Qualification and Power

 

71

5.02

 

Authorization; No Contravention

 

72

5.03

 

Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

 

72

5.04

 

Binding Effect

 

72

5.05

 

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect

 

72

5.06

 

Litigation

 

73

5.07

 

No Default

 

73

 

i



 

5.08

 

Ownership of Property; Liens

 

73

5.09

 

Environmental Compliance

 

74

5.10

 

Insurance

 

74

5.11

 

Taxes

 

74

5.12

 

ERISA Compliance

 

75

5.13

 

Subsidiaries; Equity Interests

 

75

5.14

 

Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company Act

 

76

5.15

 

Disclosure

 

76

5.16

 

Compliance with Laws

 

76

5.17

 

Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

 

76

5.18

 

Labor Matters

 

77

5.19

 

Security Documents

 

78

5.20

 

Solvency

 

79

5.21

 

Deposit Accounts; Credit Card Arrangements

 

79

5.22

 

Brokers

 

79

5.23

 

Customer and Trade Relations

 

79

5.24

 

Material Contracts

 

79

5.25

 

Casualty

 

79

5.26

 

Anti-Terrorism Laws

 

79

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

80

 

 

 

 

 

6.01

 

Financial Statements

 

80

6.02

 

Certificates; Other Information

 

81

6.03

 

Notices

 

83

6.04

 

Payment of Obligations

 

84

6.05

 

Preservation of Existence, Etc.

 

84

6.06

 

Maintenance of Properties

 

85

6.07

 

Maintenance of Insurance

 

85

6.08

 

Compliance with Laws

 

86

6.09

 

Books and Records; Accountants

 

86

6.10

 

Inspection Rights

 

87

6.11

 

Use of Proceeds

 

87

6.12

 

Additional Loan Parties

 

87

6.13

 

Cash Management

 

88

6.14

 

Information Regarding the Collateral

 

89

6.15

 

Physical Inventories

 

89

6.16

 

Environmental Laws

 

90

6.17

 

Further Assurances

 

90

6.18

 

Compliance with Terms of Leaseholds

 

91

6.19

 

Material Contracts

 

91

6.20

 

ERISA

 

91

6.21

 

Insurance and Condemnation Proceeds

 

92

6.22

 

Post-Closing Covenants

 

92

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

92

 

 

 

 

 

7.01

 

Liens

 

92

7.02

 

Investments

 

93

7.03

 

Indebtedness; Disqualified Stock

 

93

7.04

 

Fundamental Changes

 

93

7.05

 

Dispositions

 

93

 

ii



 

7.06

 

Restricted Payments

 

94

7.07

 

Prepayments of Indebtedness

 

94

7.08

 

Change in Nature of Business

 

95

7.09

 

Transactions with Affiliates

 

95

7.10

 

Burdensome Agreements

 

95

7.11

 

Use of Proceeds

 

95

7.12

 

Amendment of Material Documents

 

95

7.13

 

Fiscal Year

 

95

7.14

 

Deposit Accounts; Blocked Accounts; Credit Card Processors

 

95

7.15

 

Consignments

 

96

7.16

 

Inventory Book Value

 

96

7.17

 

Minimum Availability

 

96

7.18

 

Capital Expenditures

 

96

7.19

 

Loan Restriction

 

96

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

96

 

 

 

 

 

8.01

 

Events of Default

 

96

8.02

 

Remedies Upon Event of Default

 

99

8.03

 

Application of Funds

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

101

 

 

 

 

 

9.01

 

Appointment and Authority

 

101

9.02

 

Rights as a Lender

 

101

9.03

 

Exculpatory Provisions

 

102

9.04

 

Reliance by Agents

 

103

9.05

 

Delegation of Duties

 

103

9.06

 

Resignation of Agents

 

103

9.07

 

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

 

104

9.08

 

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

 

104

9.09

 

Collateral and Guaranty Matters

 

105

9.10

 

Notice of Transfer

 

105

9.11

 

Reports and Financial Statements

 

105

9.12

 

Agency for Perfection

 

106

9.13

 

Indemnification of Agents

 

106

9.14

 

Relation among Lenders

 

106

9.15

 

Defaulting Lender

 

106

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS

 

107

 

 

 

 

 

10.01

 

Amendments, Etc.

 

107

10.02

 

Notices, Financial Statements and Other Documents; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications

 

109

10.03

 

No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

 

110

10.04

 

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

 

110

10.05

 

Payments Set Aside

 

111

10.06

 

Successors and Assigns

 

112

10.07

 

Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

 

115

10.08

 

Right of Setoff

 

116

10.09

 

Interest Rate Limitation

 

116

10.10

 

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

 

116

10.11

 

Survival

 

117

10.12

 

Severability

 

117

 

iii



 

10.13

 

Replacement of Lenders

 

117

10.14

 

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

 

118

10.15

 

Waiver of Jury Trial

 

119

10.16

 

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

 

119

10.17

 

USA PATRIOT Act Notice

 

120

10.18

 

Foreign Asset Control Regulations

 

120

10.19

 

Time of the Essence

 

120

10.20

 

Press Releases

 

120

10.21

 

Additional Waivers

 

120

10.22

 

No Strict Construction

 

122

10.23

 

Attachments

 

122

 

SIGNATURES

 

S-123

 

iv



 

SCHEDULES

 

1.01

Borrowers

1.02

Guarantors

2.01

Commitments and Applicable Percentages

2.03

Existing Letters of Credit

5.01

Loan Parties Organizational Information

5.05

Material Indebtedness

5.06

Litigation

5.08(b)(1)

Owned Real Estate

5.08(b)(2)

Leased Real Estate

5.09

Environmental Matters

5.10

Insurance

5.13

Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments; Equity Interests in the Borrower

5.17

Intellectual Property Matters

5.18

Labor Matters

5.21(a)

DDAs

5.21(b)

Credit Card Arrangements

5.24

Material Contracts

6.02

Financial and Collateral Reporting

7.01

Existing Liens

7.02

Existing Investments

7.03

Existing Indebtedness

10.02

Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

 

EXHIBITS

 

 

 

Form of

A

 

Committed Loan Notice

B

 

Swing Line Loan Notice

C-1

 

Committed Loan Note

C-2

 

Swing Line Loan Note

D

 

Compliance Certificate

E

 

Borrowing Base Certificate

F

 

Assignment and Assumption

G

 

Credit Card Notification

H

 

DDA Notification

I

 

Joinder Agreement

 

v



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into as of February 13, 2009, among

 

(i)             COLDWATER CREEK U.S. INC., a Delaware corporation (the “ Lead Borrower ”), as agent for the Borrowers now or hereafter party hereto,

 

(ii)            the BORROWERS now or hereafter party hereto,

 

(iii)           the GUARANTORS now or hereafter party hereto,

 

(iv)           each lender from time to time party hereto (each individually, a “ Lender ” and collectively, the “ Lenders ”), and

 

(v)            WELLS FARGO RETAIL FINANCE, LLC, as Administrative Agent, Collateral Agent and Swing Line Lender.

 

The Borrowers have requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and the Lenders have indicated their willingness to lend, in each case on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

1.01         Defined Terms.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

ACH ” means automated clearing house transfers.

 

Accommodation Payment ” as defined in Section 10.21(d) .

 

Account ” means “accounts” as defined in the UCC, and also means a right to payment of a monetary obligation, whether or not earned by performance, (a) for property that has been or is to be sold, leased, licensed, assigned, or otherwise disposed of, (b) for services rendered or to be rendered, (c) for a policy of insurance issued or to be issued, (d) for a secondary obligation incurred or to be incurred, (e) for energy provided or to be provided, (f) for the use or hire of a vessel under a charter or other contract, (g) arising out of the use of a credit or charge card or information contained on or for use with the card, or (h) as winnings in a lottery or other game of chance operated or sponsored by a state, governmental unit of a state, or person licensed or authorized to operate the game by a state or governmental unit of a state.  The term “Account” includes health-care-insurance receivables.

 

Acquisition ” means, with respect to any Person (a) an Investment in, or a purchase of a Controlling interest in, the Equity Interests of any other Person, (b) a purchase or other acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets or properties of, another Person or of any business unit of another Person, (c) any merger or consolidation of such Person with any other Person or other transaction or series of transactions resulting in the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets, or a Controlling interest in the Equity Interests, of any Person, or (d) any acquisition of any Store locations of any other Person, in each case in any transaction or group of transactions which are part of a common plan.

 

Act ” shall have the meaning provided in Section 10.17 .

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate ” means:

 

(a)            for any Interest Period with respect to any LIBO Borrowing, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of one percent) equal to (i) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (ii) the Statutory Reserve Rate; and

 

(b)            for any interest rate calculation with respect to any Base Rate Loan, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of one percent) equal to (i) the LIBO

 

1



 

Rate for an Interest Period commencing on the date of such calculation and ending on the date that is thirty (30) days thereafter multiplied by (ii) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

The Adjusted LIBO Rate will be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

Adjustment Date ” means the first day of each Fiscal Quarter, commencing August 1, 2009.

 

Administrative Agent ” means Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC, in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

 

Administrative Agent’s Office ” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 , or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Lead Borrower and the Lenders.

 

Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, (i) another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified, (ii) any director, officer, managing member, partner, trustee, or beneficiary of that Person, (iii) any other Person directly or indirectly holding 10% or more of any class of the Equity Interests of that Person, and (iv) any other Person 10% or more of any class of whose Equity Interests is held directly or indirectly by that Person.

 

Agent(s) ” means, individually, the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, and collectively means both of them.

 

Aggregate Commitments ” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement.

 

Allocable Amount ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.21(d) .

 

Applicable Margin ” means:

 

(a)          From and after the Closing Date until the first Adjustment Date, the percentages set forth in Level I of the pricing grid below; and

 

(b)          On the first Adjustment Date, and on each Adjustment Date thereafter, the Applicable Margin shall be determined from the following pricing grid based upon the Average Availability as of the Fiscal Quarter ended immediately preceding such Adjustment Date; provided , however , that notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, upon the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the direction of the Required Lenders shall, immediately increase the Applicable Margin to that set forth in Level III (even if the Average Availability requirements for a different Level have been met) and interest shall accrue at the Default Rate; provided , further if any of the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 of this Agreement or any Borrowing Base Certificate is at any time restated or otherwise revised (including as a result of an audit) or if the information set forth in any such financial statements or Borrowing Base Certificate otherwise proves to be false or incorrect such that the Applicable Margin would have been higher than was otherwise in effect during any period, without constituting a waiver of any Default or Event of Default arising as a result thereof, interest due under this Agreement shall be immediately recalculated at such higher rate for any applicable periods and shall be due and payable on demand.

