Exhibit 99.1
EXECUTION COPY
364-DAY REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
dated as of
October 5, 2006
among
FORTUNE BRANDS, INC.,
FORTUNE BRANDS FINANCE UK
P.L.C.,
The Lenders Party Hereto
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
and
BARCLAYS BANK PLC
and
CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Syndication Agents
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES
INC.
BARCLAYS CAPITAL,
and
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,
as Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners
ABN AMRO BANK, N.V.
and
CREDIT SUISSE, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH,
as Documentation Agents
[CS&M Ref.
No. 6701-661]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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Definitions
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SECTION 1.01.
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Defined
Terms
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1
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SECTION 1.02.
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Classification
of Loans and Borrowings
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18
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SECTION 1.03.
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Terms
Generally
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18
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SECTION 1.04.
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Accounting
Terms; GAAP
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19
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ARTICLE II
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The Credits
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SECTION 2.01.
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Revolving
Commitments
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19
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SECTION 2.02.
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Loans and
Borrowings
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19
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SECTION 2.03.
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Requests for
Revolving Borrowings
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21
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SECTION 2.04.
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Competitive Bid
and Negotiated Rate Loan Procedures
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22
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SECTION 2.05.
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Funding of
Borrowings
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25
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SECTION 2.06.
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Interest
Elections
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26
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SECTION 2.07.
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Termination and
Reduction of Revolving Commitments
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27
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SECTION 2.08.
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Repayment of Loans; Evidence of
Debt
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28
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SECTION 2.09.
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Prepayment of
Loans
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29
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SECTION 2.10.
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Fees
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30
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SECTION 2.11.
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Interest
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31
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SECTION 2.12.
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Alternate Rate
of Interest
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32
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SECTION 2.13.
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Increased
Costs
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33
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SECTION 2.14.
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Break Funding
Payments
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34
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SECTION 2.15.
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Taxes
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35
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SECTION 2.16.
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Payments
Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs
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36
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SECTION 2.17.
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Mitigation
Obligations; Replacement of Lenders
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38
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SECTION 2.18.
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Additional
Reserve Costs
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39
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SECTION 2.19.
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Redenomination
of Certain Designated Foreign Currencies
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40
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SECTION 2.20.
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Term-Out
Option
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40
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SECTION 2.21.
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Assigned Dollar
Value
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41
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ARTICLE III
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Representations and
Warranties
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SECTION 3.01.
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Organization;
Powers
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41
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SECTION 3.02.
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Authorization;
Enforceability
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41
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SECTION 3.03.
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Governmental
Approvals; No Conflicts
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42
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SECTION 3.04.
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Financial
Condition; No Material Adverse Change
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42
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i
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SECTION 3.05.
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Properties
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42
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SECTION
3.06.
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Litigation and
Environmental Matters
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43
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SECTION
3.07.
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Compliance with
Laws and Agreements
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43
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SECTION
3.08.
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Investment
Company Status
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43
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SECTION
3.09.
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Taxes
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43
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SECTION
3.10.
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ERISA
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43
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SECTION
3.11.
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Disclosure
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43
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ARTICLE IV
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Conditions
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SECTION
4.01.
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Effective
Date
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44
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SECTION
4.02.
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Each Credit
Event
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45
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ARTICLE V
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Affirmative Covenants
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SECTION
5.01.
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Financial
Statements and Other Information
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45
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SECTION
5.02.
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Notices of
Material Events
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46
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SECTION
5.03.
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Existence;
Conduct of Business
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46
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SECTION
5.04.
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Payment of
Obligations
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47
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SECTION
5.05.
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Maintenance of
Properties; Insurance
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47
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SECTION
5.06.
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Books and
Records; Inspection Rights
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47
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SECTION
5.07.
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Compliance with
Laws
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47
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SECTION
5.08.
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Use of
Proceeds
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47
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SECTION
5.09.
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Litigation
Report
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47
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ARTICLE VI
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Negative Covenants
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SECTION
6.01.
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Restrictions on
Borrowing by Restricted Subsidiaries
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48
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SECTION
6.02.
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Restrictions on
Secured Debt
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48
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SECTION
6.03.
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Restrictions on
Sale and Lease Back Transactions
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50
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SECTION
6.04.
