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<PAGE>
EXECUTION COPY
U.S. $4,000,000,000
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of February 22, 2005
Among
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
and
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP.
and
KMART CORPORATION,
as Borrowers
and
THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,
as Initial Lenders
and
CITICORP USA, INC.
and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Syndication Agents
and
BARCLAYS BANK PLC,
LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.,
HSBC BANK USA,
MERRILL LYNCH BANK USA,
MORGAN STANLEY BANK,
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND, PLC
AND
WACHOVIA BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Documentation Agents
and
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
and
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PAGE
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined
Terms............................................................................
1
SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time
Periods......................................................................
19
SECTION 1.03. Accounting
Terms.................................................................................
19
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES
SECTION 2.01. The Revolving
Advances...........................................................................
19
SECTION 2.02. Making the Revolving
Advances....................................................................
19
SECTION 2.03. The Swingline
Advances...........................................................................
20
SECTION 2.04. Making the Swingline
Advances....................................................................
21
SECTION 2.05.
Fees.............................................................................................
22
SECTION 2.06. Optional Termination or Reduction of the
Commitments............................................. 22
SECTION 2.07. Repayment of
Advances............................................................................
22
SECTION 2.08. Interest on
Advances.............................................................................
22
SECTION 2.09. Interest Rate
Determination......................................................................
23
SECTION 2.10. Optional Conversion of Revolving
Advances........................................................
23
SECTION 2.11. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments of
Advances................................................... 23
SECTION 2.12. Increased
Costs..................................................................................
24
SECTION 2.13.
Illegality.......................................................................................
25
SECTION 2.14. Payments and
Computations........................................................................
25
SECTION 2.15.
Taxes............................................................................................
25
SECTION 2.16. Sharing of Payments,
Etc.........................................................................
27
SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds of
Advances......................................................................
28
ARTICLE III
AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE LETTERS OF CREDIT
SECTION 3.01. L/C
Commitment...................................................................................
28
SECTION 3.02. Procedure for Issuance of Letter of
Credit.......................................................
28
SECTION 3.03. Fees and Other
Charges...........................................................................
28
SECTION 3.04. Letter of Credit
Participations..................................................................
29
SECTION 3.05. Reimbursement Obligation of the
Borrowers........................................................
29
SECTION 3.06. Obligations
Absolute.............................................................................
30
SECTION 3.07. Letter of Credit
Payments........................................................................
30
SECTION 3.08.
Applications.....................................................................................
30
SECTION 3.09. Use of Letters of
Credit.........................................................................
30
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS
SECTION 4.01. Conditions Precedent to
Effectiveness............................................................
30
SECTION 4.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Extension of
Credit................................................. 32
SECTION 4.03. Effective
Date...................................................................................
32
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ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
SECTION 5.01. Representations and Warranties of the
Borrowers.................................................. 32
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS
SECTION 6.01. Affirmative
Covenants............................................................................
35
SECTION 6.02. Negative
Covenants...............................................................................
38
SECTION 6.03. Financial
Covenant...............................................................................
41
ARTICLE VII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
SECTION 7.01. Events of
Default................................................................................
41
RTICLE VIII
THE AGENT
SECTION 8.01.
Appointment......................................................................................
43
SECTION 8.02. Delegation of
Duties.............................................................................
43
SECTION 8.03. Exculpatory
Provisions...........................................................................
43
SECTION 8.04. Reliance by
Agent................................................................................
44
SECTION 8.05. Notice of
Default................................................................................
44
SECTION 8.06. Non-Reliance on Agents and Other
Lenders.........................................................
44
SECTION 8.07.
Indemnification..................................................................................
44
SECTION 8.08. Agent in Its Individual
Capacity.................................................................
45
SECTION 8.09. Successor
Agent..................................................................................
45
SECTION 8.10. Documentation Agents and Syndication
Agents...................................................... 45
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.01. Amendments,
Etc..................................................................................
45
SECTION 9.02. Notices,
Etc.....................................................................................
46
SECTION 9.03. No Waiver;
Remedies..............................................................................
47
SECTION 9.04. Costs and
Expenses...............................................................................
47
SECTION 9.05. Right of
Set-off.................................................................................
48
SECTION 9.06. Binding Effect;
Effectiveness....................................................................
48
SECTION 9.07. Assignments and
Participations...................................................................
48
SECTION 9.08.
Confidentiality..................................................................................
50
SECTION 9.09. Governing
Law....................................................................................
50
SECTION 9.10. Execution in
Counterparts........................................................................
50
SECTION 9.11. Jurisdiction,
Etc................................................................................
51
SECTION 9.12. WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL.............................................................................
51
SECTION 9.13. Release of
Collateral............................................................................
51
SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act
Notice...........................................................................
52
SECTION 9.15.
Integration......................................................................................
52
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<PAGE>
Schedules
Schedule IA - Pricing Grid
Schedule 5.01(r) -UCC Filing Jurisdictions
Schedule 6.02(a) -Existing Liens
Exhibits
Exhibit A - Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit B - Form of Assignment and Acceptance
Exhibit C - Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
Exhibit D - Form of Guarantee and Collateral Agreement
Exhibit E-1 - Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Borrowers
(Sears Law
Department)
Exhibit E-2 - Form of Opinion of Counsel for the Borrowers
(Kmart Law
Department)
Exhibit E-3 - Form of Opinion of Special Counsel for the
Borrowers
(Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz)
iii
<PAGE>
FIVE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of February 22, 2005
SEARS HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation
("Holdings"),
SEARS ROEBUCK ACCEPTANCE CORP., a Delaware corporation ("SRAC"),
KMART
CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation ("Kmart Corp."), the banks,
financial
institutions and other institutional lenders (the "Initial
Lenders") listed on
the signature pages hereof, CITICORP USA, INC. and BANK OF
AMERICA, N.A., as
syndication agents, BARCLAYS BANK PLC, LEHMAN COMMERCIAL PAPER
INC., HSBC BANK
USA, MERRILL LYNCH BANK USA, MORGAN STANLEY BANK, THE ROYAL BANK
OF SCOTLAND,
PLC and WACHOVIA BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as documentation
agents, J.P. MORGAN
SECURITIES INC., CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. and BANC OF
AMERICA SECURITIES
LLC, as lead arrangers and joint bookrunners (the "Lead
Arrangers"), and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. ("JPMorgan Chase Bank"), as
administrative agent (the
"Agent") for the Lenders (as hereinafter defined), agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement,
the
following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings
to be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
"Adjustment Date" has the meaning set forth in the Pricing
Grid.
"Advance" means any advance by a Lender to any Borrower as part
of a
Borrowing.
"Affiliate" means, as to any Person, any other Person that,
directly
or indirectly, controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with
such Person or is a director or officer of such Person. For
purposes of
this definition, the term "control" (including the terms
"controlling",
"controlled by" and "under common control with") of a Person
means the
possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause
the
direction of the management and policies of such Person by
contract or
otherwise.
"Agent's Account" means the account of the Agent maintained by
the
Agent at JPMorgan Chase Bank at its office at 270 Park Avenue,
New York,
New York 10017, Account No. 304288446, Attention: Bank Loan
Syndications.
"Applicable Lending Office" means, with respect to each Lender,
such
Lender's Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Base Rate
Advance and
such Lender's Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a
Eurodollar Rate
Advance.
"Applicable Margin" means, initially, (a) 0.875% per annum
for
Eurodollar Rate Advances and (b) 0% per annum for Base Rate
Advances;
provided, that on and after the first Adjustment Date occurring
after the
Effective Date, the Applicable Margin will be determined
pursuant to the
Pricing Grid.
"Application" means an application, in such form as the
Issuing
Lender may specify from time to time, requesting the Issuing
Lender to
open a Letter of Credit.
"Assignment and Acceptance" means an assignment and
acceptance
entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted
by the
Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto.
"Authorized Officer" means, as to Holdings or any Borrower,
its
president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer,
vice
president and controller, vice president and treasurer, vice
president,
finance,
<PAGE>
executive vice president, finance or any other person designated
by it and
acceptable to the Required Lenders.
"Available Cash" means, on any date, (a) the aggregate amount
of
cash and Cash Equivalents of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on
such date
(determined on a Consolidated basis and in accordance with GAAP)
minus (b)
$125,000,000.
"Available Commitment" means as to any Lender at any time, an
amount
equal to the excess, if any, of (a) such Lender's Commitment
then in
effect over (b) such Lender's Extensions of Credit then
outstanding;
provided, that in calculating any Lender's Extensions of Credit
for the
purpose of determining such Lender's Available Commitment
pursuant to
Section 2.05(a), the aggregate principal amount of Swingline
Advances then
outstanding shall be deemed to be zero.
"Base Rate" means a fluctuating interest rate per annum in
effect
from time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be
equal to the
higher of:
(a) the rate of interest announced publicly by JPMorgan
Chase Bank in New York, New York, from time to time, as its
prime
rate; and
(b) 1/2 of one percent per annum above the Federal Funds
Rate.
"Base Rate Advance" means an Advance that bears interest as
provided
in Section 2.08(a)(i).
"Borrower Information" has the meaning specified in Section
9.08.
"Borrowers" means, collectively, SRAC and Kmart Corp.; provided
that
in the event SRAC is dissolved, merged with and into Holdings or
any
Subsidiary of Holdings or otherwise ceases to exist in
accordance with
Section 6.01(d), then Sears shall designate that Sears or a
direct wholly
owned Domestic Subsidiary of Sears become a Borrower for all
purposes of
the Loan Documents.
"Borrowing" means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous
Advances of
the same Type made by each of the applicable Lenders pursuant to
Section
2.01 or Section 2.03.
