FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
dated as of March 30,
2004
DAIRY GROUP RECEIVABLES, L.P., as a
Seller,
DAIRY GROUP RECEIVABLES II, L.P., as
a Seller,
SPECIALTY GROUP RECEIVABLES, L.P.,
as a Seller,
DEAN NATIONAL BRAND GROUP, L.P., as
a Seller,
THE FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS
BANK ONE, NA (MAIN OFFICE
CHICAGO),
as Agent
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Page
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3
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Section 1.1
Purchase Facility
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3
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4
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5
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Section 1.4
Payment Requirements
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5
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6
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6
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Section 2.2
Collections Prior to
Amortization
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7
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Section 2.3
Collections Following
Amortization
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8
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Section 2.4
Application of
Collections
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8
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Section 2.5
Payment Rescission
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9
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Section 2.6
Maximum Purchaser
Interests
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9
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10
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10
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Section 3.2
CP Costs Payments
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10
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Section 3.4
Selection and Calculation of CP
(Tranche) Accrual Periods
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11
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FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FUNDING
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12
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Section 4.1
Financial Institution
Funding
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12
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Section 4.2
Yield Payments
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12
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Section 4.3
Selection and Continuation of
Tranche Periods
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12
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Section 4.4
Financial Institution Discount
Rates
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13
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Section 4.5
Suspension of the LIBO
Rate
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13
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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16
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Section 5.1
Representations and Warranties
of the Seller Parties
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16
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Section 5.2
Financial Institution
Representations and Warranties
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22
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23
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Section 6.1
Conditions Precedent to Initial
Incremental Purchase
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23
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Section 6.2
Conditions Precedent to All
Purchases and Reinvestments
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23
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Page
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24
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Section 7.1
Affirmative Covenants of the
Seller Parties
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24
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Section 7.2
Negative Covenants of The
Seller Parties
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34
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ADMINISTRATION AND COLLECTION
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36
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Section 8.1
Designation of
Servicers
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36
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Section 8.2
Duties of Servicer
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37
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Section 8.3
Collection Notices
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40
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Section 8.4
Responsibilities of the
Sellers
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40
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40
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Section 8.6
Servicing Fees
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40
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41
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Section 9.1
Amortization Events
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41
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44
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45
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Section 10.1
Indemnities by the Seller
Parties
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45
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Section 10.2
Increased Cost and Reduced
Return
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48
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Section 10.3 Other
Costs and Expenses
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50
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50
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51
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Section 11.1
Authorization and Action
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51
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Section 11.2
Delegation of Duties
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51
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Section 11.3
Exculpatory Provisions
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51
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Section 11.4
Reliance by Agent
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52
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Section 11.5
Non-Reliance on Agent and Other
Purchasers
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52
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Section 11.6
Reimbursement and
Indemnification
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53
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Section 11.7 Agent
in Its Individual Capacity
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53
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Section 11.8
Successor Agent
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53
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ASSIGNMENTS; PARTICIPATIONS
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54
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54
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Section 12.2
Participations
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55
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56
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56
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Section 14.1
Waivers and Amendments
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56
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Page
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57
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Section 14.3
Ratable Payments
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58
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Section 14.4
Protection of Ownership Interests of the
Purchasers
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58
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Section 14.5
Confidentiality
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59
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Section 14.6
Bankruptcy Petition
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60
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Section 14.7
Limitation of Liability
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60
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Section 14.8 CHOICE
OF LAW
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60
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Section 14.9
CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
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60
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Section 14.10 WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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61
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Section 14.11 Integration;
Binding Effect; Survival of Terms
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61
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Section 14.12 Counterparts;
Severability; Section References
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61
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Section 14.13 Bank One
Roles
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62
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Section 14.14
Characterization
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62
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Section 14.15
Withholding
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63
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Section 14.16 [Intentionally
Omitted]
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63
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Section 14.17 Confirmation and
Ratification of Terms
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63
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Section 14.18 Excess
Funds
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64
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Section 14.19 Administrative
Seller
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64
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Section 14.20 Joint and
Several
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64
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Section 14.21 Assignments by
Dairy Group
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67
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Definitions
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Form of
Purchase Notice
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Places of
Business of the Seller Parties; Locations of Records; Federal
Employer Identification Number(s)
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Names of
Collection Banks; Collection Accounts
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Form of
Compliance Certificate
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Form of
Collection Account Agreement
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Form of
Assignment Agreement
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Credit and
Collection Policies
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Form of
Acknowledgment and Amendment Agreement
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Form of Monthly
Report
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Form of
Performance Undertaking
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Commitments
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Closing
Documents
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Dean
Entities
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Originators
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Notice
Addresses
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Top Twenty-Five
Obligors
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Additional
Entities
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fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
RECEIVABLES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This Fourth
Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated as of
March 30, 2004, is among Dairy Group Receivables, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (“ Dairy Group ”),
Dairy Group Receivables II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
(“ Dairy Group II ”), Specialty Group
Receivables, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“
Specialty Group ”), Dean National Brand Group, L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (“ National Brand Group
” and, together with Dairy Group, Dairy Group II and
Specialty Group, the “ Sellers ” and each a
“ Seller ”), each of the parties listed on the
signature pages hereof as a Servicer (the Servicers, together with
the Sellers, the “ Seller Parties ,” and each a
“ Seller Party ”), the entities listed on
Schedule A to this Agreement under the heading
“Financial Institution” (together with any of their
respective successors and assigns hereunder, the “
Financial Institutions ”), the entities listed on
Schedule A to this Agreement under the heading
“Company” (together with any of their respective
successors and assigns hereunder, the “ Companies
”) and Bank One, NA (Main Office Chicago), as agent for the
Purchasers hereunder or any successor agent hereunder (together
with its successors and assigns hereunder, the “ Agent
”). Unless defined elsewhere herein, capitalized terms used
in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in
Exhibit I .
Certain Seller
Parties, certain Financial Institutions, certain Companies and the
Agent are parties to that certain Receivables Purchase Agreement,
dated as of June 30, 2000, as amended and restated by that
certain Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement, dated
as of December 21, 2001, as further amended and restated by that
certain Second Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement,
dated as of May 15, 2002 and effective for all purposes as of
March 31, 2002, and as further amended and restated by that
certain Third Amended and Restated Receivables Purchase Agreement,
dated as of November 20, 2003, and as amended by the Amendment
No. 1 thereto and Reaffirmation of Performance Undertakings,
dated as of December 31, 2003 (such agreement, as so amended
and restated and amended, the “ Original Agreement
”).
Dairy Group, Dairy
Group II and Specialty Group have transferred and assigned pursuant
to the Original Agreement, and desire to continue to transfer and
assign Purchaser Interests to the Purchasers from time to
time.
1
fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
National Brand
Group desires to become a party to the Original Agreement as a
seller and to transfer and assign Purchaser Interests to the
Purchasers from time to time.
Each Company may,
in its absolute and sole discretion, purchase the Purchaser
Interests from the Sellers from time to time.
In the event that
any Company declines to make any purchase, such Company’s
Related Financial Institutions shall, at the request of the
Administrative Seller, purchase Purchaser Interests that such
Company declined to purchase from time to time.
Bank One, NA (Main
Office Chicago) has been requested and is willing to act as Agent
on behalf of the Companies and the Financial Institutions in
accordance with the terms hereof.
The parties hereto
now desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its
entirety to read as set forth herein.
Now Therefore, in
consideration of the foregoing and for other valuable
consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree that, subject to
satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in
Section 6.1 hereof, the Original Agreement is hereby
amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions hereof, each Seller may, at its
option, sell and assign Purchaser Interests to the Agent for the
benefit of one or more of the Purchasers. In accordance with the
terms and conditions set forth herein, each Company may, at its
option, instruct the Agent to purchase on
2
fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
behalf of
such Company, or if any Company shall decline to purchase, the
Agent shall purchase, on behalf of such declining Company’s
Related Financial Institutions, Purchaser Interests from time to
time in an amount not to exceed in the aggregate for all Sellers at
such time (i) in the case of each Company, its Company
Purchase Limit and (ii) in the aggregate, the lesser of
(A) the Purchase Limit and (B) the aggregate amount of
the Commitments during the period from the date hereof to but not
including the Facility Termination Date.
a The
Administrative Seller may, upon at least 10 Business Days’
notice to the Agent, each Company and each Financial Institution,
terminate in whole or reduce in part, ratably among the Financial
Institutions, the unused portion of the Purchase Limit; provided
that (i) any such notice shall be irrevocable, (ii) each
partial reduction of the Purchase Limit shall be in an amount equal
to $5,000,000 or an integral multiple thereof and (iii) the
aggregate of the Company Purchase Limits for all of the Companies
shall also be terminated in whole or reduced in part, ratably among
the Companies, by an amount equal to such termination or reduction
in the Purchase Limit.
The Administrative
Seller shall provide the Agent and each Purchaser with at least two
Business Days’ prior notice in a form set forth as
Exhibit II hereto of each Incremental Purchase (a
“ Purchase Notice ”) to be made by a Seller.
Each Purchase Notice shall be subject to Section 6.2
hereof and, except as set forth below, (i) shall be
irrevocable and shall specify the requested Purchase Price (which,
in the case of the initial Incremental Purchase hereunder shall not
be less than $10,000,000 and in the case of subsequent Incremental
Purchases shall not be less than $1,000,000), (ii) the date of
purchase (which, in the case of Incremental Purchases after the
initial Incremental Purchase hereunder, shall not exceed four per
calendar month), (iii) in the case of an Incremental Purchase
to be funded by any of the Financial Institutions, the requested
Discount Rate and Tranche Period and (iv) in the case of an
Incremental Purchase to be funded by the CL Company or by any Pool
Company (other than an Incremental Purchase funded by such Pool
Company substantially with Pooled Commercial Paper), the requested
CP (Tranche) Accrual Period. Following receipt of a Purchase
Notice, the Agent will promptly notify each Company of such
Purchase Notice and the Agent will identify the Companies that
agree to make the purchase. If any Company declines to make a
proposed purchase, the Administrative Seller may cancel the
Purchase Notice as to all Purchasers no
3
fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
later than 2:00
p.m. (Chicago time) on the Business Day immediately prior to the
date of purchase specified in the Purchase Notice or, in the
absence of such a cancellation, the Incremental Purchase of the
Purchaser Interest, which such Company has declined to purchase,
will be made by such declining Company’s Related Financial
Institutions in accordance with the rest of this
Section 1.2 . If the proposed Incremental Purchase or
any portion thereof is to be made by any of the Financial
Institutions, the Agent shall send notice of the proposed
Incremental Purchase to the applicable Financial Institutions
concurrently by telecopier, telex or cable specifying (i) the
date of such Incremental Purchase, which date must be at least one
Business Day after such notice is received by the applicable
Financial Institutions, (ii) each Financial
Institution’s Pro Rata Share of the aggregate Purchase Price
of the Purchaser Interests the Financial Institutions in such
Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group are then purchasing
and (iii) the requested Discount Rate and Tranche Period. On
the date of each Incremental Purchase, upon satisfaction of the
applicable conditions precedent set forth in Article VI
and the conditions set forth in this Section 1.2 , the
Companies and/or the Financial Institutions, as applicable, shall
use their reasonable best efforts to deposit to the Facility
Account, in immediately available funds, no later than 12:00 noon
(Chicago time), and in any event no later than 2:00 pm (Chicago
time), an amount equal to (i) in the case of a Company that
has agreed to make such Incremental Purchase, such Company’s
Pro Rata Share of the aggregate Purchase Price of the Purchaser
Interests of such Incremental Purchase or (ii) in the case of
a Financial Institution, such Financial Institution’s Pro
Rata Share of the aggregate Purchase Price of the Purchaser
Interests the Financial Institutions in such Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group are then purchasing. Each
Financial Institution’s Commitment hereunder shall be limited
to purchasing Purchaser Interests that the Company in such
Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group has declined to
purchase. Each Financial Institution’s obligation shall be
several, such that the failure of any Financial Institution to make
available to any Seller any funds in connection with any purchase
shall not relieve any other Financial Institution of its
obligation, if any, hereunder to make funds available on the date
of such purchase, but no Financial Institution shall be responsible
for the failure of any other Financial Institution to make funds
available in connection with any purchase.
3
Decreases . The
Administrative Seller shall provide the Agent with an irrevocable
prior written notice in conformity with the Required Notice Period
(a “Reduction Notice”) of any proposed reduction of
Aggregate Capital from Collections and the Agent will promptly
notify each Purchaser of such Reduction Notice after Agent’s
receipt thereof. Such Reduction Notice shall designate (i) the date
(the “Proposed Reduction Date”) upon which any such
reduction of Aggregate
4
fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
Capital shall
occur (which date shall give effect to the applicable Required
Notice Period), and (ii) the amount of Aggregate Capital to be
reduced that shall be applied ratably to the Purchaser Interests of
the Companies and the Financial Institutions in accordance with the
amount of Capital (if any) owing to the Companies (ratably to each
Company, based on the ratio of such Company’s Capital at such
time to the aggregate Capital of all the Companies at such time),
on the one hand, and the amount of Capital (if any) owing to the
Financial Institutions (ratably to each Financial Institution,
based on the ratio of such Financial Institution’s Capital at
such time to the aggregate Capital of all of the Financial
Institutions at such time), on the other hand (the “Aggregate
Reduction”). Only one (1) Reduction Notice shall be
outstanding at any time. Concurrently with any reduction of
Aggregate Capital pursuant to this Section, the Sellers shall pay
to the applicable Purchaser all Broken Funding Costs arising as a
result of such reduction. No Aggregate Reduction will be made
following the occurrence of the Amortization Date without the prior
written consent of the Agent.
