Exhibit 10.1
T ERM L OAN A GREEMENT
dated as of May 15,
2009
among
A LLIANCE D ATA S YSTEMS C ORPORATION ,
as Borrower,
T HE G
UARANTORS P ARTY H ERETO ,
T HE B
ANKS P ARTY H ERETO ,
and
B ANK OF M
ONTREAL ,
as Administrative Agent
BMO C APITAL M ARKETS
and
S UN T
RUST R OBINSON H UMPHREY ,
I NC .,
as Co-Lead Arrangers
and
Co-Book Runners,
S UN T
RUST B ANK ,
as Syndication Agent
JPM ORGAN C HASE B ANK ,
N.A.,
B ANK OF A
MERICA , N.A.,
and
B ARCLAYS B ANK PLC
as Co-Documentation Agents
and
C OMPASS B ANK ,
as Managing Agent
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
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SECTION
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HEADING
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PAGE
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A
RTICLE 1 D
EFINITIONS
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1
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Section 1.1
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Definitions
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1
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Section 1.2.
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Accounting
Terms and Determinations
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15
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Section 1.3.
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Types of
Borrowings
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15
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A
RTICLE 2 T HE C
REDITS
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16
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Section 2.1.
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Commitments to
Lend
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16
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Section 2.2.
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Notice of
Borrowing
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16
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Section 2.3.
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Notice to Banks
Funding of Loans
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16
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Section 2.4.
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Evidence of
Indebtedness
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17
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Section 2.5.
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Maturity of
Loans
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17
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Section 2.6.
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Interest
Rates
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18
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Section 2.7.
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[Intentionally
Omitted]
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18
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Section 2.8.
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[Intentionally
Omitted]
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18
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Section 2.9.
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Method of
Electing Interest Rates for Loans
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19
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Section 2.10.
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Optional
Prepayments
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19
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Section 2.11.
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[Intentionally
Omitted]
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20
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Section 2.12.
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General
Provisions as to Payments
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20
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Section 2.13.
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Funding
Losses
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21
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Section 2.14.
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Computation of
Interest
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21
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Section 2.15.
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Regulation D Compensation
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21
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Section 2.16.
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Increase in
Loans
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22
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A
RTICLE 3 C
ONDITIONS
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22
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Section 3.1.
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Initial
Borrowing
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22
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Section 3.2.
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Each
Borrowing
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23
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A
RTICLE 4 R
EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES
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24
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Section 4.1.
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Existence and
Power
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24
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Section 4.2.
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Corporate and
Governmental Authorization; No Contravention
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24
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Section 4.3.
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Binding
Effect
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24
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Section 4.4.
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Financial
Information
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24
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Section 4.5.
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Litigation
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25
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Section 4.6.
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Compliance with
ERISA
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25
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Section 4.7.
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Environmental
Matters
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26
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Section 4.8.
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Taxes
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26
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Section 4.9.
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Subsidiaries
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26
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Section 4.10.
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Investment
Company
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27
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Section 4.11.
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Full
Disclosure
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27
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A
RTICLE 5 C OVENANTS
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27
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Section 5.1.
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Information
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27
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Section 5.2.
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Payment of
Obligations
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30
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Section 5.3.
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Maintenance of
Property; Insurance
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30
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Section 5.4.
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Conduct of
Business and Maintenance of Existence
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30
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Section 5.5.
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Compliance with
Laws
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30
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Section 5.6.
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Inspection of
Property, Books and Records
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31
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Section 5.7.
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Mergers and
Sales of Assets
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31
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Section 5.8.
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Use of
Proceeds
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31
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Section 5.9.
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Negative
Pledge
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31
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Section 5.10.
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End of Fiscal
Years and Fiscal Quarters
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33
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Section 5.11.
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Total Leverage
Ratio
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33
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Section 5.12.
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Senior Leverage
Ratio
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33
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Section 5.13.
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Interest
Coverage Ratio
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33
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Section 5.14.
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Delinquency
Ratio
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33
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Section 5.15.
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Debt
Limitation
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33
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Section 5.16
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Capitalization
of Insured Subsidiaries
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34
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Section 5.17.
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Restricted
Payments; Required Dividends
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34
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Section 5.18.
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Equity
Ownership, Limitation On Creation Of Subsidiaries
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34
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Section 5.19.
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Change Of
Business
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34
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Section 5.20.
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Limitation On
Issuance Of Capital Stock
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35
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Section 5.21.
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Investments;
Restricted Acquisition
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35
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Section 5.22.
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No
Restrictions
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36
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Section 5.23.
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Guarantors
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37
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A
RTICLE 6 D EFAULTS
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38
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Section 6.1.
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Events of
Default
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38
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Section 6.2.
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Notice of
Default
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40
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A
RTICLE 7 T
HE A GENT
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40
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Section 7.1.
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Appointment and
Authorization
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40
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Section 7.2.
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Administrative
Agent and Affiliates
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41
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Section 7.3.
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Action By
Administrative Agent
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41
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Section 7.4.
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Consultation
with Experts
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41
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Section 7.5.
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Liability of
Administrative Agent
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41
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Section 7.6.
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Indemnification
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41
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Section 7.7.
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Credit
Decision
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42
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Section 7.8.
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Successor
Administrative Agent
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42
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A
RTICLE 8 C
HANGE IN C
IRCUMSTANCES
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42
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Section 8.1.
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Basis for
Determining Interest Rate Inaccurate or Unfair
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42
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Section 8.2.
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Illegality
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43
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Section 8.3.
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Increased Cost
and Reduced Return
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43
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Section 8.4.
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Taxes
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44
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-ii-
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Section 8.5.
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Base Rate Loans
Substituted for Affected Fixed Rate Loans
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46
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Section 8.6.
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Limitations on
Reimbursement
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46
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A
RTICLE 9 P
ERFORMANCE AND P AYMENT G UARANTY
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47
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Section 9.1.
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Unconditional
and Irrevocable Guaranty
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47
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Section 9.2.
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Enforcement
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48
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Section 9.3.
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Obligations
Absolute
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48
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Section 9.4.
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Waiver
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49
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Section 9.5.
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Subrogation
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49
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Section 9.6.
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Survival
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50
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Section 9.7.
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Guarantors’ Consent to Assigns
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50
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Section 9.8.
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Continuing
Agreement
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50
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Section 9.9.
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Entire
Agreement
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50
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Section 9.10.
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Application
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50
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A
RTICLE 10 M
ISCELLANEOUS
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50
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Section 10.1.
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Notices
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50
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Section 10.2.
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No
Waivers
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51
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Section 10.3.
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Expenses;
Indemnification
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51
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Section 10.4.
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Sharing of
Set-Offs
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51
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Section 10.5.
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Amendment or
Waiver, etc
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52
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Section 10.6.
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Successors and
Assigns
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52
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Section 10.7.
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Collateral
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54
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Section 10.8.
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Governing Law;
Submission to Jurisdiction
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55
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Section 10.9.
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Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness
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55
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Section 10.10.
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Waiver of Jury
Trial
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55
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Section 10.11.
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Limitation on
Interest
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55
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Section 10.13.
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USA Patriot
Act
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56
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Section 10.14.
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Confidentiality
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56
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S
CHEDULE I
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—
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Commitments
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S
CHEDULE II
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—
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Investment
Plan
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S
CHEDULE 5.9
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—
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Existing
Liens
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S
CHEDULE 5.21
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—
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Intercompany
Investment Commitments
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A
PPENDIX I
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—
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Pricing
Schedule
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E
XHIBIT A
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—
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Form of
Assignment and Assumption Agreement
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E XHIBIT B
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—
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Form of
Note
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E
XHIBIT C
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—
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Form of
Guarantor Supplement
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E
XHIBIT D
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—
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Form of Loan
Increase Request
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-iii-
This T ERM L OAN A GREEMENT ,
dated as of May 15, 2009, is entered into by and among
A LLIANCE D ATA S YSTEMS C ORPORATION , a Delaware corporation (the
“Borrower” ), the G UARANTORS from time to time party hereto, the B
ANKS from time to time party hereto, and B
ANK OF M
ONTREAL , as Administrative Agent.
W HEREAS ,
the Borrower has requested that the Banks provide a credit facility
to the Borrower on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement;
N OW ,
T HEREFORE , the parties hereto agree as
follows:
A RTICLE 1
D EFINITIONS
Section 1.1
Definitions . The
following terms, as used herein, have the following
meanings:
“Act”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.13.