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Fundamental
Changes
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51
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SECTION
6.05.
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Transactions
with Affiliates
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52
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SECTION
6.06.
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Interest
Coverage Ratio
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52
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ii
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent
ARTICLE IX
Guarantee
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous
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SECTION 10.01.
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Notices
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59
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SECTION 10.02.
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Waivers;
Amendments
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59
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SECTION 10.03.
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Expenses;
Indemnity; Damage Waiver
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60
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SECTION 10.04.
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Successors and
Assigns
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62
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SECTION 10.05.
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Survival
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65
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SECTION 10.06.
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Counterparts;
Integration; Effectiveness
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65
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SECTION 10.07.
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Severability
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66
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SECTION 10.08.
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Right of
Setoff
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66
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SECTION 10.09.
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Governing Law;
Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process
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66
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SECTION 10.10.
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WAIVER OF JURY
TRIAL
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67
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SECTION 10.11.
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Headings
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68
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SECTION 10.12.
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Confidentiality
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68
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SECTION 10.13.
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Interest Rate
Limitation
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68
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SECTION 10.14.
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Judgment
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69
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SECTION 10.15.
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USA PATRIOT
Act
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69
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SECTION 10.16.
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Non-Public
Information
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69
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SECTION 10.17.
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No Fiduciary
Duty
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70
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SECTION 10.18.
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Waiver of
Notice Period in connection with Termination of the Existing Credit
Agreement
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70
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SCHEDULES :
Schedule 2.01 — Revolving
Commitments
Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed
Matters
EXHIBITS :
Exhibit A — Form of Assignment
and Acceptance
iii
Exhibit B-1 — Form of Opinion
of Company’s Counsel
Exhibit B-2 — Form of Opinion
of Fortune Brands UK’s Counsel
Exhibit C — MLA
Cost
Exhibit D — Form of Revolving
Note
Exhibit E — Form of Borrowing
Request
Exhibit F — Form of Financial
Officer’s Certificate
iv
364-DAY REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of October 5, 2006, among FORTUNE BRANDS, INC., a
Delaware corporation, FORTUNE BRANDS FINANCE UK P.L.C., a public
limited company organized under the laws of England and Wales, the
LENDERS party hereto, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative
Agent, and BARCLAYS BANK PLC and CITIBANK, N.A., as Syndication
Agents.
The parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings
specified below:
“ ABR ”, when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such
Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest
at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base
Rate.
“ Adjusted LIBO Rate
” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any
Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate
for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory
Reserve Rate.
“ Administrative Agent
” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as
administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“ Administrative
Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in
a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the
Person specified. With respect to any Lender, the term
“Affiliate” shall be deemed to include (a) any
entity (whether a corporation, partnership, trust or otherwise)
that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise
investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the
ordinary course of its business and is administered or managed by
such Lender or an Affiliate of such Lender and (b) in the case
of any Lender that is a fund that invests in bank loans and similar
extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans and
similar extensions of credit and is managed by the same investment
advisor as such Lender or by an Affiliate of such investment
advisor.
“ Agreement Currency
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.14(b).
“ Alternate Base Rate
” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater
of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the
Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day
plus 1 / 2
of 1%. Any change in the
Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the
Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including
the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal
Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
“ Alternative Committed
Currency ” means British Pounds Sterling or
Euro.
“ Alternative Currency
” means (a) any Alternative Committed Currency or
(b) any other currency specified by the applicable Borrower in
a Competitive Bid Request relating to a proposed Competitive
Borrowing if such currency is freely transferable and convertible
into Dollars in the London market at the time and for which LIBO
Rates may be determined at such time by reference to the Telerate
screen as provided in the definition of “LIBO
Rate”.
“ Alternative Currency
Borrowing ” means a Borrowing comprised of Alternative
Currency Loans.
“ Alternative Currency
Equivalent ” means, with respect to an amount in Dollars
on any date in relation to a specified Alternative Currency, the
amount of such specified Alternative Currency that may be purchased
with such amount of Dollars at the Spot Exchange Rate with respect
to such Alternative Currency on such date.
“ Alternative Currency
Loan ” means any Loan denominated in an Alternative
Currency.
“ Applicable Creditor
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.14(b).
