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FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Loan Agreement

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT | Document Parties: BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ | COMERICA BANK | DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY | FIFTH THIRD BANK | KEYBANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | NATIONAL CITY BANK | SPARTECH CORPORATION | SUNTRUST BANK | U S BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION You are currently viewing:
This Loan Agreement involves

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ | COMERICA BANK | DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY | FIFTH THIRD BANK | KEYBANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | NATIONAL CITY BANK | SPARTECH CORPORATION | SUNTRUST BANK | U S BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

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Title: FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Texas     Date: 8/6/2008
Industry: Fabricated Plastic and Rubber     Law Firm: Armstrong Teasdale     Sector: Basic Materials

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT, Parties: banc of america securities llc , bank of america  n.a. , bank of tokyo-mitsubishi ufj , comerica bank , deutsche bank trust company , fifth third bank , keybank  national association , national city bank , spartech corporation , suntrust bank , u s bank national association
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Exhibit 10.2

 

 

Published CUSIP Number: 84722HAA1

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of June 2, 2006

among

SPARTECH CORPORATION ,
as the Borrower,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer,

THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., CHICAGO BRANCH ,
KEYBANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION ,
as Syndication Agents,

CALYON NEW YORK BRANCH,
NATIONAL CITY BANK OF PENNSYLVANIA
,
as Documentation Agents

and

The Other Lenders Party Hereto

 

 

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
as
Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

 

1

 

1.01 Defined Terms

 

 

1

 

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions

 

 

22

 

1.03 Accounting Terms

 

 

23

 

1.04 Rounding

 

 

24

 

1.05 Times of Day

 

 

24

 

1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts

 

 

24

 

1.07 References to Agreements and Laws

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

 

24

 

2.01 Loans

 

 

24

 

2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans

 

 

25

 

2.03 Letters of Credit

 

 

26

 

2.04 Prepayments

 

 

36

 

2.05 Termination or Reduction of Commitments

 

 

37

 

2.06 Repayment of Loans

 

 

37

 

2.07 Interest

 

 

37

 

2.08 Fees

 

 

38

 

2.09 Computation of Interest and Fees

 

 

38

 

2.10 Evidence of Debt

 

 

39

 

2.11 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback

 

 

39

 

2.12 Sharing of Payments by Lenders

 

 

41

 

2.13 Increase in Commitments

 

 

42

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

 

43

 

3.01 Taxes

 

 

43

 

3.02 Illegality

 

 

45

 

3.03 Inability to Determine Rates

 

 

46

 

3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans

 

 

46

 

3.05 Compensation for Losses

 

 

48

 

3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

 

 

49

 

3.07 Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation

 

 

49

 

3.08 Survival

 

 

49

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

 

49

 

4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension

 

 

49

 

4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions

 

 

51

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

 

52

 

5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power

 

 

52

 

5.02 Authorization; No Contravention

 

 

52

 

5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents

 

 

52

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

5.04 Binding Effect

 

 

52

 

5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect; No Internal Control Event

 

 

53

 

5.06 Litigation

 

 

53

 

5.07 No Default

 

 

54

 

5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens

 

 

54

 

5.09 Environmental Compliance

 

 

54

 

5.10 Insurance

 

 

54

 

5.11 Taxes

 

 

54

 

5.12 ERISA Compliance.

 

 

54

 

5.13 Subsidiaries

 

 

55

 

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

 

 

55

 

5.15 Disclosure

 

 

56

 

5.16 Compliance with Laws

 

 

56

 

5.17 Taxpayer Identification Number

 

 

56

 

5.18 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc

 

 

56

 

5.19 Businesses

 

 

57

 

5.20 Common Enterprise

 

 

57

 

5.21 Senior Debt

 

 

57

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

57

 

6.01 Financial Statements

 

 

57

 

6.02 Certificates; Other Information

 

 

58

 

6.03 Notices

 

 

60

 

6.04 Payment of Obligations

 

 

60

 

6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc

 

 

61

 

6.06 Maintenance of Properties

 

 

61

 

6.07 Maintenance of Insurance

 

 

61

 

6.08 Compliance with Laws

 

 

61

 

6.09 Books and Records

 

 

61

 

6.10 Inspection Rights

 

 

61

 

6.11 Use of Proceeds

 

 

62

 

6.12 Further Assurances

 

 

62

 

6.13 Domestic Subsidiaries

 

 

62

 

6.14 Minimum Borrower and Guarantor Consolidated Total Operating Income

 

 

62

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

62

 

7.01 Liens

 

 

62

 

7.02 Disposition of Assets

 

 

64

 

7.03 Consolidations and Mergers

 

 

65

 

7.04 Loans and Investments

 

 

65

 