“Administrative
Agent” means Bank
of Montreal in its capacity as agent for the Banks hereunder, and
its successors in such capacity.
“Administrative
Questionnaire” means an administrative questionnaire in a form
supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“ADSI”
means ADS Alliance Data Systems,
Inc., a Delaware corporation.
“Affected
Loans” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c).
“Affiliate” means (i) any Person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls the
Borrower (a “ Controlling Person” ) or
(ii) any Person (other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary
thereof) which is controlled by or is under common control with a
Controlling Person. As used herein, the term “control”
means possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to vote 10%
or more of any class of voting securities of a Person or to direct
or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise. The Affiliates of a Person shall include any officer or
director of such Person.
“Agreement” means this Term Loan Agreement, as modified,
supplemented, amended, restated (including any amendment and
restatement hereof), extended, renewed or refinanced from time to
time.
“Applicable Lending
Office” means, with
respect to any Bank, (i) in the case of its Base Rate Loans,
its Domestic Lending Office and (ii) in the case of its
Euro-Dollar Loans, its Euro-Dollar Lending Office.
“Assignment and Assumption
Agreement” means an
appropriately completed Assignment and Assumption Agreement in
substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto.
“Bank”
means each bank or other lender
listed on the signature pages hereof, each assignee which becomes a
Bank pursuant to Section 10.6(c), and their respective
successors.
“Bankruptcy
Code” has the
meaning set forth in Section 9.3.
“Base
Rate” means, for
any day, a rate per annum equal to the highest of (i) the
Prime Rate for such day, (ii) the sum of 1/2 of 1% plus
the Federal Funds Rate for such day and (iii) the LIBOR Quoted
Rate for such day plus 1.00%. As used herein, the term
“LIBOR Quoted Rate” means, for any day, the rate
per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher
1/100th of 1%) for deposits in Dollars for a one-month interest
period which appears on the LIBOR01 Page as of 11:00 a.m.
(London, England time) on such day (or, if such day is not a
Business Day, on the immediately preceding Business
Day).
“Base Rate Loan
” means a Loan which bears
interest at the Base Rate pursuant to the provisions of
Articles 2 or 8 hereof.
“Base Rate
Margin” means a
percentage per annum equal to the applicable percentage specified
in the pricing schedule attached hereto as
Appendix I.
“Beneficiaries”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.1.
“Benefit
Arrangement” means
at any time an employee benefit plan within the meaning of
Section 3(3) of ERISA which is not a Plan or a Multiemployer
Plan and which is maintained or otherwise contributed to by any
member of the ERISA Group.
“Borrower”
has the meaning provided in the
first paragraph of this Agreement.
“Borrowing” has the meaning set forth in
Section 1.3.
“Business
Day” means any day
except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in
Chicago, Illinois are authorized by law to close and, if the
applicable Business Day relates to an advance or continuation of,
or conversion into, or payment of, a Euro-Dollar Loan or a Base
Rate Loan for which the Base Rate is determined by clause (iii) of
the definition thereof, on which commercial banks are open for
international business (including dealing in U.S. Dollar
deposits) in London, England.
“Canadian
Dollars” and
“Cdn$” each mean the lawful currency of
Canada.
“Canadian Scheme
License” means the
Amended and Restated License to Use and Exploit the Air Miles
Scheme in Canada, made as of July 24, 1998, between Air Miles
International Trading B.V. and Loyalty Management, as such may be
amended from time to time.
-2-
“Canadian Trademark
License” means the
Amended and Restated License to Use the Air Miles Trade Marks in
Canada, dated July 24, 1998, between Air Miles International
Holdings N.V. and Loyalty Management, as such may be amended from
time to time.
“Capital
Lease” means, at
any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required
concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the
incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.
“Capital
Stock” means
(a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (b) in
the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general
or limited), (c) in the case of a limited liability company,
membership interests and (d) any other interest or
participation in a Person that confers on the holder the right to
receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of
assets of, such Person.
“Change of
Control” means the
acquisition by any “person” or
“group” (as such terms are used in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended) at any time of beneficial ownership of 30% or
more of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Borrower on a
fully-diluted basis, other than acquisitions of such interests by
the Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Partnerships or The
Limited; provided , that common stock owned by employees
(either individually or through employee stock ownership or other
stock based benefit plans) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
shall not be included in the calculation of ownership interests for
purposes of this definition or any “change of
control.”
“Code”
means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the regulations
promulgated and rulings issued thereunder. Section references to
the Code are to the Code, as in effect on the Effective Date and
any subsequent provisions of the Code, amendatory thereof,
supplemental thereto or substituted therefor.
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Bank listed on the
signature pages hereof, the amount set forth opposite its name on
Schedule I hereto under the heading
“Commitment” .
“Consolidated Capital
Expenditures” of
any Person means, for any period, the additions to property, plant
and equipment and other capital expenditures of such Person and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries for such period, as the same are or would
be set forth in a consolidated statement of cash flows of such
Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for such
period.
“Consolidated
Debt” of any Person
means, at any date, the Debt of such Person and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis as of such
date.
“Consolidated
EBIT” means, for
any period, the sum of Consolidated Net Income for such period,
plus , to the extent deducted in determining such
Consolidated Net Income, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense and
(ii) federal, state, local and foreign income, value added and
similar taxes. If, during the period for which Consolidated EBIT is
being calculated, the Borrower or any Subsidiary has
(i) acquired sufficient Capital Stock of a Person to cause
such Person to become a Subsidiary; (ii) acquired all or
substantially all of the assets or operations, division or line of
business of a Person; (iii) disposed of sufficient Capital
Stock of a Subsidiary
-3-
to cause such Subsidiary to cease to be a
Subsidiary; or (iv) disposed of all or substantially all of
the assets or operations of a Subsidiary, Consolidated EBIT shall
be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if
such acquisition or disposition had occurred on the first day of
such period.
“Consolidated Interest
Expense” means, for
any period, the total interest expense paid on Debt of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries (including the interest component of Capital
Leases) for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in
accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net
Income” of any
Person means, for any fiscal period, the net income of such Person
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated
basis for such period, exclusive of the effect of any extraordinary
or other nonrecurring gain and loss and excluding all non-cash
adjustments; provided that any cash payment made (or
received) with respect to any such non-cash charge, expense or loss
shall be subtracted (added) in computing Consolidated Net Income
during the period in which such cash payment is made (or
received).
“Consolidated Operating
EBITDA” means, for
any period, the sum of Consolidated EBIT for such period,
plus, to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net
Income, (i) depreciation and amortization expense, including
amortization of goodwill and other intangible assets and
(ii) the amount of any change in the Deferred Revenue Account
from the beginning of such period to the last day of such period,
less (iii) the amount of any change in the Restricted
Cash Account from the beginning of such period to the last day of
such period. If, during the period for which Consolidated Operating
EBITDA is being calculated, the Borrower or any Subsidiary has
(i) acquired sufficient Capital Stock of a Person to cause
such Person to become a Subsidiary; (ii) acquired all or
substantially all of the assets or operations, division or line of
business of a Person; (iii) disposed of sufficient Capital
Stock of a Subsidiary to cause such Subsidiary to cease to be a
Subsidiary; or (iv) disposed or all or substantially all of
the assets or operations of a Subsidiary, Consolidated Operating
EBITDA shall be calculated after giving pro forma
effect thereto as if such acquisition or disposition had occurred
on the first day of such period.
“Consolidated
Subsidiary” of any
Person means, at any date, any Subsidiary or other entity the
accounts of which would be consolidated with those of such Person
in its consolidated financial statements if such statements were
prepared as of such date.
“Consolidated Total
Assets” of any
Person means total assets of such Person and its Subsidiaries,
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP less any
amount of assets reflected therein to the extent that they have
been sold or pledged pursuant to a Qualified Securitization
Transaction that are or may be reflected as Debt on a balance sheet
of such Person.
“Convertible
Debt” means Debt
issued by the Borrower which by its terms may be converted into or
exchanged for equity securities of the Borrower at the option of
the Borrower or the holder of such Debt, including without
limitation, Debt with respect to which the performance due by the
Borrower may be measured in whole or in part by reference to the
value of an equity security of the Borrower but may be satisfied in
whole or in part in cash.
-4-
“Credit
Document” means
this Agreement, the Notes and each other document (including any
additional guarantees) executed or delivered in connection herewith
or therewith.