4 Payment
Requirements . All
amounts to be paid or deposited by any Seller Party pursuant to any
provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Documents
shall be paid or deposited in immediately available funds in
accordance with the terms hereof. Such Seller Party shall use its
reasonable best efforts to pay or deposit all such amounts no later
than 12:00 noon (Chicago time) on the day when due. Any such
payment or deposit not received by 1:00 pm (Chicago time) shall be
deemed to be received on the next succeeding Business Day. If such
amounts are payable to a Purchaser, they shall be paid to such
Purchaser at the “Payment Address” specified for such
Purchaser on Schedule A or such other address specified in
writing to each other party hereto. If such amounts are payable to
the Agent, they shall be paid to the Agent at 1 Bank One Plaza,
Chicago, Illinois 60670 until otherwise notified by the Agent. Upon
notice to the Administrative Seller, the Agent may debit the
Facility Account for all amounts due and payable hereunder. All
computations of Yield, per annum fees or discount calculated as
part of any CP Costs, per annum fees hereunder and per annum fees
under any Fee Letter shall be made on the basis of a year of 360
days for the actual number of days elapsed. If any amount hereunder
or under any other Transaction Document shall be payable on a day
that is not a Business Day, such amount shall be payable on the
next succeeding Business Day.
5
fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
5
Payments .
Notwithstanding any limitation on recourse contained in this
Agreement, the Sellers shall immediately pay to the Agent or
relevant Purchaser, as applicable, when due, for the account of the
relevant Purchaser or Purchasers on a full recourse basis,
(i) such fees as set forth in each Fee Letter (which fees
collectively shall be sufficient to pay all fees owing to the
Financial Institutions and other Funding Sources), (ii) all CP
Costs, (iii) all amounts payable as Yield, (iv) all
amounts payable as Deemed Collections (which shall be immediately
due and payable by the Sellers and applied to reduce outstanding
Aggregate Capital hereunder in accordance with Sections 2.2 and 2.3
hereof), (v) all amounts required pursuant to
Section 2.6, (vi) all amounts payable pursuant to
Article X, if any, (vii) all Servicer costs and expenses,
including the Servicing Fee, in connection with servicing,
administering and collecting the Receivables, (viii) all
Broken Funding Costs (any request for reimbursement of which shall
be accompanied by a certificate in reasonable detail demonstrating
the reasonable calculation of ay such amount) and (ix) all
Default Fees (collectively, the “Obligations”). If any
Person fails to pay any of the Obligations (other than the Default
Fee) when due, such Person agrees to pay, on demand, the Default
Fee in respect thereof until paid. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
no provision of this Agreement or any Fee Letter shall require the
payment or permit the collection of any amounts hereunder in excess
of the maximum permitted by applicable law. If at any time any
Seller receives any Collections or is deemed to receive any
Collections, such Seller shall immediately pay such Collections or
Deemed Collections to the applicable Servicer for application in
accordance with the terms and conditions hereof and, at all times
prior to such payment, such Collections or Deemed Collections shall
be held in trust by such Seller for the exclusive benefit of the
Purchasers and the Agent.
6
Collections Prior to Amortization . Prior to the Amortization Date, any Collections
and/or Deemed Collections received by each Servicer shall be set
aside and held in trust by such Servicer for the benefit of the
Agent and the Purchasers for the payment of any accrued and unpaid
Aggregate Unpaids or for a Reinvestment as provided in this
Section 2.2 . If at any time any Collections and/or
Deemed Collections are received by any Servicer prior to the
Amortization Date, (i) such Servicer shall set aside the
Termination Percentage (hereinafter defined) of Collections and/or
Deemed Collections evidenced by the Purchaser Interests of each
Terminating Financial Institution and of each Company in a
Terminating Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group, shall
set aside Collections to be used to effect any Aggregate Reduction
in accordance with Section 1.3 and shall set aside
amounts
6
fourth
amended and restated
receivables purchase
agreement
necessary to
pay Obligations due on the next succeeding Settlement Date and
(ii) each Seller hereby requests and the Purchasers (other
than any Terminating Financial Institutions and, to the extent
applicable, any Company in a Terminating Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group) hereby agree to make,
simultaneously with such receipt, a reinvestment (each a “
Reinvestment ”) with that portion of the balance of
each and every Collection and Deemed Collection received by any
Servicer that is part of any Purchaser Interest (other than any
Purchaser Interests of Terminating Financial Institutions and, to
the extent applicable, of any Company in a Terminating Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group), such that after giving effect
to such Reinvestment, the amount of Capital of such Purchaser
Interest immediately after such receipt and corresponding
Reinvestment shall be equal to the amount of Capital immediately
prior to such receipt (but giving effect to any ratable reduction
thereof pursuant to application of an Aggregate Reduction). On each
Settlement Date prior to the occurrence of the Amortization Date,
the Servicers shall remit to the Agent’s or applicable
Purchaser’s account the amounts set aside during the
preceding Settlement Period that have not been subject to a
Reinvestment and apply such amounts (if not previously paid in
accordance with Section 2.1 ) first , to reduce
unpaid CP Costs, Yield and other Obligations and second , to
reduce the Capital of all Purchaser Interests of Terminating
Financial Institutions and, to the extent applicable, of each
Company in a Terminating Financial Institution’s Purchaser
Group, applied ratably to such Terminating Financial Institution
and each such Company according to its respective Termination
Percentage. If such Capital, CP Costs, Yield and other Obligations
shall be reduced to zero, any additional Collections received by
any Servicer (i) if applicable, shall be remitted to the
Agent’s or applicable Purchaser’s account to the extent
required to fund any Aggregate Reduction on such Settlement Date
and (ii) any balance remaining thereafter shall be remitted
from such Servicer to the Sellers on such Settlement Date. Such
Servicer shall use its reasonable best efforts to remit all deposit
amounts in the Agent’s or applicable Purchaser’s
account no later than 12:00 noon (Chicago time) on such Settlement
Date. Any such amounts not received by Agent or the applicable
Purchaser by 1:00 pm (Chicago time) shall be deemed to be received
on the next succeeding Business Day. Each Terminating Financial
Institution and each Company in such Terminating Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group shall be allocated a ratable
portion of Collections from its Termination Date until, with
respect to a Terminating Financial Institution, such Terminating
Financial Institution’s Capital, if any, shall be paid in
full and, with respect to a related Company (i) if any Related
Financial Institution with respect to such Company continues to
exist, the Capital of such Company is equal to the Company Purchase
Limit (as reduced pursuant to Section 4.6(b) ) of such
Company or (ii) if there are no Related Financial Institutions
with respect to such Company, the Capital of such Company shall be
paid in full. The applicable ratable portion shall be
calculated,
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with respect to
any Terminating Financial Institution or applicable Company, on the
Termination Date of each Terminating Financial Institution or
applicable Company as a percentage equal to (i) the Capital of
such Terminating Financial Institution or applicable Company
outstanding on its Termination Date, divided by
(ii) the Aggregate Capital outstanding on such Termination
Date (the “ Termination Percentage ”). Each
Terminating Financial Institution’s and applicable
Company’s Termination Percentage shall remain constant prior
to the Amortization Date. On and after the Amortization Date, each
Termination Percentage shall be disregarded, and each Terminating
Financial Institution’s and each applicable Company’s
Capital shall be reduced ratably with all Financial Institutions
and Companies in accordance with Section 2.3
.
7
Collections Following Amortization . On the Amortization Date and on each day
thereafter, the Servicers shall set aside and hold in trust, for
the holder of each Purchaser Interest, all Collections received on
such day and an additional amount for the payment of any accrued
and unpaid Aggregate Unpaids owed by the Sellers and not previously
paid by the Sellers in accordance with Section 2.1. On and
after the Amortization Date, the Servicers shall, at any time upon
the request from time to time by (or pursuant to standing
instructions from) the Agent (i) remit to the Agent’s or
applicable Purchaser’s account the amounts set aside pursuant
to the preceding sentence, and (ii) apply such amounts to
reduce the Capital associated with each such Purchaser Interest and
any other Aggregate Unpaids.
8
Application of Collections . If there shall be insufficient funds on
deposit for the Servicers to distribute funds in payment in full of
the aforementioned amounts pursuant to Section 2.2 or 2.3 (as
applicable), the Servicers shall distribute funds to the applicable
payee:
first , to
the payment of each Servicer’s reasonable actual
out-of-pocket costs and expenses in connection with servicing,
administering and collecting the Receivables, including the
Servicing Fee, provided no Seller nor any of its Affiliates is then
acting as a Servicer,
second ,
to the reimbursement of the Agent’s and the Purchasers’
costs of collection and enforcement of this Agreement,
third ,
ratably to the payment of all accrued and unpaid fees under the Fee
Letters, CP Costs and Yield,
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fourth ,
(to the extent applicable) to the ratable reduction of the
Aggregate Capital (without regard to any Termination
Percentage),
fifth ,
for the ratable payment of all other unpaid Obligations,
provided that to the extent such Obligations relate to the
payment of Servicer costs and expenses, including the Servicing
Fee, when any Seller or any of its Affiliates is acting as a
Servicer, such costs and expenses will not be paid until after the
payment in full of all other Obligations, and
sixth ,
after the Aggregate Unpaids have been indefeasibly reduced to zero,
to the Administrative Seller for ratable distribution to the
Sellers.
Collections
applied to the payment of Aggregate Unpaids shall be distributed in
accordance with the aforementioned provisions, and, giving effect
to each of the priorities set forth in Section 2.4
above, shall be shared ratably (within each priority) among the
Agent and the Purchasers in accordance with the amount of such
Aggregate Unpaids owing to each of them in respect of each such
priority.
9 Payment
Rescission . No payment
of any of the Aggregate Unpaids shall be considered paid or applied
hereunder to the extent that, at any time, all or any portion of
such payment or application is rescinded by application of law or
judicial authority, or must otherwise be returned or refunded for
any reason. Each Seller shall remain obligated for the amount of
any payment or application so rescinded, returned or refunded, and
shall promptly pay to the Agent (for application to the Person or
Persons who suffered such rescission, return or refund) the full
amount thereof, plus the Default Fee from the date of any such
rescission, return or refunding.
10 Maximum
Purchaser Interests .
Each Seller shall ensure that the Purchaser Interests of the
Purchasers shall at no time exceed in the aggregate 100%. If the
aggregate of the Purchaser Interests of the Purchasers exceeds
100%, the Sellers shall pay to the Purchasers (ratably based on the
ratio of each Purchaser’s Capital at such time to the
Aggregate Capital at such time) within one (1) Business Day an
amount to be applied to reduce the Aggregate Capital, such that
after giving effect to such payment the aggregate of the Purchaser
Interests equals or is less than 100%.
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Clean Up Call.
In addition to the Sellers’ rights pursuant to
Section 1.3, the Sellers shall have the right, upon two
Business Days’ prior written notice to the Agent and the
Purchasers, at any time following the reduction of the Aggregate
Capital to a level that is less than 20.0% of the original Purchase
Limit hereunder, to repurchase from the Purchasers all, but not
less than all, of the then outstanding Purchaser Interests. The
purchase price in respect thereof shall be an amount equal to the
Aggregate Unpaids (including any Broken Funding Costs arising as a
result of such repurchase) through the date of such repurchase,
payable in immediately available funds. Such repurchase shall be
without representation, warranty or recourse of any kind by, on the
part of, or against any Purchaser or the Agent.
11 CP
Costs . The Sellers
shall pay CP Costs with respect to the Capital associated with each
Purchaser Interest of the Companies for each day that any Capital
in respect of any such Purchaser Interest is outstanding. Each
Purchaser Interest of any Pool Company funded substantially with
Pooled Commercial Paper will accrue CP Costs each day on a pro rata
basis, based upon the percentage share the Capital in respect of
such Purchaser Interest represents in relation to all assets held
by the applicable Pool Company and funded substantially with Pooled
Commercial Paper. Each Purchaser Interest of the CL Company and
each Purchaser Interest of any Pool Company not funded
substantially with Pooled Commercial Paper shall accrue CP Costs
for each day during its CP (Tranche) Accrual Period at the rate
determined in accordance with the definition of “Company
Costs” set forth in Exhibit I .
12 CP
Costs Payments . On
each Settlement Date relating to a CP (Tranche) Accrual Period, the
Sellers shall pay to the applicable Company an aggregate amount
equal to all accrued and unpaid CP Costs in respect of the Capital
associated with all Purchaser Interests of such Company for the
related CP (Tranche) Accrual Period in accordance with
Article II .
Calculation of
Pool Company Costs. On the third Business Day immediately preceding
each Settlement Date relating to a CP (Pool) Accrual Period, each
Pool Company shall calculate the aggregate amount of its Company
Costs with respect to all Purchaser Interests funded substantially
with Pooled Commercial Paper for the
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applicable CP
(Pool) Accrual Period and shall notify the Administrative Seller of
such aggregate amount of such Company Costs due and payable on such
Settlement Date.