“ Applicable Currency
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.12(a).
“ Applicable Rate
” means, for any day, (i) with respect to any
Eurocurrency Revolving Loan, the applicable rate per annum set
forth below under the caption “Eurocurrency Spread”,
(ii) with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, the
applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption
“Facility Fee Rate” and (iii) with respect to any
utilization fees payable hereunder, the applicable rate per annum
set forth below under the caption “Utilization Fee”, in
each case based upon the ratings by Moody’s and S&P,
respectively, applicable on such date to the Index Debt:
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Ratings
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Eurocurrency
Spread
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Facility Fee
Rate
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Utilization
Fee
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Category
1
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A2/A or
above
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0.160
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%
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0.040
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%
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0.050
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%
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Category
2
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³
A3/A-
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0.200
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%
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0.050
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%
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0.050
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%
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Category
3
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³
Baa1/BBB+
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0.290
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%
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0.060
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%
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0.050
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%
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Category
4
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³
Baa2/BBB
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0.370
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%
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0.080
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%
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0.050
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%
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Category
5
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³
Baa3/BBB-
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0.450
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%
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0.100
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%
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0.100
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%
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Category
6
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Ba1/BB+ or below
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0.600
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%
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0.150
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%
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0.100
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%
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2
For purposes of the foregoing,
(a) if either Moody’s or S&P shall not have in
effect a rating for the Index Debt (other than by reason of the
circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition),
then such rating agency shall be deemed to have established a
rating in Category 6; (b) if the ratings established or deemed
to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index
Debt shall fall within different Categories, the Applicable Rate
shall be based on the higher of the two ratings unless one of the
two ratings is two or more Categories lower than the other, in
which case the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to
the Category next below that of the higher of the two ratings;
(c) if the ratings established or deemed to have been
established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall
be changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system
of Moody’s or S&P), such change shall be effective as of
the date on which it is first announced by the applicable rating
agency; and (d) so long as no Default shall have occurred and
be continuing, the Company may replace either S&P or
Moody’s (but not both) with Fitch; provided that, in
the event of any such replacement, clause (b) above
shall cease to apply and, in lieu of such clause (b) , if
the ratings established or deemed to have been established by
Moody’s or S&P (whichever remains as a rating agency for
purposes hereof) or Fitch are not in the same Category, then the
Applicable Rate will be determined based on the lower rating unless
the lower rating is two or more Categories lower than the rating
established or deemed to have been established by the other rating
agency, in which case the Applicable Rate shall be determined by
reference to the Category next above that of the lower of the two
ratings. Each change in the Applicable Rate shall apply during the
period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending
on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next
such change. If the rating system of Moody’s, S&P or
Fitch (whichever are applicable) shall change, or if either such
applicable rating agency shall cease to be in the business of
rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrowers and the Lenders
shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect
such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from
such rating agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such
amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to
the rating most recently in effect prior to such change or
cessation.
“ Applicable Revolving
Commitment Percentage ” means, with respect to any
Lender, the percentage of the total Revolving Commitments
represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment. If the
Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable
Revolving Commitment Percentages shall be determined based upon the
Revolving Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any
assignments.
3
“ Assigned Dollar Value
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.21.
“ Assignment and
Acceptance ” means an assignment and acceptance entered
into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party
whose consent is required by Section 10.04), and accepted by
the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or
any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“ Availability Period
” means the period from and including the Effective Date to
but excluding the earlier of the Termination Date and the date of
termination of the Revolving Commitments.
“ Board ” means
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United
States of America.
“ Board Resolution
” means a copy of a resolution delivered to the
Administrative Agent and certified by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company as having been duly adopted by the Board
of Directors of the Company, or by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company or the Secretary of the Executive
Committee of such Board of Directors as having been duly adopted by
such Executive Committee, or by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company or the Secretary of any other committee of
such Board of Directors duly authorized to act for it hereunder as
having been duly adopted by such other committee.
“ Borrowers ”
means the Company and Fortune Brands UK.
“ Borrowing ”
means (a) Revolving Loans to the same Borrower of the same
Type and Currency, made, converted or continued on the same date
and, in the case of Eurocurrency Loans, as to which a single
Interest Period is in effect, (b) a Competitive Loan or group
of Competitive Loans to the same Borrower of the same Type and
Currency made on the same date and as to which a single Interest
Period is in effect or (c) a Negotiated Rate Loan.