“Credit
Party” shall mean
the Borrower and each Guarantor.
“Debt”
of any Person means at any date,
without duplication (i) all obligations of such Person for
borrowed money, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced
by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
(iii) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred
purchase price of property or services, except trade accounts
payable arising in the ordinary course of business, (iv) all
obligations of such Person as lessee which are capitalized in
accordance with GAAP, (v) all non-contingent obligations (and,
for purposes of Section 5.9, Section 5.15 and the
definitions of “Material Debt” and
“Material Financial Obligations,” all contingent
obligations) of such Person to reimburse any bank or other Person
in respect of amounts paid under a letter of credit or similar
instrument, (vi) all Debt secured by a Lien on any asset of
such Person, whether or not such Debt is otherwise an obligation of
such Person, (vii) all Debt of others Guaranteed by such
Person and (viii) Redeemable Stock of the Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries, valued at the amount of all obligations with
respect to the redemption or repurchase thereof or the applicable
liquidation preference. Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall
be excluded from Debt of any Person any obligations of such Person
under a Qualified Securitization Transaction that are or may be
reflected as Debt on a balance sheet of such Person, and any
obligations of such Person in respect of Qualifying
Deposits.
“Default”
means any condition or event which
constitutes an Event of Default or which with the giving of notice
or lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an
Event of Default.
“Deferred Revenue
Account” means the
account on the consolidating balance sheet of the Borrower
associated solely with the change in revenue recognition by Loyalty
Management as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission of
the United States of America.
“Delinquency
Ratio” means, for
any calendar month, the percentage equivalent of a fraction
(a) the numerator of which is the aggregate amount of all
Managed Receivables the minimum payments on which are more than 90
days contractually overdue and (b) the denominator of which is
all Managed Receivables, in each case determined as of the last day
of such calendar month.
“Derivatives
Obligations” of any
Person means all obligations of such Person in respect of any rate
swap transaction, basis swap, forward rate transaction, commodity
swap, commodity option, equity or equity index swap, equity or
equity index option, bond option, interest rate option, foreign
exchange transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction, collar
transaction, currency swap transaction, cross-currency rate swap
transaction, currency option or any other similar transaction
(including any option with respect to any of the foregoing
transactions), any transaction whose value is derived from another
asset or security, or any combination of the foregoing
transactions.
-5-
“Dollars”
and “$” means
freely transferable lawful money of the United States of
America.
“Domestic Lending
Office” means, as
to each Bank, its office identified as such on its Administrative
Questionnaire or such other office as such Bank may hereafter
designate as its Domestic Lending Office by notice to the Borrower
and the Administrative Agent, which office shall be located in the
United States.
“Domestic
Subsidiary” means
any Subsidiary of the Borrower incorporated or organized in the
United States or any state or territory thereof.
“Effective
Date” means
May 15, 2009.
“Eligible
Transferee” means
and includes a commercial bank, insurance company, financial
institution, fund or other Person (other than a natural person)
which regularly purchases interests in loans or extensions of
credit of the types made pursuant to this Agreement, any other
Person (other than a natural person) which would constitute a
“qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of
Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended as in
effect on the Effective Date or other “accredited
investor” (other than a natural person) (as defined in
Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended).
“Environmental
Laws” means any and
all federal, state, provincial, local and foreign statutes, laws,
judicial decisions, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments,
orders, decrees, plans, injunctions, permits, concessions, grants,
franchises, licenses, agreements and other governmental
restrictions relating to the environment, the effect of the
environment on human health or to emissions, discharges or releases
of pollutants, contaminants, Hazardous Substances or wastes into
the environment including, without limitation, ambient air, surface
water, ground water, or land, or otherwise relating to the
manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of pollutants, contaminants,
Hazardous Substances or wastes or the cleanup or other remediation
thereof.
“ERISA”
means the U.S. Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or any successor
statute.
“ERISA
Group” of any
Person means such Person, any Subsidiary and all members of a
controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses
(whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together
with the Borrower or any Subsidiary, are treated as a single
employer under Section 414 of the Code.
“Euro-Dollar Lending
Office” means, as
to each Bank, its office, branch or affiliate identified as such on
the signature pages hereto or such other office, branch or
affiliate of such Bank as it may hereafter designate as its
Euro-Dollar Lending Office by notice to the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent.
“Euro-Dollar
Loan” means
(i) a Loan which bears interest at a Euro-Dollar Rate or
(ii) an overdue amount which was a Euro-Dollar Loan
immediately before it became overdue.
-6-
“Euro-Dollar
Margin” means a
percentage per annum equal to the applicable percentage specified
in the pricing schedule attached hereto as
Appendix I.
“Euro-Dollar
Rate” means a rate
of interest determined pursuant to Section 2.6(b) on the basis
of the London Interbank Offered Rate.
“Event of
Default” has the
meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
“Federal Funds
Rate” means, for
any day, the rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the
nearest 1/100th of 1%) equal to the weighted average of the rates
on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as
published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business
Day next succeeding such day; provided , that (i) if
such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day
shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding
Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day,
and (ii) if no such rate is so published on such next
succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall
be the average rate quoted to the Administrative Agent on such day
on such transactions as determined by the Administrative
Agent.
“Foreign Pension
Plan” means any
plan, fund (including, without limitation, any superannuation fund)
or other similar program established or maintained outside the
United States of America by the Borrower or any one or more of its
Subsidiaries primarily for the benefit of employees of the Borrower
or such Subsidiaries residing outside the United States of America,
which plan, fund or other similar program provides, or results in,
retirement income, a deferral of income in contemplation of
retirement or payments to be made upon termination of employment,
and which plan is not subject to ERISA or the Code.
“Foreign
Subsidiary” means
each Subsidiary of the Borrower other than a Domestic
Subsidiary.
“GAAP”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 1.2.
“Granting
Bank” has the
meaning set forth in Section 10.6(e).
“Guaranteed
Obligations” has
the meaning set forth in Section 9.1.
“Guarantor” means each Material Domestic Subsidiary of the
Borrower that is listed as a Guarantor on the signature pages
hereof or that becomes a Guarantor from time to time after the
Effective Date pursuant to Section 5.23, in each case unless
and until released pursuant to Section 5.23.
“Guarantor
Supplement” means
an appropriately completed Guarantor Supplement substantially in
the form of Exhibit C hereto.
“Guaranty”
by any Person means any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person directly or indirectly
guaranteeing any Debt of any other Person and, without limiting
the
-7-
generality of the foregoing, any obligation,
direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person
(i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the
purchase or payment of) such Debt (whether arising by virtue of
partnership arrangements, by agreement to keep-well, to purchase
assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to
maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise) or
(ii) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other
manner the holder of such Debt of the payment thereof to protect
such holder against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part),
provided , that the term Guaranty shall not include
endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of
business. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a
corresponding meaning.
“Hazardous
Substances” means
any toxic, radioactive, caustic or otherwise hazardous substance,
including petroleum, its derivatives, by-products and other
hydrocarbons, or any substance having any constituent elements
displaying any of the foregoing characteristics.
“Hostile
Acquisition” means
the acquisition of the capital stock or other equity interests of a
Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners
of such capital stock or other equity interests which has not been
approved (prior to such acquisition) by resolutions of the board of
directors of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not
a corporation, and as to which such approval has not been
withdrawn.
“Indemnitee” has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.3(b).
“Insured
Subsidiary” means a
Subsidiary of the Borrower which is an “insured depository
institution” under and as defined in the U.S. Federal Deposit
Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(c)(2)) or any
successor statute or which has an analogous status under the laws
of Canada or any political subdivision thereof.
“Intercompany
Note” means a
promissory note made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary payable to
the order of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Interest Coverage
Ratio” of any
Person means, for any period, the ratio of Consolidated Operating
EBITDA of such Person for such period to Consolidated Interest
Expense of such Person for such period.
“Interest
Period” means with
respect to each Euro-Dollar Loan, the period commencing on the date
of borrowing specified in the applicable Notice of Borrowing or on
the date specified in the applicable Notice of Interest Period
Election and ending one, two, three or six months thereafter, as
the Borrower may elect in the applicable notice; provided
that:
(i) any Interest Period which would
otherwise end on a day which is not a Business Day shall be
extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business
Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest
Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
(ii) any Interest Period which
begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day
for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar
month at the end of such Interest Period) shall, subject to
clause (iii) below, end on the last Business Day of a calendar
month; and
-8-
(iii) any Interest Period which
would otherwise end after the Maturity Date shall end on the
Maturity Date (unless such date is not a Business Day, in which
case such Interest Period shall end on the latest Business Day to
occur prior to the Maturity Date).