7.05 Limitation on Indebtedness

 

 

66

 

7.06 Consolidated Net Worth

 

 

66

 

7.07 Interest Coverage Ratio

 

 

66

 

ii 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

7.08 Leverage Ratio

 

 

66

 

7.09 Sale/Leasebacks

 

 

66

 

7.10 Transactions with Affiliates

 

 

66

 

7.11 Use of Proceeds

 

 

66

 

7.12 Guarantees

 

 

66

 

7.13 Restricted Payments

 

 

67

 

7.14 ERISA

 

 

67

 

7.15 Change in Business

 

 

67

 

7.16 Accounting Changes

 

 

67

 

7.17 Activities of Spartech Trust

 

 

67

 

7.18 Activities of Spartech Trust II

 

 

67

 

7.19 Amendment and Waivers of Subordinated Debt

 

 

67

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

 

68

 

8.01 Events of Default

 

 

68

 

8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default

 

 

70

 

8.03 Application of Funds

 

 

71

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

 

72

 

9.01 Appointment and Authority

 

 

72

 

9.02 Rights as a Lender

 

 

72

 

9.03 Exculpatory Provisions

 

 

72

 

9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent

 

 

73

 

9.05 Delegation of Duties

 

 

74

 

9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent

 

 

74

 

9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

 

 

75

 

9.08 No Other Duties, Etc

 

 

75

 

9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

 

 

75

 

9.10 Guaranty Matters

 

 

76

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

76

 

10.01 Amendments, Etc

 

 

76

 

10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication

 

 

78

 

10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies

 

 

80

 

10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

 

 

80

 

10.05 Payments Set Aside

 

 

83

 

10.06 Successors and Assigns

 

 

83

 

10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality

 

 

87

 

10.08 Right of Setoff

 

 

88

 

10.09 Interest Rate Limitation

 

 

89

 

10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

 

 

89

 

10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties

 

 

89

 

10.12 Severability

 

 

89

 

10.13 Replacement of Lenders

 

 

90

 

10.14 Exceptions to Covenants

 

 

90

 

10.15 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc

 

 

90

 

iii 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Section

 

Page

 

10.16 Waiver of Jury Trial

 

 

91

 

10.17 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

 

 

92

 

10.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice

 

 

92

 

10.19 ENTIRE AGREEMENT

 

 

93

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

S-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.01 Commitments and Applicable Percentages

 

 

 

 

2.02 Existing Letters of Credit

 

 

 

 

5.05 Supplement to Interim Financial Statements

 

 

 

 

5.06 Existing Litigation

 

 

 

 

5.09 Environmental Liability

 

 

 

 

5.13 Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments

 

 

 

 

7.01 Existing Liens

 

 

 

 

7.05 Existing Indebtedness

 

 

 

 

7.12 Existing Guarantees

 

 

 

 

10.02 Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices

 

 

 

 

10.06 Processing and Recordation Fees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBITS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Form of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A            Loan Notice

 

 

 

 

B            Note

 

 

 

 

C            Compliance Certificate

 

 

 

 

D            Assignment and Assumption

 

 

 

 

E            Guaranty

 

 

 

 

iv 


 

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

     This FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (“ Agreement ”) is entered into as of June 2, 2006, among SPARTECH CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “ Borrower ”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “ Lender ”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

     The Borrower, various financial institutions and the Administrative Agent (as defined below) are parties to that certain Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 3, 2004, as heretofore amended, modified and supplemented from time to time (the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”).

     The parties hereto have agreed, subject to the terms hereof, to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement so as to, among other things, (a) increase the amount of the revolving credit facility to $300,000,000, (b) amend the pricing, certain covenants and various other provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement and (c) revise the composition of the lender group.

     The parties hereto intend that this Agreement and the other documents executed in connection herewith not effect a novation of the obligations of the Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement, but merely a restatement and, where applicable, an amendment of the terms governing such obligations.

     In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the Existing Credit Agreement is amended and restated in its entirety, and the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

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

     “ Acquisition ” means any transaction or series of related transactions for the purpose of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in (a) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a Person, or of any business or division of a Person, (b) the acquisition of assets of a Person that is accompanied by a long term supply agreement, (c) the acquisition of in excess of 50% of the Equity Interests of any Person, or otherwise causing any Person to become a Subsidiary, or (d) a merger or consolidation or any other combination with another Person (other than a Person that is a Subsidiary) provided that the Borrower or the Subsidiary is the surviving entity.

     “ Administrative Agent ” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

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

-1-


 

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

     “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “ Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” have meanings correlative thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 10% or more of the Voting Equity Interests.

     “ Aggregate Commitments ” means the Commitments of all of the Lenders.