 

Level

 

Average Availability

 

LIBOR
Margin

 

Base Rate
Margin

 

I

 

Greater than or equal to 50% of the Loan Cap

 

2.25

%

2.25

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II

 

Less than 50% of the Loan Cap but greater than or equal to 25% of the Loan Cap

 

2.50

%

2.50

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III

 

Less than 25% of the Loan Cap

 

2.75

%

2.75

%

 

2



 

Applicable Percentage ” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time.  If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.  The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

 

Applicable Rate ” means, at any time of calculation, (a) with respect to Commercial Letters of Credit, a per annum rate equal to the Applicable Margin for Loans which are LIBOR Rate Loans less one half of one percent (0.50%), and (b) with respect to Standby Letters of Credit, a per annum rate equal to the Applicable Margin for Loans which are LIBOR Rate Loans.

 

Appraisal Percentage ” means 85%.

 

Appraised Value ” means with respect to the Borrowers’ Eligible Inventory, the appraised orderly liquidation value, net of costs and expenses to be incurred in connection with any such liquidation, which value is expressed as a percentage of Cost of the Borrowers’ Eligible Inventory as set forth in the Borrowers’ inventory stock ledger, which value shall be determined from time to time by the most recent appraisal undertaken by an independent appraiser engaged by the Administrative Agent.

 

 “ Approved Fund ” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

Assignee Group ” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

 

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b) ), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit F or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Attributable Indebtedness ” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any Capital Lease Obligation of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease or similar payments under the relevant lease or other applicable agreement or instrument that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease, agreement or instrument were accounted for as a capital lease.

 

Audited Financial Statements ” means the audited Consolidated balance sheet of the Parent and its Subsidiaries for the Fiscal Year ended February 2, 2008, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, Shareholders’ Equity and cash flows for such Fiscal Year of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

 

Auto-Extension Letter of Credit ” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(iii) .

 

 “ Availability ” means, as of any date of determination thereof by the Administrative Agent, the result, if a positive number, of:

 

(a)            the Loan Cap

 

3



 

minus

 

(b)            the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Credit Extensions to, or for the account of, the Borrowers.

 

In calculating Availability at any time and for any purpose under this Agreement, the Lead Borrower shall certify to the Administrative Agent that all accounts payable and Taxes are being paid on a timely basis and consistent with past practices (absent which the Administrative Agent may establish a Reserve therefor).

 

Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02 .

 

Availability Reserves ” means, without duplication of any other Reserves or items that are otherwise addressed or excluded through eligibility criteria, such reserves as the Administrative Agent from time to time determines in its discretion as being appropriate (a) to reflect the impediments to the Agents’ ability to realize upon the Collateral, (b) to reflect claims and liabilities that the Administrative Agent determines will need to be satisfied in connection with the realization upon the Collateral, (c) to reflect criteria, events, conditions, contingencies or risks which adversely affect any component of the Borrowing Base, or the assets, business, financial performance or financial condition of any Loan Party, or (d) to reflect that a Default or an Event of Default then exists. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Availability Reserves may include (but are not limited to), in the Administrative Agent’s discretion, reserves based on: (i) rent; (ii) customs duties and other costs to release Inventory which is included in the Borrowing Base and which is being imported into the United States; (iii) outstanding Taxes and other governmental charges, including, without limitation, ad valorem, real estate, personal property, sales, and other Taxes which may have priority over the interests of the Collateral Agent in the Collateral; (iv) salaries, wages and benefits due to employees of any Loan Party, (v) Customer Credit Liabilities, (vi) warehousemen’s or bailee’s charges and other Permitted Encumbrances which may have priority over the interests of the Collateral Agent in the Collateral, (vii) amounts due to vendors on account of consigned goods, (viii) Cash Management Reserves, and (ix) Bank Products Reserves.

 

Average Availability ” shall mean the average daily Availability for the immediately preceding Fiscal Quarter.

 

Bank Products ” means any services or facilities provided to any Loan Party by a Lender or any of its Affiliates, including, without limitation, on account of (a) credit cards, (b) Swap Contracts, (c) purchase cards, and (d) leasing, but excluding Cash Management Services.

 

Bank Products Reserves ” means such reserves as the Administrative Agent from time to time determines in its discretion as being appropriate to reflect the liabilities and obligations of the Loan Parties with respect to Bank Products then provided or outstanding.

 

Base Rate ”  means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate, as in effect from time to time, plus one-half of one percent (0.50%), (b) except during any period of time during which a notice delivered to the Lead Borrower in accordance with Section 3.03 shall remain in full force and effect, the Adjusted LIBO Rate plus one percent (1.00%), or (c) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Wells Fargo Bank as its “prime rate.”  The “prime rate” is a rate set by Wells Fargo Bank based upon various factors including Wells Fargo Bank’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some

 

4



 

loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such rate announced by Wells Fargo Bank shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

Base Rate Loan ” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

Blocked Account ” has the meaning provided in Section 6.13(a)(iii) .

 

Blocked Account Agreement ” means with respect to a Blocked Account established by a Loan Party, an agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, establishing Control (as defined in the Security Agreement) of such account by the Collateral Agent.

 

Blocked Account Bank ” means each bank with whom deposit accounts are maintained in which any funds of any of the Loan Parties from one or more DDAs are concentrated and with whom a Blocked Account Agreement has been, or is required to be, executed in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Borrowers ” means, collectively, the Lead Borrower, each Person listed on Schedule 1.01 annexed hereto, and each other Person who shall from time to time execute and deliver a Joinder Agreement as a Borrower or such other document as the Administrative Agent deems appropriate in accordance with Section 6.12 .

 

Borrowing ” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

 

Borrowing Base ” means, at any time of calculation, an amount equal to:

 

(a)            the lesser of (i) the Cost of Eligible Inventory (net of Inventory Reserves), multiplied by the Inventory Advance Rate, or (ii) the Cost of Eligible Inventory (net of Inventory Reserves), multiplied by the Appraisal Percentage of the Appraised Value of Eligible Inventory;

 

plus

 

(b)            the amount of Eligible Credit Card Receivables multiplied by the Credit Card Advance Rate;

 

plus

 

(d)            the amount of Eligible Trade Receivables (net of Receivables Reserves applicable thereto) multiplied by the Trade Receivables Advance Rate;

 

minus

 

(g)            the then amount of all Availability Reserves.

 

Borrowing Base Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto (with such changes therein as may be required by the Administrative Agent to reflect the components of and Reserves against the Borrowing Base as provided for hereunder from time to time), executed and certified as accurate and complete by a Responsible Officer of the Lead Borrower which shall include appropriate exhibits, schedules, supporting documentation, and additional reports as reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any LIBO Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank market.

 

 “ Capital Expenditures ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, (a) all expenditures made (whether made in the form of cash or other property) or costs incurred for the acquisition or improvement of fixed or capital assets of such Person (excluding normal replacements and maintenance which are properly charged to current operations), in each case that are (or should

 

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be) set forth as capital expenditures in a Consolidated statement of cash flows of such Person for such period, in each case prepared in accordance with GAAP, and (b) Capital Lease Obligations incurred by a Person during such period.

 

Capital Leases ” shall mean any and all lease obligations that, in accordance with GAAP, are required to be capitalized on the books of a lessee.

 

Capital Lease Obligations ” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as liabilities on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP and the amount of which obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Cash Collateral Account ” means a non-interest bearing account established by one or more of the Loan Parties with Wells Fargo Bank, and in the name of, the Collateral Agent (as the Collateral Agent shall otherwise direct) and under the sole and exclusive dominion and control of the Collateral Agent, in which deposits are required to be made in accordance with Section 2.03(g)  or 8.02(c) .

 

Cash Collateralize ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(g) .

 

Cash Dominion Event ” means either (i) the occurrence and continuance of any Event of Default, or (ii) the failure of the Borrowers to maintain Availability in an amount equal to at least twenty five percent (25%) of the then applicable Loan Cap.  For purposes of this Agreement, the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Event shall be deemed continuing at the Administrative Agent’s option (a) so long as such Event of Default has not been waived, and/or (b) if the Cash Dominion Event arises as a result of the Borrowers’ failure to maintain Availability as described in clause (ii) hereunder, until the Borrowers maintain Availability in an amount equal to at least twenty five percent (25%) of the then applicable Loan Cap for forty-five (45) consecutive days, in which case a Cash Dominion Event shall no longer be deemed to be continuing for purposes of this Agreement; provided that a Cash Dominion Event shall be deemed continuing (even if an Event of Default is no longer continuing and/or Availability exceeds the required amount for forty-five (45) consecutive days) at all times after a Cash Dominion Event has occurred and been discontinued on two (2) occasion(s) after the Closing Date.

 

Cash Management Reserves ” means such reserves as the Administrative Agent, from time to time, determines in its discretion as being appropriate to reflect the reasonably anticipated liabilities and obligations of the Loan Parties with respect to Cash Management Services then provided or outstanding.

 

Cash Management Services ” means any one or more of the following types or services or facilities provided to any Loan Party by the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates: (a) ACH transactions, (b) cash management services, including, without limitation, controlled disbursement services, treasury, depository, overdraft, and electronic funds transfer services, (c) foreign exchange facilities, (d) credit or debit cards, and (e) merchant services not constituting a Bank Product.

 

CERCLA ” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.

 

CERCLIS ” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System maintained by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

 

CFC ” means a Person that is a controlled foreign corporation under Section 957 of the Code.

 

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Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any Law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.

 

Change of Control ” means an event or series of events by which:

 

(a)            any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan), other than a Permitted Holder, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “ option right ”)), directly or indirectly, of twenty five percent (25%) or more of the Equity Interests of the Parent entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Parent on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such Equity Interests that such “person” or “group” has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or

 

(b)            during any period of twelve (12) consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors, or other equivalent governing body of the Parent, cease to be comprised of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i)  above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i)  and (ii)  above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body (excluding, in the case of both clause (ii)  and clause (iii) , any individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member of that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for the election of one or more directors by or on behalf of the board of directors); or

 

(c)            any Person or two or more Persons not constituting Permitted Holders acting in concert shall have acquired by contract or otherwise, or shall have entered into a contract or arrangement that, upon consummation thereof, will result in its or their acquisition of the power to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of the Parent, or control over the Equity Interests of the Parent entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Parent on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such Person or Persons have the right to acquire pursuant to any option right) representing twenty five percent (25%) or more of the combined voting power of such securities; or

 

(d)            any “change in control” or “sale” or “disposition” or similar event as defined in any Organizational Document of any Loan Party or in any Material Contract, or any document governing Material Indebtedness of any Loan Party; or

 

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(e)            (i) the Parent fails at any time to own, directly or indirectly 100% of the Equity Interests of any Loan Party, in each case free and clear of all Liens (other than the Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent and those Liens specified in clauses (a), (e), (i) and (l) in the definition of Permitted Encumbrances), except where such failure is as a result of a transaction permitted by the Loan Documents.

 

Closing Date ” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01 .

 

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended and in effect.

 

Coldwater HK ” means Coldwater Creek HK Limited, an entity formed under the laws of Hong Kong.

 

Collateral ” means any and all “Collateral” as defined in any applicable Security Document and all other property that is or is intended under the terms of the Security Documents to be subject to Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent.