“Investment” means any investment in any Person, whether by
means of share purchase, capital contribution, loan, Guaranty, time
deposit or otherwise (but not including any demand
deposit).
“License
Agreements” means
the Canadian Trademark License and the Canadian Scheme
License.
“LIBOR01
Page” means the
display designated as “LIBOR01 Page” on the
Reuters Service (or such other page as may replace the LIBOR01 Page
on that service or such other service as may be nominated by the
British Bankers’ Association as the information vendor for
the purpose of displaying British Bankers’ Association
Interest Settlement Rates for Dollar deposits).
“Lien”
means, with respect to any asset,
any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, hypothec, security interest or
encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential
arrangement that has the practical effect of creating a security
interest, in respect of such asset. For the purposes of this
Agreement, the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall be deemed to own
subject to a Lien any asset which it has acquired or holds subject
to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale
agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement
relating to such asset.
“Loan”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.1; provided, that if any such Loan or Loans
(or portions thereof) are combined or subdivided pursuant to a
Notice of Interest Period Election, the term
“Loan” shall refer to the combined principal
amount resulting from such combination or to each of the separate
principal amounts resulting from such subdivision, as the case may
be.
“Loan
Increase” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.16.
“Loan Increase
Request” means a
Loan Increase Request in the form of Exhibit D.
“London Interbank Offered
Rate” means, for
any Interest Period, with respect to any Euro-Dollar Loan, either
(i) the rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the
next higher 1/100th of 1%) for deposits in Dollars for a period
equal to such Interest Period, which appears on LIBOR01 Page as of
11:00 a.m. (London, England time) on the day two Business Days
before the commencement of such Interest Period or (ii) if the
rate in clause (i) of this definition is not shown for any
particular day, the rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary,
to the next higher 1/100th of 1%) at which deposits in U.S. Dollars
are offered to the Administrative Agent in the London interbank
market at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London, England time)
two
-9-
Business Days before the first day of such
Interest Period in an amount approximately equal to the principal
amount of the Euro-Dollar Loans of the Administrative Agent to
which such Interest Period is to apply and for a period of time
comparable to such Interest Period for which such rate will apply
as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London, England time) two
Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest
Period.
“Loyalty
Management” means
LoyaltyOne, Inc., an Ontario corporation.
“Managed
Receivables” of any
Person means for any date all credit card receivables originated by
such Person as of such date regardless of whether such credit card
receivables are determined, with respect to such Person’s
financial statements, to be “on-balance sheet” or
“off-balance sheet.”
“Material Adverse
Effect” means
(a) a material adverse change in, or material adverse effect
upon, the business, financial condition or operations of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
(b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower and
the Guarantors to perform their material obligations under the
Credit Documents or (c) a material adverse effect upon the
legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the
Credit Parties of the Credit Documents or the material rights and
remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Banks
thereunder.
“Material
Asset” means an
asset or assets having a fair market value in excess of
$25,000,000.
“Material
Debt” means Debt
(other than the Loans hereunder) (i) of a Person and/or one or
more of its Subsidiaries, arising in one or more related or
unrelated transactions, in an aggregate principal or face amount
exceeding U.S. $25,000,000, (ii) under the Revolving Credit
Agreement and (iii) under the Note Purchase
Agreement.
“Material Domestic
Subsidiary” means
each Domestic Subsidiary that is a Material Subsidiary.
“Material Financial
Obligations” of any
Person means a principal or face amount of Debt and/or payment or
collateralization obligations in respect of Derivatives Obligations
of such Person and/or one or more of its Subsidiaries, arising in
one or more related or unrelated transactions, exceeding in the
aggregate U.S. $25,000,000.
“Material
Plan” means at any
time a Plan or Plans having aggregate Unfunded Liabilities in
excess of U.S. $25,000,000.
“Material
Subsidiary” means
each direct or indirect Subsidiary which (i) owned as of the
end of the most recently completed fiscal quarter (or, in the case
of an acquired Subsidiary, on a pro forma basis would have
owned) assets that represent in excess of 10% of the Consolidated
Total Assets of the Borrower as of the end of such fiscal quarter
or (ii) generated (or, in the case of an acquired Subsidiary,
on a pro forma basis would have generated) annual revenues
in excess of 10% of the consolidated total revenues for the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for the most recently
completed fiscal year.
-10-
“Maturity
Date” means
March 30, 2012.
“Multiemployer
Plan” means at any
time an employee pension benefit plan within the meaning of
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which any member of the ERISA
Group is then making or accruing an obligation to make
contributions or has within the preceding five plan years made
contributions, including for these purposes any Person which ceased
to be a member of the ERISA Group during such five year
period.
“Note”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.4(d).
“Note Purchase
Agreement” means
the Note Purchase Agreement dated as of May 1, 2006 among the
Borrower and the Purchasers from time to time party thereto
relating to the sale by the Borrower of its $250,000,000 6.00%
Senior Notes, Series A, due May 16, 2009 and its
$250,000,000 6.14% Senior Notes, Series B, due May 16,
2011, as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, replaced
or refinanced from time to time.
“Notice of
Borrowing” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Notice of Interest Period
Election” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.9.
“Obligations”
means (i) all amounts owing to
the Administrative Agent or any Bank pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement or any other Credit Document and (ii) so long as
there are amounts owing under clause (i), Derivatives Obligations
from time to time owed to a Person that, at the time of incurrence
thereof, was a Bank or an Affiliate of a Bank.
“Other
Taxes” has the
meaning set forth in Section 8.4(a).
“Parent”
means, with respect to any Bank, any
Person controlling such Bank.
“Participant”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.6(b).
“Payment
Office” means the
office of the Administrative Agent located at 115 South LaSalle
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, or such other office as the
Administrative Agent may hereafter designate in writing as such to
the other parties hereto.
“PBGC”
means the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions
under ERISA.
“Percentage” means at any time for each Bank with a
Commitment, the percentage obtained by dividing such Bank’s
Commitment by the Total Commitment, provided that if the
Total Commitment has been terminated, the Percentage of each Bank
shall be determined by dividing the percentage held by such Bank of
the aggregate principal amount of all Loans.
-11-
“Person”
means an individual, a corporation,
a limited liability company, a partnership, an association, a trust
or any other entity or organization, including a government or
political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality
thereof.
“Plan”
means at any time an employee
pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) which is
covered by Title IV of ERISA or subject to the minimum funding
standards under Section 412 of the Code and either (i) is
maintained, or contributed to, by any member of the ERISA Group for
employees of any member of the ERISA Group or (ii) has at any
time within the preceding five years been maintained, or
contributed to, by any Person which was at such time a member of
the ERISA Group for employees of any Person which was at such time
a member of the ERISA Group.
“Prime
Rate” means the
rate of interest announced or otherwise established by the
Administrative Agent from time to time as its prime commercial
rate.
“Qualified Securitization
Subsidiary” means a
Subsidiary that is a special purpose entity used in connection with
a Qualified Securitization Transaction.
“Qualified Securitization
Transaction” means
a securitization or other sale or financing of credit card
receivables.
“Qualifying
Deposits” means
deposits that are (i) insured by the U.S. Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation (or, in the case of an Insured Subsidiary
organized under the laws of Canada or any political subdivision
thereof, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation) or any successor
entity and (ii) do not exceed the difference between
(A) the amount of seller’s interest and credit card
receivables minus (B) the allowance for doubtful
accounts related to seller’s interest and credit card
receivables, in each case as shown on the consolidated balance
sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
“Quarterly
Dates” has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.6(a).
“Redeemable
Stock” means
Capital Stock of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is
redeemable at the option of the holder thereof or that constitutes
preferred stock.
“Regulation
U” means
Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal
Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.
“Required
Banks” means two or
more Banks the sum of whose outstanding Commitments (or after the
termination thereof, outstanding Loans) represent an amount greater
than 50% of the sum of the Total Commitment (or after the
termination thereof, the sum of the total outstanding Loans at such
time).
“Reserve
Percentage” means
for any day that percentage (expressed as a decimal) which is in
effect on such day, as prescribed by the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the
maximum reserve requirement for a member bank of the Federal
Reserve System in New York City with deposits exceeding five
billion dollars in respect
-12-
of “Eurocurrency Liabilities” (or in
respect of any other category of liabilities which includes
deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Euro-Dollar
Loans is determined or any category of extensions of credit or
other assets which includes loans by a non-United States office of
any Bank to United States residents).