     “ Agreement ” means this Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

     “ Applicable Law ” means (a) in respect of any Person, all provisions of Laws applicable to such Person, and all orders and decrees of all courts and determinations of arbitrators applicable to such Person and (b) in respect of contracts made or performed in the State of Texas, “ Applicable Law ” shall also mean the laws of the United States of America, including, without limitation, in addition to the foregoing, 12 USC Sections 85 and 86, as amended to the date hereof and as the same may be amended at any time and from time to time hereafter, and any other statute of the United States of America now or at any time hereafter prescribing the maximum rates of interest on loans and extensions of credit, and the laws of the State of Texas.

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

     “ Applicable Rate ” means the following percentages per annum, based upon the Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a) :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eurodollar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rate for

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and

 

 

Pricing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letters of

 

Base Rate for

Level

 

Leverage Ratio

 

Commitment Fee

 

Credit

 

Loans

1

 

Less than 2.25 to 1.00

 

 

0.125

 

 

 

0.625

 

 

 

0.000

 

-2-


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eurodollar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rate for

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and

 

 

Pricing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letters of

 

Base Rate for

Level

 

Leverage Ratio

 

Commitment Fee

 

Credit

 

Loans

2

 

Greater than or equal to 2.25 to 1.00, but less than 2.75 to 1.00

 

 

0.150

 

 

 

0.750

 

 

 

0.000

 

3

 

Greater than or equal to 2.75 to 1.00, but less than 3.25 to 1.00

 

 

0.175

 

 

 

0.875

 

 

 

0.000

 

4

 

Greater than or equal to 3.25 to 1.00

 

 

0.200

 

 

 

1.000

 

 

 

0.000

 

     Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered for any fiscal quarter pursuant to Section 6.02(a) ; provided , however , that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section 6.02(a) , then Pricing Level 4 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall remain in effect until the first Business Day immediately following the date such Compliance Certificate is actually delivered to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Applicable Rate in effect from and after the Closing Date through and including the date the Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) for the second fiscal quarter of fiscal year 2006 shall be Pricing Level 3.

     “ Arranger ” means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book manager.

     “ Asset Sale ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02 .

     “ Assignee Group ” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another.

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

     “ Attorney Costs ” means and includes all fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel.

     “ Attributable Debt ” means, as to any particular lease relating to a sale and leaseback transaction, the total amount of rent (discounted semiannually from the respective due dates thereof at the interest rate implicit in such lease) required to be paid by the lessee under such lease during the remaining term thereof. The amount of rent required to be paid under any such lease for any such period shall be (a) the total amount of the rent payable by the lessee with respect to such period after excluding amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, utilities, operating and labor costs and similar charges plus (b) without duplication, any guaranteed residual value in respect of such lease to the extent such guarantee would be included in indebtedness in accordance with GAAP.

-3-


 

     “ Attributable Indebtedness ” means, on any date, in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a Capital Lease.

     “ Audited Financial Statements ” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended October 29, 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

     “ Auto Extension Letter of Credit ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(b)(iii) .

     “ Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Closing Date (provided that all conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 4.01 (or, in the case of Section 4.01(b) , waived by the Person entitled to receive the applicable payment) by such date) to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02 .

     “ Bank of America ” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

     “ Base Rate " means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

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

     “ Beneficial Owner ” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Rule 13d-3 of the SEC under the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof.

     “ Borrower ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

     “ Borrower Materials ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

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

     “ Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and New York, New York and, if such day

-4-


 

relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

     “ Canadian Facility ” means the credit facility provided by Bank of America Canada and/or any other Lender or any Affiliate thereof to Spartech Canada, as from time to time amended, modified, renewed or extended.

     “ Capital Lease ” means, as of any date, any lease of property, real or personal, the obligations of the lessee in respect of which are required in accordance with GAAP to be capitalized on the balance sheet of the lessee.

     “ Capitalized Lease Obligations ” means, with respect to any Person, all outstanding obligations of such Person in respect of Capital Leases, taken at the capitalized amount thereof accounted for as indebtedness in accordance with GAAP.

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

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

     “ Change of Control ” means that (a) any Person or group (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5 of the SEC under the Exchange Act) shall become the Beneficial Owner of 20% or more of the Voting Equity Interests of the Borrower or (b) a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Borrower shall cease to be Continuing Members.

     “ Closing Date ” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01 (or, in the case of Section 4.01(b) , waived by the Person entitled to receive the applicable payment).

     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

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

     “ Commitment Fee ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(a) .

     “ Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C , with such changes, or in such other form, as agreed to by the Administrative Agent.

-5-


 

     “ Consolidated Indebtedness ” means, at any date, all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis.

     “ Consolidated Interest Expense ” for any period means the sum for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, of all amounts which would be deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income on account of interest on Indebtedness (including imputed interest in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations and amortization of debt discount and expense).