 

Collateral Access Agreement ” means an agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Collateral Agent executed by (a) a bailee or other Person in possession of Collateral, and (b) a landlord of Real Estate leased by any Loan Party, pursuant to which such Person (i) acknowledges the Collateral Agent’s Lien on the Collateral, (ii) releases or subordinates such Person’s Liens in the Collateral held by such Person or located on such Real Estate, (iii) as to any landlord, provides the Collateral Agent with access to the Collateral located in or on such Real Estate and a reasonable time to sell and dispose of the Collateral from such Real Estate, and (iv) makes such other agreements with the Collateral Agent as the Collateral Agent may reasonably require.

 

Collateral Agent ” means Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC, acting in such capacity for its own benefit and the ratable benefit of the other Credit Parties, or any successor collateral agent.

 

Commercial Letter of Credit ” means any Letter of Credit issued for the purpose of providing the primary payment mechanism in connection with the purchase of any materials, goods or services by a Borrower in the ordinary course of business of such Borrower.

 

Commitment ” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to the Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01 , (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Commitment Fee ” has the meaning provided in Section 2.09(a) .

 

Committed Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of LIBO Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 .

 

Committed Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 .

 

Committed Loan Note ” means a promissory note made by the Borrowers in favor of a Lender evidencing Committed Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1 .

 

Committed Loan Notice ” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of LIBO Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02 , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A .

 

Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D .

 

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Concentration Account ” has the meaning provided in Section 6.13(c) .

 

Consent ” means actual consent given by a Lender from whom such consent is sought; or the passage of seven (7) Business Days from receipt of written notice to a Lender from the Administrative Agent of a proposed course of action to be followed by the Administrative Agent without such Lender’s giving the Administrative Agent written notice of that Lender’s objection to such course of action.

 

Consolidated ” means, when used to modify a financial term, test, statement, or report of a Person, the application or preparation of such term, test, statement or report (as applicable) based upon the consolidation, in accordance with GAAP, of the financial condition or operating results of such Person and its Subsidiaries.

 

Contractual Obligation ” means, as to any Person, any provision of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Cost ” means the lower of cost or market value of Inventory, based upon the Borrowers’ accounting practices, known to the Administrative Agent, which practices are in effect on the Closing Date as such calculated cost is determined from invoices received by the Borrowers, the Borrowers’ purchase journals or the Borrowers’ stock ledger.  “Cost” does not include inventory capitalization costs or other non-purchase price charges (such as freight and warehouse markups) used in the Borrowers’ calculation of cost of goods sold.

 

Credit Card Advance Rate ” means 85%.

 

Credit Card Notifications ” has the meaning provided in Section 6.13(a)(ii) .

 

Credit Card Receivables ” means each “Account” (as defined in the UCC) together with all income, payments and proceeds thereof, owed by a major credit or debit card issuer (including, but not limited to, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express and such other issuers approved by the Administrative Agent) to a Loan Party resulting from charges by a customer of a Loan Party on credit or debit cards issued by such issuer in connection with the sale of goods by a Loan Party, or services performed by a Loan Party, in each case in the ordinary course of its business.

 

Credit Extensions ” mean each of the following: (a) a Borrowing, (b) an L/C Credit Extension, and (c) a Permitted Overadvance.

 

Credit Party ” or “ Credit Parties ” means (a) individually, (i) each Lender and its Affiliates, (ii) each Agent, (iii) each L/C Issuer, (iv) each beneficiary of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document, (v) any other Person to whom Obligations under this Agreement and other Loan Documents are owing, and (vi) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing, and (b) collectively, all of the foregoing.

 

Credit Party Expenses ” means, without limitation, (a) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Agents and their respective Affiliates, in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including without limitation (i) the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of (A) counsel for the Agents, (B) outside consultants for the Agents, (C) appraisers, (D) commercial finance examiners, and (E) all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of the Obligations, (ii) in connection with (A) the preparation, negotiation, administration, management, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the

 

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provisions thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (B) the enforcement or protection of their rights in connection with this Agreement or the Loan Documents or efforts to preserve, protect, collect, or enforce the Collateral or in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws, or (C) any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of any Obligations, and (b) with respect to the L/C Issuer, and its Affiliates, all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder; and (c) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Credit Parties who are not the Agents, the L/C Issuer or any Affiliate of any of them, after the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, provided that such Credit Parties shall be entitled to reimbursement for no more than one primary counsel and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction representing all such Credit Parties (absent a conflict of interest in which case the Credit Parties may engage and be reimbursed for additional counsel).

 

 “ Customer Credit Liabilities ” means at any time, the aggregate remaining value at such time of (a) outstanding Gift Cards, and (b) outstanding Customer Deposits of the Loan Parties.

 

Customer Deposits ” means all customer deposits, including, without limitation, all framing deposits.

 

Customs Broker Agreement ” means an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, among a Loan Party, a customs broker, freight forward or other carrier, and the Collateral Agent, in which the customs broker, freight forward or other carrier acknowledges that it has control over and holds the documents evidencing ownership of the subject Inventory for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and agrees, upon notice from the Collateral Agent, to hold and dispose of the subject Inventory solely as directed by the Collateral Agent.

 

DDA ” means each checking, savings or other demand deposit account maintained by any of the Loan Parties.  All funds in each DDA shall be conclusively presumed to be Collateral and proceeds of Collateral and the Agents and the Lenders shall have no duty to inquire as to the source of the amounts on deposit in any DDA.

 

DDA Notification ” has the meaning provided therefor in Section6.13(a)(i) .

 

Debtor Relief Laws ” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

Default Rate ” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Margin, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans, plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided , however , that with respect to a LIBO Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Margin) otherwise applicable to such LIBO Rate Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate for Standby Letters of Credit or Commercial Letters of Credit, as applicable, plus 2% per annum.

 

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Committed Loans, participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swing Line Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it

 

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hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

 

Deteriorating Lender ” means any Defaulting Lender or any Lender as to which (a) the Administrative Agent or L/C Issuer believes in good faith that such Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other syndicated credit facilities, or (b) a Person that Controls such Lender has been deemed insolvent by the Administrative Agent or become the subject of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

Disbursement Letter ” means an instructional letter executed and delivered by Borrowers to the Administrative Agent regarding the Committed Loan to be made on the Closing Date, the form and substance of which is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

Disposition ” or “ Dispose ” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including, without limitation, any sale-leaseback transaction and any sale, transfer, license or other disposition of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) of any property (including, without limitation, any Equity Interests) by any Person (or the granting of any option or other right to do any of the foregoing), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

 

Disqualified Stock ” means any Equity Interest that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable for cash, in each case at the option of the holder thereof), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, on or prior to the date that is 91 days after the Maturity Date; provided , however , that (i) only the portion of such Equity Interests which so matures or is mandatorily redeemable, is so convertible or exchangeable or is so redeemable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date shall be deemed to be Disqualified Stock, (ii) with respect to any Equity Interests issued to any employee or to any plan for the benefit of employees of the Parent or its Subsidiaries or by any such plan to such employees, such Equity Interest shall not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Parent or one of its Subsidiaries in order to satisfy applicable statutory or regulatory obligations or as a result of such employee’s termination, resignation, death or disability and (iii) if any class of Equity Interest of such Person by its terms authorizes such Person to satisfy its obligations thereunder by delivery of an Equity Interest that is not Disqualified Stock, such Equity Interests shall not be deemed to be Disqualified Stock. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Equity Interest that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders thereof have the right to require a Loan Party to repurchase such Equity Interest upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale shall not constitute Disqualified Stock.  The amount of Disqualified Stock deemed to be outstanding at any time for purposes of this Agreement will be the maximum amount that the Parent and its Subsidiaries may become obligated to pay upon maturity of, or pursuant to any mandatory redemption provisions of, such Disqualified Stock or portion thereof, plus accrued dividends.

 

Dollars ” and “ $ ” mean lawful money of the United States.

 

Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

 

Early Termination Fee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.09(b) .

 

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EBITDA ” means, with respect to any fiscal period, without duplication, the sum of (a) Net Income for that period, plus (b) any extraordinary loss, minus (c) any extraordinary gain, plus (d) Interest Expense for that period, plus (e) the aggregate amount of federal and state taxes on or measured by income for that period (whether or not payable during that period), plus (f) depreciation and amortization expense for that period, plus (g) all other non-cash expenses (less non-cash gains) for that period, in each case as determined in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied and, in the case of items ( b ), ( c ), ( d ), ( e ), ( f ), and ( g ), to the extent deducted in determining such Net Income for that period, minus (h) the aggregate amount of any income from interest for that period (whether or not payable during that period).

 

Eligible Assignee ” means (a) a Credit Party or any of its Affiliates; (b) a bank, insurance company, or company engaged in the business of making commercial loans, which Person, together with its Affiliates, has a combined capital and surplus in excess of $250,000,000; (c) an Approved Fund; (d) any Person to whom a Credit Party assigns its rights and obligations under this Agreement as part of an assignment and transfer of such Credit Party’s rights in and to a material portion of such Credit Party’s portfolio of asset based credit facilities, and (e) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, and (ii) unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Lead Borrower (each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, “Eligible Assignee” shall not include a Loan Party or any of the Loan Parties’ Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

Eligible Credit Card Receivables ” means at the time of any determination thereof, each Credit Card Receivable that satisfies the following criteria at the time of creation and continues to meet the same at the time of such determination: such Credit Card Receivable (i) has been earned by performance and represents the bona fide amounts due to a Loan Party from a credit card payment processor and/or credit card issuer, and in each case originated in the ordinary course of business of such Loan Party, and (ii) in each case is acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its discretion, and is not ineligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to any of clauses (a)  through (k)  below.  Without limiting the foregoing, to qualify as an Eligible Credit Card Receivable, an Account shall indicate no Person other than a Loan Party as payee or remittance party.  In determining the amount to be so included, the face amount of an Account shall be reduced by, without duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges or other allowances (including any amount that a Loan Party may be obligated to rebate to a customer, a credit card payment processor, or credit card issuer pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Account but not yet applied by the Loan Parties to reduce the amount of such Credit Card Receivable.  Any Credit Card Receivables meeting the foregoing criteria shall be deemed Eligible Credit Card Receivables but only as long as such Credit Card Receivable is not included within any of the following categories, in which case such Credit Card Receivable shall not constitute an Eligible Credit Card Receivable:

 

(a)            Credit Card Receivable which do not constitute an “Account” (as defined in the UCC);

 

(b)            Credit Card Receivables that have been outstanding for more than five (5) Business Days from the date of sale;

 

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(c)            Credit Card Receivables with respect to which a Loan Party does not have good, valid and marketable title, free and clear of any Lien (other than Liens granted to the Collateral Agent);

 

(d)            Credit Card Receivables that are not subject to a first priority security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent (it being the intent that chargebacks in the ordinary course by the credit card processors shall not be deemed violative of this clause);

 

(e)            Credit Card Receivables which are disputed, are with recourse, or with respect to which a claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback has been asserted (to the extent of such claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback);

 

(f)             Credit Card Receivables as to which the credit card processor has the right under certain circumstances to require a Loan Party to repurchase the Accounts from such credit card processor;

 

(g)            Credit Card Receivables due from an issuer or payment processor of the applicable credit card which is the subject of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings;

 

(h)            Credit Card Receivables which are not a valid, legally enforceable obligation of the applicable issuer with respect thereto;

 

(i)             Credit Card Receivables which do not conform to all representations, warranties or other provisions in the Loan Documents relating to Credit Card Receivables;

 

(j)             Credit Card Receivables which are evidenced by “chattel paper” or an “instrument” of any kind unless such “chattel paper” or “instrument” is in the possession of the Collateral Agent, and to the extent necessary or appropriate, endorsed to the Collateral Agent; or

 

(k)            Credit Card Receivables which the Administrative Agent determines in its discretion to be uncertain of collection.