13 Selection
and Calculation of CP (Tranche) Accrual Periods.
a In the
case of Purchaser Interests of each Pool Company, the
Administrative Seller shall (and following the occurrence and
during the continuance of a Potential Amortization Event or an
Amortization Event, shall with consultation from, and approval by,
each Pool Company), from time to time request CP (Tranche) Accrual
Periods for the Purchaser Interests of each Pool Company other than
those funded substantially with Pooled Commercial Paper, provided,
that (i) the consent of the Agent and each Purchaser shall be
required, (ii) the Administrative Seller must elect CP
(Tranche) Accrual Periods for all Purchaser Interests of each Pool
Company, such that after giving effect to such election, no
Purchaser Interest of any Pool Company is funded with Pooled
Commercial Paper and (iii) the Administrative Seller may only
make such election once hereunder. In the case of Purchaser
Interests of the CL Company, the Administrative Seller shall, with
consultation from, and approval by, the CL Company (such approval
not to be unreasonably withheld), from time to time request CP
(Tranche) Accrual Periods for the Purchaser Interests of the CL
Company.
b The
Administrative Seller or the applicable Company, upon notice to and
consent by the other received at least three (3) Business Days
prior to the end of a CP (Tranche) Accrual Period (the
“Terminating CP Tranche”) for any Purchaser Interest,
may, effective on the last day of the Terminating CP Tranche:
(i) divide any such Purchaser Interest into multiple Purchaser
Interests, (ii) combine any such Purchaser Interest with one
or more other Purchaser Interests that have a Terminating CP
Tranche ending on the same day as such Terminating CP Tranche or
(iii) combine any such Purchaser Interest with a new Purchaser
Interest (other than a Purchaser Interest funded substantially with
Pooled Commercial Paper) to be purchased on the day such
Terminating CP Tranche ends, provided, that in no event may a
Purchaser Interest of any Purchasers be combined with a Purchaser
Interest of any other Purchaser.
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c The
Administrative Seller shall, at least three (3) Business Days
prior to the expiration of any Terminating CP Tranche, give the
applicable Company (or its agent) irrevocable notice of the new CP
(Tranche) Accrual Period associated with such Terminating CP
Tranche and the amount of Capital to be allocated to such new CP
(Tranche) Accrual Period. The Administrative Seller shall use its
reasonable best efforts to give such notice such that the
applicable Company (or its agent) receives it no later than 12:00
noon (Chicago time) on the day such request is being made. Any such
request not received by the applicable Company by 1:00 pm (Chicago
time) shall be deemed to be received on the next succeeding
Business Day.
FINANCIAL
INSTITUTION FUNDING
14 Financial
Institution Funding .
Each Purchaser Interest of the Financial Institutions shall accrue
Yield for each day during its Tranche Period at either the LIBO
Rate or the Prime Rate in accordance with the terms and conditions
hereof. Until the Administrative Seller gives notice to the Agent
of another Discount Rate in accordance with Section 4.4, the
initial Discount Rate for any Purchaser Interest transferred to the
Financial Institutions pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof
shall be the Prime Rate. If any Purchaser Interest of any Company
is assigned or transferred to, or funded by, any Funding Source of
such Company pursuant to any Funding Agreement or to or by any
other Person, each such Purchaser Interest so assigned, transferred
or funded shall each be deemed to have a new Tranche Period
commencing on the date of any such transfer or funding and shall
accrue Yield for each day during its Tranche Period at either the
LIBO Rate or the Prime Rate in accordance with the terms and
conditions hereof as if each such Purchaser Interest was held by a
Financial Institution, and with respect to each such Purchaser
Interest, the transferee thereof or lender with respect thereto
shall be deemed to be a Financial Institution in the transferring
Company’s Purchaser Group for purposes hereof; provided that
until the Administrative Seller gives notice to the Agent of
another Discount Rate in accordance with Section 4.4, the
initial Discount Rate for any Purchaser Interest so transferred
shall be the Prime Rate.
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15 Yield
Payments . On the
Settlement Date for each Purchaser Interest of the Financial
Institutions, the Sellers shall pay to the applicable Financial
Institutions an aggregate amount equal to the accrued and unpaid
Yield for the entire Tranche Period of each such Purchaser Interest
in accordance with Article II .
16
Selection and Continuation of Tranche Periods
.
a In the
case of Purchaser Interests of any Financial Institution in the
Purchaser Group of the Bank One Company, the Administrative Seller
shall (and following the occurrence and during the continuance of a
Potential Amortization Event or an Amortization Event, shall with
consultation from, and approval by, the applicable Financial
Institution), from time to time request Tranche Periods for the
Purchaser Interests of such Financial Institutions. In the case of
Purchaser Interests of any Financial Institution in the Purchaser
Group of any Company other than the Bank One Company, the
Administrative Seller shall, with consultation from, and approval
by, the applicable Financial Institution (such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld), from time to time request Tranche Periods
for the Purchaser Interests of such Financial Institution.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection (a), if
at any time the Financial Institutions shall have a Purchaser
Interest, the Administrative Seller shall always request Tranche
Periods such that at least one Tranche Period shall end on the date
specified in clause (A) of the definition of Settlement
Date.
b The
Administrative Seller or the applicable Financial Institution, upon
notice to and consent by the other received at least three
(3) Business Days prior to the end of a Tranche Period (the
“Terminating Tranche”) for any Purchaser Interest, may,
effective on the last day of the Terminating Tranche:
(i) divide any such Purchaser Interest into multiple Purchaser
Interests, (ii) combine any such Purchaser Interest with one
or more other Purchaser Interests that have a Terminating Tranche
ending on the same day as such Terminating Tranche or
(iii) combine any such Purchaser Interest with a new Purchaser
Interest to be purchased on the day such Terminating Tranche ends,
provided, that in no event may a Purchaser Interest of any
Purchasers be combined with a Purchaser Interest of any other
Purchaser.
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17 Financial
Institution Discount Rates . The Administrative Seller may select the LIBO
Rate or the Prime Rate for each Purchaser Interest of the Financial
Institutions. The Administrative Seller shall: (i) at least
three (3) Business Days prior to the expiration of any
Terminating Tranche with respect to which the LIBO Rate is being
requested as a new Discount Rate and (ii) at least one
(1) Business Day prior to the expiration of any Terminating
Tranche with respect to which the Prime Rate is being requested as
a new Discount Rate, give the applicable Financial Institution
irrevocable notice of the new Discount Rate for the Purchaser
Interest associated with such Terminating Tranche. The
Administrative Seller shall use its reasonable best efforts to give
such notice such that the applicable Financial Institution receives
it no later than 12:00 noon (Chicago time) on the day such request
is being made. Any such request not received by the applicable
Financial Institution by 1:00 pm (Chicago time) shall be deemed to
be received on the next succeeding Business Day. Until the
Administrative Seller gives notice to the applicable Financial
Institution of another Discount Rate, the initial Discount Rate for
any Purchaser Interest transferred to the Financial Institutions
pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof (or transferred to, or
funded by, any Funding Source pursuant to any Funding Agreement or
to or by any other Person) shall be the Prime Rate.
18
Suspension of the LIBO Rate .
a If any
Financial Institution notifies the Agent that it has determined
that funding its Pro Rata Share of the Purchaser Interests of the
Financial Institutions in such Financial Institution’s
Purchaser Group at the LIBO Rate would violate any applicable law,
rule, regulation or directive of any governmental or regulatory
authority, whether or not having the force of law, or that
(i) deposits of a type and maturity appropriate to match fund
its Purchaser Interests at the LIBO Rate are not available or
(ii) the LIBO Rate does not accurately reflect the cost of
acquiring or maintaining a Purchaser Interest at the LIBO Rate,
then the Agent shall suspend the availability of the LIBO Rate for
the Financial Institutions in such Financial Institution’s
Purchaser Group and require Seller to select the Prime Rate for any
Purchaser Interest funded by the Financial Institutions in such
Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group accruing Yield at the
LIBO Rate.
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b If less
than all of the Financial Institutions in such Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group give a notice to the Agent
pursuant to Section 4.5(a), each Financial Institution which
gave such a notice shall be obliged, at the request of the
Administrative Seller, the Company in such Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group or the Agent, to assign all of
its rights and obligations hereunder to (i) another Financial
Institution in such Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group
or (ii) another funding entity nominated by the Administrative
Seller or the Agent that is acceptable to the Company in such
Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group and willing to
participate in this Agreement through the Liquidity Termination
Date in the place of such notifying Financial Institution; provided
that (i) the notifying Financial Institution receives payment
in full, pursuant to an Assignment Agreement, of an amount equal to
such notifying Financial Institution’s Pro Rata Share of the
Capital and Yield owing to all of the Financial Institutions in
such Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group and all accrued
but unpaid fees and other costs and expenses payable in respect of
its Pro Rata Share of the Purchaser Interests of the Financial
Institutions in such Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group,
and (ii) the replacement Financial Institution otherwise
satisfies the requirements of
Section 12.1(b).
Extension of
Liquidity Termination Date .
c The
Administrative Seller may request one or more 364-day extensions of
the Liquidity Termination Date then in effect by giving written
notice of such request to the Agent (each such notice an
“Extension Notice”) at least 60 days prior to the
Liquidity Termination Date then in effect. After the Agent’s
receipt of any Extension Notice, the Agent shall promptly advise
each Financial Institution of such Extension Notice. Each Financial
Institution may, in its sole discretion, by a written irrevocable
notice (a “Consent Notice”) given to the Agent on or
prior to the 30 th day prior to the Liquidity Termination Date
then in effect (such period from the date of the Extension Notice
to such 30 th day being referred to herein as the
“Consent Period”), consent to such extension of such
Liquidity Termination Date; provided, however, that such extension
shall not be effective with respect to a Financial Institution if
such Financial Institution: (i) notifies the Agent during the
Consent Period that such Financial Institution does not wish to
consent to such extension or (ii) fails to respond to the
Agent within the Consent Period (each Financial Institution that
does not wish to consent to such extension or fails to respond to
the Agent within the Consent Period is herein referred to as a
“Non-Renewing Financial Institution”). If at the end of
the Consent Period, there is no Non-Renewing
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Financial
Institution then, the Liquidity Termination Date shall be
irrevocably extended until the date that is 364 days after the
Liquidity Termination Date then in effect. If at the end of the
Consent Period there is a Non-Renewing Financial Institution, then
unless such Non-Renewing Financial Institution assigns its rights
and obligations hereunder pursuant to Section 4.6(b) (each
such Non-Renewing Financial Institution whose rights and
obligations under this Agreement and the other applicable
Transaction Documents are not so assigned is herein referred to as
a “Terminating Financial Institution”), the then
existing Liquidity Termination Date shall be extended for an
additional 364 days with respect to all Financial Institutions
other than the Terminating Financial Institution; provided,
however, that (i) the Purchase Limit shall be reduced on the
Termination Date applicable to each Terminating Financial
Institution by an aggregate amount equal to the Terminating
Commitment Availability of each Terminating Financial Institution
and shall thereafter continue to be reduced by amounts equal to any
reduction in the Capital of any Terminating Financial Institution
(after application of Collections pursuant to Sections 2.2 and
2.3), (ii) the Company Purchase Limit of each Company shall be
reduced by the aggregate amount of the Terminating Commitment
Amount of each Terminating Financial Institution in such
Company’s Purchaser Group and (iii) the Commitment of
each Terminating Financial Institution shall be reduced to zero on
the Termination Date applicable to such Terminating Financial
Institution. Upon reduction to zero of the Capital of all of the
Purchaser Interests of a Terminating Financial Institution (after
application of Collections thereto pursuant to Sections 2.2
and 2.3) all rights and obligations of such Terminating Financial
Institution hereunder shall be terminated and such Terminating
Financial Institution shall no longer be a “Financial
Institution”; provided, however, that the provisions of
Article X shall continue in effect for its benefit with
respect to Purchaser Interests held by such Terminating Financial
Institution prior to its termination as a Financial
Institution.
d Upon
receipt of notice from the Agent pursuant to Section 4.6(a) of
any Non-Renewing Financial Institution, one or more of the
Financial Institutions (including any Non-Renewing Financial
Institution) may proffer to the Agent and the Company in such
Non-Renewing Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group the
names of one or more institutions meeting the criteria set forth in
Section 12.1(b)(i) that are willing to accept assignments of
and assume the rights and obligations under this Agreement and the
other applicable Transaction Documents of the Non-Renewing
Financial Institution. Provided the proffered name(s) are
acceptable to the Agent and the Company in such Non-Renewing
Financial Institution’s Purchaser Group, the Agent shall
notify
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the
remaining Financial Institutions of such fact, and the then
existing Liquidity Termination Date shall be extended for an
additional 364 days upon satisfaction of the conditions for an
assignment in accordance with Section 12.1, and the Commitment
of each Non-Renewing Financial Institution shall be reduced to
zero.
e Any
requested extension may be approved or disapproved by a Financial
Institution in its sole discretion. In the event that the
Commitments are not extended in accordance with the provisions of
this Section 4.6, the Commitment of each Financial Institution
shall be reduced to zero on the Liquidity Termination Date. Upon
reduction to zero of the Commitment of a Financial Institution and
upon reduction to zero of the Capital of all of the Purchaser
Interests of such Financial Institution all rights and obligations
of such Financial Institution hereunder shall be terminated and
such Financial Institution shall no longer be a “Financial
Institution”; provided, however, that the provisions of
Article X shall continue in effect for its benefit with
respect to Purchaser Interests held by such Financial Institution
prior to its termination as a Financial
Institution.