“Restricted
Acquisition” means
any acquisition, whether in a single transaction or series of
related transactions, by the Borrower or any one or more of its
Subsidiaries, or any combination thereof, of (i) all or a
substantial part of the assets, or all or any substantial part of a
going business or division, of any Person, whether through purchase
of assets or securities, by merger or otherwise, (ii) control
of securities of an existing corporation or other Person having
ordinary voting power (apart from rights accruing under special
circumstances) to elect a majority of the board of directors (or
other persons performing similar functions) of such corporation or
other Person or (iii) control of a greater than 50% ownership
interest in any existing partnership, joint venture or other
Person.
“Restricted Cash
Account” means the
account on the consolidating balance sheet of the Borrower related
solely to redemption settlement assets of Loyalty
Management’s “Air Miles Program.”
“Restricted
Payment” means
(i) any dividend or other distribution on any shares of a
Person’s (including any Credit Party’s) capital stock
(except dividends or distributions payable solely in shares of its
capital stock and except dividends and distributions payable to the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) or (ii) any payment on
account of the purchase, redemption, retirement or acquisition of
(a) any shares of a Person’s (including any Credit
Party’s) capital stock or (b) any option, warrant or
other right to acquire shares of a Person’s capital stock
(but not including (1) payments of principal, premium (if any)
or interest made pursuant to the terms of Convertible Debt prior to
or in connection with conversion, (2) payments made to the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (3) payments made
solely in shares of (or solely out of the net proceeds of a
substantially concurrent issuance of) such Person’s
(including any Credit Party’s) capital stock or options,
warrants or other rights to acquire shares of such Persons’
(including any Credit Party’s) capital stock).
“Revolving Credit
Agreement” means
that certain Credit Agreement dated as of September 29, 2006,
by and among the Borrower, the guarantors from time to time party
thereto, the financial institutions from time to time party
thereto, Bank of Montreal as Letter of Credit Issuer, and Bank of
Montreal as Administrative Agent, as amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time.
“Senior Leverage
Ratio” means, at
any time, the ratio of (x) all principal amounts owing by the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of
(i) this Agreement, any other Credit Document, the Revolving
Credit Agreement and the Note Purchase Agreement and all
extensions, renewals, refinancings, refundings and replacements of
any of the foregoing, in whole or in part (in each case other than
Subordinated Debt and Convertible Debt), and (ii) any credit
agreement, note purchase agreement, indenture or other credit
facility relating to Debt (in each case other than Subordinated
Debt and Convertible Debt) permitted by Section 5.15(viii) to
(y) Consolidated Operating EBITDA of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries for the four full fiscal quarters then most recently
ended.
-13-
“SPC”
has the meaning set forth in
Section 10.6(e).
“Subordinated
Debt” means
subordinated Debt of the Borrower or any Guarantor, provided
that (i) such Debt shall be expressly subordinated in right of
payment to the Obligations in a manner reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent and (ii) such Debt shall be unsecured and
unguaranteed other than guarantees issued by Guarantors which are
subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of such
Guarantors hereunder pursuant to subordination terms reasonably
acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“Subsidiary” means, as to any Person, any corporation or
other entity of which securities or other ownership interests
having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of
directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the
time directly or indirectly owned by such Person; unless otherwise
specified, “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the
Borrower.
“Taxes”
is defined in
Section 8.4(a).
“The Community Reinvestment
Act” means The
Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2901 et seq. )
as amended.
“The
Limited” means
Limited Commerce Corp., a Delaware corporation and its successors
and assigns.
“Total
Commitment” means
the aggregate amount of the Commitments of each of the
Banks.
“Total Leverage
Ratio” means, at
any time, the ratio of (x) Consolidated Debt of the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries to (y) Consolidated Operating EBITDA of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the four full fiscal quarters
then most recently ended.
“Type”
means the type of Loan determined
according to the interest option applicable thereto; i.e. ,
whether a Base Rate Loan or a Euro-Dollar Loan.
“Unfunded
Liabilities” means,
with respect to any Plan at any time, the amount (if any) by which
(i) the value of all benefit liabilities under such Plan,
determined on a plan termination basis using the assumptions
prescribed by the PBGC for purposes of Section 4044 of ERISA,
exceeds (ii) the fair market value of all Plan assets
allocable to such liabilities under Title IV of ERISA
(excluding any accrued but unpaid contributions), all determined as
of the then most recent valuation date for such Plan, but only to
the extent that such excess represents a potential liability of a
member of the ERISA Group to the PBGC or any other Person under
Title IV of ERISA.
“United
States” means the
United States of America, including the States and the District of
Columbia, but excluding its territories and possessions.
-14-
“U.S. Dollars”
and “U.S. $”
shall mean freely transferable lawful money of the United States of
America.
“Voting
Stock” of any
Person means the equity interests of such Person that are, under
ordinary circumstances, entitled to vote in the election of the
board of directors or other persons performing similar functions of
such Person.
“Welsh, Carson,
Anderson & Stowe Partnerships”
means each Welsh, Carson,
Anderson & Stowe limited partnership, as constituted on
the Effective Date, as may be constituted in the future and any
partner, partnership or Affiliate of any of them and their
respective successors and assigns.
“WFNNB”
means World Financial Network
National Bank, a limited purpose national banking association
wholly owned by the Borrower.
“Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary” means,
as to any Person, any corporation or other entity 100% of whose
Voting Stock (other than director’s qualifying shares) is at
the time owned by such Person and/or one or more Wholly-Owned
Subsidiaries of such Person.
Section 1.2. Accounting
Terms and Determinations . Unless otherwise specified herein, all
accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all accounting
determinations hereunder shall be made, and all financial
statements required to be delivered hereunder shall be prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
United States as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis
consistent (except for changes concurred in by the Borrower’s
independent public accountants) with the most recent audited
consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries delivered to the Banks (
“GAAP” ); provided that, (i) all
calculations of financial covenants and corresponding accounting
terms shall include for all periods covered thereby pro
forma adjustments for the (x) actual historical financial
performance of and (y) identifiable cost savings associated
with providing data processing services to any entities or assets
acquired as permitted under Section 5.21(b) and (ii) if
the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower
wishes to amend any covenant in Article 5 to eliminate the
effect of any change in generally accepted accounting principles on
the operation of such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent
notifies the Borrower that the Required Banks wish to amend
Article 5 for such purpose), then the Borrower’s
compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of
generally accepted accounting principles in effect immediately
before the relevant change in generally accepted accounting
principles became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn
or such covenant is amended in a manner satisfactory to the
Borrower and the Required Banks.
Section 1.3. Types of
Borrowings . The term
“Borrowing” denotes the aggregation of Loans of
one or more Banks to be made to the Borrower pursuant to
Article 2 on the same date, all of which Loans are of the same
Type (subject to Article 8) and, except in the case of Base
Rate Loans, have the same initial Interest Period.
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A RTICLE 2
T HE C REDITS
Section 2.1. Commitments to
Lend . Each Bank with a
Commitment severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth
in this Agreement, to make loans (each a “Loan”
and, collectively, the “Loans” ) to the Borrower
pursuant to this Section in U.S. Dollars in an amount equal to its
Commitment. The Borrowing under this Section shall be made in a
single Borrowing on the Effective Date from the several Banks
ratably in proportion to their respective Commitments, at which
time the Commitments shall expire. Loans shall either be Base Rate
Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans. No amount repaid or prepaid on any Loan
may be borrowed again.
Section 2.2. Notice of
Borrowing . The Borrower
shall give the Administrative Agent notice (a “Notice of
Borrowing” ) in respect of the Borrowing of Loans not
later than 11:00 a.m. (Chicago, Illinois time) on (x) the
Business Day of the Borrowing if such Borrowing is to be a Base
Rate Borrowing and (y) the third Business Day immediately
preceding the date of the Borrowing if such Borrowing is to be a
Euro-Dollar Borrowing, specifying:
(i) the date of such Borrowing,
which shall be a Business Day;
(ii) what Type of Loans are to be
borrowed;
(iii) in the case of a Euro-Dollar
Borrowing, the duration of the initial Interest Period applicable
thereto, subject to the provisions of the definition of Interest
Period and in the case of a Base Rate Borrowing, the date, if any,
on which such Loan will be converted to a Euro-Dollar Loan;
and
(iv) the aggregate amount of such
Borrowing.