 

Eligible Inventory ” means, as of the date of determination thereof, without duplication, items of Inventory of a Loan Party that are finished goods, merchantable and readily saleable to the public in the ordinary course deemed by the Administrative Agent in its discretion to be eligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base, in each case that, except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, complies with each of the representations and warranties respecting Inventory made by the Loan Party in the Loan Documents, and that is not excluded as ineligible by virtue of one or more of the criteria set forth below.  Except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, the following items of Inventory shall not be included in Eligible Inventory:

 

(a)            Inventory that is not solely owned by a Loan Party or a Loan Party does not have good and valid title thereto;

 

(b)            Inventory that is leased by or is on consignment to a Loan Party or which is consigned by a Loan Party to a Person which is not a Loan Party;

 

(c)            Inventory that is not located in the United States of America (excluding territories or possessions of the United States) at a location that is owned or leased by a Loan Party, except to the extent that the Loan Parties have furnished the Administrative Agent with (i) any UCC financing statements or other documents that the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to perfect its security interest in such Inventory at such location, and (ii) a Collateral Access Agreement executed by the Person owning any such location on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

 

(d)            Inventory that is comprised of goods which (i) are damaged, defective, “seconds,” or otherwise unmerchantable, (ii) are to be returned to the vendor, (iii) are obsolete or

 

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slow moving, or are special order or custom items, work-in-process, raw materials, or that constitute spare parts, promotional, marketing, packaging and shipping materials or supplies used or consumed in a Loan Party’s business, (iv) are seasonal in nature and which have been packed away for sale in the subsequent season, (v) not in compliance with all standards imposed by any Governmental Authority having regulatory authority over such Inventory, its use or sale, or (vi) are bill and hold goods;

 

(e)            Inventory that is not subject to a perfected first-priority security interest in favor of the Collateral Agent;

 

(f)             Inventory that consists of samples, labels, bags, packaging, and other similar non-merchandise categories;

 

(g)            Inventory that is not insured in compliance with the provisions of Section 5.10 hereof;

 

(h)            Inventory that has been sold but not yet delivered or as to which a Loan Party has accepted a deposit;

 

(j)             Inventory that is subject to any licensing, patent, royalty, trademark, trade name or copyright agreement with any third party from which any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of a dispute in respect of any such agreement; or

 

(k)            Inventory acquired in a Permitted Acquisition, unless and until the Collateral Agent has completed or received (A) an appraisal of such Inventory from appraisers satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, establishes Inventory Reserves (if applicable) therefor, and otherwise agrees that such Inventory shall be deemed Eligible Inventory, and (B) such other due diligence as the Agents may require, all of the results of the foregoing to be reasonably satisfactory to the Agents.

 

Eligible Trade Receivables ” means Accounts arising from the sale of the Loan Parties’ Inventory (other than those consisting of Credit Card Receivables) that satisfies the following criteria at the time of creation and continues to meet the same at the time of such determination: such Account (i) has been earned by performance and represents the bona fide amounts due to a Loan Party from an account debtor, and in each case originated in the ordinary course of business of such Loan Party, and (ii) in each case is acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its discretion, and is not ineligible for inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to any of clauses (a)  through (t)  below.  Without limiting the foregoing, to qualify as an Eligible Trade Receivable, an Account shall indicate no Person other than a Loan Party as payee or remittance party.  In determining the amount to be so included, the face amount of an Account shall be reduced by, without duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges or other allowances (including any amount that a Loan Party may be obligated to rebate to a customer pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Account but not yet applied by the Loan Parties to reduce the amount of such Eligible Trade Receivable.  Any Accounts meeting the foregoing criteria shall be deemed Eligible Trade Receivables but only as long as such Account is not included within any of the following categories, in which case such Account shall not constitute an Eligible Trade Receivable:

 

(a)            Accounts that are not evidenced by an invoice;

 

(b)            Accounts that have been outstanding for more than sixty (60) days from the date of sale or more than thirty (3) days past the due date;

 

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(c)            Accounts due from any account debtor which is obligated on any accounts described in clause (b) , above.

 

(d)            Accounts with respect to which a Loan Party does not have good, valid and marketable title thereto, free and clear of any Lien (other than Liens granted to the Collateral Agent pursuant to the Security Documents);

 

(e)            Accounts which are disputed or with respect to which a claim, counterclaim, offset or chargeback has been asserted, but only to the extent of such dispute, counterclaim, offset or chargeback;

 

(f)             Accounts which arise out of any sale made not in the ordinary course of business, made on a basis other than upon credit terms usual to the business of a Loan Party or are not payable in Dollars;

 

(g)            Accounts which are owed by any account debtor whose principal place of business is not within the continental United States;

 

(h)            Accounts which are owed by any Affiliate or any employee of a Loan Party;

 

(i)             Accounts for which all consents, approvals or authorizations of, or registrations or declarations with any Governmental Authority required to be obtained, effected or given in connection with the performance of such Account by the account debtor or in connection with the enforcement of such Account by the Agents have been duly obtained, effected or given and are in full force and effect;

 

(j)             Accounts due from an account debtor which is the subject of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, has had a trustee or receiver appointed for all or a substantial part of its property, has made an assignment for the benefit of creditors or has suspended its business;

 

(k)            Accounts due from any Governmental Authority except to the extent that the subject account debtor is the federal government of the United States of America and has complied with the Federal Assignment of Claims Act of 1940 and any similar state legislation;

 

(l)             Accounts (i) owing from any Person that is also a supplier to or creditor of a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) representing any manufacturer’s or supplier’s credits, discounts, incentive plans or similar arrangements entitling a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries to discounts on future purchase therefrom;

 

(m)           Accounts arising out of sales on a bill-and-hold, guaranteed sale, sale-or-return, sale on approval or consignment basis or subject to any right of return, setoff or charge back;

 

(n)            Accounts arising out of sales to account debtors outside the United States;

 

(o)            Accounts payable other than in Dollars or that are otherwise on terms other than those normal and customary in the Loan Parties’ business;

 

(p)            Accounts evidenced by a promissory note or other instrument;

 

(q)            Accounts consisting of amounts due from vendors as rebates or allowances;

 

(r)             Accounts which are in excess of the credit limit for such account debtor established by a Loan Party in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practices;

 

(s)            Accounts which include extended payment terms (datings) beyond those generally furnished to other account debtors in the ordinary course of business; or

 

(t)             Accounts which the Administrative Agent determines in its discretion to be unacceptable for borrowing.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall any Account constitute Eligible Trade Receivables unless and until the Administrative Agent has (i) received a satisfactory field exam detailing all Accounts in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, and (ii) completed its due-diligence with respect to the Loan Parties’ Eligible Trade Receivables, to the satisfaction of the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.

 

Environmental Laws ” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

 

Environmental Liability ” means any liability, obligation, damage, loss, claim, action, suit, judgment, order, fine, penalty, fee, expense, or cost, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment, disposal or presence of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

Equipment ” has the meaning provided in the UCC.

 

Equity Interests ” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on the date of determination.

 

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Lead Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

 

ERISA Event ” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Lead Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Lead Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any

 

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liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Lead Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

 

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 .  An Event of Default shall be deemed to be continuing unless and until that Event of Default has been duly waived as provided in Section 10.03 hereof.

 

Excess Availability ” means, as of any date of determination thereof by the Administrative Agent, the result, if a positive number, of (i) the Borrowing Base at such time, minus (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Credit Extensions to, or for the account of, the Borrowers.

 

Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrowers hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which any Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Lead Borrower under Section 10.13 ), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.01(e) , except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrowers with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a) .

 

Executive Order ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.18 .

 

Existing Credit Agreement ” means that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 13, 2007, between the Parent and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as amended from time to time.

 

Existing Letters of Credit ” means, collectively, each of the letters of credit issued under the Existing Credit Agreement and outstanding on the Closing Date, as listed on Schedule 2.03 .

 

Extraordinary Receipt ” means any cash received by or paid to or for the account of any Person not in the ordinary course of business, including tax refunds, pension plan reversions, proceeds of insurance (other than proceeds of business interruption insurance to the extent such proceeds constitute compensation for lost earnings), condemnation awards (and payments in lieu thereof), indemnity payments and any purchase price adjustments.

 

Facility Guaranty ” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Agents and the Lenders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

Family Group ” means, with respect to any Person (i) such Person’s spouse, children, grandchildren, heirs, lineal descendants, executors and administrators, and (ii) any trust, family partnership or similar investment entity of which any of the foregoing Persons are trustee(s), managing member(s), managing partner(s) or similar officer(s) and/or that is for the benefit of any of the foregoing Persons as long as one or more of such Persons has the exclusive or joint right to control the voting and disposition of securities held by such trust, family partnership or similar investment entity.

 

Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System

 

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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 (a) 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 (b) 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 (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Wells Fargo Bank on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

Fee Letter ” means the letter agreement, dated the Closing Date, among the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent.

 

Fiscal Month ” means any fiscal month of any Fiscal Year, which months generally end on the last Saturday of each calendar month in accordance with the fiscal accounting calendar of the Loan Parties.

 

Fiscal Quarter ” means any fiscal quarter of any Fiscal Year, which quarters generally end on the last Saturday of each January, April, July and October of such Fiscal Year in accordance with the fiscal accounting calendar of the Loan Parties.

 

Fiscal Year ” means the fiscal year of the Lead Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on the Saturday closest to each January 31 st  of any calendar year.

 

Fixed Charge Coverage ” shall mean the ratio of (a) the sum of EBITDA, to (b) the sum of (without duplication) (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) the sum of the scheduled current maturities (determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP) of Total Funded Debt during the period in question, and (iii) all amount payable with respect to Capital Lease Obligations for the period in question.

 

Foreign Asset Control Regulations ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.18 .

 

Foreign Lender ” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Lead Borrower is resident for tax purposes.  For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

Fronting Fee ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.03(j) .