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES
19
Representations and Warranties of the Seller Parties
. Each Seller Party hereby
represents and warrants to the Agent and the Purchasers, as to
itself, as of the date hereof and as of the date of each
Incremental Purchase and the date of each Reinvestment
that:
a
Corporate Existence and Power. Such Seller Party is a
corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership duly
organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of
its state of organization. Each such Seller Party is duly qualified
to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or
entity, and has and holds all corporate or other power and all
governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals
required to carry on its business in each jurisdiction in which its
business is conducted except to the extent that the failure to so
qualify or hold could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
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b Power
and Authority; Due Authorization, Execution and Delivery. The
execution and delivery by such Seller Party of this Agreement and
each other Transaction Document to which it is a party, and the
performance of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and, in the
case of each Seller, such Seller’s use of the proceeds of
purchases made hereunder, are within its corporate or other powers
and authority and have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate or other action on its part. This Agreement and each
other Transaction Document to which such Seller Party is a party
has been duly executed and delivered by such Seller
Party.
c No
Conflict. The execution and delivery by such Seller Party of this
Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which it is a
party, and the performance of its obligations hereunder and
thereunder do not contravene or violate (i) its certificate or
articles of incorporation or by-laws (or equivalent organizational
documents) or any shareholder agreements, voting trusts or similar
arrangements applicable to its authorized shares or other equity
interests, (ii) any law, rule or regulation applicable to it,
(iii) any restrictions under any material agreement, contract
or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its
property is bound or (iv) any order, writ, judgment, award,
injunction or decree binding on or affecting it or its property,
and do not result in the creation or imposition of any Adverse
Claim on assets of such Seller Party or its Subsidiaries (except as
created hereunder); and no transaction contemplated hereby requires
compliance with any bulk sales act or similar
law.
d
Governmental Authorization. Other than the filing of the
financing statements required hereunder, no authorization or
approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any
governmental authority or regulatory body is required for the due
execution and delivery by such Seller Party of this Agreement and
each other Transaction Document to which it is a party and the
performance of its obligations hereunder and
thereunder.
e
Actions, Suits. There are no actions, suits or proceedings
pending, or to the best of such Seller Party’s knowledge,
threatened, against or affecting such Seller Party, or any of its
properties, in or before any court, arbitrator or other body, that
could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Such Seller Party is not in default with respect to any order of
any court, arbitrator or governmental body.
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f Binding
Effect. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which
such Seller Party is a party constitute the legal, valid and
binding obligations of such Seller Party enforceable against such
Seller Party in accordance with their respective terms, except as
such enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws relating to or
limiting creditors’ rights generally and by general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought
in a proceeding in equity or at law).
g
Accuracy of Information. All information heretofore furnished by
or on behalf of such Seller Party or any of its Affiliates to the
Agent or the Purchasers for purposes of or in connection with this
Agreement, any of the other Transaction Documents or any
transaction contemplated hereby or thereby is, and all such
information hereafter furnished by or on behalf of such Seller
Party or any of its Affiliates to the Agent or the Purchasers will
be, true and accurate in every material respect on the date such
information is stated or certified and does not and will not
contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state a
material fact or any fact necessary to make the statements
contained therein not misleading in light of the circumstances made
or presented.
h Use of
Proceeds. No proceeds of any purchase hereunder will be used
(i) for a purpose that violates, or would be inconsistent
with, Regulation T, U or X promulgated by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System from time to time or
(ii) to acquire any security in any transaction that is
subject to Section 12, 13 or 14 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended.
i Good
Title. Immediately prior to each purchase hereunder, each Seller
shall be the legal and beneficial owner of the Receivables and
Related Security with respect thereto, free and clear of any
Adverse Claim, except as created by the Transaction Documents.
There have been duly filed all financing statements or other
similar instruments or documents necessary under the UCC (or any
comparable law) of all appropriate jurisdictions to perfect each
Seller’s ownership interest in each of its Receivables, its
Collections and the Related Security.
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j
Perfection. This Agreement, together with the filing of the
financing statements contemplated hereby, is effective to, and
shall, upon each purchase hereunder, transfer to the Agent for the
benefit of the relevant Purchaser or Purchasers (and the Agent for
the benefit of such Purchaser or Purchasers shall acquire from each
Seller) a valid and perfected first priority undivided percentage
ownership or security interest in each Receivable existing or
hereafter arising and in the Related Security and Collections with
respect thereto, free and clear of any Adverse Claim, except as
created by the Transactions Documents. There have been duly filed
all financing statements or other similar instruments or documents
necessary under the UCC (or any comparable law) of all appropriate
jurisdictions to perfect the Agent’s (on behalf of the
Purchasers) ownership or security interest in the Receivables, the
Related Security and the Collections.
k
Jurisdiction of Organization; Places of Business, etc.
Exhibit III correctly sets forth such Seller Party’s
legal name, jurisdiction of organization, Federal Employer’s
Identification Number and State Organizational Identification
Number. Such Seller Party’s principal places of business and
chief executive office and the offices where such Seller Party
keeps all of its Records are located at the address(es) listed on
Exhibit III, or such other locations of which the Agent has
been notified in accordance with Section 7.2(a) in
jurisdictions where all action required by Section 14.4(a) has
been taken and completed. Such Seller Party has not within the
period of six months prior to the date hereof, (i) changed its
location (as defined in Section 9-307 of the UCC), except as
set forth on Exhibit III or (ii) changed its legal name
(except as set forth on Exhibit III), corporate structure or become
a “new debtor” (as defined in Section 9-102(a)(56)
of the UCC) with respect to a currently effective security
agreement previously entered into by any other Person. Each Seller
is a Delaware limited partnership and is a “registered
organization” (within the meaning of Section 9-102 of
the UCC in effect in the State of Delaware).
l
Collections. The conditions and requirements set forth in
Section 7.1(j) and Section 8.2 have at all times been
satisfied and duly performed. The names and addresses of all
Collection Banks, together with the account numbers of the
Collection Accounts of each Seller at each Collection Bank and the
post office
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box
number of each Lock-Box, are listed on Exhibit IV. No Seller
has granted any Person, other than the Agent as contemplated by
this Agreement, dominion and control or “control”
(within the meaning of Section 9-104 of the UCC of all
applicable jurisdictions) of any Lock-Box or Collection Account, or
the right to take dominion and control or “control”
(within the meaning of Section 9-104 of the UCC of all
applicable jurisdictions) of any such Lock-Box or Collection
Account at a future time or upon the occurrence of a future
event.
m
Material Adverse Effect. (i) Each of the Initial Servicers
represents and warrants that since December 31, 1999, and each
of the Additional Servicers represents and warrants that since
December 31, 2000, and each of the Dean Entities represents
and warrants that since May 31, 2001, and each of the
Additional Entities represents and warrants that since
December 31, 2002, and each of the New Entities represents and
warrants that since December 31, 2002, no event has occurred
that would have a material adverse effect on the financial
condition or operations of such Servicer and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole, or the ability of such Servicer to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) Dairy Group
represents and warrants that since June 30, 2000, and Dairy
Group II represents and warrants that since May 14, 2002, and
Specialty Group represents and warrants that since
November 20, 2003, and National Brand Group represents and
warrants that since March 30, 2004, no event has occurred that
would have a material adverse effect on (A) the financial
condition or operations of such Seller, (B) the ability of
such Seller to perform its obligations under the Transaction
Documents or (C) the collectibility of the Receivables
generally or of any material portion of the
Receivables.
n Names.
In the past five (5) years, no Seller has used any corporate
names, trade names or assumed names other than the name in which it
has executed this Agreement and, in the case of Dairy Group, other
than Suiza Receivables, L.P.
o
Ownership of Sellers. (i) Suiza Dairy Group, Inc. and
Provider own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the limited
partnership interests and 99.9% of the partnership interests of
Dairy Group, free and clear of any Adverse Claim (except any
Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance with
the Dean Credit Agreement). Dairy Group Receivables GP, LLC (f/k/a
Suiza Receivables GP, LLC) is the general partner of Dairy
Group
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and owns,
directly or indirectly, 100% of the general partnership interests
and 0.1% of the partnership interests of Dairy Group, free and
clear of any Adverse Claim (except any Adverse Claim in favor of
the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement).
There are no options or other rights to acquire any partnership
interest of Dairy Group. 100% of the membership interests of Dairy
Group Receivables GP, LLC are owned, directly or indirectly by
Provider.
(ii) Dean
Dairy Holdings, LLC and Provider own, directly or indirectly, 100%
of the limited partnership interests and 99.9% of the partnership
interests of Dairy Group II, free and clear of any Adverse Claim
(except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in
accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement). Dairy Group Receivables
GP II, LLC is the general partner of Dairy Group II and owns,
directly or indirectly, 100% of the general partnership interests
and 0.1% of the partnership interests of Dairy Group II, free and
clear of any Adverse Claim (except any Adverse Claim in favor of
the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement).
There are no options or other rights to acquire any partnership
interest of Dairy Group II. 100% of the membership interests of
Dairy Group Receivables GP II, LLC are owned, directly or
indirectly by Provider.
(iii) Dean
Holding Company and Provider own, directly or indirectly, 100% of
the limited partnership interests and 99.9% of the partnership
interests of Specialty Group, free and clear of any Adverse Claim
(except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in
accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement). Specialty Group
Receivables GP, LLC is the general partner of Specialty Group and
owns, directly or indirectly, 100% of the general partnership
interests and 0.1% of the partnership interests of Specialty Group,
free and clear of any Adverse Claim (except any Adverse Claim in
favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Dean Credit
Agreement). There are no options or other rights to acquire any
partnership interest of Specialty Group. 100% of the membership
interests of Specialty Group Receivables GP, LLC are owned,
directly or indirectly by Provider.
(iv) National
Brand and Provider own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the limited
partnership interests and 99.9% of the partnership interests of
National Brand Group, free and clear of any Adverse Claim (except
any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance
with the Dean Credit Agreement). Dean National Brand Group GP, LLC
is the general partner of National Brand Group and owns, directly
or indirectly, 100% of the general
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partnership
interests and 0.1% of the partnership interests of National Brand
Group, free and clear of any Adverse Claim (except any Adverse
Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Dean
Credit Agreement). There are no options or other rights to acquire
any partnership interest of National Brand Group. 100% of the
membership interests of Dean National Brand Group GP, LLC are
owned, directly or indirectly by Provider.
p Not a
Holding Company or an Investment Company. Such Seller Party is not
a “holding company” or a “subsidiary holding
company” of a “holding company” within the
meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as
amended, or any successor statute. Such Seller Party is not an
“investment company” within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or any successor
statute.
q
Compliance with Law. Such Seller Party has complied in all
respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, orders,
writs, judgments, injunctions, decrees or awards to which it may be
subject, except where the failure to so comply could not reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Receivable,
together with any Writing or Contract related thereto, does not
contravene any laws, rules or regulations applicable thereto
(including, without limitation, laws, rules and regulations
relating to truth in lending, fair credit billing, fair credit
reporting, equal credit opportunity, fair debt collection practices
and privacy), and no part of such Writing or Contract is in
violation of any such law, rule or regulation.
r
Compliance with Credit and Collection Policies. Such Seller
Party has complied in all material respects with its Credit and
Collection Policy with regard to each Receivable and any related
Writing or Contract, and has not made any material change to such
Credit and Collection Policy, except such material change as to
which the Agent has been notified in accordance with
Section 7.1(a)(vii).
s
Payments to Originators. With respect to each Receivable
transferred to the applicable Seller by each Originator under the
Receivables Sale Agreement to which it is a party, such Seller has
given reasonably equivalent value to such Originator in
consideration therefor and such transfer was not made for or on
account of an antecedent debt. No transfer by any Originator of any
Receivable
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under any
Receivables Sale Agreement is or may be voidable under any section
of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 (11 U.S.C. §§ 101 et
seq.), as amended.
t
Enforceability of Contracts. Each Contract, if any, with respect
to each Receivable is effective to create, and has created, a
legal, valid and binding obligation of the related Obligor to pay
the Outstanding Balance of the Receivable created thereunder and
any accrued interest thereon, enforceable against the Obligor in
accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or
other similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
u
Eligible Receivables. Each Receivable included in the Net
Receivables Balance as an Eligible Receivable on the date of its
purchase under the applicable Receivables Sale Agreement was an
Eligible Receivable on such purchase date.
v Net
Receivables Balance. Each Seller has determined that, immediately
after giving effect to each purchase hereunder, the Net Receivables
Balance is at least equal to the sum of (i) the Aggregate
Capital, plus (ii) the Aggregate Reserves.
w
Accounting. The manner in which such Seller Party accounts for
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each
Receivables Sale Agreement does not jeopardize the true sale
analysis.
20 Financial
Institution Representations and Warranties . Each Financial Institution hereby represents
and warrants to the Agent and the Company in such Financial
Institution’s Purchaser Group that:
a
Existence and Power. Such Financial Institution is a corporation
or a banking association duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation
or organization, and has all corporate power to perform its
obligations hereunder.
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b No
Conflict. The execution and delivery by such Financial Institution
of this Agreement and the performance of its obligations hereunder
are within its corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all
necessary corporate action, do not contravene or violate
(i) its certificate or articles of incorporation or
association or by-laws, (ii) any law, rule or regulation
applicable to it, (iii) any restrictions under any material
agreement, contract or instrument to which it is a party or by
which it or any of its property is bound, or (iv) any order,
writ, judgment, award, injunction or decree binding on or affecting
it or its property, and do not result in the creation or imposition
of any Adverse Claim on its assets, except, in any case, where such
contravention or violation could not reasonably be expected to have
a material adverse effect on (i) the financial condition or
operations of such Financial Institution, (ii) the ability of
such Financial Institution to perform its obligations under this
Agreement or (iii) the legality, validity or enforceability of
this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by such Financial Institution.
c
Governmental Authorization. No authorization or approval or
other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental
authority or regulatory body is required for the due execution and
delivery by such Financial Institution of this Agreement and the
performance of its obligations hereunder, except that has already
been received.
d Binding
Effect. This Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding
obligation of such Financial Institution enforceable against such
Financial Institution in accordance with its terms, except as such
enforcement may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar laws relating to or limiting
creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of
equity (regardless of whether such enforcement is sought in a
proceeding in equity or at law).