     “ Consolidated Net Income ” for any period means the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, excluding

     (a) the proceeds of any life insurance policy;

     (b) any gains arising from (i) the sale or other disposition of any assets (other than current assets) to the extent that the aggregate amount of the gains during such period exceeds the aggregate amount of the losses during such period from the sale, abandonment or other disposition of assets (other than current assets), (ii) any write-up of assets or (iii) the acquisition of outstanding securities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

     (c) any amount representing any interest in the undistributed earnings of any other Person (other than a Subsidiary);

     (d) any earnings, prior to the date of acquisition, of any Person acquired in any manner, and any earnings of any Subsidiary acquired prior to its becoming a Subsidiary;

     (e) any earnings of a successor to or transferee of the assets of the Borrower prior to its becoming such successor or transferee;

     (f) any deferred credit (or amortization of a deferred credit) arising from the acquisition of any Person; and

     (g) any extraordinary gains not covered by clause (b) above.

     “ Consolidated Net Worth ” means, at any date, on a consolidated basis for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (a) the sum of (i) capital stock taken at par or stated value plus (ii) capital in excess of par or stated value relating to capital stock plus (iii) retained earnings (or minus any retained earning deficit) minus (b) the sum of treasury stock, capital stock subscribed for and unissued and other contra-equity accounts, all determined in accordance with GAAP.

     “ Consolidated Total Operating Income ” means, for any period, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, earnings before Consolidated Interest Expense and income taxes for such period, plus all amounts deducted for other non-cash charges (including but not limited to expensing of stock options, fixed asset write-offs and impairments of goodwill) for such period.

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     “ Continuing Member ” means a member of the Board of Directors of the Borrower who either (a) was a member of the Borrower’s Board of Directors on the Closing Date and has been such continuously thereafter or (b) became a member of such Board of Directors after the Closing Date and whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of the majority of the Continuing Members then members of the Borrower’s Board of Directors.

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

     “ Control ” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Affiliate”.

     “ Credit Extension ” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

     “ Debentures ” means, collectively, the 2014 Debentures and the 2015 Debentures.

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

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

     “ Default Rate ” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to the lesser of (i) the Highest Lawful Rate and (ii) the sum of (x) the Base Rate plus (y) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (z) 2% per annum; provided , however , that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Laws and not in any event to exceed the Highest Lawful Rate.

     “ Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Loans or participations in L/C Obligations required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such failure has been cured, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute or unless such failure has been cured, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

     “ Dividends ” means, with respect to any Person, dividends or other distributions of assets, properties, cash, rights, obligations or securities on account of any shares of any class of its capital stock (including the Preferred Securities).

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

     “ Domestic Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.

     “ EBITDA ” for any period means Consolidated Net Income for such period plus all amounts deducted in the computation thereof on account of (a) Consolidated Interest Expense, (b) depreciation and amortization expenses and other non-cash charges (including but not limited to expensing of stock options, fixed asset write-offs and impairments of goodwill) and (c) income and profits taxes.

     “ Eligible Assignee ” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii) , (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) ).

     “ EMU Legislation ” means the legislative measures of the European Council for the introduction of, changeover to or operation of a single or unified European currency.

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

     “ Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment 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.

     “ Equity Interest ” means shares of capital stock (whether denominated as common stock or preferred stock), beneficial, partnership or membership interests, participations or other equivalents (regardless of how designated) of or in a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or equivalent entity, whether voting or non-voting.

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

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

     “ ERISA Event ” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063

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of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

     “ Euro ” means the lawful currency of the Participating Member States introduced in accordance with the EMU Legislation.

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

     “ Eurodollar Rate Loan ” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurodollar Rate.

     “ Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 .

     “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     “ Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under

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Section 10.13 ), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.01(e) , except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.01(a) .

     “ Existing Credit Agreement ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

     “ Existing Letters of Credit ” means the Letters of Credit issued under the Existing Credit Agreement and listed on Schedule 2.02 .

     “ Federal Funds Rate " means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.

     “ Fee Letter ” means the letter agreement, dated May 3, 2006, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Arranger.

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

     “ Foreign Subsidiary ” means each Subsidiary of the Borrower which is organized under the laws of any jurisdiction other than, and which is conducting the majority of its business outside of, the United States or any state thereof.

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

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

     “ GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting

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Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

     “ Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

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

     “ Guarantor ” means, collectively, (a) each Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower in existence on the Closing Date other than (i) each Inactive Subsidiary, (ii) each Domestic Subsidiary that has no assets other than the capital stock or other ownership interest of another Domestic Subsidiary, (iii)   Spartech Trust and (iv) Spartech Trust II and (b) each Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower formed or acquired after the Closing Date (other than a Domestic Subsidiary that has no assets other than the capital stock or other ownership interest of another Domestic Subsidiary) that executes a Guaranty pursuant to Section 6.13 .