 

FRB ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

 

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

Gift Cards ” means all merchandise credits, gift certificates and gift cards of the Borrowers entitling the holder thereof to use all or a portion of the credit, certificate or gift card to pay all or a portion of the purchase price for any Inventory.

 

Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to

 

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government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

Guarantee ” means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment of such Indebtedness or obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien), or (c) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of credit guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation.  The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.  The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

Guarantor ” means, collectively, the Persons listed on Schedule 1.02 hereto, and each other Person who shall from time to time execute and deliver a Joinder Agreement as a Guarantor or such other document as may be required in accordance with Section 6.12 .

 

Hazardous Materials ” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

Honor Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i) .

 

Immaterial Subsidiary ” means, on any date of determination, a Loan Party (other than a Borrower) or a Subsidiary of a Loan Party (other than a Loan Party), which neither owns nor has any interest in any assets or other property that is included in the Borrowing Base, and which (a) owns or has any interest in any assets or other property with an aggregate book value (as reflected on the financial statements of such Person) of less than $100,000 on such date, and (b) has annual revenue of less than $100,000 on such date.

 

Indebtedness ” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)            all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

 

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(b)            the maximum amount of all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

 

(c)            net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract;

 

(d)            all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and, in each case, not past due for more than 60 days after the date on which such trade account payable was created);

 

(e)            indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)             All Attributable Indebtedness of such Person;

 

(g)            all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

 

(h)            all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date.

 

Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Indemnitees ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b) .

 

Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07 .

 

Intellectual Property ” means all present and future: trade secrets, know-how and other proprietary information; trademarks, trademark applications, internet domain names, service marks, trade dress, trade names, business names, designs, logos, slogans (and all translations, adaptations, derivations and combinations of the foregoing) indicia and other source and/or business identifiers, and all registrations or applications for registrations which have heretofore been or may hereafter be issued thereon throughout the world; copyrights and copyright applications; (including copyrights for computer programs) and all tangible and intangible property embodying the copyrights, unpatented inventions (whether or not patentable); patents and patent applications; industrial design applications and registered industrial designs; license agreements related to any of the foregoing and income therefrom; books, records, writings, computer tapes or disks, flow diagrams, specification sheets, computer software, source codes, object codes, executable code, data, databases and other physical manifestations, embodiments or incorporations of any of the foregoing; all other intellectual property; and all common law and other rights throughout the world in and to all of the foregoing.

 

Intellectual Property Security Agreement ” means the Intellectual Property Security Agreement dated as of the Closing Date among the Loan Parties and the Collateral Agent, granting a Lien in the Intellectual Property and certain other assets of the Loan Parties, as amended and in effect from time to time.

 

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Interest Expense ” shall mean, for any period, the sum, for the Loan Parties (determined on a Consolidated basis without duplication in accordance with GAAP), of the following: (a) all interest, fees, charges and related expenses payable during such period to any Person in connection with Indebtedness or the deferred purchase price of assets that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, (b) the Synthetic Lease Interest component for such period, and (c) the net amounts payable (or minus the net amounts receivable) under any Swap Contract accrued during such period (whether or not actually paid or received during such period).

 

Interest Payment Date ” means (a) as to each Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan, the first calendar day of each month and the Maturity Date, and (b) as to each LIBO Rate Loan, the first calendar day of each month, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such LIBO Rate Loan, and the Maturity Date.

 

Interest Period ” means, as to each LIBO Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such LIBO Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a LIBO Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two or three months thereafter, as selected by the Lead Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; provided that:

 

(i)             any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such 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 that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(iii)           no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date; and

 

(iv)           notwithstanding the provisions of clause (iii)  no Interest Period shall have a duration of less than one (1) month, and if any Interest Period applicable to a LIBO Borrowing would be for a shorter period, such Interest Period shall not be available hereunder.

 

For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

Internal Control Event ” means a material weakness in, or fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in, the Parent’s and/or its Subsidiaries’ internal controls over financial reporting as described in the Securities Laws and/or the collateral reporting obligations hereunder.

 

Inventory ” has the meaning given that term in the UCC, and shall also include, without limitation, all: (a) goods which (i) are leased by a Person as lessor, (ii) are held by a Person for sale or lease or to be furnished under a contract of service, (iii) are furnished by a Person under a contract of service, or (iv) consist of raw materials, work in process, or materials used or consumed in a business; (b) goods of said description in transit; (c) goods of said description which are returned, repossessed or rejected; and (d) packaging, advertising, and shipping materials related to any of the foregoing.

 

Inventory Advance Rate ” means 75%.

 

Inventory Reserves ” means such reserves as may be established from time to time by the Administrative Agent in the Administrative Agent’s discretion with respect to the determination

 

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of the saleability, at retail, of the Eligible Inventory or which reflect such other factors as affect the market value of the Eligible Inventory. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Inventory Reserves may, in the Administrative Agent’s discretion, include (but are not limited to) reserves based on:

 

(a)            obsolescence;

 

(b)            seasonality;

 

(c)            Shrink;

 

(d)            imbalance;

 

(e)            change in Inventory character;

 

(f)             change in Inventory composition;

 

(g)            change in Inventory mix;

 

(h)            mark-downs (both permanent and point of sale);

 

(i)             retail mark-ons and mark-ups inconsistent with prior period practice and performance, industry standards, current business plans or advertising calendar and planned advertising events; and

 

(j)             out-of-date and/or expired Inventory.

 

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or interest in, another Person, or (c) any Acquisition, or (d) any other investment of money or capital in order to obtain a profitable return.  For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

 

IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

ISP ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

Issuer Documents ” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and any Borrower (or any Subsidiary thereof) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to any such Letter of Credit.

 

Joinder Agreement ” means an agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I pursuant to which, among other things, a Person becomes a party to, and bound by the terms of, this Agreement and/or the other Loan Documents in the same capacity and to the same extent as either a Borrower or a Guarantor, as the Administrative Agent may determine.

 

Landlord Lien State ” means such state(s) in which a landlord’s claim for rent may have priority over the lien of the Collateral Agent in any of the Collateral. As of the Closing Date, such states will be limited to Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington.

 

Laws ” means each international, foreign, Federal, state and local statute, treaty, rule, guideline, regulation, ordinance, code and administrative or judicial precedent or authority, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and each applicable administrative order, directed duty, request, license, authorization and permit of, and agreement with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

 

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L/C Advance ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

L/C Borrowing ” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.

 

L/C Credit Extension ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

 

L/C Issuer ” means (a) Wells Fargo Bank in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit (including Existing Letters of Credit) hereunder (which successor may only be a Lender selected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion that is reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Borrower), and (b) any other Lender selected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion that is reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Borrower.  The L/C Issuer may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of the L/C Issuer that is reasonably satisfactory to the Lead Borrower, in which case the term “L/C Issuer” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

L/C Obligations ” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate undrawn amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings.  For purposes of computing the amounts available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 .  For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

Lease ” means any agreement, whether written or oral, no matter how styled or structured, pursuant to which a Loan Party is entitled to the use or occupancy of any real property for any period of time.

 

Lender ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes the Swing Line Lender, and collectively means all of them.

 

Lending Office ” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Lead Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

Letter of Credit ” means each Standby Letter of Credit and each Commercial Letter of Credit issued in accordance herewith and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit. Without limiting the foregoing, all Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued hereunder and shall for all purposes be deemed to be “Letters of Credit” hereunder.

 

Letter of Credit Application ” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

 

Letter of Credit Expiration Date ” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

Letter of Credit Fee ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(i) .

 

Letter of Credit Sublimit ” means an amount equal to $70,000,000.  The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.  A permanent reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall require a corresponding pro rata reduction in the Letter of Credit Sublimit to an amount equal to (or, at Lead Borrower’s option, less than) the Aggregate Commitments.

 

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LIBO Borrowing ” means a Borrowing comprised of LIBO Rate Loans.

 

LIBO Rate ” means for any Interest Period with respect to a LIBO Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“ BBA LIBOR ”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period.  If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the LIBO Rate Loan being made, continued or converted by Wells Fargo Bank and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered to Wells Fargo Bank by major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market in which Wells Fargo Bank participates at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

 

LIBO Rate Loan ” means a Committed Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

Lien ” means (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale, Capital Lease Obligation, Synthetic Lease Obligation or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) and (b) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities; provided , however , “Lien” shall not include (i) any Loan Party’s obligation to repurchase or exchange any Inventory sold in the ordinary course of business in accordance with such Loan Party’s prevailing return and exchange policies, or (ii) any reserves retained by a Loan Party’s credit card issuer or credit card processor in its ordinary course of business.

 

Liquidation ” means the exercise by the Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent of those rights and remedies accorded to such Agents under the Loan Documents and applicable Law as a creditor of the Loan Parties with respect to the realization on the Collateral, including (after the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default) the conduct by the Loan Parties acting with the consent of the Administrative Agent, of any public, private or “going-out-of-business”, “store closing” or other similar sale or any other disposition of the Collateral for the purpose of liquidating the Collateral.  Derivations of the word “Liquidation” (such as “Liquidate”) are used with like meaning in this Agreement.

 

Loan ” means an extension of credit by a Lender to any Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

 

Loan Account ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.11(a) .

 

Loan Cap ” means, at any time of determination, the lesser of (a) the Aggregate Commitments at such time, or (b) the Borrowing Base at such time.

 

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, the Fee Letter, all Borrowing Base Certificates, the Blocked Account Agreements, the DDA Notifications, the Credit Card Notifications, the Security Documents, the Facility Guaranty and any other instrument or agreement now or hereafter executed and delivered in connection herewith, or in

 

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connection with any transaction arising out of any Cash Management Services and Bank Products provided by the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates, each as amended and in effect from time to time.

 

Loan Parties ” means, collectively, the Borrowers and the Guarantors.

 

Material Adverse Effect ” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of (i) the Borrowers taken as a whole, or (ii) the Loan Parties taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of (i) the Borrowers taken as a whole, or (ii) the Loan Parties taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under any Loan Document; (c) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of, or benefit to, the Agent or the Lenders under any Loan Document or a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (d) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the Collateral.  In determining whether any individual event would result in a Material Adverse Effect, notwithstanding that such event in and of itself does not have such effect, a Material Adverse Effect shall be deemed to have occurred if the cumulative effect of such event and all other then existing events occurring on or after the Closing Date would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Material Contract ” means, with respect to any Person, each agreement to which such Person is a party, the termination or breach of which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Material Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness (other than the Obligations) of the Loan Parties in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $2,500,000.  For purposes of determining the amount of Material Indebtedness at any time, the amount of the obligations in respect of any Swap Contract at such time shall be calculated at the Swap Termination Value thereof.

 

Maturity Date ” means February 13, 2012.

 

Maximum Rate ” has the meaning provided therefor in Section 10.09 .

 

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Multiemployer Plan ” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

Net Income ” shall mean with respect to any fiscal period, the net income of the Loan Parties determined in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied.