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21
Conditions Precedent to Initial Incremental Purchase
. The effectiveness of this
Agreement is subject to the conditions precedent that (a) the
Agent shall have received on or before the date hereof those
documents listed on Schedule B and (b) the Agent and the
Purchasers shall have received all fees and expenses required to be
paid on or prior to the date hereof pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement and the Fee Letters.
22
Conditions Precedent to All Purchases and Reinvestments
. Each purchase of a Purchaser
Interest and each Reinvestment shall be subject to the further
conditions precedent that (c) in the case of each such
purchase or Reinvestment: (i) the Servicers shall have
delivered to the Agent on or prior to the date of such purchase, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, all Periodic Reports,
including, without limitation, the most recent Periodic Report as
and when due under Section 8.5, and (ii) upon the
Agent’s request, the Servicers shall have delivered to the
Agent at least three (3) days prior to such purchase or
Reinvestment an interim Monthly Report showing the amount of
Eligible Receivables; (d) the Facility Termination Date shall
not have occurred; (c) the Agent shall have received such
other approvals, opinions or documents as it may reasonably request
and (d) on the date of each such Incremental Purchase or
Reinvestment, the following statements shall be true (and
acceptance of the proceeds of such Incremental Purchase or
Reinvestment shall be deemed a representation and warranty by
Seller that such statements are then true):
(i) the
representations and warranties set forth in Section 5.1
are true and correct on and as of the date of such Incremental
Purchase or Reinvestment as though made on and as of such
date;
(ii) no
event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such
Incremental Purchase or Reinvestment, that will constitute an
Amortization Event, and no event has occurred and is continuing, or
would result from such Incremental Purchase or Reinvestment, that
would constitute a Potential Amortization Event; and
(iii) the
Aggregate Capital does not exceed the Purchase Limit and the
aggregate Purchaser Interests do not exceed 100%.
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It is expressly
understood that each Reinvestment shall, unless otherwise directed
by the Agent or any Purchaser, occur automatically on each day that
any Servicer shall receive any Collections without the requirement
that any further action be taken on the part of any Person and
notwithstanding the failure of any Seller to satisfy any of the
foregoing conditions precedent in respect of such Reinvestment. The
failure of any Seller to satisfy any of the foregoing conditions
precedent in respect of any Reinvestment shall give rise to a right
of the Agent, which right may be exercised at any time on demand of
the Agent, to rescind the related purchase and direct the Sellers
to pay to the Agent for the benefit of the Purchasers an amount
equal to the Collections prior to the Amortization Date that shall
have been applied to the affected Reinvestment.
23
Affirmative Covenants of the Seller Parties . Until the date on which the Aggregate Unpaids
have been indefeasibly paid in full and this Agreement terminates
in accordance with its terms, each Seller Party hereby covenants,
as to itself, as set forth below:
a
Financial Reporting. Such Seller Party will maintain, for itself
and each of its Subsidiaries, a system of accounting established
and administered in accordance with GAAP, and furnish or cause to
be furnished to the Agent and each Financial
Institution:
(i) Annual
Reportin g. Within 90 days after the close of each of its
respective fiscal years, audited, unqualified consolidated
financial statements (which shall include balance sheets,
statements of income and retained earnings and a statement of cash
flows) for Provider for such fiscal year certified in a manner
acceptable to the Agent by independent public accountants
acceptable to the Agent.
Quarterly
Reporting. Within 45 days after the close of the first three
(3) quarterly periods of each of its respective fiscal years,
(A) consolidated balance sheets of Provider and its
Subsidiaries as at the close of each such period,
(B) consolidated statements of income and retained earnings
and a statement of cash flows for Provider for the period from the
beginning of such fiscal year to the end of such quarter,
(C) the balance sheet of each Seller as at the close of each
such period and (D) statements of income and retained earnings
and a statement of cash flows for each Seller, all certified by its
respective chief financial officer or treasurer.
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Compliance
Certificate. Together with the financial statements required
hereunder, a compliance certificate in substantially the form of
Exhibit V signed by an Authorized Officer of the Seller
Parties and dated the date of such annual financial statement or
such quarterly financial statement, as the case may be.
Shareholders
Statements and Reports. Promptly upon the furnishing thereof to the
shareholders of such Seller Party, to the extent not available
electronically, copies of all financial statements, reports and
proxy statements so furnished.
S.E.C. Filings.
Promptly upon the filing thereof, to the extent not available
electronically, copies of all annual, quarterly, monthly or other
regular reports that Provider or any of its Subsidiaries files with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Copies of
Notices. Promptly upon its receipt of any notice, request for
consent, financial statements, certification, report or other
communication under or in connection with any Transaction Document
from any Person other than the Agent, copies of the
same.
Change in
Credit and Collection Policies. At least thirty (30) days
prior to the effectiveness of any material change in or material
amendment to any Credit and Collection Policy, a copy of such
Credit and Collection Policy then in effect and a notice
(A) indicating such change or amendment, and (B) if such
proposed change or amendment would be reasonably likely to
adversely affect the collectibility of the Receivables or decrease
the credit quality of any newly created Receivables, requesting the
Agent’s and the Required Purchasers’ consent
thereto.
Copies of Dean
Credit Agreement Amendments. Promptly after execution thereof,
copies of each amendment to the Dean Credit Agreement as in effect
from time to time notwithstanding any language to the contrary
contained in the definition of “Dean Credit
Agreement.”
Other
Information. Promptly, from time to time, such other information,
documents, records or reports relating to the Receivables or the
condition or operations, financial or otherwise, of such Seller
Party as the Agent may from time to time reasonably request in
order to protect the interests of the Agent and the Purchasers
under or as contemplated by this Agreement.
b
Notices. Such Seller Party will notify the Agent and each
Financial Institution in writing of any of the following promptly
upon learning of the occurrence thereof, describing the same and,
if applicable, the steps being taken with respect
thereto:
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Amortization
Events or Potential Amortization Events. The occurrence of each
Amortization Event and each Potential Amortization Event, by a
statement of an Authorized Officer of such Seller Party.
Judgment and
Proceedings. (A) (1) The entry of any judgment or decree
against Provider or any Servicer or any of its respective
Subsidiaries if the aggregate amount of all judgments and decrees
then outstanding against Provider or such Servicer and its
respective Subsidiaries could reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, and (2) the institution of any
litigation, arbitration proceeding or governmental proceeding
against Provider that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or against any
Servicer; and (B) the entry of any judgment or decree or the
institution of any litigation, arbitration proceeding or
governmental proceeding against any Seller.
Material
Adverse Effect . The
occurrence of any event or condition that has had, or could
reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse
Effect.
Termination
Date . The occurrence of
the “Termination Date” under and as defined in each
Receivables Sale Agreement.
Defaults Under
Other Agreements. The occurrence of a default or an event of
default under any other financing arrangement pursuant to which
such Seller Party is a debtor or an obligor that could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
c
Compliance with Laws and Preservation of Corporate Existence.
Such Seller Party will comply in all respects with all applicable
laws, rules, regulations, orders, writs, judgments, injunctions,
decrees or awards to which it may be subject if noncompliance with
any such law, rule, regulation, order, writ, judgment, injunction,
decree or award could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect. Such Seller Party will preserve and maintain its
legal existence, rights, franchises and privileges in the
jurisdiction of its organization, and qualify and remain qualified
in good standing as a foreign entity in each jurisdiction where its
business is conducted, except where the failure to so qualify or
remain qualified could not reasonably be expected, either
individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
d Audits.
Such Seller Party will furnish to the Agent (with the Agent
providing copies thereof to each Financial Institution, subject to
the Agent
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receiving
any necessary consents to disclosure) from time to time such
information with respect to it and the Receivables as the Agent or
the Required Purchasers may reasonably request. Such Seller Party
will, from time to time during regular business hours as requested
by the Agent upon reasonable notice, permit the Agent, or its
agents or representatives (and shall cause each Originator) to
permit the Agent or its agents or representatives), (i) to
examine and make copies of and abstracts from all Records in the
possession or under the control of such Person relating to the
Receivables and the Related Security, including, without
limitation, the related Writings or Contracts, and (ii) to
visit the offices and properties of such Person for the purpose of
examining such materials described in clause (i) above, and to
discuss matters relating to such Person’s financial condition
or the Receivables and the Related Security or any Person’s
performance under any of the Transaction Documents or any
Person’s performance under the Writings or Contracts and, in
each case, with any of the officers or employees of any Seller
Party having knowledge of such matters. All such examinations and
visits shall be at the sole cost of such Seller Party; provided,
however, that (i) for so long as no Amortization Event or Potential
Amortization Event shall have occurred and be continuing and
(ii) the result of the immediately preceding examination
and/or visit of such Seller Party shall have been reasonably
satisfactory to the Agent, such cost shall be borne by such Seller
Party not more than twice per calendar year in 2004 and once per
calendar year thereafter (although in no event shall the foregoing
be construed to limit the Agent or its agents or representatives to
one such examination and/or visit during such calendar year period
with respect to such Seller Party, provided, that if the Agent or
its agents or representatives fails to make any such examination
and/or visit during any calendar year period, any Financial
Institution or its agent or representatives may make such
examination and/or visit in the Agent’s stead). Such Seller
Party agrees that one of the two audits to be completed in calender
year 2004 shall be completed by March 31, 2004.
e Keeping
and Marking of Records and Books.
The Servicers
will (and will cause each Originator to) maintain and implement
administrative and operating procedures (including, without
limitation, an ability to recreate records evidencing Receivables
in the event of the destruction of the originals thereof), and keep
and maintain all documents, books, records and other information
reasonably necessary or advisable for the collection of all
Receivables (including, without limitation, records adequate to
permit the immediate identification of each new Receivable and all
Collections of and adjustments to each existing Receivable). The
Servicers will (and will cause each Originator to) give the Agent
notice of any material change in the administrative and operating
procedures referred to in the previous sentence.
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Such Seller
Party will (and will cause each Originator to) (A) on or prior
to June 30, 2000 with respect to any Seller Party or
Originator (other than GTL, Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each
Additional Entity, each New Entity, Dairy Group II, Specialty Group
and National Brand Group), on or prior to June 28, 2001 with
respect to GTL and Tuscan Dairies, on or prior to December 21,
2001 with respect to any Seller Party or Originator that is a Dean
Entity, on or prior to May 15, 2002 with respect to Dairy
Group II, on or prior to November 20, 2003 with respect to
Specialty Group and any Originator that is an Additional Entity,
and on and prior to the date hereof with respect to National Brand
Group and any Originator that is a New Entity mark its master data
processing records and other books and records relating to the
Purchaser Interests with a legend, acceptable to the Agent,
describing the Purchaser Interests and (B) upon the request of
the Agent following the occurrence and during the continuance of an
Amortization Event (x) mark each Writing or Contract with a
legend describing the Purchaser Interests and (y) deliver to
the Agent all Writings and Contracts (including, without
limitation, all multiple originals of any such Writing or Contract)
relating to the Receivables.
f
Compliance with Contracts and Credit and Collection Policies.
Such Seller Party will timely and fully (i) perform and comply
with all provisions, covenants and other promises required to be
observed by it under the Contracts related to the Receivables, and
(ii) comply in all material respects with its respective
Credit and Collection Policy in regard to each Receivable and any
related Contract.
g
Performance and Enforcement of Receivables Sale Agreements. Each
Seller will, and will require each Originator party thereto to,
perform each of their respective obligations and undertakings under
and pursuant to the Receivables Sale Agreement to which it is a
party, will purchase Receivables thereunder in strict compliance
with the terms thereof and will vigorously enforce the rights and
remedies accorded to such Seller under such Receivables Sale
Agreement. Each Seller will take all actions to perfect and enforce
its rights and interests (and the rights and interests of the Agent
and the Purchasers as assignees of Seller) under the Receivables
Sale Agreement to which it is a party as the Agent may from time to
time reasonably request, including, without limitation, making
claims to which it may be entitled under any indemnity,
reimbursement or similar provision contained in such Receivables
Sale Agreement.