     “ Guaranty ” means any Guaranty executed by one or more of the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit E .

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

     “ Highest Lawful Rate ” means at the particular time in question the maximum rate of interest which, under Applicable Law, any Lender is then permitted to charge on the Obligations. If the maximum rate of interest which, under Applicable Law, any Lender is permitted to charge on the Obligations shall change after the date hereof, the Highest Lawful Rate shall be automatically increased or decreased, as the case may be, from time to time as of the effective time of each change in the Highest Lawful Rate without notice to the Borrower. For purposes of determining the Highest Lawful Rate under Applicable Law, the indicated rate ceiling shall be the lesser of (a)(i) the “ weekly ceiling ”, as that expression is defined in Section 303.003 of the Texas Finance Code, as amended, or (ii) if available in accordance with the terms thereof and at the Administrative Agent’s option after notice to the Borrower and otherwise in accordance with the terms of Section 303.103 of the Texas Finance Code, as amended, the “ annualized ceiling ” and (b)(i) if the amount outstanding under this Agreement is less than $250,000, twenty-four percent (24%), or (ii) if the amount under this Agreement is equal to or greater than $250,000, twenty-eight percent (28%) per annum.

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

     “ Inactive Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower which does not actively conduct business and which does not own any material assets.

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

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

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

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

     (d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);

     (e) accrued obligations in respect of earnout or similar payments payable in cash or which may be payable in cash at the seller’s or obligee’s option;

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

     (g) Capitalized Lease Obligations and Synthetic Lease Obligations;

     (h) obligations in respect of Redeemable Stock;

     (i) any “withdrawal liability” of such Person as such term is defined under Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA; and

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

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

     “ Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

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

     “ Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07 .

     “ Interest Coverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the ratio of (a) EBITDA for the four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense for the four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended.

     “ Interest Payment Date ” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided , however , that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

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

     (a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such

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Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

     (b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

     (c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

     “ Internal Control Event ” means a weakness in, or fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in, the Borrower’s internal controls over financial reporting, in each case as described in the Securities Laws, the result of which could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     “ Investment ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04 . For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

     “ IP Rights ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.18 .

     “ IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

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

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

     “ Laws ” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

     “ L/C Advance ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. All L/C Advances shall be denominated in Dollars.

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

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     “ L/C Cash Collateral Account ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(g) .

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

     “ L/C Issuer ” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

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

     “ Lender ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes the L/C Issuer.

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

     “ Letter of Credit ” means any letter of credit issued hereunder and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial letter of credit or a standby letter of credit.

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

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

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

     “ Letter of Credit Sublimit ” means an amount equal to $30,000,000. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

     “ Leverage Ratio ” means, as of any date of determination, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Indebtedness as of such date to (b) EBITDA for the four consecutive fiscal quarters most recently ended. For purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio as at any date, EBITDA shall be calculated on a pro forma basis (as certified by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent) assuming that all Acquisitions made, and all divestitures completed, during the four consecutive fiscal quarters then most recently ended had been made on the first day of such period (but without adjustment for expected cost savings or other synergies).

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     “ Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

     “ Litigation ” means any proceeding, claim, lawsuit and/or arbitration by or before any Governmental Authority or arbitrator, including, without limitation, proceedings, claims, lawsuits, and/or investigations under or pursuant to any environmental, occupational, safety and health, antitrust, unfair competition, securities, tax or other Law, or under or pursuant to any contract, agreement or other instrument.

     “ Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 .

     “ Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Agent Fee Letter, each Guaranty, each Request for Credit Extension, each Compliance Certificate, and any other agreement executed, delivered or performable by any Loan Party in connection herewith or as security for the Obligations.

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

     “ Loan Parties ” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

     “ Margin Stock ” means “margin stock” as such term is defined in Regulation T, U or X of the FRB.

     “ Material Adverse Effect ” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) an impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its payment or other material obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

     “ Maturity Date ” means (a) June 2, 2011, provided , however , that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day or (b) such earlier date as the (i) the Obligations become due and payable pursuant to this Agreement (whether by acceleration, prepayment in full, scheduled reduction or otherwise) or (ii) there shall exist an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) of this Agreement.

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

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     “ Non-Consenting Lender ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.01 .

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

     “ Note ” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

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

     “ Organization Documents ” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

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

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

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

     “ Participating Member State ” means each state so described in any EMU Legislation.

     “ PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

     “ PCAOB ” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

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

     “ Permitted Acquisition ” means an Acquisition (a)(i) which is non-hostile, (ii) which occurs when no Default or Event of Default exists or will result therefrom, and (iii) after giving effect to which, on a pro forma basis (assuming that such Acquisition had occurred on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently ended from the date which is one year prior to the date of such Acquisition) no Default or Event of Default will exist; or (b) prior to such Acquisition, is approved in writing by the Required Lenders.