Section 2.3. Notice to Banks
Funding of Loans .
(a) Upon receipt of a Notice of Borrowing, the Administrative
Agent shall promptly notify each Bank of the contents thereof and
of such Bank’s share of such Borrowing and such Notice of
Borrowing shall not thereafter be revocable by the
Borrower.
(b) Not later than 1:30 p.m.
(Chicago, Illinois time) on the date of each Borrowing, each Bank
shall make available its share of such Borrowing, in Federal or
other funds immediately available, to the Administrative Agent at
its Payment Office. Unless the Administrative Agent determines that
any applicable condition specified in Article 3 has not been
satisfied, the Administrative Agent will make the funds so received
from the Banks available to the Borrower at the Payment
Office.
(c) Unless the Administrative Agent
shall have received notice from a Bank prior to the date of any
Borrowing that such Bank will not make available to the
Administrative Agent such Bank’s share of such Borrowing, the
Administrative Agent may assume that such Bank has made such share
available to the Administrative Agent on the date of such Borrowing
in accordance with subsection (b) of this Section and the
Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such
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assumption, make available to the Borrower on
such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such
Bank shall not have so made such share available to the
Administrative Agent, such Bank and the Borrower severally agree to
repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such
corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day
from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until
the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent, at
(i) in the case of the Borrower, a rate per annum equal to the
higher of the Federal Funds Rate and the interest rate applicable
thereto pursuant to Section 2.6 and (ii) in the case of
such Bank, the Federal Funds Rate. If such Bank shall repay to the
Administrative Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so
repaid shall constitute such Bank’s Loan included in such
Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.
Section 2.4. Evidence of
Indebtedness .
(a) Each Bank shall maintain in accordance with its usual
practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the
Borrower to such Bank resulting from each Loan made by such Bank
from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest
payable and paid to such Bank from time to time
hereunder.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall
also maintain accounts in which it will record (i) the amount
of each Loan made hereunder, the type thereof and the Interest
Period with respect thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal
or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the
Borrower to each Bank hereunder and (iii) the amount of any
sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the
Borrower and each Bank’s share thereof.
(c) The entries maintained in the
accounts maintained pursuant to paragraphs (a) and
(b) above shall be prima facie evidence of the
existence and amounts of the Obligations therein recorded;
provided, however, that the failure of the Administrative
Agent or any Bank to maintain such accounts or any error therein
shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to
repay the Obligations in accordance with their terms.
(d) Any Bank may request that its
Loans be evidenced by a promissory note or notes in substantially
the form of Exhibit B (collectively, the “Notes”
and individually, as a “Note” ). In such event,
the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Bank a Note
payable to the order of such Bank. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced
by such Note or Notes and interest thereon shall at all times
(including after any assignment pursuant to Section 10.6) be
represented by one or more Notes payable to the order of the payee
named therein or any assignee pursuant to Section 10.6, except
to the extent that any such Bank or assignee subsequently returns
any such Note for cancellation and requests that such Loans once
again be evidenced as described in subsections (a) and
(b) above.
Section 2.5. Maturity of
Loans . The Borrower
shall make principal payments on the Loans in installments on the
last day of each March, June, September, and December in each year,
commencing on June 30, 2010, with the amount of each such
principal installment to equal 5% of the aggregate principal amount
of the Loans outstanding at the close of business on July 14,
2009, it being agreed that a final payment comprised of all
principal and interest not sooner paid on the Loans shall be due
and payable in full on the Maturity Date.
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Section 2.6. Interest
Rates . (a) Each
Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal
amount thereof, for each day from the date such Loan is made (or
converted pursuant to Article 8) until it becomes due, at a
rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Base Rate
Margin for such day. Such interest shall be payable quarterly in
arrears on the last day of each March, June, September, and
December in each year (each, a “Quarterly Date”
) and, with respect to the principal amount of any Base Rate Loan
converted to a Euro-Dollar Loan, on each date a Base Rate Loan is
so converted. Any overdue principal of or interest on any Base Rate
Loan shall bear interest, payable on demand, for each day until
paid at a rate per annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the
rate otherwise applicable to Base Rate Loans for such
day.
(b) Each Euro-Dollar Loan shall bear
interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for each day
during each Interest Period applicable thereto, at a rate per annum
equal to the sum of the Euro-Dollar Margin for such day plus
the London Interbank Offered Rate applicable to such Interest
Period. Such interest shall be payable for each Interest Period on
the last day thereof and, in the case of an Interest Period of six
months, the date occurring three months after the first day of such
Interest Period.
(c) Any overdue principal of, or
interest on, any Euro-Dollar Loan shall bear interest, payable on
demand, for each day until paid at a rate per annum equal to the
higher of (i) the sum of 2% plus the Euro-Dollar Margin
for such day plus the quotient obtained (rounded upward, if
necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of it) by dividing (x) the
average rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next
higher 1/100 of 1%) of the respective rates per annum at which one
day (or, if such amount due remains unpaid more than three Business
Days, then for such other period of time not longer than three
months as the Administrative Agent may select) deposits in Dollars
in an amount approximately equal to such overdue payment due to the
Administrative Agent is offered to the Administrative Agent in the
London interbank market for the applicable period determined as
provided above by (y) one minus the Reserve Percentage
(or, if the circumstances described in clause (a) or
(b) of Section 8.1 shall exist, at a rate per annum equal
to the sum of 2% plus the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans
for such day) and (ii) the sum of 2% plus the
Euro-Dollar Margin for such day plus the London Interbank
Offered Rate applicable to such Loan at the date such payment was
due.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall
determine each interest rate applicable to the Loans hereunder. The
Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrower and
the participating Banks of each rate of interest so determined, and
its determination thereof shall be conclusive in the absence of
manifest error.
(e) The Administrative Agent agrees
to use its best efforts to furnish quotations as contemplated by
this Section. If the Administrative Agent is unable to provide a
quotation, the provisions of Section 8.1 shall
apply.
Section 2.7. [Intentionally
Omitted.]
Section 2.8. [Intentionally
Omitted.]
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Section 2.9. Method of
Electing Interest Rates for Loans . (a) The Loans initially shall be the Type
of Loan specified by the Borrower in the Notice of Borrowing given
pursuant to Section 2.2. Thereafter, the Borrower shall
deliver a notice (a “Notice of Interest Period
Election” ) to the Administrative Agent not later than
11:00 a.m. (Chicago, Illinois, time) on the third Business Day
prior to (i) if such Borrowing was initially a Base Rate
Borrowing, the commencement of the first Interest Period with
respect to the conversion of such Base Rate Loan into a Euro-Dollar
Loan specifying the duration of such Interest Period, or
(ii) at any other time, the last day of the current Interest
Period specifying the duration of the additional Interest Period
which is to commence. Each Interest Period specified in a Notice of
Interest Period Election shall comply with the provisions of the
definition of “Interest Period.” Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Borrower may not elect to convert any Loan into, or
continue any Loan as, a Euro-Dollar Loan pursuant to any Notice of
Interest Period Election if at the time such notice is delivered an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(b) Each Notice of Interest Period
Election shall specify:
(i) the Borrowing of Loans (or
portion thereof) to which such notice applies;
(ii) the date on which the
conversion or continuation selected in such notice is to be
effective, which shall comply with the applicable clause of
subsection (a) above;
(iii) if the Loans comprising such
Borrowing are to be converted, the new Type of Loans and, if the
Loans being converted are to be Euro-Dollar Loans, the duration of
the next succeeding Interest Period applicable thereto;
and
(iv) if such Loans are to be
continued as Euro-Dollar Loans for an additional Interest Period,
the duration of such additional Interest Period.
(c) Upon receipt of a Notice of
Interest Period Election from the Borrower pursuant to subsection
(a) above, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each
Bank of the contents thereof and such notice shall not thereafter
be revocable by the Borrower. If no Notice of Interest Period
Election is timely received prior to the end of an Interest Period,
the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected that such Loan be
continued as a Base Rate Loan.
(d) An election by the Borrower to
change or continue the rate of interest applicable to any Borrowing
of Loans pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a
“Borrowing” subject to the provisions of
Section 3.2.
Section 2.10. Optional
Prepayments .