“ Borrowing Date
” means any Business Day specified in a notice pursuant to
Section 2.02 or 2.04 as a date on which the
relevant Borrower requests Loans to be made hereunder.
“ Borrowing Request
” means a request by either Borrower for a Revolving
Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
“ British Pounds
Sterling ” or “ , ” means lawful money
of the United Kingdom.
“ Business Day ”
means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which
commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law
to remain closed, except that when used in connection with a
Eurocurrency Loan or an Alternative Currency Loan, “Business
Day” also shall exclude any day on which dealings in foreign
currencies and exchange between banks may not be carried on in
London,
4
England or New York, New York or, in the case of
an Alternative Currency Loan denominated in a currency other than
British Pounds Sterling, the place designated by the Administrative
Agent from time to time as the place for payments in such
currency.
“ Capital Lease
Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such
Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other
arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property,
or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be
classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet
of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall
be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Change in Control
” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group
(within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in
effect on the date hereof), of shares representing more than 50% of
the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and
outstanding capital stock of the Company; or (b) occupation of
a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of
directors of the Company by Persons who were neither
(i) nominated by the board of directors of the Company nor
(ii) appointed by directors so nominated.
“ Change in Law ”
means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after
the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or
regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any
Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or
(c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of
Section 2.13(b) or 2.18, by any lending office of such Lender
or by such Lender’s holding company, if any) with any
request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of
law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of
this Agreement.
“ Charges ” has
the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.13.
“ Class ”, when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such
Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans,
Competitive Loans or Negotiated Rate Loans.
“ Code ” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time.
“ Company ” means
Fortune Brands, Inc.
“ Competitive Bid
” means an offer by a Lender to make a Competitive Loan in
accordance with Section 2.04 .
“ Competitive Bid Rate
” means, with respect to any Competitive Bid, the Margin or
the Fixed Rate, as applicable, offered by the Lender making such
Competitive Bid.
5
“ Competitive Bid
Request ” means a request by either Borrower for
Competitive Bids in accordance with Section 2.04
.
“ Competitive Loan
” means a Loan made pursuant to a Competitive Bid as
contemplated by Section 2.04 .
“ Consolidated EBITDA
” means, for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters,
Consolidated Net Income for such period, excluding, to the extent
included in determining such Consolidated Net Income, extraordinary
items, noncash restructuring charges, noncash nonrecurring charges,
losses from asset impairments and gains or losses resulting from
the sale of assets not in the ordinary course of business, plus,
without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining such
Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest
Expense for such period, (ii) income taxes for such period,
and (iii) depreciation and amortization of intangibles for
such period, all determined on a consolidated basis for each such
item in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Interest
Expense ” means, for any period, the gross interest
expense of the Company and the Subsidiaries for such period
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Consolidated Net
Income ” means, for any period, net income for the
Company and the Subsidiaries for such period determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“ Consolidated Net Tangible
Assets ” means the excess over current liabilities of all
assets as determined by the Company and set forth in a consolidated
balance sheet of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries
prepared in accordance with GAAP as of a date within 90 days of the
date of such determination, after deducting goodwill, trademarks,
patents, other like intangibles and the minority interest of
others.
“ Control ” means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person,
whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract
or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “
Controlled ” have meanings correlative
thereto.
“ Currency ”,
when used in reference to any amount, refers to whether such amount
is denominated in (a) Dollars, (b) British Pounds
Sterling, (c) Euro or (d) in respect of any Competitive
Borrowing denominated in another Alternative Currency, such
Alternative Currency.
“ Currency Equivalent
” means the Dollar Equivalent or the Alternative Currency
Equivalent, as the case may be, of the Applicable
Currency.
“ Default ” means
any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or
which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or
waived, become an Event of Default.
6
“ Denomination Date
” means, in relation to any Alternative Currency Borrowing,
the date that is three Business Days before the date such Borrowing
is made.
“ Disclosed Matters
” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the
environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06 and
the matters described in any filings made by the Company from time
to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“ Dollar Equivalent
” means, with respect to an amount of any Alternative
Currency on any date, the amount of Dollars that may be purchased
with such amount of the Alternative Currency at the Spot Exchange
Rate with respect to the Alternative Currency on such
date.