"Borrowing Base" means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) 85%
of
the aggregate outstanding Eligible Credit Card Accounts
Receivable at such
time plus (b) the lesser of (i) 70% of the Net Eligible
Inventory at such
time minus 100% of Other Borrowing Base Reserves and (ii) 85% of
the Net
Orderly Liquidation Value at such time. The Agent may, in its
Permitted
Discretion and with 5 days notice to the Borrowers, reduce the
advance
rates set forth above or adjust one or more of the other
elements used in
computing the Borrowing Base.
"Borrowing Base Certificate" means a certificate, signed by
an
Authorized Officer of Holdings, in the form of Exhibit C or
another form
which is acceptable to the Agent in its Permitted
Discretion.
"Business Day" means a day of the year on which banks are
not
required or authorized by law to close in New York, New York or,
in the
case of matters relating to SRAC, Greenville, Delaware or, in
the case of
matters relating to Kmart Corp., Detroit, Michigan, and, if the
applicable
Business Day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, a day of
the year on
which dealings are carried on in the London interbank
market.
"Cash Equivalents" means investments of Holdings and its
Subsidiaries recorded as cash or cash equivalents in accordance
with GAAP.
"Collateral" means all property of the Loan Parties, now owned
or
hereafter acquired, upon which a Lien is purported to be created
by any
Security Document.
2
<PAGE>
"Collateral Release Date" means the date on which the Collateral
is
released from the Liens of the Agent pursuant to Section
9.13(c).
"Commercial L/C" means a commercial documentary Letter of
Credit
under which the Issuing Lender agrees to make payments in
Dollars for the
account of any Borrower, on behalf of any Group Member, in
respect of
obligations of such Group Member in connection with the purchase
of goods
or services in the ordinary course of business.
"Commitment" means, as to any Lender, the obligation of such
Lender
to make Revolving Advances and participate in Swingline Advances
and
Letters of Credit in an aggregate principal amount and/or face
amount up
to (a) the amount set forth opposite such Lender's name on the
signature
pages hereof or (b) if such Lender has entered into any
Assignment and
Acceptance, the amount set forth for such Lender in the
Register
maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 9.07(d), as such
amount may be
reduced pursuant to Section 2.06.
"Commitment Fee Rate" means, initially, 0.175% per annum;
provided,
that on and after the first Adjustment Date occurring after the
Effective
Date, the Commitment Fee Rate will be determined pursuant to the
Pricing
Grid.
"Commitment Percentage" means, as to any Lender at any time,
the
percentage which such Lender's Commitment then constitutes of
the
aggregate Commitments of all Lenders or, at any time after the
Commitments
shall have expired or terminated, the percentage which the
aggregate
principal amount of such Lender's Advances then outstanding
constitutes of
the aggregate principal amount of the Advances then outstanding,
provided,
that, in the event that the Advances are paid in full prior to
the
reduction to zero of the Total Extensions of Credit, the
Commitment
Percentage shall be determined in a manner designed to ensure
that the
other outstanding Extensions of Credit shall be held by the
Lenders on a
comparable basis.
"Commonly Controlled Entity" means an entity, whether or not
incorporated, that is under common control with any Borrower
within the
meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA or is part of a group that
includes any
Borrower and that is treated as a single employer under Section
414 of the
Internal Revenue Code.
"Consolidated" refers to the consolidation of accounts of
Holdings,
excluding Sears Canada, in accordance with GAAP and as presented
on a GAAP
basis.
"Consolidated Adjusted Leverage Ratio" means, as of any given
day,
the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated Average Net Debt on
such day
and (ii) the product of Consolidated Rent Expense for the four
immediately
preceding fiscal quarters for which financial statements are
available and
6 to (b) Consolidated EBITDAR for the four immediately preceding
fiscal
quarters for which financial statements are available.
"Consolidated Average Net Debt" means, as of the last day of
any
period, (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated Net Debt as of such day
and (ii)
the sum of Consolidated Net Debt as of the end of each of the
three
immediately preceding fiscal quarters divided by (b) 4.
"Consolidated EBITDA" means for any period, Consolidated Net
Income
for such period plus, without duplication and to the extent
reflected as a
charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such
period,
the sum of (a) provision for income taxes, (b) interest expense,
(c)
depreciation and amortization expense, (d) results attributable
to the
minority interest owned by any Person in a non-wholly owned
Subsidiary of
Holdings to the extent such Subsidiary is a Loan Party, (e)
expenses
relating to the Kmart Corp. bankruptcy case in an amount not to
exceed
$12,000,000 in any twelve month period, (f) the impact of
conforming
accounting policies as a result of the Merger through the first
full
fiscal year following the Merger, (g) all non-recurring expenses
and
special charges related to the Merger incurred within twelve
months after
the date of the Merger, (h) non-cash charges arising from
share-based
payments (as defined in accordance with GAAP) to employees or
directors
and (i) any extraordinary or other non-
3
<PAGE>
recurring non-cash expenses or losses, and minus, to the extent
included
in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such
period, any cash
payments made during such period in respect of items added back
pursuant
to clause (i) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which
the relevant
non-cash expenses or losses were reflected as a charge in the
statement of
Consolidated Net Income, all as determined on a Consolidated
basis. For
the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for any fiscal
quarter
pursuant to any determination of the Consolidated Adjusted
Leverage Ratio
or the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, (i) if at any time during
such fiscal
quarter Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries (other than Sears
Canada)
shall have made any Material Disposition, the Consolidated
EBITDA for such
fiscal quarter shall be reduced by an amount equal to the
Consolidated
EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that is the
subject of
such Material Disposition for such fiscal quarter or increased
by an
amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative)
attributable thereto
for such fiscal quarter and (ii) if during such fiscal quarter
Holdings or
any of its Subsidiaries (other than Sears Canada) shall have
made a
Material Acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such fiscal
quarter shall be
calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such
Material
Acquisition occurred on the first day of such fiscal quarter. As
used in
this definition, "Material Acquisition" means any acquisition of
property
or series of related acquisitions of property that (a)
constitutes assets
comprising all or substantially all of an operating unit of a
business or
constitutes all or substantially all of the common stock of a
Person and
(b) involves the payment of consideration by Holdings and its
Subsidiaries
(other than Sears Canada) in excess of $100,000,000; and
"Material
Disposition" means any Disposition of property or series of
related
Dispositions of property that yields gross proceeds to Holdings
or any of
its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000,000.
"Consolidated EBITDAR" means, for any period, the sum of (a)
Consolidated EBITDA for such period plus (b) Consolidated Rent
Expense for
such period.
"Consolidated Inventory Coverage Ratio" means, as of the last
day of
any period, the ratio of (a) Gross Domestic Inventory on such
day to (b)
Total Net Extensions of Credit on such day.
"Consolidated Leverage Ratio" means, as of any given day, the
ratio
of (a) Consolidated Average Net Debt on such day to (b)
Consolidated
EBITDA for the four immediately preceding fiscal quarters for
which
financial statements are available. For purposes of determining
the
Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of the first four
fiscal
quarters following the Effective Date, Consolidated Average Net
Debt and
Consolidated EBITDA shall be calculated to give pro forma effect
to the
Merger as if the Merger had occurred on the first day of the
relevant
period of four consecutive fiscal quarters.
"Consolidated Net Debt" means, on any date, Consolidated Total
Debt
minus Available Cash.
"Consolidated Net Income" means, for any period, the
consolidated
net income (or loss) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries,
determined on a
Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there
shall be
excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior
to the
date it becomes a Subsidiary of Holdings or is merged into or
consolidated
with Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or
deficit) of
any Person (other than a Subsidiary of Holdings) in which
Holdings or any
of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the
extent that
any such income is actually received by Holdings or such
Subsidiary in the
form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the
undistributed
earnings of any Subsidiary of Holdings (other than a Loan Party)
to the
extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or
similar
distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by
the terms
of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan
Document) or
Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.
"Consolidated Rent Expense" means, for any period, the
aggregate
amount of fixed and contingent rentals payable by Holdings and
its
Subsidiaries for such period with respect to operating leases of
real
estate, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP.
"Consolidated Total Debt" means, at any date, the aggregate
principal amount of all Debt of Holdings and its Subsidiaries at
such
date, determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP,
4
<PAGE>
but excluding (i) issued but not funded letters of credit,
(ii)
reimbursement obligations which are characterized as trade
payables and
are not overdue with respect to trade letters of credit (other
than
Letters of Credit issued hereunder) and (iii) contingent
obligations.
"Convert", "Conversion" and "Converted" each refers to a
conversion
of Advances of one Type into Advances of the other Type pursuant
to
Section 2.09 or 2.10.
"Credit Card Accounts Receivable" means each "Account" (as
defined
in the UCC) together with all income, payments and proceeds
thereof, owed
by an issuer of credit cards to a Loan Party resulting from
charges by a
customer of a Group Member (other than Sears Canada) on credit
cards
issued by such issuer in connection with the sale of goods by a
Group
Member (other than Sears Canada), or services performed by a
Group Member
(other than Sears Canada), in each case in the ordinary course
of its
business.
"DC" means any distribution center owned or leased and operated
by
any Loan Party.