 

Net Proceeds ” means (a) with respect to any Disposition by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Extraordinary Receipt received or paid to the account of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and cash equivalents received in connection with such transaction (including any cash or cash equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount of any Indebtedness that is secured by the applicable asset by a Lien permitted hereunder which is senior to the Collateral Agent’s Lien on such asset and that is required to be repaid (or to establish an escrow for the future repayment thereof) in connection with such transaction (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents), (B) the reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection with such transaction (including, without limitation, appraisals, and brokerage, legal, title and recording or transfer tax expenses and commissions) paid by any Loan Party to third parties (other than Affiliates)); and

 

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(b)           with respect to the sale or issuance of any Equity Interest by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, the excess of (i) the sum of the cash and cash equivalents received in connection with such transaction over (ii) the underwriting discounts and commissions, and other reasonable and customary out-of-pocket expenses, incurred by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary in connection therewith.

 

Non-Consenting Lender ” has the meaning provided therefor in Section 10.01 .

 

Non-Extension Notice Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(iii) .

 

Note ” means (a) each Committed Loan Note, and (b) the Swing Line Loan Note, as each may be amended, supplemented or modified from time to time.

 

NPL ” means the National Priorities List under CERCLA.

 

Obligations ” means (a) all advances to, and debts (including principal, interest, fees, costs, and expenses), liabilities, obligations, covenants, indemnities, and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit (including payments in respect of reimbursement of disbursements, interest thereon and obligations to provide cash collateral therefor), whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest, fees and expenses that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding, and (b) any Other Liabilities.

 

Operating Leases ” shall mean any lease of property (whether real, personal or mixed) for a period of longer than one year by a Person under which such Person is lessee, other than a Capital Lease.

 

Organization Documents ” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity, and (d) in each case, all shareholder or other equity holder agreements, voting trusts and similar arrangements to which such Person is a party or which is applicable to its Equity Interests and all other arrangements relating to the Control or management of such Person.

 

Other Liabilities ” means any obligation on account of (a) any Cash Management Services furnished to any of the Loan Parties or any of their Subsidiaries and/or (b) any transaction with any Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates, which arises out of any Bank Products entered into with any Loan Party and any such Person, as each may be amended from time to time

 

Other Taxes ” means all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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Outstanding Amount ” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrowers of Unreimbursed Amounts.

 

Overadvance ” means a Credit Extension to the extent that, immediately after its having been made, Availability is less than zero.

 

Parent ” means Coldwater Creek Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

Participant ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d) .

 

Payment Conditions ” means, at the time of determination with respect to any specified transaction or payment, that (a) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result of entering into such transaction or the making such payment, and (b) after giving effect to such transaction or payment, the Pro Forma Availability Condition has been satisfied.  Prior to undertaking any transaction or payment which is subject to the Payment Conditions, the Loan Parties shall deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence of satisfaction of the conditions contained in clause (b)  above on a basis and on assumptions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

PCAOB ” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

Pension Plan ” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

 

Permitted Acquisition ” means an Acquisition in which all of the following conditions are satisfied:

 

(a)           No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or, immediately following such Acquisition or after taking into account the pro forma financials, would result from the consummation of such Acquisition;

 

(b)           Such Acquisition shall have been approved by the Board of Directors of the Person (or similar governing body if such Person is not a corporation) which is the subject of such Acquisition and such Person shall not have announced that it will oppose such Acquisition or shall not have commenced any action which alleges that such Acquisition shall violate applicable Law;

 

(c)           The Lead Borrower shall have furnished the Administrative Agent with thirty (30) days’ prior written notice of such intended Acquisition and shall have furnished the Administrative Agent with a current draft of the agreements, certificates and other documents delivered or to be delivered in connection therewith (and final copies thereof as and when executed), a summary of any due diligence undertaken by the Loan Parties in connection with such Acquisition, appropriate financial statements of the Person which is the subject of such Acquisition, pro forma projected financial statements for the twelve (12) month period following such Acquisition after giving effect to such Acquisition

 

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(including balance sheets, cash flows and income statements by quarter for the acquired Person, individually, and on a Consolidated basis with all Loan Parties), and such other information as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require, all of which shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(d)           Either (i) the legal structure of the Acquisition shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, or (ii) the Loan Parties shall have provided the Administrative Agent with a solvency opinion from an unaffiliated third party valuation firm reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(e)           After giving effect to the Acquisition, if the Acquisition is an Acquisition of the Equity Interests, a Loan Party shall acquire and own, directly or indirectly, a majority of the Equity Interests in the Person being acquired and shall Control a majority of any voting interests or shall otherwise Control the governance of the Person being acquired;

 

(f)            If the assets acquired in such Acquisition are to be included in the Borrowing Base upon the consummation of such Acquisition, the Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the results of appraisals of the assets (or the assets of the Person) to be acquired in such Acquisition and of a commercial finance examination of the Person which is (or whose assets are) being acquired, and (ii) such other due diligence as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require, all of the results of the foregoing to be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(g)           Any assets acquired shall be utilized in, and if the Acquisition involves a merger, consolidation or stock acquisition, the Person which is the subject of such Acquisition shall be engaged in, a business otherwise permitted to be engaged in by a Borrower under this Agreement;

 

(h)           If the Person which is the subject of such Acquisition will be maintained as a Subsidiary of a Loan Party, or if the assets acquired in an acquisition will be transferred to a Subsidiary which is not then a Loan Party, such Subsidiary shall have been joined as a “Borrower” hereunder or as a Facility Guarantor, as the Administrative Agent shall determine, and the Collateral Agent shall have received a first priority security interest in such Subsidiary’s Equity Interests, Inventory, Accounts and other property of the same nature as constitutes collateral under the Security Documents;

 

(i)            Either (A) the consideration paid for (i) any one such Acquisition (whether in cash, tangible property, notes or other property, other than Equity Interests) after the Closing Date shall not exceed the sum of $10,000,000, and (ii) all such Acquisitions (whether in cash, tangible property, notes or other property, other than Equity Interests) after the Closing Date shall not exceed, in the aggregate, the sum of $25,000,000, or (B) the consideration for any such Acquisition is paid in Equity Interests issued by the Parent or with the Net Proceeds from a sale or issuance by the Parent of the Equity Interests of Parent, provided , that , such Net Proceeds are applied for the consummation of such Acquisition within ninety (90) days of the receipt thereof; and

 

(j)            The Loan Parties shall have satisfied the Payment Conditions.

 

Permitted Discretion ” means the Administrative Agent’s good faith credit judgment based upon any factor or circumstance which it reasonably believes in good faith: (i) will or could reasonably be expected to adversely affect the value of the Collateral, the enforceability or priority of the Collateral Agent’s Liens thereon in favor of the Credit Parties or the amount which the Collateral Agent and the Credit Parties would likely receive (after giving consideration to delays in payment and costs of enforcement) in the liquidation of such Collateral; (ii) suggests

 

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that any collateral report or financial information delivered to the Administrative Agent by or on behalf of the Loan Parties is incomplete, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect; (iii) could reasonably be expected to materially increase the likelihood of a bankruptcy, reorganization or other insolvency proceeding involving any Loan Party; or (iv) creates or reasonably could be expected to create a Default or Event of Default.  In exercising such judgment, the Administrative Agent may consider, without limitation, such factors or circumstances already addressed in or tested by the definition of Eligible Inventory, Eligible Credit Card Receivables or Eligible Trade Receivables, as well as any of the following: (A) the financial and business climate and prospects of any Loan Party’s industry and general macroeconomic conditions; (B) changes in demand for and pricing of Inventory; (C) changes in any concentration of risk with respect to Inventory; (D) any other factors or circumstances that will or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (E) audits of books and records by third parties, history of chargebacks or other credit adjustments; and (F) any other factors that change or could reasonably be expected to change the credit risk of lending to the Borrowers on the security of the Collateral.

 

Permitted Disposition ” means any of the following:

 

(a)           bulk sales or other Dispositions of the Inventory of a Loan Party in the ordinary course of business, provided , that , at the time of any such bulk sales, and immediately after giving effect thereto, a Usage Event Period Event is not in effect, and the aggregate amount of all such bulk sales does not exceed $1,000,000 in any Fiscal Year;

 

(b)           bulk sales or other Dispositions of the Inventory of a Loan Party not in the ordinary course of business, made in connection with Store closings, at arm’s length, provided , that such Store closures and related Inventory Dispositions shall not exceed (i) in any Fiscal Year of the Parent and its Subsidiaries, five percent (5%) of the number of the Loan Parties’ Stores as of the beginning of such Fiscal Year (net of new Store openings) and (ii) in the aggregate from and after the Closing Date, ten percent (10%) of the number of the Loan Parties’ Stores in existence as of the Closing Date (net of new Store openings), provided , further , that all sales of Inventory in connection with Store closings shall be in accordance with liquidation agreements and with professional liquidators reasonably acceptable to the Agents; provided , further , that as long as a Cash Dominion Event shall have occurred and be continuing, all Net Proceeds received in connection therewith are applied to the Obligations in accordance with Section 2.05 hereof;

 

(c)           non-exclusive licenses of Intellectual Property of a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

(d)           licenses for the conduct of licensed departments within the Loan Parties’ Stores in the ordinary course of business; provided that, if requested by the Agents, the Agents shall have entered into an intercreditor agreement with the Person operating such licensed department on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Agents;

 

(e)           Dispositions of Equipment in the ordinary course of business that is substantially worn, damaged, obsolete or, in the judgment of a Loan Party, no longer useful or necessary in its business or that of any Subsidiary;

 

(f)            sales, transfers and Dispositions (i) among the Loan Parties, (ii) by any Subsidiary to a Loan Party or (iii) to the extent constituting a Permitted Investment, by any Loan Party to any Subsidiary;

 

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(g)           sales, transfers and Dispositions of or by any Subsidiary which is not a Loan Party to another Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party; and

 

(h)           as long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would arise therefrom, sales of Real Estate of any Loan Party (or sales of any Person or Persons created to hold such Real Estate or the equity interests in such Person or Persons), including sale-leaseback transactions involving any such Real Estate pursuant to leases on market terms, provided, that (A) such sale is made for fair market value, (B) as long as a Cash Dominion Event shall have occurred and be continuing, the Net Proceeds of any such sale are utilized to repay the Obligations, and (C) in the case of any sale-leaseback transaction permitted hereunder, the Collateral Agent shall have received from such each purchaser or transferee a Collateral Access Agreement on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Agents.