     “ Permitted Liens ” has the meaning specified in Section 7.01 .

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

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

     “ Platform ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

     “ Preferred Securities ” means, collectively, (a) the 2014 Preferred Securities, (b) the 2015 Preferred Securities and (c) any other convertible preferred securities issued pursuant to terms satisfactory to the Required Lenders.

     “ Redeemable Stock ” means any Equity Interest of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which prior to the Maturity Date may be (a) mandatorily redeemable, (b) redeemable at the option of the holder thereof or (c) convertible into Indebtedness.

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

     “ Registered Public Accounting Firm ” has the meaning specified in the Securities Laws and shall be independent of the Borrower as prescribed by the Securities Laws.

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

     “ Release Date ” means the date upon which all Obligations are paid in full and the Commitments are terminated.

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

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

     “ Required Lenders ” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having greater than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 , Lenders holding in the aggregate greater than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

     “ Responsible Officer ” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II , any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

     “ Restricted Payments ” means (i) the authorization, declaration or payment of any Dividend, (ii) the payment, purchase or redemption of principal of or interest on the Debentures or any other Subordinated Debt or any payment in respect of any guarantee of any Preferred Securities and (iii) Stock Redemptions.

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

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

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

     “ Senior Debt ” means all Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary which is not Subordinated Debt.

     “ Spartech Canada ” means Spartech Canada, Inc., a New Brunswick corporation and a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary.

     “ Spartech Trust ” means Spartech Capital Trust, a special purpose statutory Delaware business trust established by the Borrower, of which the Borrower holds all the common securities, which is the issuer of the 2014 Preferred Securities, and which purchased from the

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Borrower the 2014 Debentures with the net proceeds of the issuance and sale of the 2014 Preferred Securities.

     “ Spartech Trust Declaration of Trust ” means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Spartech Trust, dated as of March 1, 1999, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

     “ Spartech Trust II ” means Spartech Capital Trust II, a special purpose Delaware business trust established by the Borrower, of which the Borrower holds all the common securities, which is the issuer of the 2015 Preferred Securities, and which purchased from the Borrower the 2015 Debentures with the net proceeds of the issuance and sale of the 2015 Preferred Securities.

     “ Spartech Trust II Declaration of Trust ” means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Spartech Trust II, dated as of February 15, 2000, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

     “ Stock Redemptions ” means with respect to any Person any and all funds, cash or other payments made in respect of the redemption, repurchase or acquisition of such capital stock (specifically including, without limitation, a Treasury Stock Purchase), unless such capital stock shall be redeemed or acquired through the exchange of such capital stock with capital stock of the same class or options or warrants to purchase such capital stock.

     “ Subordinated Debt ” means any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary which is expressly subordinated to the Obligations, at all times pursuant to terms satisfactory to the Required Lenders.

     “ Subsidiary ” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the Voting Equity Interests (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “ Subsidiary ” or to “ Subsidiaries ” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

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

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Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

     “ Swap Obligations ” means any and all obligations owed by the Borrower to any Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender in respect of a Swap Contract.

     “ Swap Termination Value ” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in subsection (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

     “ Synthetic Lease Obligation ” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

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

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

     “ Treasury Stock Purchase ” means any purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance or other acquisition (including any sinking fund or similar deposit for such purpose) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower of its capital stock or any warrants, rights or options to acquire such capital stock.

     “ 2014 Debentures ” means the $51,546,400 aggregate principal amount of 6-1/2% Convertible Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2014 issued by the Company to the Spartech Trust.

     “ 2014 Preferred Securities ” means the $50,000,000 6-1/2% Convertible Preferred Securities issued by the Spartech Trust.

     “ 2015 Debentures ” means the $103,092,800 aggregate principal amount of 7% Convertible Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2015 issued by the Company to the Spartech Trust II.

     “ 2015 Preferred Securities ” means the $100,000,000 7% Convertible Preferred Securities issued by the Spartech Trust II.

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

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

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

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

     “ Voting Equity Interests ” of any Person means any Equity Interests of any class or classes having ordinary voting power for the election of at least a majority of the members of the board of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent governing body of such Person, irrespective of whether, at the time, any Equity Interests of any other class or classes or such entity shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency.

     “ Wholly-Owned Subsidiary ” means any corporation in which (other than directors’ qualifying shares required by law) 100% of the capital stock of each class having ordinary voting power, and 100% of the capital stock of every other class, in each case, at the time as of which any determination is being made, is owned, beneficially and of record, by the Borrower, or by one or more of the other Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries, or both.