"Debt" of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all
indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money (excluding
interest payable
thereon unless such interest is to be accrued and added to the
principal
amount of such indebtedness), (b) all obligations of such Person
for the
deferred purchase price of property or services (other than (i)
trade
payables incurred in the ordinary course of such Person's
business and
(ii) any such obligations which are due less than twelve months
from the
date of incurrence), (c) all obligations of such Person
evidenced by
notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments (other
than
performance, surety and appeals bonds arising in the ordinary
course of
business and other than the endorsement of negotiable
instruments for
deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary
course of
business) or in respect of acceptances or letters of credit, (d)
all
obligations of such Person created or arising under any
conditional sale
or other title retention agreement with respect to property
acquired by
such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller
or lender
under such agreement in the event of default are limited to
repossession
or sale of such property), (e) all obligations of such Person as
lessee
under leases that have been or should be, in accordance with
GAAP,
recorded as capital leases, (f) all direct recourse payment
obligations of
such Person in respect of any accounts receivable sold by such
Person, (g)
all Debt of others referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above
or clause
(h) below and other payment obligations guaranteed directly or
indirectly
in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly
or
indirectly by such Person through an agreement (1) to pay or
purchase such
Debt or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase
of such
Debt, (2) to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor)
property, or to
purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling
the
debtor to make payment of such Debt or to assure the holder of
such Debt
against loss, (3) to supply funds to or in any other manner
invest in the
debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or
services
irrespective of whether such property is received or such
services are
rendered) or (4) otherwise to assure a creditor against loss,
and (h) all
Debt referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above secured by (or
for which
the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or
otherwise, to
be secured by) any Lien on property (including accounts and
contract
rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not
assumed or
become liable for the payment of such Debt.
"Default" means any Event of Default or any event that would
constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that
notice be
given or time elapse or both.
"Disposition" means any sale of property other than goods held
for
sale in the ordinary course of business.
"Dollars" and "$" refers to lawful money of the United
States.
"Domestic Lending Office" means, with respect to any Lender,
the
office of such Lender specified as its "Domestic Lending Office"
on the
signature pages hereof or in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to
which it became a Lender, or such other office of such Lender as
such
Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrowers and the
Agent.
5
<PAGE>
"Domestic Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary organized under the
laws
of any jurisdiction within the United States.
"Effective Date" means the date on which the conditions
precedent
set forth in Section 4.01 shall have been satisfied.
"Eligible Assignee" means any Person approved by the Agent,
the
Issuing Lender and, unless (a) an Event of Default has occurred
and is
continuing at the time any assignment is effected in accordance
with
Section 9.07 or (b) the assignee is an existing Lender or an
Affiliate of
an existing Lender, the Borrowers, in each case such approval
not to be
unreasonably withheld or delayed; provided that neither the
Borrowers nor
an Affiliate of the Borrowers shall qualify as an Eligible
Assignee.
"Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable" means at the time of
any
determination thereof, each Credit Card Accounts 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
Account
Receivable (i) has been earned 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
the applicable Loan Party and (ii) is not ineligible for
inclusion in the
calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to any of clauses (a)
through
(i) below. Without limiting the foregoing, to qualify as an
Eligible
Credit Card Account 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, credit card processor fees or other allowances
(including any
amount that the applicable 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 applicable Loan Party to reduce the
amount of such
Credit Card Account Receivable. Unless otherwise approved from
time to
time in writing by the Agent, no Credit Card Accounts Receivable
shall be
Eligible Credit Card Accounts Receivable if, without
duplication:
(a) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable are not
owned by a Loan Party and such Loan Party does not have
good or marketable title to such Credit Card Accounts
Receivable free and clear of any Lien of any Person other
than the Agent;
(b) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable do not
constitute "Accounts" (as defined in the UCC) or such
Credit Card Accounts Receivable have been outstanding for
more than seven (7) business days;
(c) the issuer or payment processor of the
applicable credit card with respect to such Credit Card
Accounts Receivable is the subject of any bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings;
(d) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable are not
valid, legally enforceable obligations of the applicable
issuer with respect thereto;
(e) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable are not
subject to a properly perfected security interest in favor
of the Agent, or are not in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent, or are subject to any Lien
whatsoever other than Permitted Liens contemplated by the
processor agreements and for which appropriate reserves
(as determined by the Agent) have been established or
maintained by the Loan Parties;
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(f) the Credit Card Accounts Receivable do not
conform to all representations, warranties or other
provisions in the Loan Documents relating to Credit Card
Accounts Receivable;
(g) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable are
subject to risk of set-off, non-collection or not being
processed due to unpaid and/or accrued credit card
processor fee balances, limited to the lesser of the
balance of Credit Card Accounts Receivable or unpaid
credit card processor fees;
(h) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable are
evidenced by "chattel paper" or an "instrument" of any
kind unless such "chattel paper" or "instrument" is in the
possession of the Agent, and to the extent necessary or
appropriate, endorsed to the Agent; or
(i) such Credit Card Accounts Receivable do not
meet such other usual and customary eligibility criteria
for Credit Card Accounts Receivable as the Agent may
determine from time to time in its Permitted Discretion.
"Eligible Inventory" means, at any time, the Inventory of any
Loan
Party held for sale to third party customers that is not
ineligible for
inclusion in the calculation of the Borrowing Base pursuant to
any of
clauses (a) through (s) below. Without limiting the foregoing,
to qualify
as "Eligible Inventory" no Person other than the Loan Parties
shall have
any direct or indirect ownership, interest or title to such
Inventory and
no Person other than the Loan Parties shall be indicated on any
purchase
order or invoice with respect to such Inventory as having or
purporting to
have an interest therein. Unless otherwise from time to time
approved in
writing by the Agent, no Inventory shall be deemed Eligible
Inventory if,
without duplication:
(a) the Loan Parties do not have sole and good,
valid and unencumbered title thereto (except for Liens of
the type described in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (e) of the
definition of Permitted Liens); or
(b) it is not located in the United States, Puerto
Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands; or
(c) it is not located at property owned or leased
by the Loan Parties (except to the extent such Inventory
is in transit between such locations or is located at a
dealer's store or is deemed eligible pursuant to clause
(h)) or is located at a third party warehouse or is
located at a closed Store (except pursuant to clause (f))
or is located at a closed DC; or
(d) it is identified as accrued Inventory without
a receiver in the applicable Loan Party's stockledger; or
(e) it is not subject to a valid and perfected
first priority Lien in favor of the Agent for the benefit
of the Agent and the Lenders; or
(f) it is Inventory located at a Store which is
being closed; provided however that such Inventory will be
deemed eligible for the first four (4) weeks after the
commencement of the Store Closure Sale for that Store; or
(g) it is consigned from a vendor or is at a
customer location but still accounted for in the
applicable Loan Party's inventory balance; or
(h) it is in-transit from a vendor and has not yet
been received into a DC or Store; provided that in-transit
inventory purchased under "private label"
7
<PAGE>
letters of credit issued by SRAC or Letters of Credit
issued hereunder shall be deemed Eligible Inventory,
subject to a 25% reserve, if (i) the relevant Loan Party
has sole title (including Inventory delivered on a FOB
shipping point basis and whether or not payment has been
made to the letter of credit beneficiary and/or the issuer
of such letter of credit), (ii) the relevant Loan Party
has possession or control over title documents relating to
such Inventory, (iii) the Inventory is fully insured and
(iv) the Inventory would not be deemed ineligible pursuant
to any other provision of this definition; or
(i) it is considered perishable goods or is
identified in the stockledger of the applicable Loan Party
as any of the following departments or consists of
Inventory which is ordinarily classified by such Loan
Party consistent with its historical practices as the
following: bakery; dairy; deli; floral; gasoline; live
plants; meat; miscellaneous or other as classified on the
Loan Party's stockledger; produce; books; magazines;
restaurant operations; or seafood; or it is identified per
the applicable Loan Party's stockledger as candy, provided
that it will only be considered ineligible to the extent
that the Inventory Value thereof is greater than 2% of
Gross Inventory Value; or
(j) it is Inventory that is packed-away and stored
at a DC or a Store for future sale, including merchandise
of Sears and its Subsidiaries that has been carried over
for more than 9 months as currently reported as XOM status
per the RIM merchandising system; or
(k) from and after the delivery by Holdings of the
first monthly Borrowing Base Certificate after a specified
holiday or event has occurred, any Inventory (other than
seasonal apparel) identified as seasonal per the Loan
Parties' stockledger for sale for such specific holiday or
event; or
(l) it is identified as wholesaler freight fees;
or
(m) from and after any date that is more than four
(4) weeks past a specified selling season, any Inventory
that is seasonal apparel and that the Loan Parties have
identified, in accordance in all material respects with
the Loan Parties' current or historical accounting
practices, as related to such specific selling season,
including merchandise of Sears and its Subsidiaries that
is currently reported by the SAMS database; or
(n) it is Inventory which is ordinarily classified
by such Loan Party consistent with its historical
practices as repair services, provided that 50% of the
value of such Inventory shall constitute Eligible
Inventory; or
(o) it is Inventory on layaway or is Inventory
which has been sold but not delivered or as to which any
Loan Party has accepted a deposit from a third party; or
(p) it is identified per the Loan Parties'
stockledger as Inventory that is in a leased department,
including digital imaging, photofinishing and 1 hour lab;
or
(q) it is otherwise deemed ineligible by the Agent
in its Permitted Discretion on at least five (5) Business
Days' notice to Holdings; or
8
<PAGE>
(r) it is operating supplies, packaging or
\ shipping materials, cartons, labels or other such
materials not considered used for sale in the ordinary
course of business by the Agent in its Permitted
Discretion; or
(s) it is Inventory which exhibits, includes or is
identified by any trademark, tradename or other
Intellectual Property right which trademark, tradename or
other Intellectual Property right (i) is subject to a
restriction that could reasonably be expected to adversely
affect the Agent's ability to liquidate such Inventory or
(ii) the relevant Loan Party does not have the right to
use in connection with the sale of such Inventory, either
through direct ownership or through a written license or
sublicense.