 

Permitted Encumbrances ” means:

 

(a)           Liens imposed by law for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 6.04 ;

 

(b)           carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by applicable Law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 6.04 ;

 

(c)           pledges and deposits made (i) in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA and (ii) in connection with an Acquisition or Permitted Disposition otherwise permitted hereunder, whether as an earnest money deposit or an escrow arrangement;

 

(d)           deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e)           Liens in respect of judgments that would not constitute an Event of Default hereunder;

 

(f)            easements, covenants, conditions, restrictions, building code laws, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of a Loan Party and such other minor title defects or survey matters that do not materially interfere with the current use of the real property;

 

(g)           Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) except as permitted pursuant to clause (a) of the definition of “Permitted Indebtedness,” the amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased, (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is otherwise permitted hereunder;

 

(h)           Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired by any Loan Party which are permitted under clause (c)  of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness so long as (i) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within ninety (90) days after such acquisition, (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of

 

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acquisition of such fixed or capital assets and (iii) such Liens shall not extend to any other property or assets of the Loan Parties;

 

(i)            Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent;

 

(j)            Landlords’ and lessors’ Liens in respect of rent not in default;

 

(k)           possessory Liens in favor of brokers and dealers arising in connection with the acquisition or disposition of Investments owned as of the date hereof and Permitted Investments, provided that such liens (a) attach only to such Investments and (b) secure only obligations incurred in the ordinary course and arising in connection with the acquisition or disposition of such Investments and not any obligation in connection with margin financing;

 

(l)            Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provisions relating to banker’s liens, liens in favor of securities intermediaries, rights of setoff or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or securities accounts or other funds maintained with depository institutions or securities intermediaries;

 

(m)          Liens arising from (i) precautionary UCC filings regarding “true” operating leases or, to the extent permitted under the Loan Documents, the consignment of goods to a Loan Party, or (ii) UCC filings which (x) have lapsed or (y) relate to obligations that have been indefeasibly repaid in full and for which no rights to obtain further extensions of credit or other financial accommodations remain outstanding;

 

(n)           voluntary Liens on property (other than property of the type included in the Borrowing Base) in existence at the time such property is acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition or on such property of a Subsidiary of a Loan Party in existence at the time such Subsidiary is acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition; provided , that such Liens are not incurred in connection with or in anticipation of such Permitted Acquisition and do not attach to any other assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary;

 

(o)           Liens in favor of customs and revenues authorities imposed by applicable Law arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the importation of goods and securing obligations (i) that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days, or (ii)(A) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (B) the applicable Loan Party or Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (C) such contest effectively suspends collection of the contested obligation and enforcement of any Lien securing such obligation;

 

(p)           Liens on cash collateral securing letters of credit which are permitted under clause (k)  of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness; and

 

(r)            Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired or held by any Loan Party relating to a financing permitted under clause (f)  of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness so long as such Liens shall not extend to any other property or assets of the Loan Parties.

 

provided , however ,  that, except as provided in any one or more of clauses (a)  through (r)  above, the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.

 

Permitted Holder ” means any one of the following: (i) Dennis Pence and (ii) Ann Pence, and any member of the Family Group of each such Person.

 

Permitted Indebtedness ” means each of the following as long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise from the incurrence thereof:

 

(a)           Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.03 and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or

 

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extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder, and the direct or contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed as a result of or in connection with such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension, (ii) the result of such extension, renewal or replacement shall not be an earlier maturity date or decreased weighted average life of such Indebtedness, and (iii) the terms relating to principal amount, amortization, maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are no less favorable in any material respect to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended;

 

(b)           Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any other Loan Party; provided that such Indebtedness shall (i) be evidenced by such documentation as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require, (ii) constitute “Collateral” under this Agreement and the Security Documents, (iii) be on terms (including subordination terms) reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, and (iv) be otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 7.03 ;

 

(c)           without duplication of Indebtedness described in clause (f)  of this definition, purchase money Indebtedness of any Loan Party to finance the acquisition of any fixed or capital assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations, and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof or result in an earlier maturity date or decreased weighted average life thereof provided that the terms relating to principal amount, amortization, maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are no less favorable in any material respect to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and the interest rate applicable to any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate, provided , however , that, in addition to the Capital Lease Obligations outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.03 , the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness permitted by this clause (c)  shall not exceed (i) $5,000,000 in any any Fiscal Year, or (ii) $15,000,000 at any time on or after the Closing Date, and provided , further , that, if requested by the Collateral Agent, the Loan Parties shall cause the holders of any such Indebtedness to enter into a Collateral Access Agreement on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent;

 

(d)           obligations (contingent or otherwise) of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates or foreign exchange rates, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” provided that the

 

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aggregate Swap Termination Value thereof shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(e)           contingent liabilities under surety bonds or similar instruments incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f)            Indebtedness (i) incurred for the construction or acquisition or improvement of, or to finance or to refinance, any Real Estate owned by any Loan Party (including therein any Indebtedness incurred in connection with sale-leaseback transactions permitted hereunder), provided that , (A) as long as a Cash Dominion Event shall have occurred and be continuing, all Net Proceeds received in connection with any such Indebtedness are applied to the Obligations, and (B) the Collateral Agent shall have received from the holders of such Indebtedness a Collateral Access Agreement on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Collateral Agent, or (ii) constituting Capital Lease Obligations relating to Real Estate that is subject to a sale-leaseback transaction permitted pursuant to clause (h)  of the definition of Permitted Disposition;

 

(g)           Indebtedness with respect to the deferred purchase price for any Permitted Acquisition, provided , that such Indebtedness does not require the payment in cash of principal (other than in respect of working capital adjustments) prior to the Maturity Date, has a maturity which extends beyond the Maturity Date, and is subordinated to the Obligations on terms reasonably acceptable to the Agents;

 

(h)           Indebtedness of (i) any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of a Loan Party in a Permitted Acquisition, which Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of a Loan Party (other than Indebtedness incurred solely in contemplation of such Person’s becoming a Subsidiary of a Loan Party) or (ii) any Subsidiary to the extent that such Indebtedness constitutes a Permitted Investment pursuant to clause (g)(iv)  of the definition thereof;

 

(i)            the Obligations;

 

(j)            Subordinated Indebtedness;

 

(k)           (i) unsecured Indebtedness, not otherwise permitted under subsections (a)  through (j)  above, or (ii) Indebtedness relating to cash collateralized Letters of Credit, provided , that , the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness specified in clauses (i)  and (ii)  hereto shall collectively not exceed $1,000,000 at any one time outstanding;

 

(l)            Guarantees of any Loan Party or other Subsidiary in respect of obligations of another Loan Party that are otherwise permitted to be incurred under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; and

 

(m)          all Indebtedness referred to in clause (g)  to the definition of Indebtedness, other than any such Indebtedness which constitutes Disqualified Stock.

 

Permitted Investments ” means each of the following as long as no Default or Event of Default exists or would arise from the making of such Investment:

 

(a)           readily marketable obligations issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than 360 days from the date of acquisition thereof; provided that the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in support thereof;

 

(b)           commercial paper issued by any Person organized under the laws of any state of the United States of America and rated at least “Prime-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by Moody’s or at least “A-1” (or the then equivalent grade) by S&P, in each case with maturities of not more than 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

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(c)           time deposits with, or insured certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances of, any commercial bank that (i) (A) is a Lender or (B) is organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or is the principal banking subsidiary of a bank holding company organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and is a member of the Federal Reserve System, (ii) issues (or the parent of which issues) commercial paper rated as described in clause (c)  of this definition and (iii) has combined capital and surplus of at least $1,000,000,000, in each case with maturities of not more than 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(d)           fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than thirty (30) days for securities described in clause (a)  above (without regard to the limitation on maturity contained in such clause) and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c)  above or with any primary dealer and having a market value at the time that such repurchase agreement is entered into of not less than 100% of the repurchase obligation of such counterparty entity with whom such repurchase agreement has been entered into;

 

(e)           Investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets of the Loan Parties, in any money market fund, mutual fund, or other investment companies that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, which are administered by financial institutions that have the highest rating obtainable from either Moody’s or S&P, and which invest solely in one or more of the types of securities described in clauses (a)  through (d)  above;

 

(f)            Investments existing on the Closing Date, and set forth on Schedule 7.02 , but not any increase in the amount thereof or any other modification of the terms thereof;

 

(g)           (i) Investments by any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in their respective Subsidiaries outstanding on the date hereof, (ii) additional Investments by any Loan Party and its Subsidiaries in Loan Parties, (iii) additional Investments by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in another Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, and (iv) additional investments by any Loan Party in a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party so long as, in the case of this clause (iv) , the proceeds of any such Investment is used by each such Subsidiary to pay for its operating expenses incurred in the ordinary course of its business, and the aggregate amount of such Investments following the Closing Date (y) in all such Subsidiaries (other than Coldwater HK), does not exceed $100,000 per Fiscal Year, and (z) in Coldwater HK, does not exceed $3,000,000 per Fiscal Year;

 

(h)           Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;

 

(i)            Guarantees constituting Permitted Indebtedness;

 

(j)            Investments by any Loan Party in Swap Contracts permitted hereunder;

 

(k)           Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(l)            advances to officers, directors and employees of the Loan Parties and Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business in an amount not to exceed $300,000 to any individual

 

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at any time or in an aggregate amount not to exceed $300,000 at any time outstanding, for travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes;

 

(m)          Investments constituting Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(n)           Capital contributions made by any Loan Party to another Loan Party;

 

(o)           to the extent constituting an Investment, all Capital Expenditures permitted hereunder.

 

provided , however , that notwithstanding the foregoing, after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Cash Dominion Event, no such Investments specified in clauses (a)  through (e)  shall be permitted unless (i) either (A) no Loans are then outstanding, or (B) the Investment is a temporary Investment pending expiration of an Interest Period for a LIBO Rate Loan, the proceeds of which Investment will be applied to the Obligations after the expiration of such Interest Period, and (ii) such Investments are pledged to the Collateral Agent as additional Collateral for the Obligations pursuant to such agreements as may be reasonably required by the Collateral Agent.

 

Permitted Overadvance ” means an Overadvance made by the Administrative Agent, in its discretion, which:

 

(a)           Is made to maintain, protect or preserve the Collateral and/or the Credit Parties’ rights under the Loan Documents or which is otherwise for the benefit of the Credit Parties; or

 

(b)           Is made to enhance the likelihood of, or to maximize the amount of, repayment of any Obligation;

 

(c)           Is made to pay any other amount chargeable to any Loan Party hereunder; and

 

(d)           Together with all other Permitted Overadvances then outstanding, shall not (i) exceed ten percent (10%) of the Loan Cap at any time or (ii) unless a Liquidation is occurring, remain outstanding for more than forty-five (45) consecutive Business Days, unless in each case, the Required Lenders otherwise agree.

 

provided , however , that the foregoing shall not (i) modify or abrogate any of the provisions of Section 2.03 regarding the Lender’s obligations with respect to Letters of Credit, or (ii) result in any claim or liability against the Administrative Agent (regardless of the amount of any Overadvance) for “inadvertent Overadvances” (i.e. where an Overadvance results from changed circumstances beyond the control of the Administrative Agent (such as a reduction in the collateral value)), and such “inadvertent Overadvances” shall not reduce the amount of Permitted Overadvances allowed hereunder, and provided further that in no event shall the Administrative Agent make an Overadvance, if after giving effect thereto, the principal amount of the Credit Extensions would exceed the Aggregate Commitments (as in effect prior to any termination of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof).