(a) Subject, in the case of Euro-Dollar Loans, to
Section 2.13, the Borrower may, upon same day written notice
to the Administrative Agent, prepay any Base Rate Loans or, upon at
least three Business Days’ notice to the Administrative
Agent, prepay any Euro-Dollar Loans, in each case in whole at any
time, or from time to time in part, without premium or penalty, in
amounts aggregating $5,000,000 or any larger multiple of
$1,000,000, by paying the principal amount to be prepaid together
with accrued interest thereon to the date of prepayment. Each such
optional prepayment shall be (i) applied (A) first, to
the next two scheduled amortization payments on the Loans and
(B) thereafter, to the remaining
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amortization payments on the Loans on a ratable
basis among all such remaining amortization payments based on the
principal amounts thereof and (ii) applied to prepay ratably
the Loans of the several Banks.
(b) Upon receipt of a notice of
prepayment pursuant to this Section, the Administrative Agent shall
promptly notify each Bank with Loans outstanding of the contents
thereof and of such Bank’s ratable share (if any) of such
prepayment and such notice shall not thereafter be revocable by the
Borrower.
(c) Cash Collateral to Avoid
Breakage . If at any time a voluntary prepayment of Loans
pursuant to Section 2.10(a) above would result in the Borrower
incurring breakage costs as a result of Euro-Dollar Loans being
prepaid other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable
thereto (the “Affected Loans” ), then the
Borrower may in its sole discretion initially deposit a portion (up
to 100%) of the amounts that otherwise would have been paid in
respect of the Affected Loans with the Administrative Agent (which
deposit must be equal in amount to the amount of the Affected Loans
not immediately prepaid) to be held as security for the obligations
of the Borrower hereunder pursuant to a cash collateral arrangement
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall
provide for investments reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent, with such cash collateral to be directly
applied upon the first occurrence (or occurrences) thereafter of
the last day of an Interest Period applicable to the relevant Loans
(or such earlier date or dates as shall be requested by the
Borrower), to repay an aggregate principal amount of such Loans
equal to the Affected Loans not initially prepaid pursuant to this
sentence. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the
immediately preceding sentence, all amounts deposited as cash
collateral pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be
held for the sole benefit of the Banks whose Loans would otherwise
have been immediately prepaid with the amounts deposited and upon
the taking of any action by the Administrative Agent or the Banks
pursuant to the remedial provisions of Article 6, any amounts
held as cash collateral pursuant to this Section 2.10(c)
shall, subject to the requirements of applicable law, be
immediately applied to repay such Loans.
Section 2.11. [Intentionally
Omitted.]
Section 2.12. General
Provisions as to Payments . (a) The Borrower shall make each payment
of principal of, and interest on, the Loans (i) not later than
12:00 Noon (Chicago, Illinois time) on the date when due, in
Federal or other funds immediately available to the Administrative
Agent at its Payment Office, and (ii) without any right to
set-off, deduction or counterclaim by the Borrower. All payments
made hereunder shall be made in U.S. Dollars in immediately
available funds at the place of payment. The Administrative Agent
will promptly distribute to each Bank its ratable share of each
such payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account
of the Banks. Whenever any payment of principal of, or interest on,
the Base Rate Loans or of fees shall be due on a day which is not a
Business Day, the date for payment thereof shall be extended to the
next succeeding Business Day. Whenever any payment of principal of,
or interest on, the Euro-Dollar Loans shall be due on a day which
is not a Business Day, the date for payment thereof shall be
extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business
Day falls in another calendar month, in which case the date for
payment thereof shall be the next preceding Business Day. If the
date for any payment of principal is extended by operation of law
or otherwise, interest thereon shall be payable for such extended
time.
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(b) Unless the Administrative Agent
shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on
which any payment is due to the Banks hereunder that the Borrower
will not make such payment in full, the Administrative Agent may
assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the
Administrative Agent on such date and the Administrative Agent may,
in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each
Bank on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such
Bank. If and to the extent that the Borrower shall not have so made
such payment, each Bank shall repay to the Administrative Agent
forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Bank together
with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is
distributed to such Bank until the date such Bank repays such
amount to the Administrative Agent, at the Federal Funds
Rate.
Section 2.13. Funding
Losses . If the Borrower
makes any payment of principal with respect to any Euro-Dollar Loan
or any Euro-Dollar Loan is prepaid, converted or becomes due
(pursuant to Article 2, 6, or 8 or otherwise) on any day other
than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, or if
the Borrower fails to borrow, prepay or continue any Euro-Dollar
Loans after notice has been given to any Bank in accordance with
Section 2.2, 2.9, or 2.10, the Borrower shall reimburse each
Bank within 15 days after demand for any resulting loss or
expense incurred by it (or by an existing or prospective
Participant in the related Loan), including, without limitation,
any loss incurred in obtaining, liquidating or employing deposits
from third parties, but excluding loss of margin for the period
after any such payment or conversion or failure to borrow, prepay,
convert or continue, provided that such Bank shall have
delivered to the Borrower a certificate as to the amount of such
loss or expense, which certificate shall be conclusive in the
absence of manifest error.
Section 2.14. Computation of
Interest . Interest based
on the Base Rate hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year
of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year) and paid for the
actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day). All other interest shall be computed on
the basis of a year of 360 days and paid for the actual number
of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day
if and only if such payment is made in accordance with the
provisions of the first sentence of
Section 2.12(a)).
Section 2.15.
Regulation D Compensation . Without duplication of amounts payable under
Section 2.6(c)(i), each Bank may require the Borrower to pay,
contemporaneously with each payment of interest on the Euro-Dollar
Loans, additional interest on the related Euro-Dollar Loan of such
Bank at a rate per annum determined by such Bank up to but not
exceeding the excess of (i) (A) the London Interbank
Offered Rate then in effect for such Loan divided by (B) one
minus the Reserve Percentage over (ii) such London Interbank
Offered Rate. Any Bank wishing to require payment of such
additional interest (x) shall so notify the Borrower and the
Administrative Agent, in which case such additional interest on the
Euro-Dollar Loan of such Bank shall be payable to such Bank at the
place indicated in such notice with respect to each Interest Period
commencing at least three Business Days after the giving of such
notice and (y) shall notify the Borrower at least five
Business Days prior to each date on which interest is payable on
the Euro-Dollar Loans of the amount then due it under this Section.
The Borrower’s obligations under this Section 2.15 are
limited as set forth in Section 8.6.
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Section 2.16. Increase in
Loans . Provided there
exists no Default, the Borrower on behalf of the Borrower and
Guarantors may, from time to time on any Business Day after the
date hereof, without the consent of any Bank but with the written
consent of the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed), request an increase in the
aggregate amount of Loans hereunder by delivering a Loan Increase
Request at least five (5) Business Days prior to the desired
effective date of such increase (the “Loan
Increase” ). The Loan Increase Request shall identify one
or more additional Banks (each, an “Additional
Bank” ) and the amount of its Loan and/or any additional
principal amount to be added to the outstanding Loan of one or more
Banks then party hereto (any such Bank, an “Increasing
Bank” ). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein
provided, any such increase in the aggregate amount of the Loans to
an amount in excess of U.S. $250,000,000 shall require the written
approval of the Required Banks. The effective date of each Loan
Increase shall be agreed upon by the Borrower, the Administrative
Agent and the Increasing Bank and/or Additional Bank, as
applicable, but shall be no later than sixty (60) days following
the Effective Date. Upon the effectiveness of a Loan Increase, each
Additional Bank (and, if applicable, each Increasing Bank) shall
advance funds in the amount identified in the applicable Loan
Increase Request with respect to such Bank and any Additional Bank
upon funding such amount shall become a Bank hereunder and its
amount advanced shall constitute a Loan hereunder for all purposes
hereof, accruing interest from the date of funding. It shall be a
condition to such effectiveness that no Euro-Dollar Loans be
outstanding on the date of such effectiveness. The Borrower agrees
to pay any out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent
relating to any Loan Increase. Notwithstanding anything herein to
the contrary, no Bank shall have any obligation to agree to provide
an additional amount and no Bank’s Loan shall be increased
without its written consent thereto, and each Bank may, in its sole
discretion, unconditionally and without cause, decline to provide
any such additional amount.