"Environmental Action" means any action, suit, demand,
demand
letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or violation, notice of
liability
or potential liability, investigation, proceeding, consent order
or
consent agreement relating in any way to any Environmental
Law,
Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials or arising from
alleged injury
or threat of injury to health, safety or the environment,
including (a) by
any governmental or regulatory authority for enforcement,
cleanup,
removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages and (b)
by any
governmental or regulatory authority or any third party for
damages,
contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or
injunctive
relief.
"Environmental Law" means any federal, state, local or
foreign
statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, order,
judgment, decree
or judicial or agency interpretation, policy or guidance
relating to
pollution or protection of the environment, health, safety or
natural
resources, including those relating to the use, handling,
transportation,
treatment, storage, disposal, release or discharge of Hazardous
Materials.
"Environmental Liability" means any liability, contingent or
otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of
environmental
remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrowers
or any of
their Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or
based upon (a)
violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use,
handling,
transportation, storage, treatment or disposal 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.
"Environmental Permit" means any permit, approval,
identification
number, license or other authorization required under any
Environmental
Law.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974,
as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated
and rulings
issued thereunder.
"ERISA Affiliate" means any Person that for purposes of Title IV
of
ERISA is a member of any Borrower's controlled group, or under
common
control with such Borrower, within the meaning of Section 414 of
the
Internal Revenue Code.
"ERISA Event" means (a) (i) the occurrence of a reportable
event,
within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA, with respect to any
Plan
unless the 30-day notice requirement with respect to such event
has been
waived by the PBGC, or (ii) the requirements of subsection (1)
of Section
4043(b) of ERISA (without regard to subsection (2) of such
Section) are
met with respect to a contributing sponsor, as defined in
Section
4001(a)(13) of ERISA, of a Plan, and an event described in
paragraph (9),
(10), (11), (12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of ERISA is
reasonably
expected to occur with respect to such Plan within the following
30 days;
(b) the application for a minimum funding waiver with respect to
a Plan;
(c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a notice
of intent
to terminate such Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA
(including
any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred to in
Section
4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the cessation of operations at a facility
of any
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described
in Section
4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by any Borrower
9
<PAGE>
or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a
plan year
for which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section
4001(a)(2)
of ERISA; (f) the conditions for the imposition of a lien under
Section
302(f) of ERISA shall have been met with respect to any Plan;
(g) the
adoption of an amendment to a Plan requiring the provision of
security to
such Plan pursuant to Section 307 of ERISA; or (h) the
institution by the
PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan pursuant to Section 4042
of ERISA,
or the occurrence of any event or condition described in Section
4042 of
ERISA that constitutes grounds for the termination of, or the
appointment
of a trustee to administer, a Plan.
"Eurocurrency Liabilities" has the meaning assigned to that term
in
Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, as
in effect from time to time.
"Eurodollar Lending Office" means, with respect to any Lender,
the
office of such Lender specified as its "Eurodollar Lending
Office" on the
signature pages hereof or in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to
which it became a Lender (or, if no such office is specified,
its Domestic
Lending Office), or such other office of such Lender as such
Lender may
from time to time specify to the Borrowers and the Agent.
"Eurodollar Rate" means, for any Interest Period for each
Eurodollar
Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, the rate per
annum
determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for
a period
equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first day of
such Interest
Period appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen as of 11:00
A.M.,
London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such
Interest
Period. In the event that such rate does not appear on Page 3750
of the
Telerate screen (or otherwise on such screen), the "Eurodollar
Rate" shall
be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly
available
service for displaying eurodollar rates as may be selected by
the Agent
or, in the absence of such availability, by reference to the
rate at which
the Agent is offered Dollar deposits at or about 11:00 A.M., New
York City
time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest
Period in
the interbank eurodollar market where its eurodollar and foreign
currency
and exchange operations are then being conducted for delivery on
the first
day of such Interest Period for the number of days comprised
therein.
"Eurodollar Rate Advance" means an Advance that bears interest
as
provided in Section 2.08(a)(ii).
"Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage" for any Interest Period for
a
Eurodollar Rate Advance by any Lender means the reserve
percentage
applicable to such Lender two Business Days before the first day
of such
Interest Period under regulations issued from time to time by
the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for
determining
the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency,
supplemental or
other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to liabilities
or assets
consisting of or including Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with
respect to
any other category of liabilities that includes deposits by
reference to
which the interest rate on Eurodollar Rate Advances is
determined) having
a term equal to such Interest Period.
"Events of Default" has the meaning specified in Section
7.01.
"Extensions of Credit" means as to any Lender at any time, an
amount
equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all
Revolving
Advances held by such Lender then outstanding, (b) such
Lender's
Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of
Swingline
Advances then outstanding and (c) such Lender's Commitment
Percentage of
the L/C Obligations then outstanding.
"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any period, a fluctuating
interest
rate per annum equal for each day during such period to the
weighted
average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions
with members
of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers,
as
published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day,
for the
next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York, or,
if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business
Day, the
average of the
10
<PAGE>
quotations for such day on such transactions received by the
Agent from
three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing reasonably
selected by
it.
"GAAP" has the meaning specified in Section 1.03.
"Gift Card Liability Reserve" shall mean, at any fiscal month
end,
as the case may be, a reserve equal to the total value of all
gift cards
outstanding.
"Governmental Authority" means any nation or government, any
state
or other political subdivision thereof, any agency,
authority,
instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other
entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory
or
administrative functions of or pertaining to government, any
securities
exchange and any self-regulatory organization (including the
National
Association of Insurance Commissioners).
"Gross Domestic Inventory" means, on any day, the cost of
all
Inventory of Holdings and its Subsidiaries (determined on a
first-in-first-out basis either under the retail or average cost
method)
located in the United States, Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands
on such
day (other than consignment Inventory (including Inventory
subject to
"sale or return" arrangements) and import Inventory that is in
transit
from a location outside of the United States) less reserves
taken in
accordance with GAAP, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance
with GAAP; provided that, until the Collateral Release Date,
Inventory
shall only be included in the calculation of Gross Domestic
Inventory if
such Inventory is subject to a perfected first-priority Lien in
favor of
the Agent pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents.
"Gross Inventory Value" shall mean, at any month end, the
Inventory
Value of the domestic Inventory for Stores and DCs per the Loan
Parties'
stockledger as calculated in Exhibit C hereto under the heading
of
"Inventory Subject to Net Recovery Rate".
"Group Members" means, collectively, Holdings, the Borrowers
and
their respective Subsidiaries.
"Guarantee and Collateral Agreement" means the Guarantee and
Collateral Agreement to be executed and delivered by Holdings,
Sears,
Kmart, Kmart Management Corporation, the Borrowers and each
Subsidiary
Guarantor, substantially in the form of Exhibit D.
"Hazardous Materials" means (a) petroleum and petroleum
products,
byproducts or breakdown products, radioactive materials,
asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and
radon gas and
(b) any other chemicals, materials or substances designated,
classified or
regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant
under any
Environmental Law.
"Information Memorandum" means the information memorandum
dated
January 2005, as amended or supplemented from time to time, used
by the
Agent in connection with the syndication of the Commitments.
"Insolvency" means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan,
the
condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of
Section 4245
of ERISA.
"Insolvent" means pertaining to a condition of Insolvency.
"Intellectual Property" means the collective reference to
all
rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual
property,
whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign
laws or
otherwise, including copyrights, copyright licenses, patents,
patent
licenses, trademarks, trademark licenses, technology, know-how
and
processes, and all rights to sue at law or in equity for any
infringement
or other impairment thereof, including the right to receive all
proceeds
and damages therefrom.
11
<PAGE>
"Interest Period" means, for each Eurodollar Rate Advance
comprising
part of the same Borrowing of Revolving Advances, the period
commencing on
the date of such Eurodollar Rate Advance or the date of the
Conversion of
any Base Rate Advance into such Eurodollar Rate Advance and
ending on the
last day of the period selected by the applicable Borrower
pursuant to the
provisions below and, thereafter, each subsequent period
commencing on the
last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending
on the
last day of the period selected by the applicable Borrower
pursuant to the
provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period
shall be one,
two, three or six months, or, subject to clause (c) of this
definition, 7
days or nine or twelve months, as the applicable Borrower may,
upon notice
received by the Agent not later than 12:00 noon on the third
Business Day
prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select;
provided, however,
that:
(a) a Borrower may not select any Interest Period that ends
after the Termination Date;
(b) Interest Periods commencing on the same date for
Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing
shall
be of the same duration;
(c) in the case of any such Borrowing, a Borrower shall not
be entitled to select an Interest Period having duration of 7
days
or nine or twelve months unless, by 2:00 P.M. on the third
Business
Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, each
Lender
notifies the Agent that such Lender will be providing funding
for
such Borrowing with such Interest Period (the failure of any
Lender
to so respond by such time being deemed for all purposes of
this
Agreement as an objection by such Lender to the requested
duration
of such Interest Period); provided that, if any or all of
the
Lenders object to the requested duration of such Interest
Period,
the duration of the Interest Period for such Borrowing shall be
one,
two, three or six months, as specified by the applicable
Borrower in
the applicable Notice of Borrowing as the desired alternative to
an
Interest Period of 7 days or nine or twelve months;
(d) whenever the last day of any Interest Period would
otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day
of
such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next
succeeding Business Day, provided, however, that, if such
extension
would cause the last day of such Interest Period of one month
or
longer to occur in the next following calendar month, the last
day
of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding
Business
Day; and
(e) whenever the first day of any Interest Period of one
month or longer occurs on a day of an initial calendar month
for
which there is no numerically corresponding day in the
calendar
month that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number
of
months equal to the number of months in such Interest Period,
such
Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such
succeeding calendar month.
"Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as
amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and
rulings
issued thereunder.
"Inventory" as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code as from
time
to time in effect in the State of New York.
"Inventory Reserves" means the following:
(a) a reserve for shrink, or discrepancies that arise
between Inventory quantities on hand per the Loan Parties'
unit
inventory system, and physical counts of the Inventory which
will be
equal to the greater of (i) the mathematical average of the
historical shrink results expressed as a percent of sales,
multiplied by sales for the relevant year-to-date period and
adjusted for the cost complement for the relevant
year-to-date
period, but only to the extent such amount exceeds reserves
already
netted out of the Gross Inventory Value per the stockledger; or
(ii)
an amount
12
<PAGE>
determined by the Agent in its Permitted Discretion on five
(5)
Business Days' notice to Holdings; and
(b) a reserve for intracompany profit, equal to the most
recent three (3) fiscal months of capitalized cost of the
foreign
buying offices owned and operated by any Loan Party, with the
time
frame subject to change on five (5) Business Days' notice to
Holdings based on Inventory performance, or the Agent's
Permitted
Discretion; and
(c) to the extent not already netted out of the Gross
Inventory Value per the stockledger or not treated as
ineligible
pursuant to the definition of Eligible Inventory, a reserve for
(i)
hard (permanent) markdowns, (ii) seasonal merchandise, (iii)
discontinued and clearance merchandise, (iv) change in product
mix
of merchandise, (v) change in pricing strategy or markon
percentages, (vi) damaged merchandise, (vii) price changes,
or
(viii) other adjustments as deemed appropriate; and
(d) a reserve for Inventory returned (other than as a result
of reclamations) to either the return goods center ("RGC"),
the
vendor, given to charity, or otherwise considered
non-saleable,
whether defective or non-defective. This reserve is to be
calculated
as the monthly average for the most recent rolling 12 fiscal
month
period of return (other than as a result of reclamations)
activity
to the vendors, the RGC, given to charity, or otherwise
considered
non-saleable, whether defective or non-defective, both from
the
Stores and DCs, and is subject to change on five (5) Business
Days'
notice to Holdings at the Agent's Permitted Discretion; and
such
reserve to be recalculated by the 10th day after each month-end
and
to be reflected on each Borrowing Base Certificate delivered
by
Holdings after such date until the amount of such reserve is
recalculated pursuant hereto.
"Inventory Value" shall mean, with respect to any Inventory of
the
Loan Parties, the value of such Inventory valued at cost on a
basis
consistent with the Loan Parties' current and historical
accounting
practice per the stockledger (without giving effect to LIFO
reserves and
general ledger reserves for discontinued inventory,
markdowns,
intercompany profit, rebates and discounts, any cut off
adjustments,
revaluation adjustments, purchase price adjustments or
adjustments with
respect to the capitalization of buying, occupancy, distribution
and other
overhead costs reflected on the balance sheet of the Loan
Parties in
respect of Inventory). The value of the Inventory as set forth
above will,
without duplication for any Inventory Reserves, be calculated
net of the
reserve established by the Loan Parties on a basis consistent
with the
Loan Parties' current and historical practice in respect of
lost,
misplaced or stolen Inventory at such time.
"Investment Grade Ratings" shall consist of ratings of at least
(i)
Baa3 from Moody's, (ii) BBB- from S&P or (iii) BBB- from
Fitch Ratings;
provided that solely in the case that the rating at issue is the
minimum
rating provided under this definition, such rating shall, in
addition,
have a stable or better outlook.
"Issuing Lender" means, collectively, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank
of
America, N.A. or Fleet National Bank, Citibank, N.A. (provided
that any
reimbursement or payment on account of a Letter of Credit issued
by
Citibank, N.A. hereunder shall be made to Citicorp USA, Inc.),
and any
other Lender which at the request of any Borrower and with the
consent of
the Agent, not to be unreasonably withheld, agrees to become an
Issuing
Lender, it being understood that with the consent of the
requesting
Borrower (not to be unreasonably withheld) the Issuing Lender
may arrange
for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by affiliates of
such
Issuing Lender, in which case the term "Issuing Lender" shall
include any
such affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such
affiliate.
Each reference herein to "the Issuing Lender" shall be deemed to
be a
reference to the relevant Issuing Lender with respect to the
relevant
Letter of Credit.
"Kmart" means Kmart Holding Corporation, a Delaware
corporation.
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<PAGE>
"L/C Commitment" means $1,500,000,000.
"L/C Obligations" means at any time, an amount equal to the sum
of
(a) the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of the
then
outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate amount of
drawings
under Letters of Credit that have not then been reimbursed or
discharged
pursuant to Section 3.05 (after giving effect to the proviso
thereof).
"Lenders" means the Initial Lenders and each Person that
shall
become a party hereto pursuant to Section 9.07.
"Letters of Credit" means the collective reference to
Commercial
L/Cs and Standby L/Cs; individually, a "Letter of Credit".
"Lien" means any lien, security interest or other charge or
encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential
arrangement,
including the lien or retained security title of a conditional
vendor and
any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real
property,
but excluding consignments or bailments of goods of third
parties and the
interests of lessors under operating leases.
"Loan Documents" means this Agreement, the Security Documents,
the
Notes, any Application and any amendment, waiver, supplement or
other
modification to any of the foregoing.
"Loan Parties" means each Group Member that is a party to a
Loan
Document.
"Martha Stewart Reserve" shall mean, at any fiscal month end,
a
reserve equal to the then current accrued and unpaid royalty in
excess of
$25,000,000 earned for Martha Stewart merchandise sold as
reflected on the
most recent Borrowing Base Certificate.
"Material Adverse Change" means a material adverse change in
the
business, condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of
Holdings and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
"Material Adverse Effect" means a material adverse effect on (a)
the
business, condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of
Holdings and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the validity or
enforceability of
any of the Loan Documents or the rights and remedies of the
Agent and the
Lenders thereunder.
"Merger" has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(a).
"Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
"Multiemployer Plan" means a multiemployer plan, as defined
in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Holdings or any ERISA
Affiliate is
making or accruing an obligation to make contributions, or has
within any
of the preceding five plan years made or accrued an obligation
to make
contributions.
"Multiple Employer Plan" means a single employer plan, as
defined in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for
employees of
Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other
than
Holdings and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and
in respect
of which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability
under
Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or
were to
be terminated.
"Net Eligible Inventory" means, at any time, an amount equal to
the
Inventory Value of Eligible Inventory less Inventory
Reserves.
"Net Orderly Liquidation Value" means the product of (i) Net
Recovery Rate and (ii) the Gross Inventory Value.
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<PAGE>
"Net Recovery Rate" means the quotient of (x) the estimated
net
income, payments and proceeds (net of expenses) which could
reasonably be
realized in connection with an orderly liquidation of each Loan
Party's
Inventory given a reasonable period of time for soliciting
offers for the
sale of such Inventory on an "as is, where is" basis based on an
appraisal
provided by an independent third party appraiser retained or
approved by
the Agent in consultation with the Borrowers and (y) the Gross
Inventory
Value as of the effective date of the estimate provided pursuant
to clause
(x) of this definition
"Note" means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to the
order
of any Lender evidencing the Commitment of such Lender.
"Notice of Borrowing" has the meaning specified in Section
2.02(a).
"Other Borrowing Base Reserves" means, to the extent that
relevant
merchandise is not treated as ineligible pursuant to the
definition of
Eligible Inventory, the following:
(a) a reserve in an amount to be determined by the Agent in
its Permitted Discretion for rent expense at leased Store and
DC
locations;
(b) a reserve for royalties payable to non-Loan Parties in
respect of licensed merchandise (other than the Martha
Stewart
Reserve);
(c) the Martha Stewart Reserve;
(d) the Gift Card Liability Reserve;
(e) PACA Liability Reserves; and
(f) PASA Liability Reserves.
"Other Taxes" has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.
"PACA" means the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act of
1930, as
amended.
"PACA Liability Reserve" means an amount calculated on a
monthly
basis by the Agent to provide for vendor liabilities pursuant to
PACA.
"PASA" means the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, as
amended.
"PASA Liability Reserve" means the liability for vendor
liabilities
pursuant to PASA.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or
any
successor).
"Permitted Discretion" means a determination made in good faith
and
in the exercise of commercially reasonable business
judgment.
"Permitted Holder" means ESL Investments, Inc. and any of
its
Affiliates other than a Group Member.
"Permitted Liens" means: (a) Liens for taxes, assessments
and
governmental charges or levies to the extent such taxes,
assessments or
governmental charges are being contested in good faith and by
proper
proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being
maintained; (b)
Liens imposed by law, such as materialmen's, mechanics',
carriers',
workmen's and repairmen's Liens and other similar Liens arising
in the
ordinary course of business securing obligations that are not
overdue for
a period of more than 30 days or that are being contested in
good faith by
appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves
15
<PAGE>
are being maintained; (c) landlords' Liens arising in the
ordinary course
of business securing (i) rents not yet due and payable, (ii)
rent for
Stores in an amount not to exceed the monthly base rent due for
the
immediately preceding calendar month and (iii) rents for Stores
in excess
of the amount set forth in the preceding clause (ii) so long as
such
amounts are being contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and
as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained; (d) any
attachment
or judgment lien not constituting an Event of Default under
Section
7.01(f); (e) Liens presently existing or hereafter created in
favor of the
Agent, on behalf of the Lenders; (f) Liens arising by the terms
of
commercial letters of credit entered into in the ordinary course
of
business to secure reimbursement obligations thereunder,
provided that
such Liens only encumber the title documents and underlying
goods relating
to such letters of credit; (g) consignments and claims under
PACA and
PASA; and (h) Liens in favor of issuers of credit cards arising
in the
ordinary course of business securing the obligation to pay
customary fees
and expenses in connection with credit card arrangements.
"Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation
(including a
business trust), joint stock company, trust, unincorporated
association,
joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, or a
government
or any political subdivision or agency thereof.
"Plan" means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer
Plan.
"Pricing Grid" means the pricing grid set forth on Schedule
IA.
"Pro Forma Financial Information" means the pro forma financial
data
of Holdings contained in the Registration Statement.
"Refunded Swingline Advances" has the meaning specified in
Section
2.04(b).
"Register" has the meaning specified in Section 9.07(d).
"Registration Statement" means the Registration Statement of
Holdings on Form S-4 filed with the SEC (Registration No.
333-120954) and
declared effective on February 18, 2005.
"Reimbursement Obligation" means the obligation of the Borrowers
to
reimburse the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.05 for
amounts drawn
under Letters of Credit.
"Related Intellectual Property" means such rights with respect
to
the Intellectual Property of the Borrowers and their
Subsidiaries (other
than Sears Canada) as are reasonably necessary to permit the
Agent to
enforce its remedies under the Loan Documents with respect to
the
Collateral.
"Reorganization" means with respect to any Multiemployer Plan,
the
condition that such Plan is in reorganization within the meaning
of
Section 4241 of ERISA.
"Reportable Event" means any of the events set forth in
Section
4043(c) of ERISA, other than (i) those events as to which the
thirty day
notice period is waived under subsections .27, .28, .29, .30,
.31, .32,
.34 or .35 of PBGC Reg. Section 4043 and (ii) any event that
must be
reported solely as a result of the bankruptcy filing by Kmart
Corp. and
certain of its Subsidiaries on January 22, 2002 in the
Bankruptcy Court
for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.
"Required Lenders" means, at any time, the holders of more than
50%
of the Commitments then in effect or, if the Commitments have
been
terminated, the holders of more than 50% of the Total Extensions
of Credit
then outstanding.
"Requirements of Law" means as to any Person, the Certificate
of
Incorporation and By Laws or other organizational or governing
documents
of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or
16
<PAGE>
determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental
Authority,
in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of
its
property or to which such Person or any of its property is
subject.
"Restricted Payment" means any dividend or other
distribution
(whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to
any equity
interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings, or any
payment
(whether in cash, securities or other property), including any
sinking
fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase,
redemption,
retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such
equity
interests in Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings or any
option, warrant
or other right to acquire any such equity interests in Holdings
or any
Subsidiary of Holdings.
"Revolving Advance" has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
A
Revolving Advance may be a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar
Rate Advance
(each of which shall be a "Type" of Revolving Advance).
"S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a
division of The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
"Sears" means Sears, Roebuck and Co., a New York
corporation.
"Sears Canada" means the collective reference to Sears Canada
Inc.,
a Canadian corporation, and its Subsidiaries.
"SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Security Documents" means the collective reference to the
Guarantee
and Collateral Agreement, and all other security documents
hereafter
delivered to the Agent granting a Lien on any property of any
Person to
secure the obligations and liabilities of any Loan Party under
any Loan
Document.
"Single Employer Plan" means a single employer plan, as defined
in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for
employees of any
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than such
Borrower and
the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of
which any
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under
Section 4069 of
ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be
terminated.
"Solvent" means, when used with respect to any Person, that, as
of
any date of determination, (a) the amount of the "present fair
saleable
value" of the assets of such Person will, as of such date,
exceed the
amount of all "liabilities of such Person, contingent or
otherwise", as of
such date, as such quoted terms are determined in accordance
with
applicable federal and state laws governing determinations of
the
insolvency of debtors, (b) the present fair saleable value of
the assets
of such Person will, as of such date, be greater than the amount
that will
be required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as
such debts
become absolute and matured, (c) such Person will not have, as
of such
date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to
conduct its
business, and (d) such Person will be able to pay its debts as
they
mature. For purposes of this definition, (i) "debt" means
liability on a
"claim", and (ii) "claim" means any (x) right to payment,
whether or not
such a right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated,
fixed,
contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal,
equitable,
secured or unsecured or (y) right to an equitable remedy for
breach of
performance if such breach gives rise to a right to payment,
whether or
not such right to an equitable remedy is reduced to judgment,
fixed,
contingent, matured or unmatured, disputed, undisputed, secured
or
unsecured.
"Standby L/C" means an irrevocable letter of credit under which
the
Issuing Lender agrees to make payments in Dollars for the
account of any
Borrower, on behalf of any Group Member in respect of
obligations of such
Group Member incurred pursuant to contracts made or
performances
undertaken or to be undertaken or like matters relating to
contracts to
which such Group Member is or proposes to become a party,
including,
without limiting the foregoing, for insurance purposes or in
respect of
advance payments
17
<PAGE>
or as bid or performance bonds or for any other purpose for
which a
standby letter of credit might be issued.
"Store" means any store owned or leased and operated by any
Loan
Party.
"Store Closure Sale" means a store closure sale that is
properly
advertised and professionally managed over a defined period that
is
anticipated by the Borrowers not to exceed 12 weeks (on average)
from the
date of the same commencement.
"Subsidiary" of any Person means any corporation, partnership,
joint
venture, limited liability company, trust or estate of which (or
in which)
more than 50% of (a) the issued and outstanding capital stock
having
ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of
Directors of
such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time capital
stock of any
other class or classes of such corporation shall or might have
voting
power upon the occurrence of any contingency), (b) the interest
in the
capital or profits of such limited liability company,
partnership or joint
venture or (c) the beneficial interest in such trust or estate
is at the
time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person,
by such
Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or by one or
more of such
Person's other Subsidiaries.
"Subsidiary Guarantor" means each Domestic Subsidiary of
Holdings
which owns Inventory or Credit Card Accounts Receivable.
"Supermajority Lenders" means, at any time, the holders of
66-2/3%
or more of Commitments then in effect or, if the Commitments
have been
terminated, the holders of 66-2/3% or more of the Total
Extensions of
Credit then outstanding.
"Swingline Advances" has the meaning specified in Section
2.03.
"Swingline Commitment" means the obligation of the Swingline
Lender
to make Swingline Advances pursuant to Section 2.03 in an
aggregate
principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed
$100,000,000.
"Swingline Lender" means JPMorgan Chase Bank, in its capacity as
the
lender of Swingline Advances.
"Swingline Participation Amount" has the meaning specified
in
Section 2.04(c).
"Taxes" has the meaning specified in Section 2.15.
"Termination Date" means the earlier of (a) the date that is
five
years after the Effective Date and (b) the date of termination
in whole of
the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 or 7.01.
"Total Availability" means the amount at any time by which (a)
the
lesser of (i) aggregate Commitments or (ii) the Borrowing Base,
if
applicable, exceeds (b) the Total Extensions of Credit at such
time.
"Total Extensions of Credit" means at any time, the aggregate
amount
of the Extensions of Credit of the Lenders outstanding at such
time.
"Total Net Extensions of Credit" means, on any day, (a)
Total
Extensions of Credit on such day less (b) Available Cash on such
day.
"Type" means either a Base Rate Advance or a Eurodollar Rate
Advance.
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<PAGE>
"UCC" means the Uniform Commercial Code as from time to time
in
effect in the State of New York.
"Voting Stock" means capital stock issued by a corporation,
or
equivalent interests in any other Person, the holders of which
are
ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote
for the
election of directors (or persons performing similar functions)
of such
Person, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the
happening
of such a contingency.
SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement (a)
in
the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a
later specified
date, the word "from" means "from and including" and the words
"to" and "until"
each mean "to but excluding" (b) "including" means "including
without
limitation"; and (c) unless otherwise specified, any reference
to a time of day
means such time in New York City.
SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not
specifically defined herein or in the other Loan Documents shall
be construed in
accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
("GAAP") which for
purposes of Section 6.03 shall be consistently applied. If at
any time any
change in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles would
affect the
computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth
herein, and either
the Borrowers or the Required Lenders shall so request, the
Agent, the Lenders
and the Borrowers shall negotiate in good faith to amend such
ratio or
requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of
such change in
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (subject to the
approval of the
Required Lenders which shall not be unreasonably withheld),
provided that, until
so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be
computed in
accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles
prior to such
change in principles and (ii) the Borrowers shall provide to the
Agent and the
Lenders financial statements and other documents required under
this Agreement
or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a
reconciliation between
calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after
giving effect to
such change in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
For the avoidance
of doubt, no retroactive change in U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles
shall apply to the construction of accounting terms under this
Agreement in the
absence of an amendment hereto in accordance with the terms of
this Section
1.03.
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES
SECTION 2.01. The Revolving Advances. Each Lender severally
agrees,
on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make
revolving advances
(the "Revolving Advances") to the Borrowers from time to time on
any Business
Day during the period from the Effective Date until the
Termination Date in an
aggregate amount at any one time outstanding which, when added
to such Lender's
Commitment Percentage of the sum of (i) the aggregate principal
amount of the
Swingline Advances then outstanding and (ii) the L/C Obligations
then
outstanding, equals the amount of such Lender's Commitment;
provided, that the
aggregate principal amount of any Borrowing made at any time
shall not exceed
the Total Availability at such time. Each Borrowing under this
Section 2.01
shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or an integral
multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof (provided, that the Swingline
Lender may request,
on behalf of the applicable Borrower, Borrowings that are Base
Rate Advances in
other amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(b)) and shall consist of
Revolving
Advances of the same Type made on the same day by the Lenders
ratably according
to their respective Commitments. Within the limits set forth in
this Section
2.01, the Borrowers may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay
pursuant to
Section 2.11 and reborrow under this Section 2.01.