 

Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, limited partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

Plan ” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by a Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

 

Pledge Agreement ” means, collectively, the Pledge Agreements dated as of the Closing Date among the Loan Parties party thereto and the Collateral Agent, as amended and in effect from time to time.

 

Prepayment Event ” means:

 

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(a)           any Disposition (including, without limitation, pursuant to any sale-leaseback transaction) of any property or asset of a Loan Party;

 

(b) any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of a Loan Party, unless (i) the proceeds therefrom are required to be paid to the holder of a Lien on such property or asset having priority over the Lien of the Collateral Agent or (ii) prior to the occurrence of a Cash Dominion Event, the proceeds therefrom are utilized in accordance with Section 6.21;

 

(c)           the issuance by a Loan Party of any Equity Interests, other than any such issuance of Equity Interests (i) to a Loan Party, (ii) as consideration for a Permitted Acquisition or (iii) as a compensatory issuance to any employee, director, or consultant (including under any option plan);

 

(d)           the incurrence by a Loan Party of any Indebtedness for borrowed money other than Permitted Indebtedness; or

 

(e)           the receipt by any Loan Party of any Extraordinary Receipts.

 

Pro Forma Availability Condition ” shall mean, for any date of calculation with respect to any transaction or payment, the Pro Forma Availability following, and after giving effect to, such transaction or payment, will be equal to or greater than thirty percent (30%) of the Loan Cap.

 

Pro Forma Availability ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, the projected average Availability (exclusive of any projected Short-Term Borrowings) for each Fiscal Month during any projected twelve (12) Fiscal Months.

 

Real Estate ” means all Leases and all land, together with the buildings, structures, parking areas, and other improvements thereon, now or hereafter owned by any Loan Party, including all easements, rights-of-way, and similar rights relating thereto and all leases, tenancies, and occupancies thereof.

 

Receivables Reserves ” means such Reserves as may be established from time to time by the Administrative Agent in the Administrative Agent’s discretion with respect to the determination of the collectability in the ordinary course of Eligible Trade Receivables.

 

Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c) .

 

Registered Public Accounting Firm ” has the meaning specified by the Securities Laws and shall be independent of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as prescribed by the Securities Laws.

 

Related Parties ” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors, attorneys and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Reportable Event ” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

 

Reports ” has the meaning provided in Section 9.11 .

 

Request for Credit Extension ” means (a) with respect to a Committed Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

 

Required Lenders ” means, as of any date of determination, at least two Lenders holding more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 , at least two Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded

 

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participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

 

Reserves ” means all (if any) Inventory Reserves, Availability Reserves and Receivables Reserves.

 

Responsible Officer ” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer of a Loan Party or any of the other individuals designated in writing to the Administrative Agent by an existing Responsible Officer of a Loan Party as an authorized signatory of any certificate or other document to be delivered hereunder.  Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

 

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of any Person or any of its Subsidiaries, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to such Person’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent of any thereof), or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such dividend or other distribution or payment.  Without limiting the foregoing, “Restricted Payments” with respect to any Person shall also include all payments made by such Person with any proceeds of a dissolution or liquidation of such Person.

 

Restricted Payment Conditions ” means, at the time of determination with respect to any specified transaction or payment, that (a) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result of entering into such transaction or making such payment, (b) after giving effect to such transaction or payment, the Restricted Pro Forma Availability Condition has been satisfied, and (c) on the date of such transaction or payment, the amount of Total Outstandings (other than the undrawn amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit and Short-Term Borrowings) shall be zero.

 

Restricted Preferred Equity Dividend Conditions ” means, at the time of determination with respect to any specified dividend payment in respect of preferred equity, that (a) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise as a result of making such payment, and (b) after giving effect to such payment, the Restricted Preferred Equity Dividend Pro Forma Liquidity Amount is not less than $25,000,000

 

Restricted Preferred Equity Dividend Pro Forma Liquidity Amount ” shall mean, for any date on which any dividend payment in respect of preferred equity is paid, after giving effect to such payment, and projected for the 90 consecutive day period following the date of the proposed payment, the sum of (a) Availability plus (b) cash and cash equivalents of the type described in clauses (a) through (e) of the definition of Permitted Investments held by the Loan Parties.

 

Restricted Pro Forma Availability ” shall mean, for any date of calculation, the projected average Availability (exclusive of any projected Short-Term Borrowings) for the 90 consecutive day period following a proposed Restricted Payment, as reasonably projected by the Lead Borrower in good faith.

 

Restricted Pro Forma Availability Condition ” shall mean, for any date of calculation with respect to any transaction or payment, the Restricted Pro Forma Availability following, and after

 

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giving effect to, such transaction or payment, will be equal to or greater than fifty percent (50%) of the Loan Cap.

 

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Sarbanes-Oxley ” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

Securities Laws ” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Sarbanes-Oxley, and the applicable accounting and auditing principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated by the SEC or the PCAOB.

 

Security Agreement ” means the Security Agreement dated as of the Closing Date among the Loan Parties and the Collateral Agent.

 

Security Documents ” means the Security Agreement, the Pledge Agreement, the Intellectual Property Security Agreement, the Blocked Account Agreements, the DDA Notifications, the Credit Card Notifications, and each other security agreement or other instrument or document executed and delivered to the Collateral Agent pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document granting a Lien to secure any of the Obligations.

 

Settlement Date ” has the meaning provided in Section 2.14(a) .

 

Shareholders’ Equity ” means, as of any date of determination, consolidated shareholders’ equity of the Lead Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Short-Term Borrowings ” means any Loan, the proceeds of which are used to repay any interest, fees, costs, Credit Party Expenses or any Unreimbursed Amount incurred in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, which is fully repaid by the Borrower, in cash, within 15 days following notice of such Loan.

 

Shrink ” means Inventory which has been lost, misplaced, stolen, or is otherwise unaccounted for.

 

Solvent ” and “ Solvency ” means, with respect to any Person on a particular date, that on such date (a) at fair valuation, all of the properties and assets of such Person are greater than the sum of the debts, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair saleable value of the properties and assets of such Person is not less than the amount that would be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person is able to realize upon its properties and assets and pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the normal course of business, (d) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts beyond such Person’s ability to pay as such debts mature, and (e) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or transaction, for which such Person’s properties and assets would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practices in the industry in which such Person is engaged.  The amount of all guarantees at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at the time, can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

Standby Letter of Credit ” means any Letter of Credit that is not a Commercial Letter of Credit and that (a) is used in lieu or in support of performance guaranties or performance, surety or similar bonds (excluding appeal bonds) arising in the ordinary course of business, (b) is used in lieu or in support of stay or appeal bonds, (c) supports the payment of insurance premiums for

 

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reasonably necessary casualty insurance carried by any of the Loan Parties, or (d) supports payment or performance for identified purchases or exchanges of products or services in the ordinary course of business.

 

Stated Amount ” means at any time the maximum amount for which a Letter of Credit may be honored.

 

Statutory Reserve Rate ” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the FRB to which Wells Fargo Bank is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D.  LIBO Rate Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

 

Store ” means any retail store (which may include any real property, fixtures, Equipment, Inventory and other property related thereto) operated, or to be operated, by any Loan Party.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness which is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of the Obligations and which is in form and on terms approved in writing by the Administrative Agent.

 

Subsidiary ” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the Equity Interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of a Loan Party.

 

Swap Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

 

Swap Termination Value ” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and

 

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termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a) , the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

Swing Line ” means the revolving credit facility made available by the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04 .

 

Swing Line Borrowing ” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04 .

 

Swing Line Lender ” means Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC, its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

 

Swing Line Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a) .

 

Swing Line Loan Notice ” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

 

Swing Line Loan Note ” means the promissory note of the Borrowers substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2 , payable to the order of the Swing Line Lender, evidencing the Swing Line Loans made by the Swing Line Lender.

 

Swing Line Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000, and (b) the Aggregate Commitments.  The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

 

Synthetic Lease ” shall mean each arrangement, however described, under which the obligor accounts for its interest in the property covered thereby under GAAP as lessee of a lease which is not a Capital Lease and accounts for its interest in the property covered thereby for Federal income tax purposes to the owner.

 

Synthetic Lease Interest Component ” shall mean, with respect to any Person for any period, the portion of rent paid or payable (without duplication) for such period under Synthetic Leases of such Person that would be treated as interest in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 13 if such Synthetic Leases were treated as capital leases under GAAP.

 

Synthetic Lease Obligation ” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property (including sale-leaseback transactions), in each case, creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the application of any Debtor Relief Laws to such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

 

Taxes ” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

Termination Date ” means the earliest to occur of (i) the Maturity Date, (ii) the date on which the maturity of the Obligations is accelerated (or deemed accelerated) and the Commitments are irrevocably terminated (or deemed terminated) in accordance with Article VIII .

 

Total Funded Debt ” shall mean all Indebtedness (to the extent included as Indebtedness in accordance with GAAP) of the Loan Parties on a Consolidated basis.

 

Total Outstandings ” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

Trade Receivables Advance Rate ” means 85%.

 

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Trading with the Enemy Act ” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.18 .

 

Type ” means, with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a LIBO Rate Loan.

 

UCC ” or “ Uniform Commercial Code ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York; provided , however , that if a term is defined in Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code differently than in another Article thereof, the term shall have the meaning set forth in Article 9; provided further that, if by reason of mandatory provisions of law, perfection, or the effect of perfection or non-perfection, of a security interest in any Collateral or the availability of any remedy hereunder is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in a jurisdiction other than New York, “Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such other jurisdiction for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection or effect of perfection or non-perfection or availability of such remedy, as the case may be.

 

UFCA “ has the meaning specified in Section 10.21(d) .

 

UFTA ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.21(d) .

 

Unfunded Pension Liability ” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

 

United States ” and “ U.S. ” mean the United States of America.

 

Unreimbursed Amount ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i) .

 

Usage Event Period ” means, any period during which any of the following conditions exists: (i) a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) Availability is less than or equal to 50% of the Loan Cap, (iii) the Loan Parties maintain (a) on a 30 day average basis, less than $30,000,000 of cash and cash equivalents of the type described in clauses (a) through (e) of the definition of Permitted Investments, or (b) at any time, less than $20,000,000 of cash and cash equivalents of the type described in clauses (a) through (e) of the definition of Permitted Investments, or (iv) Total Outstandings (other than the undrawn amount available to be drawn under outstanding Letters of Credit and Short-Term Borrowings) is greater than zero.  The “Usage Event Period” shall commence with and include the Fiscal Month during which any such condition first occurred and continue until the expiration of 30 consecutive Business Days after the date on which no such conditions exist.

 

Wells Fargo Bank ” means Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a national banking association.

 

1.02        Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

(a)           The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “ include ,” “ includes ” and “ including ” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “ will ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “ shall .”  Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any

 

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particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “ asset ” and “ property ” shall be c