“ Dollars ” or
“ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United
States of America.
“ Effective Date
” means the date on which the conditions specified in
Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with
Section 10.02).
“ EMU Legislation
” means the legislative measures of the European Union for
the introduction of, changeover to or operation of the Euro in one
or more member states.
“ Environmental Laws
” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances,
orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding
agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental
Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or
reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or
threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and
safety matters.
“ Environmental
Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise
(including any liability for damages, costs of environmental
remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of either Borrower
or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based
upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the
generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any
Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of
any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any
contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to
which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
“ Equity Interests
” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests,
membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial
interests in a trust or other equity interests in any
Person.
“ ERISA ” means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
from time to time.
“ ERISA Affiliate
” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated)
that, together with either Borrower, is treated as a single
employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or,
solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and
Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under
Section 414 of the Code.
7
“ ERISA Event ”
means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder
with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day
notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to
any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as
defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of
ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to
Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of
an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with
respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by either Borrower or
any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of
ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the
receipt by either Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or
a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to
terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer
any Plan other than under circumstances pursuant to which such Plan
could not reasonably be expected to require any additional funding
at any time following such termination or appointment; (f) the
incurrence by either Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any
liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from
any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by either
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by
any Multiemployer Plan from either Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or
a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be,
insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV
of ERISA.
“ Euro ” or
“ € ” means the single currency of the
European Union as constituted by the Treaty on European Union and
as referred to in the EMU Legislation
“ Eurocurrency ”,
when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether
such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO
Rate (or, in the case of a Competitive Loan, the LIBO
Rate).
“ Event of Default
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Article VII.
“ Excluded Taxes
” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited, any Lender or any other recipient of any
payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of either
Borrower hereunder, (a) income, franchise or similar taxes
imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of
America or the United Kingdom or by the jurisdiction under the laws
of which the Administrative Agent, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, such
Lender or other such recipient is organized or in which its
principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which
its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch
profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any
similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction described in clause
(a) above, and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other
than an assignee pursuant to a request by either Borrower under
Section 2.17(b)) , any withholding tax that (i) is
in effect and would apply to amounts payable to such Foreign
Lender, at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this
Agreement (or designates a new lending
8
office), by a Borrower previously designated
hereunder, except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its
assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new
lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from
the Borrowers with respect to any withholding tax pursuant to
Section 2.15(a) , or (ii) is attributable to such
Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section
2.15(e) .
“ Existing Credit
Agreement ” means the 364-Day Revolving Credit Agreement
dated as of October 6, 2005, among the Borrowers, the lenders
parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the Administrative
Agent, and Barclays Bank PLC and Citicorp North America, Inc., as
the Syndication Agents,
“ Extended Maturity
Date ” means October 4, 2008.
“ Federal Funds Effective
Rate ” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on
overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on
the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day
that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary,
to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such
transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by
it.
“ Financial Officer
” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting
officer, treasurer or controller of either Borrower.
“ Fitch ” means
Fitch, Inc., or any successor thereto.
“ Fixed Rate ”
means, with respect to any Competitive Loan (other than a
Eurocurrency Competitive Loan), the fixed rate of interest per
annum specified by the Lender making such Competitive Loan in its
related Competitive Bid.
“ Fixed Rate Loan
” means a Competitive Loan bearing interest at a Fixed
Rate.
“ Foreign Lender
” means, with respect to either Borrower, any Lender that is
organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which
such Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the
United States of America, each State thereof and the District of
Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single
jurisdiction.
“ Fortune Brands UK
” means Fortune Brands Finance UK p.l.c.
“ Funded Debt ”
of any Person means (i) all indebtedness for money borrowed
which by its terms matures more than 12 months from the creation,
extension or renewal thereof or which is extendible or renewable at
the option of the obligor on such indebtedness to a time more than
12 months after its creation, extension or renewal and
(ii) all guarantees, direct or indirect, of such indebtedness
of others or of dividends; provided that Funded Debt shall
not include endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection,
deposit or negotiation and guarantees by the Company or a
Restricted
9
Subsidiary arising in connection with the sale,
discount, guarantee or pledge of notes, chattel mortgages, leases,
accounts receivable, trade acceptances and other paper arising, in
the ordinary course of business, out of installment or conditional
sales to or by, or transactions involving title retention with,
distributors, dealers or other customers, of merchandise, equipment
or services. The Company or a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed
to have assumed any Funded Debt secured by any mortgage upon any of
its property or assets whether or not it has actually done
so.