SECTION 2.02. Making the Revolving Advances. (a) Each
Borrowing
under Section 2.01 shall be made on notice, given not later than
(x) 12:00 noon
on the third Business Day prior to the date of the proposed
Borrowing in the
case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances or
(y) 12:00 noon on
the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing
consisting of Base
Rate Advances, by the applicable Borrower to the Agent, which
shall give to each
Lender prompt notice thereof by telecopier. Each such notice of
a Borrowing (a
"Notice of Borrowing") shall be by telephone, confirmed
immediately in writing,
by email attachment or by telecopier, in substantially the form
of Exhibit A
hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such
Borrowing, (ii) Type
of Revolving Advances comprising such Borrowing, (iii) aggregate
amount of such
Borrowing, and (iv) in
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<PAGE>
the case of a Borrowing consisting of Eurodollar Rate Advances,
initial Interest
Period for each such Revolving Advance. Each Lender shall,
before 1:00 P.M. on
the date of such Borrowing make available for the account of its
Applicable
Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent's Account, in same day
funds, such
Lender's ratable (in accordance with its Commitment Percentage)
portion of such
Borrowing. After the Agent's receipt of such funds and upon
fulfillment of the
applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, the Agent will
make such funds
available to the Borrower requesting such Borrowing at the
Agent's address
referred to in Section 9.02.
(b) Anything in subsection (a) above to the contrary
notwithstanding, (i) a Borrower may not select Eurodollar Rate
Advances for any
Borrowing if the aggregate amount of such Borrowing is less than
$5,000,000 or
if the obligation of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Rate
Advances shall then be
suspended pursuant to Section 2.09 or 2.13 and (ii) the
Eurodollar Rate Advances
may not be outstanding as part of more than ten separate
Borrowings.
(c) Each Notice of Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on
the
applicable Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing that the
related Notice of
Borrowing specifies is to be comprised of Eurodollar Rate
Advances, the
applicable Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any
loss, cost or
expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure to
fulfill on or
before the date specified in such Notice of Borrowing for such
Borrowing the
applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, including any
loss (including
loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason
of the
liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired
by such Lender
to fund the Revolving Advance to be made by such Lender as part
of such
Borrowing when such Revolving Advance, as a result of such
failure, is not made
on such date.
(d) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from a Lender
prior
to the time of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make
available to the
Agent such Lender's ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Agent
may assume that
such Lender has made such portion available to the Agent on the
date of such
Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02
and the Agent
may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the
applicable Borrower
on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that
such Lender shall
not have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent,
such Lender and
the applicable Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent
forthwith on
demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon,
for each day
from the date such amount is made available to such Borrower
until the date such
amount is repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of such
Borrower, the interest
rate applicable at the time to Revolving Advances comprising
such Borrowing and
(ii) in the case of such Lender, the Federal Funds Rate. If such
Lender shall
repay to the Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so
repaid shall be
made available to the applicable Borrower and shall constitute
such Lender's
Revolving Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this
Agreement.
(e) The failure of any Lender to make the Revolving Advance to
be
made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other
Lender of its
obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Revolving Advance on
the date of such
Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of
any other
Lender to make the Revolving Advance to be made by such other
Lender on the date
of any Borrowing.
SECTION 2.03. The Swingline Advances. (a) Subject to the terms
and
conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender agrees to make a portion
of the credit
otherwise available to the Borrowers under the Commitments from
time to time
during the period from the Effective Date until the Termination
Date by making
swing line advances ("Swingline Advances") to the Borrowers;
provided that (i)
the aggregate principal amount of Swingline Advances outstanding
at any time
shall not exceed the Swingline Commitment then in effect
(notwithstanding that
the Swingline Advances outstanding at any time, when aggregated
with the
Swingline Lender's other outstanding Revolving Advances, may
exceed the
Swingline Commitment then in effect) and (ii) the amount of any
Swingline
Advance made at any time shall not exceed the Total Availability
at such time.
During the period from the Effective Date until the Termination
Date, the
Borrowers may use the Swingline Commitment by borrowing,
repaying and
reborrowing, all in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof. Swingline
Advances shall be available as Base Rate Advances only.
(b) Each Borrower shall repay to the Swingline Lender the
then
unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Advance made to it on
the earlier of
the Termination Date and the first date after such Swingline
Advance is made
that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least
two Business
Days after such Swingline
20
<PAGE>
Advance is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving
Advance is borrowed
by a Borrower, such Borrower shall repay all Swingline Advances
then
outstanding, if any, and may use all or a portion of such
Revolving Advance to
fund such repayment.
SECTION 2.04. Making the Swingline Advances. (a) Each
Borrowing
under Section 2.03 shall be made on notice, given not later than
1:00 P.M. on
the date of the proposed Borrowing, by the applicable Borrower
to the Agent and
Swingline Lender. Each such Notice of a Borrowing shall be by
telephone,
confirmed immediately in writing, by email attachment or by
telecopier, in
substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, specifying therein
the requested (i)
date of such Borrowing and (ii) aggregate amount of such
Borrowing. Each
Borrowing under the Swingline Commitment shall be in an amount
equal to $500,000
or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Not later
than 3:00 P.M. on
the date of the proposed Borrowing, the Swingline Lender shall
make available to
the Agent at the Agent's Account an amount in immediately
available funds equal
to the amount of the Swingline Advance to be made by the
Swingline Lender. Upon
fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article
IV, the Agent
shall make the proceeds of such Swingline Advance available to
the Borrower
requesting such Borrowing at the Agent's address referred to in
Section 9.02.
(b) The Swingline Lender, at any time and from time to time in
its
sole and absolute discretion may, on behalf of the Borrowers
(which hereby
irrevocably direct the Swingline Lender to act on their behalf),
by notice given
by the Swingline Lender no later than 12:00 noon, request each
Lender to make,
and each Lender hereby agrees to make, a Revolving Advance, in
an amount equal
to such Lender's Commitment Percentage of the aggregate amount
of the Swingline
Advances (the "Refunded Swingline Advances") outstanding on the
date of such
notice, to repay the Swingline Lender. Each Lender shall make
the amount of such
Revolving Advance available to the Agent at the Agent's Account
in same day
funds, not later than 1:00 P.M. on the date of such notice. The
proceeds of such
Revolving Advances shall be immediately made available by the
Agent to the
Swingline Lender for application by the Swingline Lender to the
repayment of the
Refunded Swingline Advances. Each Borrower irrevocably
authorizes the Swingline
Lender to charge such Borrower's accounts with the Agent (up to
the amount
available in each such account) in order to immediately pay the
amount of such
Refunded Swingline Advances to the extent amounts received from
the Lenders are
not sufficient to repay in full such Refunded Swingline
Advances.
(c) If prior to the time a Revolving Advance would have
otherwise
been made pursuant to Section 2.04(b), one of the events
described in Section
7.01 shall have occurred and be continuing or if for any other
reason, as
determined by the Swingline Lender in its sole discretion,
Revolving Advances
may not be made as contemplated by Section 2.04(b), each Lender
shall, on the
date such Revolving Advance was to have been made pursuant to
the notice
referred to in Section 2.04(b), purchase for cash an undivided
participating
interest in the then outstanding Swingline Advances by paying to
the Swingline
Lender an amount (the "Swingline Participation Amount") equal to
(i) such
Lender's Commitment Percentage multiplied by (ii) the sum of the
aggregate
principal amount of Swingline Advances then outstanding that
were to have been
repaid with such Revolving Advances.
(d) Whenever, at any time after the Swingline Lender has
received
from any Lender such Lender's Swingline Participation Amount,
the Swingline
Lender receives any payment on account of the Swingline
Advances, the Swingline
Lender will distribute to such Lender its Swingline
Participation Amount
(appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to
reflect the period
of time during which such Lender's participating interest was
outstanding and
funded and, in the case of principal and interest payments, to
reflect such
Lender's pro rata portion of such payment if such payment is not
sufficient to
pay the principal of and interest on all Swingline Advances then
due); provided,
however, that in the event that such payment received by the
Swingline Lender is
required to be returned, such Lender will return to the
Swingline Lender any
portion thereof previously distributed to it by the Swingline
Lender.
(e) Each Lender's obligation to make the Advances referred to
in
Section 2.04(b) and to purchase participating interests pursuant
to Section
2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be
affected by any
circumstance, including (i) any set-off, counterclaim,
recoupment, defense or
other right that such Lender or any Borrower may have against
the Swingline
Lender, any Borrower or any other Person for any reason
whatsoever, (ii) the
occurrence or continuance of a Default or an Event of Default or
the failure to
satisfy any of the other conditions specified in Article IV,
(iii) any adverse
change in the condition (financial or otherwise) of any
Borrower, (iv) any
breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by any
Borrower, any other
Loan Party or any other Lender or (v) any other circumstance,
happening or event
whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing.
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SECTION 2.05. Fees. (a) Commitment Fee. The Borrowers jointly
and
severally agree to pay to the Agent for the account of each
Lender a commitment
fee commencing on the Effective Date on the average daily amount
of the
Available Commitment of such Lender during the period for which
payment is made
at a rate per annum equal to the Commitment Fee Rate in effect
from time to
time, payable in arrears quarterly on the 5th day subsequent to
the last day of
each April, July, October and January, commencing April 30,
2005, and on the
Termination Date.