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h
Ownership. Each Seller will (or will cause each Originator to)
take all necessary action to (i) vest legal and equitable
title to the Receivables, the Related Security and the Collections
purchased under the Receivables Sale Agreement to which it is a
party irrevocably in such Seller, free and clear of any Adverse
Claims other than Adverse Claims in favor of the Agent and the
Purchasers (including, without limitation, the filing of all
financing statements or other similar instruments or documents
necessary under the UCC (or any comparable law) of all appropriate
jurisdictions to perfect such Seller’s interest in such
Receivables, Related Security and Collections and such other action
to perfect, protect or more fully evidence the interest of such
Seller therein as the Agent may reasonably request), and
(ii) establish and maintain, in favor of the Agent, for the
benefit of the Purchasers, a valid and perfected first priority
undivided percentage ownership interest (and/or a valid and
perfected first priority security interest) in all Receivables,
Related Security and Collections to the full extent contemplated
herein, free and clear of any Adverse Claims other than Adverse
Claims in favor of the Agent for the benefit of the Purchasers
(including, without limitation, the filing of all financing
statements or other similar instruments or documents necessary
under the UCC (or any comparable law) of all appropriate
jurisdictions to perfect the Agent’s (for the benefit of the
Purchasers) interest in such Receivables, Related Security and
Collections and such other action to perfect, protect or more fully
evidence the interest of the Agent for the benefit of the
Purchasers as the Agent may reasonably request).
i
(e)Purchasers’ Reliance. Each Seller acknowledges that the
Purchasers are entering into the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement in reliance upon such Seller’s identity as a legal
entity that is separate from the Originators. Therefore, from and
after June 30, 2000 (or, May 15, 2002, in the case of
Dairy Group II, November 20, 2003, in the case of Specialty
Group, and the date hereof, in the case of National Brand Group),
each Seller shall take all reasonable steps, including, without
limitation, all steps that the Agent or any Purchaser may from time
to time reasonably request, to maintain such Seller’s
identity as a separate legal entity and to make it manifest to
third parties that such Seller is an entity with assets and
liabilities distinct from those of the Originators and any
Affiliates thereof and not just a division of an Originator or any
such Affiliate. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing
and in addition to the other covenants set forth herein, each
Seller will:
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conduct its
own business in its own name and require that all full-time
employees of such Seller, if any, identify themselves as such and
not as employees of any Originator or any Affiliate thereof
(including, without limitation, by means of providing appropriate
employees with business or identification cards identifying such
employees as such Seller’s employees);
A compensate
all employees, consultants and agents directly, from such
Seller’s own funds, for services provided to such Seller by
such employees, consultants and agents and, to the extent any
employee, consultant or agent of such Seller is also an employee,
consultant or agent of any Originator or any Affiliate thereof,
allocate the compensation of such employee, consultant or agent
between such Seller and Originator or such Affiliate, as
applicable, on a basis that reflects the services rendered to such
Seller and such Originator or such Affiliate, as
applicable;
B clearly
identify its offices (by signage or otherwise) as its offices and,
if such office is located in the offices of any Originator or any
Affiliate thereof, allocate fairly any overhead for shared office
space;
C have a
separate telephone number or extension, which will be answered only
in its name and separate stationery, invoices and checks in its own
name;
D conduct
all transactions with the Originators and the Servicers (including,
without limitation, any delegation of its obligations hereunder as
Servicers) strictly on an arm’s-length basis, allocate all
overhead expenses (including, without limitation, telephone and
other utility charges) for items shared between such Seller and
each Originator (or any Affiliate thereof) on the basis of actual
use to the extent practicable and, to the extent such allocation is
not practicable, on a basis reasonably related to actual
use;
E at all
times have as its general partner a limited liability company
having at least one Independent Manager;
F observe
all corporate and/or limited partnership formalities as a distinct
entity, and ensure that all corporate and/or limited partnership
actions relating to (A) the selection, maintenance or
replacement
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of the
general partner, (B) the dissolution or liquidation of such
Seller or (C) the initiation of, participation in,
acquiescence in or consent to any bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or similar proceeding involving Seller, are duly
authorized by the Independent Manager of the general
partner;
G maintain
such Seller’s books and records separate from those of each
Originator and any Affiliate thereof and otherwise readily
identifiable as its own assets rather than assets of such
Originator and any Affiliate thereof;
H prepare
its financial statements separately from those of each Originator
and insure that any consolidated financial statements of such
Originator or any Affiliate thereof that include such Seller and
that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any
other governmental agency have notes clearly stating that such
Seller is a separate corporate entity and that its assets will be
available first and foremost to satisfy the claims of the creditors
of such Seller;
I except as
herein specifically otherwise provided, maintain the funds or other
assets of such Seller separate from, and not commingled with, those
of any Originator or any Affiliate thereof and only maintain bank
accounts or other depository accounts to which such Seller alone is
the account party and from which such Seller alone (or the Agent
hereunder) has the sole power to make withdrawals;
J pay all of
such Seller’s operating expenses from such Seller’s own
assets (except for certain payments by the Originators or other
Persons pursuant to allocation arrangements that comply with the
requirements of this Section 7.1(i) );
K operate
its business and activities such that: it does not engage in any
business or activity of any kind, or enter into any transaction or
indenture, mortgage, instrument, agreement, contract, lease or
other undertaking, other than the transactions contemplated and
authorized by this Agreement and the Receivables Sale Agreement to
which it is a party (it being understood that Dairy Group, Dairy
Group II, Specialty Group and National Brand Group may enter into
the transactions contemplated by the respective Demand Notes); and
does not create, incur, guarantee, assume or suffer to exist any
indebtedness or other liabilities, whether direct or contingent,
other than (1) as a result of the endorsement of
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negotiable
instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in
the ordinary course of business, (2) the incurrence of
obligations under this Agreement, (3) the incurrence of
obligations, as expressly contemplated in the Receivables Sale
Agreement to which it is a party, to make payment to each
Originator thereunder for the purchase of Receivables from any
Originator under such Receivables Sale Agreement, and (4) the
incurrence of operating expenses in the ordinary course of business
of the type otherwise contemplated by this
Agreement;
L maintain
its limited partnership agreement in conformity with this
Agreement, such that it does not amend, restate, supplement or
otherwise modify its limited partnership agreement in any respect
that would impair its ability to comply with the terms or
provisions of any of the Transaction Documents, including, without
limitation, Section 7.1(i) of this
Agreement;
M maintain
the effectiveness of, and continue to perform under the Receivables
Sale Agreement to which it is a party (and, in the case of Dairy
Group, Dairy Group II, Specialty Group and National Brand Group,
the respective Demand Notes), such that it does not amend, restate,
supplement, cancel, terminate or otherwise modify such Receivables
Sale Agreement or the Demand Notes, or give any consent, waiver,
directive or approval under such Receivables Sale Agreement or the
Demand Notes, or waive any default, action, omission or breach
under such Receivables Sale Agreement or under the Demand Notes, or
otherwise grant any indulgence under such Receivables Sale
Agreement or the Demand Notes, without (in each case) the prior
written consent of the Agent and the Required
Purchasers;
N maintain
its limited partnership separateness such that it does not merge or
consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise
dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of
transactions, and except as otherwise contemplated herein) all or
substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter
acquired) to, or acquire all or substantially all of the assets of,
any Person, nor at any time create, have, acquire, maintain or hold
any interest in any Subsidiary;
O maintain
at all times the Required Capital Amount (as defined in the
Receivables Sale Agreement to which it is a party) and refrain from
making any dividend, distribution, redemption of capital stock or
partnership interest or payment
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of any
subordinated indebtedness that would cause such Required Capital
Amount to cease to be so maintained;
P take such
other actions as are necessary on its part to ensure that the facts
and assumptions set forth in the opinion issued by Locke Liddell
& Sapp LLP, as counsel for such Seller, in connection with the
closing or initial Incremental Purchase or initial Reinvestment
under this Agreement and relating to substantive consolidation
issues, and in the certificates accompanying such opinion, remain
true and correct in all material respects at all
times.
j
Collections. Such Seller Party will cause (1) all proceeds
from all Lock-Boxes to be directly deposited by a Collection Bank
into a Collection Account and (2) each Lock-Box and Collection
Account to be subject at all times to a Collection Account
Agreement that is in full force and effect. In the event any
payments relating to Receivables are remitted directly to any
Seller or any Affiliate of any Seller, such Seller will (except as
otherwise specified in Section 8.2(b)) remit (or will cause all
such payments to be remitted) directly to a Collection Bank and
deposited into a Collection Account within two (2) Business
Days following receipt thereof, and, at all times prior to such
remittance, such Seller will itself hold or, if applicable, will
cause such payments to be held in trust for the exclusive benefit
of the Agent and the Purchasers. Each Seller will maintain
exclusive ownership, dominion and control (subject to the terms of
this Agreement) of each applicable Lock-Box and Collection Account
and shall not grant the right to take dominion and control or grant
“control” (within the meaning of Section 9-104 of
the UCC of all applicable jurisdictions) of any such Lock-Box or
Collection Account at a future time or upon the occurrence of a
future event to any Person, except to the Agent as contemplated by
this Agreement.
k Taxes.
Such Seller Party will file all tax returns and reports required by
law to be filed by it and will promptly pay all taxes and
governmental charges at any time owing except, in the case of each
Seller Party other than the Sellers, for taxes not yet due or that
are being diligently contested in good faith by appropriate
proceedings and that have been adequately reserved against in
accordance with GAAP. Each Seller will pay when due any taxes
payable in connection with the Receivables, exclusive of taxes on
or measured by income or gross receipts of any Company, the Agent
or any Financial Institution.
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l Payment
to Originators. With respect to any Receivable purchased by any
Seller from any Originator, such sale shall be effected under, and
in strict compliance with the terms of, the Receivables Sale
Agreement to which such Seller is a party, including, without
limitation, the terms relating to the amount and timing of payments
to be made to such Originator in respect of the purchase price for
such Receivable.
24 Negative
Covenants of The Seller Parties . Until the date on which the Aggregate Unpaids
have been indefeasibly paid in full and this Agreement terminates
in accordance with its terms, each Seller Party hereby covenants,
as to itself, that:
a Name
Change, Jurisdiction of Organization, Offices, Records and Books of
Accounts. Such Seller Party will not change its name, identity,
corporate or other organizational structure or jurisdiction of
organization (within the meaning of Sections 9-503 and/or
9-507 of the UCC of all applicable jurisdictions) or relocate its
chief executive office, principal place of business or any office
where Records are kept unless it shall have: (i) given the
Agent at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice thereof
and (ii) delivered to the Agent all financing statements,
instruments and other documents requested by the Agent in
connection with such change or relocation.
b Change
in Payment Instructions to Obligors. Except as may be required by
Section 7.1(m) or by the Agent pursuant to
Section 8.2(b), such Seller Party will not add or terminate
any bank as a Collection Bank, or make any change in the
instructions to Obligors regarding payments to be made to any
Lock-Box or Collection Account, unless the Agent shall have
received, at least ten (10) days before the proposed effective
date therefor, (i) written notice of such addition,
termination or change and (ii) with respect to the addition of
a Collection Bank or a Collection Account or Lock-Box, an executed
Collection Account Agreement acceptable to the Agent with respect
to the new Collection Account or Lock-Box; provided, however, that
the Servicers may make changes in instructions to Obligors
regarding payments if such new instructions require such Obligor to
make payments to another existing Collection
Account.
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c
Modifications to Writings, Contracts and Credit and Collection
Policies. Such Seller Party will not, and will not permit any
Originator to, make any change to such Originator’s Credit
and Collection Policy that could materially (either individually or
in the aggregate) adversely affect the collectibility of the
Receivables or materially (either individually or in the aggregate)
decrease the credit quality of any newly created Receivables.
Except as provided in Section 8.2(d), the Servicers will not, and
will not permit any Originator to, extend, amend or otherwise
modify the terms of any Receivable or the Writing or Contract
related thereto other than in accordance with such
Originator’s Credit and Collection Policy.
d Sales,
Liens. No Seller will sell, assign (by operation of law or
otherwise) or otherwise dispose of, or grant any option with
respect to, or create or suffer to exist any Adverse Claim upon
(including, without limitation, the filing of any financing
statement) or with respect to, any Receivable, Related Security or
Collections, or upon or with respect to the Writing or Contract
under which any Receivable arises, or any Lock-Box or Collection
Account, or assign any right to receive income with respect thereto
(other than, in each case, the creation of the interests therein in
favor of the Agent and the Purchasers provided for herein), and
each Seller will defend the right, title and interest of the Agent
and the Purchasers in, to and under any of the foregoing property,
against all claims of third parties claiming through or under such
Seller or any Originator. No Seller will create or suffer to exist
any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien, charge
or other similar arrangement on any of its inventory, the financing
or lease of which gives rise to any Receivable. Notwithstanding
this Section 7.2(d), so long as no Amortization Event or
Potential Amortization Event exists, the Sellers collectively may,
at their discretion and in a single transaction occurring on a
single day, sell all of the Fleming Receivables to White Wave,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (“White Wave”); provided
that no later than 3 Business Days after such sale, each Seller
shall deliver to the Agent a certificate executed by an Authorized
Officer of such Seller (A) stating that, with respect to all
Fleming Receivables sold in such sale, (I) neither Seller nor
any Servicer (in its capacity as Servicer hereunder) has made, and
neither Seller nor the Servicer (in its capacity as Servicer
hereunder) will make, any representations or warranties in
connection with such sale of Fleming Receivables, (II) both
before and after giving effect to such sale, no Amortization Event
or Potential Amortization Event exists, (III) White Wave has,
and will have, no recourse to the Seller or the assets of the
Seller (other than the Fleming Receivables subject to such sale),
(IV) such sale is solely to (x) enable White Wave to
further sell such Fleming Receivables through an
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agreement
arm’s-length, fair market transaction to a
purchaser that is not an Affiliate of any Seller Party or Provider
and (y) to receive advertising trade credits in exchange for
such Fleming Receivables, (V) such Fleming Receivables have
been or will be included as Charged-Off Receivables in at least one
Monthly Report and (VI) White Wave has given fair
consideration and reasonably equivalent value to each Seller in
consideration of such sale of the Fleming Receivables, the cash
purchase price for such Fleming Receivables is no less than the
fair market value to be paid to White Wave upon White Wave’s
subsequent transfer of such Fleming Receivables and the sale of
such Fleming Receivables to White Wave was not made for or on
account of an antecedent debt, (B) setting forth the aggregate
Outstanding Balance of all such Fleming Receivables and
(C) setting forth the aggregate purchase price paid for all
such Fleming Receivables. Upon any such sale of the Fleming
Receivables in accordance with the terms of this
Section 7.2(d) and the Sellers’ receipt of the purchase
price therefor in immediately available funds in a Collection
Account and Agent’s receipt of the certificate described
above, such Fleming Receivables shall be automatically released
without any further action by any party hereto from the security
interest granted to the Agent for the ratable benefit of the
Purchasers pursuant to Section 14.14(b). For the avoidance of
doubt, each party hereto agrees that the purchase price paid upon
any such sale of Fleming Receivables shall constitute Collections
hereunder and shall be applied in accordance with the terms hereof,
including, without limitation, Article II.
e Net
Receivables Balance. At no time prior to the Amortization Date
shall any Seller permit the Net Receivables Balance to be less than
an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Aggregate Capital plus
(ii) the Aggregate Reserves.
f
Termination Date Determination. No Seller will designate the
Termination Date (as defined in each Receivables Sale Agreement)
under the Receivables Sale Agreement to which it is a party, or
send any written notice to any Originator in respect thereof,
without the prior written consent of the Agent and the Required
Purchasers, except with respect to the occurrence of such
Termination Date arising pursuant to Section 5.1(d) of such
Receivables Sale Agreement.
g
Restricted Junior Payments. From and after the occurrence of any
Amortization Event, no Seller will make any Restricted Junior
Payment if, after
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giving
effect thereto, such Seller would fail to meet its obligations set
forth in Section 7.2(e).
h Demand
Notes. At no time shall (i) Dairy Group cause or permit the
aggregate outstanding principal balance of its Demand Note to
exceed $21,325,653, (ii) Dairy Group II cause or permit the
aggregate outstanding principal balance of its Demand Note to
exceed $13,181,876, (iii) Specialty Group cause or permit the
aggregate outstanding principal balance of its Demand Note to
exceed $3,000,000, and (iv) National Brand Group cause or
permit the aggregate outstanding balance of its Demand Note to
exceed $3,000,000.