“ GAAP ” means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of
America.
“ Governmental
Authority ” means the government of the United States of
America, the United Kingdom, any other nation or any political
subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency,
authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or
other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing,
regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining
to government.
“ Granting Lender
” has the meaning specified in paragraph (h) of
Section 10.04 .
“ Guarantee ” of
or by any Person (the “ guarantor ”) means any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing
or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness of
any other Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in
any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any
obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to
purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or
payment of) such Indebtedness or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment
thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or
services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness
of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital,
equity capital or any other financial statement condition or
liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as
an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of
guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation;
provided , that the term Guarantee shall not include
endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of
business.
“ Hazardous Materials
” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and
all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants,
including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos
containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas,
infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of
any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“ Indebtedness ”
of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations
of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all Capital Lease
Obligations of such Person and (c) all Guarantees by such
Person of Indebtedness of others described in clause (a) or
(b) above. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the
Indebtedness of any other entity (including any partnership in
which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person
is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership
interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the
extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is
not liable therefor.
10
“ Indemnified Taxes
” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“ Index Debt ”
means senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for borrowed money
of the Company that is not guaranteed by any other Person or
subject to any other credit enhancement.
“ Information
Memorandum ” means the Confidential Information
Memorandum dated September 2006, relating to the Borrowers and
the Transactions.
“ Interest Election
Request ” means a request by either Borrower to convert
or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with
Section 2.06 .
“ Interest Payment Date
” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, the last day
of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect
to any Eurocurrency Loan, the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in
the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of
more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last
day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three
months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period,
(c) with respect to any Fixed Rate Loan, the last day of the
Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a
part and, in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing with an Interest
Period of more than 90 days’ duration (unless otherwise
specified in the applicable Competitive Bid Request), each day
prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at
intervals of 90 days’ duration after the first day of such
Interest Period, and any other dates that are specified in the
applicable Competitive Bid Request as Interest Payment Dates with
respect to such Borrowing and (d) with respect to any
Negotiated Rate Loan, the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to such Negotiated Rate Loan and any other day during
such Interest Period on which interest therein is payable, as
separately agreed between the applicable Borrower and the
applicable Lender.
“ Interest Period
” means (a) with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing,
the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on
the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is
one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the applicable
Borrower may elect (or, with the consent of each Lender
participating in such Borrowing, such other time period as the
applicable Borrower may request), (b) with respect to any
Fixed Rate Borrowing, the period (which shall not be less than
seven days or more than 180 days) commencing on the date of such
Borrowing and ending on the date specified in the applicable
Competitive Bid Request and (c) with respect to any Negotiated
Rate Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing
and ending on such date as shall be mutually agreed upon between
the applicable Borrower and the applicable Lender; provided
, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other
than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the
next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurocurrency
Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the
next calendar month, in which case
11
such Interest Period shall end on the next
preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining
to a Eurocurrency Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day
of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically
corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest
Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar
month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a
Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is
made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be
the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of
such Borrowing.
“ Judgment Currency
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.14(b).
“ Lenders ” means
the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other
Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an
Assignment and Acceptance, other than any such Person that ceases
to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and
Acceptance.
“ LIBO Rate ”
means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest
Period, the rate per annum determined by reference to the British
Bankers’ Association Interest Settlement Rates for deposits
with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period denominated in
the Currency in which such Eurocurrency Borrowing is denominated as
reflected on the applicable Telerate Screen (or on any successor or
substitute page of the Telerate Service, providing rate quotations
comparable to those currently provided on such Service, as
determined by the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, as applicable, from time to time for purposes of providing
quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits of Currency in
which such Borrowing is denominated) at approximately 11:00 a.m.,
London time, on the Quotation Day for the currency in which such
Borrowing is denominated. In the event that such rate is not
available at such time for any reason, then the “ LIBO
Rate ” with respect to such Eurocurrency Borrowing for
such Interest Period shall be the rate at which Dollar deposits of
$5,000,000 (or in the case of Eurocurrency Borrowings denominated
in an Alternative Currency, deposits with a Dollar Equivalent of
$5,000,000) and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period
are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative
Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable, in immediately
available funds in the London interbank market at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time, on the Quotation Day for the currency
in which such Borrowing is denominated prior to the commencement of
such Interest Period.