(b) Agent's Fees. The Borrowers shall pay to the Agent for its
own
account such fees as may from time to time be agreed between the
Borrowers and
the Agent.
SECTION 2.06. Optional Termination or Reduction of the
Commitments.
The Borrowers shall have the right, without penalty or premium
and upon at least
three Business Days' notice to the Agent, to permanently
terminate in whole or
permanently reduce ratably in part the unused portions of the
respective
Commitments of the Lenders, provided that no such termination or
reduction of
the Commitments shall be permitted if, after giving effect
thereof and to any
prepayments of the Advances made on the effective date thereof,
the Total
Extensions of Credit would exceed the aggregate amount of the
Commitments as so
reduced. Any partial reduction of the Commitments shall be in
the aggregate
amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in
excess thereof.
SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Advances. Each Borrower shall repay
to
the Agent for the ratable account of the Lenders on the
Termination Date the
aggregate principal amount of the Advances made to it then
outstanding.
SECTION 2.08. Interest on Advances. (a) Scheduled Interest.
Each
Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of
each Advance made
to it and owing to each Lender from the date of such Advance
until such
principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates
per annum:
(i) Base Rate Advances. During such periods as such Advance is
a
Base Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the
sum of (x)
the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the
Applicable Margin
in effect from time to time, payable (I) in the case of any Base
Rate
Advance other than a Swingline Advance, in arrears quarterly on
the 5th
day subsequent to the last day of each April, July, October and
January
during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall
be
Converted or paid in full and (II) in the case of any Swingline
Advance,
on the date that such Swingline Advance is required to be
repaid.
(ii) Eurodollar Rate Advances. During such periods as such
Advance
is a Eurodollar Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all
times during
each Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of (x) the
Eurodollar
Rate for such Interest Period for such Advance plus (y) the
Applicable
Margin in effect from time to time, payable in arrears on the
last day of
such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration
of more
than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest
Period
every three months from the first day of such Interest Period
and on the
date such Eurodollar Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in
full.
(b) Default Interest. Upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Event of Default under Section 7.01(a) in
respect of principal
amounts, the Borrowers shall pay interest on the unpaid
principal amount of each
Advance and Reimbursement Obligation owing to each Lender,
payable in arrears on
the dates referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, at a
rate per annum
equal to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be
paid on such
Advance or Reimbursement Obligation pursuant to clause (a)(i) or
(a)(ii) above.
Further, the Borrowers shall pay interest, to the fullest extent
permitted by
law, on the amount of any interest, fee or other amount (other
than principal)
payable hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such
amount shall be
due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears
on the date such
amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum
equal to 2% per
annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate
Advances
pursuant to clause (a)(i) above.
(c) Regulation D Compensation. Each Lender that is subject
to
reserve requirements of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System (or
any successor) may require the Borrowers to pay,
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contemporaneously with each payment of interest on the
Eurodollar Rate Advances,
additional interest on the related Eurodollar Rate Advances of
such Lender at
the rate per annum equal to the excess of (i) (A) the applicable
Eurodollar Rate
divided by (B) one minus the Eurodollar Rate Reserve Percentage
over (ii) the
applicable Eurodollar Rate. Any Lender wishing to require
payment of such
additional interest (x) shall so notify the Agent and the
Borrowers, in which
case such additional interest on the Eurodollar Rate Advances of
such Lender
shall be payable to such Lender at the place indicated in such
notice with
respect to each Interest Period commencing at least five
Business Days after the
giving of such notice and (y) shall notify the Agent and the
Borrowers at least
five Business Days prior to each date on which interest is
payable on the amount
then due it under this Section. Each such notification shall be
accompanied by
such information as the Borrowers may reasonably request.
SECTION 2.09. Interest Rate Determination. (a) The Agent shall
give
prompt notice to the Borrowers and the Lenders of the applicable
interest rate
determined by the Agent for purposes of Section 2.08(a)(i) or
(ii).
(b) If, with respect to any Eurodollar Rate Advances, the
Required
Lenders notify the Agent at least one Business Day before the
date of any
proposed Eurodollar Rate Advance that the Eurodollar Rate for
any Interest
Period for such Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to
such Required
Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective
Eurodollar Rate
Advances for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so
notify the
Borrowers and the Lenders, whereupon (i) each Eurodollar Rate
Advance will
automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest
Period therefor,
Convert into a Base Rate Advance, and (ii) the obligation of the
Lenders to
make, or to Convert Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances
shall be suspended
until the Agent shall notify the Borrowers and the Lenders that
the
circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.
(c) If any Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any
Interest Period for any Eurodollar Rate Advances in accordance
with the
provisions contained in the definition of "Interest Period" in
Section 1.01, the
Agent will forthwith so notify such Borrower and the Lenders and
such Advances
will automatically, on the last day of the then existing
Interest Period
therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(d) On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount
of
Eurodollar Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be
reduced, by payment
or prepayment or otherwise, to less than $5,000,000, such
Advances shall
automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.
(e) Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event
of
Default under Section 7.01(a), (i) each Eurodollar Rate Advance
will
automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest
Period therefor,
Convert into a Base Rate Advance and (ii) the obligation of the
Lenders to make,
or to Convert Revolving Advances into, Eurodollar Rate Advances
shall be
suspended.
SECTION 2.10. Optional Conversion of Revolving Advances. The
Borrowers may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the
Agent not later than
12:00 noon on the third Business Day prior to the date of the
proposed
Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.09 and
2.13, Convert all
Revolving Advances of one Type comprising the same Borrowing
into Revolving
Advances of the other Type; provided, however, that any
Conversion of Eurodollar
Rate Advances into Base Rate Advances shall be made only on the
last day of an
Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Advances, any
Conversion of Base Rate
Advances into Eurodollar Rate Advances shall be in an amount not
less than the
minimum amount specified in Section 2.02(b) and no Conversion of
any Revolving
Advances shall result in more separate Borrowings than permitted
under Section
2.02(b). Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the
restrictions
specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii)
the Revolving
Advances to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into
Eurodollar Rate
Advances, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each
such Revolving
Advance. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and
binding on the
applicable Borrower.
SECTION 2.11. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments of Advances.
(a)
Any Borrower may, without penalty or premium and upon notice
given not later
than 12:00 noon on the date of such prepayment to the Agent
stating the proposed
date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if
such notice is
given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal
amount of the
Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing in whole or
ratably in part,
together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on
the principal
amount prepaid; provided, however, that (x) each partial
prepayment shall be in
an aggregate principal amount of
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$5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess
thereof (or, in the
case of partial prepayments of Swingline Advances, $100,000 or a
whole multiple
thereof) and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a
Eurodollar Rate
Advance, the applicable Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse
the Lenders in
respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(c).
(b) On the date of delivery of any Borrowing Base Certificate,
if
the amount described in clause (b) of the definition of Total
Availability
exceeds the amount described in clause (a) of such definition,
the Borrowers
shall prepay Advances in an amount equal to such excess,
provided that if the
aggregate principal amount of Advances then outstanding is less
than the amount
of such excess (because L/C Obligations constitute a portion
thereof), the
Borrowers shall, to the extent of the balance of such excess,
replace
outstanding Letters of Credit and/or deposit an amount in cash
in a cash
collateral account established with the Agent for the benefit of
the Lenders on
terms and conditions satisfactory to the Agent. Any prepayment
of Loans pursuant
to this Section 2.11(b) shall be applied, first, to any Base
Rate Advances then
outstanding and the balance of such prepayment, if any, to the
Eurodollar Rate
Advances then outstanding.
SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs. (a) If, due to either (i) after
the
date of this Agreement the introduction of or any change in or
in the
interpretation of any law or regulation or (ii) the compliance
with any
guideline or request from any central bank or other governmental
authority
(whether or not having the force of law) made or issued after
the date of this
Agreement, there shall be any increase in the cost to any Lender
of agreeing to
make or making, funding or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Advances
or issuing or
participating in Letters of Credit (excluding for purposes of
this Section 2.12
any such increased costs resulting from (i) Taxes or Other Taxes
(as to which
Section 2.15 shall govern) and (ii) changes in the basis of
taxation of overall
net income or overall gross income by the United States or by
the foreign
jurisdiction or state under the laws of which such Lender is
organized or has
its Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision
thereof), then the
Borrowers shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender
(with a copy of
such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of
such Lender
additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender for such
increased cost;
provided that a Lender claiming additional amounts under this
Section 2.12(a)
agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent with its internal
policy and legal
and regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Applicable
Lending Office
and/or take other commercially reasonable action if the making
of such a
designation or the taking of such actions would avoid the need
for, or reduce
the amount of, such increased cost that may thereafter accrue
and would not, in
the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise
disadvantageous to such
Lender. A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost,
submitted to the
Borrowers and the Agent by such Lender, shall be entitled to a
presumption of
correctness. If any Borrower so notifies the Agent after any
Lender notifies the
Borrowers of any increased cost pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this
Section 2.12(a), such Borrower may, upon payment of such
increased cost to such
Lender, replace such Lender with a Person that is an Eligible
Assignee in
accordance with the terms of Section 9.07 (and the Lender being
so replaced
shall take all action as may be necessary to assign its rights
and obligations
under this Agreement to such Eligible Assignee).
(b) If any Lender determines that compliance with any change
after
the date of this Agreement in law or regulation or any guideline
or request
after the date of this Agreement from any central bank or other
governmental
authority (whether or not having the force of law) affects or
would affect the
amount of capital required or expected to be maintained by such
Lender or any
entity controlling such Lender and that the amount of such
capital is increased
by or based upon the
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