ADMINISTRATION
AND COLLECTION
25
Designation of Servicers . (a) The servicing, administration and
collection of the Receivables shall be conducted by such Person or
Persons (each such Person, a “Servicer”) so designated
from time to time in accordance with this Section 8.1. Each of
National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL,
Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each Additional Entity and each
New Entity is hereby designated as, and hereby agrees to perform
the duties and obligations of, Servicer pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement with respect to the Receivables originated by such
entity. The Agent may, and at the direction of the Required
Purchasers shall, at any time following an Amortization Event,
designate as Servicer any Person to succeed National Brand, Country
Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, any Dean
Entity, any Additional Entity or any New Entity, or any successor
Servicer.
Without
the prior written consent of the Agent and the Required Purchasers,
neither National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods,
GTL, Tuscan Dairies, any Dean Entity, any Additional Entity nor any
New Entity shall be permitted to delegate any of its duties or
responsibilities as Servicer to any Person other than (i) a
Seller and (ii) with respect to certain Charged-Off
Receivables, outside collection agencies in accordance with its
customary practices. No Seller shall be permitted to further
delegate to any other Person any of the duties or responsibilities
of a Servicer delegated to it by National
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Brand,
Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, any
Dean Entity, any Additional Entity or any New Entity. If at any
time following an Amortization Event the Agent shall designate as
Servicer any Person other than National Brand, Country Fresh,
Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, any Dean Entity,
any Additional Entity or any New Entity, all duties and
responsibilities theretofore delegated by National Brand, Country
Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, any Dean
Entity, any Additional Entity or any New Entity to any Seller may,
at the discretion of the Agent, be terminated forthwith on notice
given by the Agent to National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun,
Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, any Dean Entity, any
Additional Entity or any New Entity, as applicable, and to the
Administrative Seller.
Notwithstanding the foregoing subsection (b),
(i) each of National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun,
Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each
Additional Entity and each New Entity shall be and remain primarily
liable to the Agent and the Purchasers for the full and prompt
performance of all of its duties and responsibilities as a Servicer
hereunder and (ii) the Agent and the Purchasers shall be
entitled to deal exclusively with National Brand, Country Fresh,
Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity,
each Additional Entity and each New Entity in matters relating to
the discharge by a Servicer of its duties and responsibilities
hereunder. The Agent and the Purchasers shall not be required to
give notice, demand or other communication to any Person other than
National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL,
Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each Additional Entity or each
New Entity in order for communication to a Servicer and its
sub-servicer or other delegate with respect thereto to be
accomplished. Each of National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun,
Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each
Additional Entity and each New Entity, at all times that it is a
Servicer, shall be responsible for providing any sub-servicer or
other delegate of a Servicer with any notice given to a Servicer
under this Agreement.
Duties of
Servicer . (b) Each
Servicer shall take or cause to be taken all such actions as may be
necessary or advisable to collect each Receivable originated by
such entity from time to time, all in accordance in all material
respects with applicable laws, rules and regulations, with
reasonable care and diligence, and in accordance in all material
respects with the applicable Originator’s Credit and
Collection Policy.
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Each
Servicer will instruct all Obligors to pay all Collections with
respect to the Receivables originated by such entity directly to a
Lock-Box or Collection Account; provided, however, that to the
extent that the Originator (other than a Local Originator) of the
Receivable giving rise to such Collections, as applicable,
currently permits the Obligor of such Receivable to pay such
Collections to a local employee of such Originator, as applicable,
such Servicer will insure that such local employees remit such
Collections to a local depository account no less frequently than
weekly, and within two (2) Business Days of such local
employee’s deposit of such Collections, such Servicer will
cause such Collections to be deposited directly to a Lock-Box or
Collection Account. With respect to payments relating to
Receivables that are remitted directly to any Servicer, such
Servicer will remit such payments (or will cause all such payments
to be remitted) directly to a Collection Bank and deposited into a
Collection Account within two (2) Business Days following receipt
thereof, and, at all times prior to such remittance, such Servicer
will itself hold or, if applicable, will cause such payments to be
held in trust for the exclusive benefit of the Agent and the
Purchasers. Each Servicer shall effect a Collection Account
Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit VI with each
bank party to a Collection Account at any time. Prior to the
delivery of any Collection Notice to any Collection Bank, in the
case of any remittances received in any Lock-Box or Collection
Account that shall have been identified, to the satisfaction of the
applicable Servicer, to not constitute Collections or other
proceeds of the Receivables or the Related Security (which
identification shall occur no later than two (2) Business Days
after such amounts are received therein), such Servicer shall
promptly (and, in any event, no later than one (1) Business
Day after such identification) remit such items to the Person
identified to it as being the owner of such remittances and cause
such amounts to be removed from such Lock-Box or Collection
Account. From and after the date the Agent delivers to any
Collection Bank a Collection Notice pursuant to Section 8.3,
the Agent may request that the Servicers, and the Servicers
thereupon promptly shall instruct all Obligors with respect to the
Receivables, to remit all payments thereon to a new depositary
account specified by the Agent and, at all times thereafter, each
Seller and the Servicers shall not deposit or otherwise credit, and
shall not permit any other Person to deposit or otherwise credit to
such new depositary account any cash or payment item other than
Collections.
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The
Servicers shall administer the Collections with respect to the
Receivables originated by each such entity in accordance with the
procedures described herein and in Article II. The Servicers
shall set aside and hold in trust for the account of Seller and the
Purchasers their respective shares of the Collections in accordance
with Article II. The Servicers shall, upon the request of the
Agent, segregate, in a manner acceptable to the Agent, all cash,
checks and other instruments received by it from time to time
constituting Collections from the general funds of each of the
Servicers or the Sellers prior to the remittance thereof in
accordance with Article II. If the Servicers shall be required
to segregate Collections pursuant to the preceding sentence, the
Servicers shall segregate and deposit with a bank designated by the
Agent such allocable share of Collections of Receivables set aside
for the Purchasers on the second Business Day following receipt by
any Servicer of such Collections, duly endorsed or with duly
executed instruments of transfer.
The
Servicers may, in accordance with the applicable Originator’s
Credit and Collection Policy, extend the maturity of any Receivable
or adjust the Outstanding Balance of any Receivable as the
Servicers determine to be appropriate to maximize Collections
thereof; provided, however, that such extension or adjustment shall
not alter the status of such Receivable as a Delinquent Receivable
or Charged-Off Receivable or limit the rights of the Agent or the
Purchasers under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of an Amortization Event and until such time as the
Aggregate Unpaids have been indefeasibly paid in full, the Agent
shall have the absolute and unlimited right to direct the Servicers
to commence or settle any legal action with respect to any
Receivable or to foreclose upon or repossess any Related
Security.
The
Servicers shall hold in trust for the Sellers and the Purchasers
all Records that (i) evidence or relate to the Receivables, the
related Writings and Contracts and Related Security or
(ii) are otherwise necessary or desirable to collect the
Receivables and shall, as soon as reasonably practicable upon
demand of the Agent, deliver or make available to the Agent all
such Records, at a place selected by the Agent. The Servicers
shall, as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt thereof
turn over to the Sellers any cash collections or other cash
proceeds received with respect to Indebtedness not constituting
Receivables. The Servicers shall, from time to time at the request
of any Purchaser, furnish to the Purchasers (promptly after any
such request) a calculation of the amounts set aside for the
Purchasers pursuant to Article II.
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Any
payment by an Obligor in respect of any indebtedness owed by it to
any Originator or any Seller shall, except as otherwise specified
by such Obligor or otherwise required by contract or law and unless
otherwise instructed by the Agent, be applied as a Collection of
any Receivable of such Obligor (starting with the oldest such
Receivable) to the extent of any amounts then due and payable
thereunder before being applied to any other receivable or other
obligation of such Obligor.
Collection
Notices . The Agent is
authorized at any time to date and to deliver to the Collection
Banks the Collection Notices. Each Seller hereby agrees that,
effective when the Agent delivers such notice, the Agent (for the
benefit of the Purchasers) shall have exclusive ownership and sole
“control” (within the meaning of Section 9-104 of
the UCC of all applicable jurisdictions) of each Lock-Box, the
Collection Accounts and the amounts on deposit therein. In case any
authorized signatory of any Seller whose signature appears on a
Collection Account Agreement shall cease to have such authority
before the delivery of such notice, such Collection Notice shall
nevertheless be valid as if such authority had remained in force.
Each Seller hereby authorizes the Agent, and agrees that the Agent
shall be entitled to (i) endorse such Seller’s name on
checks and other instruments representing Collections,
(ii) enforce the Receivables, the related Writings and
Contracts and the Related Security and (iii) take such action
as shall be necessary or desirable to cause all cash, checks and
other instruments constituting Collections of Receivables to come
into the possession of the Agent rather than the Sellers or any
Servicer.
Responsibilities of the Sellers
. Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the exercise by the Agent and the Purchasers of
their rights hereunder shall not release the Servicers, the
Originators or any Seller from any of their duties or obligations
with respect to any Receivables or under the related Writings or
Contracts. The Purchasers shall have no obligation or liability
with respect to any Receivables or related Writings or Contracts,
nor shall any of them be obligated to perform the obligations of
any Seller.
Reports . The Servicers shall prepare and forward to the
Agent and each Financial Institution (i) on the 20
th calendar day of each month and at such times as
the Agent or the Required Purchasers shall request, a Monthly
Report and (ii) at such times as
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agreement
the Agent or
the Required Purchasers shall request, a listing by Obligor of all
Receivables together with an aging of such Receivables. In
addition, during any time when the long-term debt rating of
Provider is rated Ba3 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service,
Inc. and BB- or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group,
the Servicers shall prepare and forward to the Agent and each
Financial Institution on Wednesday of each calendar week, an
abbreviated Monthly Report in a form acceptable to the Agent (each
such report, a “Weekly Report”) with respect to and as
of the end of the immediately preceding calendar week.
Servicing
Fees . In consideration
of each of National Brand’s, Country Fresh’s,
Land-O-Sun’s, Southern Foods’, GTL’s, Tuscan
Dairies’, each Dean Entity’s, each Additional
Entity’s and each New Entity’s agreement to each act as
a Servicer hereunder, the Purchasers hereby agree that, so long as
each of National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods,
GTL, Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each Additional Entity and
each New Entity shall continue to perform as a Servicer hereunder,
Seller shall pay over to National Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun,
Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan Dairies, each Dean Entity, each
Additional Entity and each New Entity collectively, a fee (the
“Servicing Fee”) on each Settlement Date (other than a
Settlement Date relating to a CP (Tranche) Accrual Period) for the
immediately preceding Settlement Period equal to 1% (one percent)
of the lesser of the (a) the average Net Receivables Balance
during such Settlement Period and (b) the average Capital of all
Receivables during such period, as compensation for its servicing
activities. Such Servicing Fee shall be allocated among National
Brand, Country Fresh, Land-O-Sun, Southern Foods, GTL, Tuscan
Dairies, each Dean Entity, each Additional Entity and each New
Entity as such parties shall mutually determine.
Amortization
Events . The occurrence
of any one or more of the following events shall constitute an
Amortization Event:
Any
Seller Party shall fail (i) to make any payment or deposit of
any amount consisting of Capital required hereunder when due, or
(ii) to make any payment or deposit of any other amount
required hereunder when due and such failure shall continue for two
(2) consecutive Business Days, or (iii) to perform
or
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agreement
observe
any term, covenant or agreement set forth in Section 7.2
hereof, or (iv) to perform or observe any term, covenant or
agreement set forth in Section 7.1(a)(iv), (a)(v), (a)(viii)
or (c)(second sentence only), and such failure shall continue for
thirty (30) consecutive days or (v) to perform or observe any
other term, covenant or agreement hereunder (other than as referred
to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this paragraph
(a)) and such failure shall continue for five (5) consecutive
Business Days.