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

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

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refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “ asset ” and “ property ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

     (b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “ from ” means “ from and including ;” the words “ to ” and “ until ” each mean “ to but excluding ;” and the word “ through ” means “ to and including .”

     (c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

     (d) For purposes of Section 8.01(b) , a breach of a financial covenant contained in Section 7.06 , 7.07 or 7.08 shall be deemed to have occurred as of any date of determination thereof by the Administrative Agent or as of the last day of any specified measuring period, regardless of when the financial statements reflecting such breach are delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.

     1.03 Accounting Terms.

     (a) Generally . All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

     (b) Changes in GAAP . If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that , until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative 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 GAAP.

     (c) Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities . All references herein to consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that the Borrower is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB

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Interpretation No. 46 – Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities: an interpretation of ARB No. 51 (January 2003) as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.

     1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

     1.05 Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

     1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

     1.07 References to Agreements and Laws. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions and rulings consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

ARTICLE II.
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

     2.01 Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “ Loan ”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided , however , that after giving effect to any Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01 , prepay under Section 2.04 , and reborrow under this Section 2.01 . Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

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     2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

     (a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Section 2.03(c) , each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

     (b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01 ), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided , however , that if, on the date the Loan

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Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing shall be applied, first , to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second , to the Borrower as provided above.

     (c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.

     (d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurodollar Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.

     (e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than fifteen Interest Periods in effect with respect to all Loans.

     2.03 Letters of Credit.

     (a) The Letter of Credit Commitment .

     (i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03 , (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit in Dollars for the account of the Borrower or certain Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letter of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower and any drawings thereunder; provided that the L/C Issuer shall not be obligated to make any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, and no Lender shall be obligated to participate in any Letter of Credit if as of the date of such L/C Credit Extension, (x) the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations would exceed such Lender’s Commitment, or (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence.

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Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. The Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof.

     (ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:

     (A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii) , the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

     (B) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.

     (iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

     (A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

     (B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

     (C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000, in the case of a commercial Letter of Credit, or $100,000, in the case of a standby Letter of Credit;

     (D) such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars; or

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     (E) a default of any Lender’s obligation to fund under Section 2.03(c) exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into a satisfactory arrangement with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such Lender.

     (iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

     (v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

     (vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

     (b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit .

     (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any

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outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

     (ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender with a Commitment shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit. Promptly after the end of each calendar quarter, the Administrative Agent shall deliver to each Lender a summary of the Letters of Credit issued during such calendar quarter.

     (iii) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “ Auto-Extension Letter of Credit ”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “ Non-Extension Notice Date ”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided , however , that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the

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terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is two Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

     (iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

     (c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations .

     (i) Promptly upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “ Honor Date ”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “ Unreimbursed Amount ”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

     (ii) Each Lender (including the Lender acting as L/C Issuer) shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 12:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii) , each such Lender that so makes funds available shall be

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deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

     (iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each such Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03 .

     (iv) Until each Lender funds its Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

     (v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c) , shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

     (vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii) , the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest

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and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

     (d) Repayment of Participations .

     (i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c) , if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

     (ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each such Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

     (e) Obligations Absolute . The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

     (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;

     (ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

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     (iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

     (iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

     (v) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any other Loan Party.

     The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

     (f) Role of L/C Issuer . Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided , however , that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e) ; provided ,

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however , that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

     (g) Cash Collateral . Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, (i) if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any Letter of Credit may for any reason remain outstanding and partially or wholly undrawn, the Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to such Outstanding Amount determined as of the date of such Event of Default or the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, as the case may be). For purposes of this Section 2.03 and Section 8.02(c) , “ Cash Collateralize ” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. The Borrower hereby grants to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash Collateral shall be initially maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America (the “ L/C Cash Collateral Account ”). The Borrower, no more than once in any calendar month, may direct the Administrative Agent to invest the funds held in the L/C Cash Collateral Account (so long as the aggregate amount of such funds exceeds any relevant minimum investment requirement) in (i) direct obligations of the United States or any agency thereof, or obligations guaranteed by the United States or any agency thereof and (ii) one or more other types of investments permitted by the Administrative Agent, in each case with such maturities as the Borrower, with the consent of the Administrative Agent, may specify, pending application of such funds on account of the L/C Obligations or on account of other Obligations, as the case may be. In the absence of any such direction form the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall invest the funds held in the L/C Cash Collateral Account (so long as the aggregate amount of such funds exceeds any relevant minimum investment requirement) in one or more types of investments with such maturities as the Administrative Agent may specify, pending application of such funds on account of the L/C Obligations or on account of other Obligations, as the case may be. All such investments shall be made in the

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Administrative Agent’s name for the account of the Lenders, subject to the ownership interest therein of the Borrower. The Borrower recognizes that any losses or taxes with respect to such investments shall be borne solely by the Borrower, and the Borrower agrees to hold the Administrative Agent and the Lenders harmless from any and all such losses and taxes. The Administrative Agent may liquidate any investment held in the L/C Cash Collateral Account in order to apply the proceeds of such investment on account of the L/C Obligations (or on account of any other Obligation then due and payable, as the case may be) without regard to whether such investment has matured and without liability for any penalty or other fee incurred (with respect to which the Borrower hereby agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent) as a result of such application.

