Published CUSIP Number:
84722HAA1
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
CREDIT AGREEMENT
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
The Other Lenders Party
Hereto
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES
LLC
as
Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager
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Section
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Page
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ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING
TERMS
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1
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1
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1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions
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22
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23
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24
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24
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1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts
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24
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1.07 References to Agreements and
Laws
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24
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ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT
EXTENSIONS
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24
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24
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2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations
of Loans
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25
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26
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36
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2.05 Termination or Reduction of
Commitments
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37
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37
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37
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38
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2.09 Computation of Interest and Fees
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38
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39
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2.11 Payments Generally; Administrative
Agent’s Clawback
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39
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2.12 Sharing of Payments by Lenders
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41
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2.13 Increase in Commitments
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42
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ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND
ILLEGALITY
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43
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43
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45
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3.03 Inability to Determine Rates
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46
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3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar
Rate Loans
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46
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3.05 Compensation for Losses
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48
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3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of
Lenders
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49
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3.07 Matters Applicable to All Requests for
Compensation
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49
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49
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ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT
EXTENSIONS
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49
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4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit
Extension
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49
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4.02 Conditions to all Credit
Extensions
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51
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ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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52
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5.01 Existence, Qualification and
Power
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52
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5.02 Authorization; No Contravention
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52
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5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other
Consents
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52
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i
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Section
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Page
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52
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5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse
Effect; No Internal Control Event
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53
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53
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54
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5.08 Ownership of Property; Liens
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54
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5.09 Environmental Compliance
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54
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54
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54
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54
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55
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5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act;
Public Utility Holding Company Act
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55
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56
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5.16 Compliance with Laws
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56
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5.17 Taxpayer Identification Number
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56
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5.18 Intellectual Property; Licenses,
Etc
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56
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57
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57
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57
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ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
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57
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6.01 Financial Statements
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57
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6.02 Certificates; Other Information
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58
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60
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6.04 Payment of Obligations
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60
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6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc
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61
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6.06 Maintenance of Properties
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61
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6.07 Maintenance of Insurance
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61
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6.08 Compliance with Laws
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61
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61
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61
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62
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62
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6.13 Domestic Subsidiaries
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62
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6.14 Minimum Borrower and Guarantor Consolidated
Total Operating Income
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62
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ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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62
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62
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7.02 Disposition of Assets
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64
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7.03 Consolidations and Mergers
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65
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7.04 Loans and Investments
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65
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7.05 Limitation on Indebtedness
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66
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7.06 Consolidated Net Worth
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66
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7.07 Interest Coverage Ratio
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66
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ii
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Section
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Page
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66
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66
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7.10 Transactions with Affiliates
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66
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66
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66
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67
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67
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67
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67
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7.17 Activities of Spartech Trust
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67
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7.18 Activities of Spartech Trust II
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67
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7.19 Amendment and Waivers of Subordinated
Debt
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67
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ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND
REMEDIES
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68
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68
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8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default
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70
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8.03 Application of Funds
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71
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ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
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72
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9.01 Appointment and Authority
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72
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72
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9.03 Exculpatory Provisions
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72
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9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent
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73
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9.05 Delegation of Duties
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74
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9.06 Resignation of Administrative
Agent
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74
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9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and
Other Lenders
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75
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9.08 No Other Duties, Etc
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75
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9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of
Claim
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75
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76
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76
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76
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10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic
Communication
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78
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10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies
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80
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10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage
Waiver
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80
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83
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10.06 Successors and Assigns
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83
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10.07 Treatment of Certain Information;
Confidentiality
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87
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88
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10.09 Interest Rate Limitation
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89
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10.10 Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness
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89
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10.11 Survival of Representations and
Warranties
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89
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89
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10.13 Replacement of Lenders
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90
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10.14 Exceptions to Covenants
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90
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10.15 Governing Law; Jurisdiction;
Etc
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90
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iii
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Section
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Page
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10.16 Waiver of Jury Trial
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91
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10.17 No Advisory or Fiduciary
Responsibility
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92
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10.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice
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92
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93
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S-1
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2.01 Commitments and Applicable
Percentages
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2.02 Existing Letters of Credit
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5.05 Supplement to Interim Financial
Statements
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5.09 Environmental Liability
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5.13 Subsidiaries and Other Equity
Investments
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7.05 Existing Indebtedness
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10.02 Administrative Agent’s Office;
Certain Addresses for Notices
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10.06 Processing and Recordation Fees
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D Assignment
and Assumption
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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) :
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Eurodollar
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Rate for
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Loans and
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Pricing
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Letters of
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Base Rate for
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Level
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Leverage Ratio
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Commitment Fee
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Credit
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Loans
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Less than 2.25
to 1.00
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0.125
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0.625
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0.000
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-2-
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Eurodollar
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Rate for
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Loans and
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Pricing
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Letters of
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Base Rate for
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Level
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Leverage Ratio
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Commitment Fee
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Credit
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Loans
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Greater than or
equal to 2.25 to 1.00, but less than 2.75 to 1.00
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0.150
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0.750
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0.000
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Greater than or
equal to 2.75 to 1.00, but less than 3.25 to 1.00
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0.175
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0.875
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0.000
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Greater than or
equal to 3.25 to 1.00
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0.200
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1.000
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0.000
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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.
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“
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.
-6-
“
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
-8-
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
-9-
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 .
-11-
“
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;
-12-
(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
-13-
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.
-14-
“ 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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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
(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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