Any
representation, warranty, certification or statement made by any
Seller Party in this Agreement, any other Transaction Document or
in any other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto shall
prove to have been incorrect when made or deemed
made.
Failure
of any Seller to pay any Indebtedness when due or the failure of
any other Seller Party to pay Indebtedness when due in excess of
$50,000,000 or the default by any Seller Party in the performance
of any term, provision or condition contained in any agreement
under which any such Indebtedness was created or is governed, the
effect of which is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of
such Indebtedness to cause, such Indebtedness to become due prior
to its stated maturity or any such Indebtedness of any Seller Party
shall be declared to be due and payable or required to be prepaid
(other than by a regularly scheduled payment) prior to the date of
maturity thereof.
(i) Any Seller Party or Provider shall
generally not pay its debts as such debts become due or shall admit
in writing its inability to pay its debts generally or shall make a
general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (ii) any
proceeding shall be instituted by or against any Seller Party or
Provider seeking to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking
liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment,
protection, relief or composition of it or its debts under any law
relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of
debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the
appointment of a receiver, trustee or other similar official for it
or any substantial part of its property or (iii) any Seller
Party or Provider shall take any corporate action to authorize any
of the actions set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) above in
this subsection (d).
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Any
Seller shall fail to comply with the terms of Section 2.6
hereof and such failure shall not have been remedied within one
Business Day.
(ii) As at the end of any calendar month,
the average of the Default Ratios for the three most recently-ended
calendar months shall exceed 7.75%, or (ii) as at the end of
any calendar month, the average of the Dilution Ratios for the
three most recently-ended calendar months shall exceed 4%, or
(iii) as at the end of any calendar month, the average of the
Delinquency Ratios for the three most recently-ended calendar
months shall exceed 3.00%.
A Change
of Control shall occur.
(i) One or more final judgments for the
payment of money shall be entered against any Seller or
(ii) one or more final judgments for the payment of money in
an amount in excess of $50,000,000, individually or in the
aggregate, shall be entered against any Servicer on claims not
covered by insurance or as to which the insurance carrier has
denied its responsibility, and such judgment shall continue
unsatisfied and in effect for thirty (30) consecutive days
without a stay of execution.
The
“Termination Date” under and as defined in any
Receivables Sale Agreement shall occur under any such Receivables
Sale Agreement or any Seller or any Originator shall fail to
observe any term or condition of any Receivables Sale Agreement or
shall waive its right to enforce the terms and conditions of any
Receivables Sale Agreement, or any Originator shall for any reason
cease to transfer, or cease to have the legal capacity to transfer,
or otherwise be incapable of transferring Receivables to any Seller
under any Receivables Sale Agreement (other than an Immaterial
Originator which ceases to transfer Receivables subject to and in
accordance with Section 1.7 of any Receivables Sale
Agreement).
This
Agreement shall terminate in whole or in part (except in accordance
with its terms), or shall cease to be effective or to be the
legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation of any Seller, or
any Obligor shall directly or indirectly contest in any manner such
effectiveness, validity, binding nature or
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enforceability, or the Agent for the benefit of
the Purchasers shall cease to have a valid and perfected first
priority security interest in the Receivables, the Related Security
and the Collections with respect thereto and the Collection
Accounts.
Provider
shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement
required to be performed by it under any Performance Undertaking,
or any Performance Undertaking shall cease to be effective or to be
the legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation of Provider,
or Provider shall directly or indirectly contest in any manner such
effectiveness, validity, binding nature or
enforceability.
The
Agreement of General Partner shall terminate in whole or in part or
shall cease to be effective or to be the legally valid, binding and
enforceable obligation of the general partner of Dairy Group or
Dairy Group shall directly or indirectly contest in any manner such
effectiveness, validity, binding nature or enforceability, or the
general partner of Dairy Group shall fail in any respect to perform
its obligations under the Agreement of General
Partner.
(i) Provider shall fail to own, free and
clear of any Adverse Claims, in the aggregate, either directly or
indirectly, 100% of the limited partnership interests of Dairy
Group and 99.9% of the partnership interests of Dairy Group, or
Dairy Group Receivables GP, LLC (f/k/a Suiza Receivables GP, LLC)
shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims (except any
Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance with
the Dean Credit Agreement), 100% of the general partnership
interests of Dairy Group and 0.1% of the partnership interests of
Dairy Group, or Provider and Suiza Dairy Group, Inc. shall fail to
own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims (except any Adverse Claim
in favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance with the Dean Credit
Agreement), in the aggregate, either directly or indirectly, 100%
of the membership interests of Dairy Group Receivables GP,
LLC.
(ii) Provider
shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims, in the
aggregate, either directly or indirectly, 100% of the limited
partnership interests of Dairy Group II and 99.9% of the
partnership interests of Dairy Group II, or Dairy Group Receivables
GP II, LLC shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims
(except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral
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Agent in
accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement), 100% of the general
partnership interests of Dairy Group II and 0.1% of the partnership
interests of Dairy Group II, or Provider and Dean Dairy Holdings,
LLC shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims (except
any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent in accordance
with the Dean Credit Agreement), in the aggregate, either directly
or indirectly, 100% of the membership interests of Dairy Group
Receivables GP II, LLC.
(iii) Provider
shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims, in the
aggregate, either directly or indirectly, 100% of the limited
partnership interests of Specialty Group and 99.9% of the
partnership interests of Specialty Group, or Specialty Group
Receivables GP, LLC shall fail to own, free and clear of any
Adverse Claims (except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral
Agent in accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement), 100% of the
general partnership interests of Specialty Group and 0.1% of the
partnership interests of Specialty Group, or Provider and Dean
Holding Company shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse
Claims (except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent
in accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement), in the aggregate,
either directly or indirectly, 100% of the membership interests of
Specialty Group Receivables GP, LLC.
(iv) Provider
shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse Claims, in the
aggregate, either directly or indirectly, 100% of the limited
partnership interests of National Brand Group and 99.9% of the
partnership interests of National Brand Group, or Dean National
Brand Group GP, LLC shall fail to own, free and clear of any
Adverse Claims (except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral
Agent in accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement), 100% of the
general partnership interests of National Brand Group and 0.1% of
the partnership interests of National Brand Group, or Provider and
National Brand shall fail to own, free and clear of any Adverse
Claims (except any Adverse Claim in favor of the Collateral Agent
in accordance with the Dean Credit Agreement), in the aggregate,
either directly or indirectly, 100% of the membership interests of
Dean National Brand Group GP, LLC.
Provider
shall fail to comply with the Dean Financial
Covenants.
Remedies . Upon the occurrence and during the
continuation of an Amortization Event, the Agent may, or upon the
direction of the Required Purchasers shall, take any of the
following actions: (i) replace any Person then acting as Servicer,
(ii)
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declare the
Amortization Date to have occurred, whereupon the Amortization Date
shall forthwith occur, without demand, protest or further notice of
any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by each Seller
Party; provided, however, that (A) upon the occurrence of an
Amortization Event described in Section 9.1(d)(ii), or of an
actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any
Seller Party under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, the Amortization
Date shall automatically occur, without demand, protest or any
notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by
each Seller Party and (B) upon the occurrence of an
Amortization Event described in Section 9.1(a), 9.1(d) or
9.1(e), by three (3) Business Days’ notice to the Agent, each
other Purchaser and the Administrative Seller, the affected
Financial Institution in the case of a Section 9.1(a)
Amortization Event and any Financial Institution in the case of a
Section 9.1(d) or 9.1(e) Amortization Event may terminate its
Commitment hereunder, whereupon such Financial Institution shall be
deemed to be a “Terminating Financial Institution” for
all purposes hereof, (iii) to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, declare that the Default Fee shall accrue with
respect to any of the Aggregate Unpaids outstanding at such time,
(iv) deliver the Collection Notices to the Collection Banks,
(v) notify Obligors of the Purchasers’ interest in the
Receivables, and (vi) notify Provider of the Purchaser’s
interest in the Demand Notes, make demand for any and all payments
due thereunder and direct that such payments be made directly to
the Agent or its designee. The aforementioned rights and remedies
shall be without limitation, and shall be in addition to all other
rights and remedies of the Agent and the Purchasers otherwise
available under any other provision of this Agreement, by operation
of law, at equity or otherwise, all of which are hereby expressly
preserved, including, without limitation, all rights and remedies
provided under the UCC, all of which rights shall be
cumulative.
Indemnities
by the Seller Parties .
Without limiting any other rights that the Agent, any Purchaser,
any Funding Source or any of their respective Affiliates may have
hereunder or under applicable law, (A) each Seller hereby
agrees to indemnify (and pay upon demand to) the Agent, each
Purchaser, each Funding Source and their respective Affiliates,
assigns, officers, directors and employees (each an
“Indemnified Party”) from and against any and all
damages, losses, claims, taxes, liabilities, costs, expenses and
for all other amounts payable, including reasonable
attorneys’ fees (which attorneys may be employees of any
Indemnified Party) and
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disbursements
(all of the foregoing being collectively referred to as
“Indemnified Amounts”) awarded against or incurred by
any of them arising out of or as a result of this Agreement, or the
use of the proceeds of any purchase hereunder, or the acquisition,
funding or ownership, either directly or indirectly, by a Purchaser
or a Funding Source of a Purchaser Interest or of an interest in
the Receivables, or any Receivable or any Contract or any Writing,
or any action of any Seller Party, any Originator or any Affiliate
of any of the foregoing and (B) the Servicers hereby agree to
indemnify (and pay upon demand to) each Indemnified Party for
Indemnified Amounts awarded against or incurred by any of them
arising out of any Servicer’s activities as Servicer
hereunder excluding, however, in all of the foregoing instances
under the preceding clauses (A) and (B):
Indemnified
Amounts to the extent a final judgment of a court of competent
jurisdiction holds that such Indemnified Amounts resulted from
gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the
Indemnified Party seeking indemnification;
Indemnified
Amounts to the extent the same includes losses in respect of
Receivables that are uncollectible on account of the insolvency,
bankruptcy or lack of creditworthiness of the related Obligor;
or
franchise taxes
and taxes imposed by the jurisdiction in which such Indemnified
Party’s principal executive office is located, on or measured
by the overall net income of such Indemnified Party to the extent
that the computation of such taxes is consistent with the
characterization for income tax purposes of the acquisition by the
Purchasers of Purchaser Interests as a loan or loans by the
Purchasers to the Sellers secured by the Receivables, the Related
Security, the Collection Accounts and the Collections;
provided, however, that nothing contained in this
sentence shall limit the liability of any Seller Party or limit the
recourse of the Purchasers to any Seller Party for amounts
otherwise specifically provided to be paid by such Seller Party
under the terms of this Agreement. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing indemnification, each Seller shall indemnify each
Indemnified Party for Indemnified Amounts (including, without
limitation, losses in respect of uncollectible receivables,
regardless of whether reimbursement therefor would constitute
recourse to any Seller or any Servicer) relating to or resulting
from:
any
representation or warranty made by any Seller Party or any
Originator in its capacity as seller under any Receivables Sale
Agreement (or any officers of any such Person) under or in
connection with this Agreement, any other Transaction Document or
any other information or report delivered by any such Person
pursuant hereto or thereto, which shall have been false or
incorrect when made or deemed made;
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the failure by
any Seller, any Servicer, any Originator to comply with any
applicable law, rule or regulation with respect to any Receivable
or Writing or Contract related thereto, or the nonconformity of any
Receivable or Writing or Contract included therein with any such
applicable law, rule or regulation or any failure of any Originator
to keep or perform any of its obligations, express or implied, with
respect to the Writing or Contract;
any failure of
any Seller, any Servicer, any Originator to perform its duties,
covenants or other obligations in accordance with the provisions of
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document;
any products
liability, personal injury or damage suit, or other similar claim
arising out of or in connection with merchandise, insurance or
services that are the subject of any Writing or Contract or any
Receivable;
any dispute,
claim, offset or defense (other than discharge in bankruptcy of the
Obligor) of the Obligor to the payment of any Receivable
(including, without limitation, a defense based on such Receivable
or the related Writing or Contract not being a legal, valid and
binding obligation of such Obligor enforceable against it in
accordance with its terms), or any other claim resulting from the
sale of the merchandise or service related to such Receivable or
the furnishing or failure to furnish such merchandise or
services;
the commingling
of Collections of Receivables at any time with other
funds;
any
investigation, litigation or proceeding related to or arising from
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, the transactions
contemplated hereby, the use of the proceeds of an Incremental
Purchase or a Reinvestment, the ownership of the Purchaser
Interests or any other investigation, litigation or proceeding
relating to any Seller, any Servicer, any Originator in which any
Indemnified Party becomes involved as a result of any of the
transactions contemplated hereby;
any inability
to litigate any claim against any Obligor in respect of any
Receivable as a result of such Obligor being immune from civil and
commercial law and suit on the grounds of sovereignty or otherwise
from any legal action, suit or proceeding;
any
Amortization Event described in Section 9.1(d)
;
any failure of
any Seller to acquire and maintain legal and equitable title to,
and ownership of any Receivable and the Related Security and
Collections with respect thereto from the applicable Originator,
free and clear of any Adverse Claim (other than as created
hereunder); or any failure of any Seller to give reasonably
equivalent
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