     (h) Applicability of ISP and UCP . Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit.

     (i) Letter of Credit Fees . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “ Letter of Credit Fee ”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

     (j) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer . The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee (i) with respect to each commercial Letter of Credit, at the rate specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the amount of such Letter of Credit, and payable upon the issuance thereof, (ii) with respect to any amendment of a commercial Letter of Credit increasing the amount of such Letter of Credit, at a rate separately agreed between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, computed on the amount of such increase, and payable upon the effectiveness of such amendment, and (iii) with respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June,

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September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

     (k) Conflict with Issuer Documents . In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof and the terms of the Fee Letter shall control.

     2.04 Prepayments.

     (a) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05 . Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

     (b) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided , however , that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.04(b) unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.

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     2.05 Termination or Reduction of Commitments. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments or the Letter of Credit Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All Commitment Fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

     2.06 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Loans and all other Obligations outstanding on such date.

     2.07 Interest.

     (a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of (y) the Highest Lawful Rate and (z) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of (y) the Highest Lawful Rate and (z) the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the lesser of (y) the Default Rate and (z) the Highest Lawful Rate, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Laws.

     (ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the lesser of (y) the Default Rate and (z) the Highest Lawful Rate, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Laws.

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     (iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the lesser of (y) the Default Rate and (z) the Highest Lawful Rate, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Laws.

     (iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

     (c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

     2.08 Fees. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of Section 2.03 :

     (a) Commitment Fee . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee (the “ Commitment Fee ”) equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations. The Commitment Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The Commitment Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.

     (b) Other Fees .

     (i) The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

     (ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever, unless otherwise provided in the applicable fee letters.

     2.09 Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the

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basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. Subject to Section 10.09 , all other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.11(a) , bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

     2.10 Evidence of Debt.

     (a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

     (b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

     2.11 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

     (a) General . All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage

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(or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 1:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 11:00 a.m. on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02 ) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

     (ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent . Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance

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upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

     A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

     (c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent . If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II , and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

     (d) Obligations of Lenders Several . The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c) .

     (e) Funding Source . Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

     2.12 Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably

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in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

     (i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

     (ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

     Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

     2.13 Increase in Commitments.

     (a) Request for Increase . Provided there exists no Default, upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time, request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments to an amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $350,000,000; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000, and (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of three such requests. At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).

     (b) Lender Elections to Increase . Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase. Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment.

     (c) Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders . The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder. To achieve the full amount of a requested increase and subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer (which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld), the Borrower may also invite

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additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

     (d) Effective Date and Allocations . If the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “ Increase Effective Date ”) and the final allocation of such increase. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.

     (e) Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase . As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.13 , the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to clauses (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01 , and (B) no Default exists. The Borrower shall prepay any Loans outstanding on the Increase Effective Date (and pay any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05 ) to the extent necessary to keep the outstanding Loans ratable with any revised Applicable Percentages arising from any nonratable increase in the Commitments under this Section.

     (f) Conflicting Provisions . This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.12 or 10.01 to the contrary.

ARTICLE III.
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

     3.01 Taxes.

     (a) Payments Free of Taxes . Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, provided that if the Borrower shall be required by applicable law to deduct any Indemnified Taxes (including any Other Taxes) from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall timely pay the full

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amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

     (b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower . Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

     (c) Indemnification by the Borrower . The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the L/C Issuer, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

     (d) Evidence of Payments . As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

     (e) Status of Lenders . Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.

     Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the United States, any Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower

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or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:

     (i) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,

     (ii) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,

     (iii) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or

     (iv) any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

     (f) Treatment of Certain Refunds . If the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer in the event the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the L/C Issuer is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This subsection shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

     3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has

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imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

     3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If the Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (a) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, (b) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

     3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

     (a) Increased Costs Generally . If any Change in Law shall:

     (i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e) ) or the L/C Issuer;

     (ii) subject any Lender or the L/C Issuer to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any participation in a Letter of Credit or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender or the L/C Issuer in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.01 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of, any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer); or

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     (iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

     (b) Capital Requirements . If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

     (c) Certificates for Reimbursement . A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

     (d) Delay in Requests . Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law

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giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

     (e) Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans . The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give noti


 
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