A RTICLE 3
C ONDITIONS
Section 3.1. Initial
Borrowing . The
obligations of the Banks to make the Loans hereunder are subject to
receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following documents and
satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) an opinion of counsel for the
Credit Parties in a form reasonably acceptable to the
Administrative Agent and covering such matters relating to the
transactions contemplated hereby as the Administrative Agent or the
Required Banks may reasonably request;
(b) all documents the Administrative
Agent may reasonably request relating to the corporate authority of
each Credit Party which is a party hereto or any other Credit
Document and the validity of this Agreement and each other Credit
Document, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
Administrative Agent;
(c) copies of this Agreement
executed by the Borrower, each Guarantor and each of the Banks;
and
(d) the Administrative Agent shall
have received fully executed copies of the License
Agreements.
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The Administrative Agent shall
promptly notify the Borrower and the Banks of the satisfaction of
the conditions set forth in this Section 3.1, and such notice
shall be conclusive and binding on all parties hereto.
Section 3.2. Each
Borrowing . The
obligation of the Banks to make each Loan hereunder is subject at
the time of such Loan to the satisfaction of the following
additional conditions:
(a) receipt by the Administrative
Agent of a Notice of Borrowing as required by
Section 2.2;
(b) the fact that, immediately
before and after such Borrowing, no Default shall have occurred and
be continuing;
(c) the fact that the
representations and warranties of the Credit Parties contained in
this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects
on and as of the date of such Borrowing (other than representations
and warranties that relate to a specific date, which shall be true
and correct in all material respects as of such date);
and
(d) with respect to the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, each Credit Party shall have
obtained any necessary consents, waivers, approvals,
authorizations, registrations, filings, licenses and notifications
(including, if necessary, qualifying to do business in, and
qualifying under the applicable consumer laws of, each jurisdiction
where the applicable party is then doing business, or is in the
process of obtaining such qualification in each jurisdiction where
the applicable party is expected to be doing business utilizing the
proceeds of such Loan) and the same shall be in full force and
effect, except where the failure to obtain such consent,
qualification or other item could not reasonably be expected to
have a material adverse effect on the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Each Borrowing hereunder shall be
deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the
date of such Borrowing as to the facts specified in
clauses (b), (c), and (d) of this Section.
No Bank shall have any obligation to
make a Loan hereunder at any time unless all conditions precedent
have been satisfied before or at such time. The conditions
precedent are included for the exclusive benefit of the
Administrative Agent and the Banks. In the event that any one more
Banks makes available its Loan at the request of the Borrower
notwithstanding that any one or more of the conditions precedent
thereto have not been satisfied in whole or in part, such waiver
shall not operate to waive the right of the Administrative Agent
and the Banks to require strict compliance thereafter.
-23-
A RTICLE 4
R EPRESENTATIONS AND W ARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants
that:
Section 4.1. Existence and
Power . Each Credit Party
is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other
organization, duly organized and validly existing and, where
applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of
its organization, and has all corporate or other powers and all
material governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and
approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted except
where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.2. Corporate and
Governmental Authorization; No Contravention
. The execution, delivery and
performance by each Credit Party of the Credit Documents to which
it is a party (i) are within the corporate or other powers of
such Credit Party, (ii) have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate or other action, (iii) require no action
by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency
or officials except where the failure to do so could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (iv) do not
contravene, or constitute a default under, (a) any provision
of applicable law or regulation or of the articles of association,
the organizational certificate, bylaws or other constitutional
documents, as applicable, of such Credit Party or (b) any
agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument
binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries which could
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and
(v) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien
on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither
the Borrower (or any of its directors or officers) nor any Insured
Subsidiary (or any of its directors or officers) is a party to, or
subject to, any agreement with, or specific directive or order
issued by, any federal or state bank or thrift regulatory authority
which restricts the payment of dividends by any Insured Subsidiary
to the Borrower; and no action or administrative proceeding is
pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against
the Borrower or any Insured Subsidiary or any of their directors or
officers which seeks to impose any such restriction, in each case
that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section 4.3. Binding
Effect . This Agreement
and the other Credit Documents constitute valid and binding
agreements of the Borrower and each other Credit Party which is a
party thereto, and each Note, when executed and delivered in
accordance with this Agreement, will constitute a valid and binding
obligation of the Borrower, in each case enforceable in accordance
with its terms.
Section 4.4. Financial
Information .
(a) The consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008, and the
related consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and
cash flows for the fiscal year then ended, reported on by
Deloitte & Touche LLP, and the unaudited interim
consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries as of March 31, 2009 and the related consolidated
statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for the
three months then ended, copies of which have been delivered to
each of the Banks, fairly present in all material respects
the
-24-
consolidated financial position of the Borrower
and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and their
consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods
then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements,
to the absence of footnotes and to year end adjustments.
(b) Since December 31, 2008
there has been no material adverse change in the business,
financial position or operations of the Borrower and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries, considered as a whole.
(c) Except as disclosed in the
financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 4.4(a)
there were as of the Effective Date no liabilities or obligations
with respect to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any
nature whatsoever (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or
otherwise and whether or not due) which, either individually or in
aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a material and
adverse effect on the Borrower or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
taken as a whole. As of the Effective Date, the Borrower knows of
no basis for the assertion against it or any of its Subsidiaries of
any liability or obligation of any nature whatsoever that is not
disclosed in the financial statements delivered pursuant to
Section 4.4(a) which, either individually or in the aggregate,
could reasonably be expected to be material to the Borrower or the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Section 4.5.
Litigation . There is no
action, suit or proceeding pending against, or to the knowledge of
the Borrower threatened against or affecting, the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries before any court or arbitrator or any
governmental body, agency or official in which there is a
reasonable possibility of an adverse decision which could
materially adversely affect the business, consolidated financial
position or consolidated results of operations of the Borrower and
its Consolidated Subsidiaries, considered as a whole, or which in
any manner draws into question the validity or enforceability of
any Credit Document.
Section 4.6. Compliance with
ERISA . To the best of
the Borrower’s knowledge after reasonable investigation:
(a) Each member of the ERISA Group has fulfilled its
obligations under the minimum funding standards of ERISA and the
Code with respect to each Plan and is in compliance in all material
respects with the presently applicable provisions of ERISA and the
Code with respect to each Plan. No member of the ERISA Group has
(i) sought a waiver of the minimum funding standard under
Section 412 of the Code in respect of any Plan,
(ii) failed to make any contribution or payment to any Plan or
Multiemployer Plan or in respect of any Benefit Arrangement, or
made any amendment to any Plan or Benefit Arrangement, which has
resulted or could result in the imposition of a Lien or the posting
of a bond or other security under ERISA or the Code or
(iii) incurred any liability under Title IV of ERISA other
than a liability to the PBGC for premiums under Section 4007
of ERISA.
(b) Each Foreign Pension Plan has
been maintained in substantial compliance with its terms and with
the requirements of any and all applicable laws, statutes, rules,
regulations and orders and has been maintained, where required, in
good standing with applicable regulatory authorities. All material
contributions required to be made with respect to a Foreign Pension
Plan have been timely made. Neither the Borrower nor any of its
Subsidiaries has incurred any material obligation in connection
with the termination of or withdrawal from any Foreign
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Pension Plan. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries
do not maintain or contribute to any Foreign Pension Plan the
obligations with respect to which could reasonably be expected to
have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Borrower or
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to perform their
obligations under the Credit Documents.
Section 4.7. Environmental
Matters . To the best of
the Borrower’s knowledge after reasonable investigation: Each
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has obtained all material
environmental, health and safety permits, licenses and other
authorizations required under all Environmental Laws to carry on
its business as now being or as proposed to be conducted except for
such permits, licenses and other authorizations the failure to
obtain, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each of such
permits, licenses and authorizations is in full force and effect
and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in material compliance
with the terms and conditions thereof, and is also in material
compliance with all other limitations, restrictions, conditions,
standards, prohibitions, requirements, obligations, schedules and
timetables contained in any applicable Environmental Law or in any
regulation, code, plan, order, decree, judgment, injunction, notice
or demand letter issued, entered, promulgated or approved
thereunder except for such failure to comply, individually or in
the aggregate, as could not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect. In addition, no notice, notification,
demand, request for information, citations, summons or order has
been issued, no complaint has been filed, no penalty has been
assessed and no investigation or review is pending or threatened by
any governmental or other entity with respect to any alleged
failure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to have any
environmental, health or safety permit, license or other
authorization required under any Environmental Law in connection
with the conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or with respect to any generation, treatment, storage,
recycling, transportation, discharge or disposal, or any release of
any Hazardous Substance generated or handled by the Borrower or any
of its Subsidiaries except for such matters that, individually or
in the aggregate, could not r