“ Lien ” means,
with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust,
lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security
interest in, on or of such asset and (b) the interest of a
vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital
lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having
substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing)
relating to such asset.
“ Loan ” means
any loan made by a Lender to a Borrower pursuant to this
Agreement.
12
“ Local Time ”
means (a) with respect to any Loan or Borrowing denominated in
Dollars, New York City time and (b) with respect to any Loan
or Borrowing denominated in any Alternative Currency, London time
(or such other time as J.P. Morgan Europe Limited may designate in
respect of the applicable currency).
“ Margin ” means,
with respect to any Competitive Loan bearing interest at a rate
based on the LIBO Rate, the marginal rate of interest, if any, to
be added to or subtracted from the LIBO Rate to determine the rate
of interest applicable to such Loan, as specified by the Lender
making such Loan in its related Competitive Bid.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the
business, assets, operations or financial condition of the Company
and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the rights of or
benefits available to the Lenders under this Agreement.
“ Material Indebtedness
” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans) of any one or
more of the Company and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal
amount exceeding $50,000,000.
“ Material Subsidiary
” means any Subsidiary that is (a) a Restricted
Subsidiary, (b) Fortune Brands UK or (c) a
“significant subsidiary” of the Company within the
meaning of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (or any successor provision).
“ Maximum Rate ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.13.
“ MLA Cost ”
means the cost imputed to the Lenders in connection with a
Borrowing denominated in British Pounds Sterling in compliance with
the Mandatory Liquid Asset requirements of the Bank of England
during an Interest Period (or part of an Interest Period),
expressed as a rate per annum and determined in accordance with
Exhibit C .
“ Moody’s ”
means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., or any successor
thereto.
“ mortgage ”
means any mortgage, pledge or security interest.
“ Multiemployer Plan
” means a multiemployer plan as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“ Negotiated Rate Loan
” means a Loan made to a Borrower by a Lender pursuant to a
Negotiated Rate Loan Request in such principal amount, for such
Interest Period and having such interest rate(s) and repayment
terms as shall, in each case, be mutually agreed upon between such
Borrower and such Lender.
“ Negotiated Rate Loan
Request ” means a request by a Borrower for a Lender to
make a Negotiated Rate Loan, which shall be delivered to such
Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in writing, by
facsimile transmission or by telephone, immediately confirmed in
writing, and which shall specify the amount to be borrowed and the
proposed Borrowing Date, Currency and Interest Period.
13
“ Obligations ”
means (a) the obligation of each Borrower to pay the principal
of and premium, if any, and interest (including interest accruing
during the pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or
other similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or
allowable in such proceeding) on the Loans made to such Borrower,
when and as due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, upon one or
more dates set for prepayment or otherwise, and (b) all other
monetary obligations, including fees, costs, expenses and
indemnities, whether primary, secondary, direct, contingent, fixed
or otherwise (including monetary obligations incurred during the
pendency of any bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other
similar proceeding, regardless of whether allowed or allowable in
such proceeding), of the Company or the other Borrower under this
Agreement.
“ Other Taxes ”
means any and all present or future recording, stamp, documentary,
excise, transfer, sales, property or similar taxes, charges or
levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the
execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect
to, this Agreement.
“ PATRIOT Act ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.15.
“ PBGC ” means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in
ERISA and any successor entity performing similar
functions.
“ Person ” means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust,
joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.
“ Plan ” means
any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan)
subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or
Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in
respect of which either Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if
such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA
be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in
Section 3(5) of ERISA.
“ Prime Rate ”
means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time
to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime rate in effect at
its principal office in New York City; each change in the Prime
Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is
publicly announced as being effective.
“ Process Agent ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 10.09(d).
“ Quotation Day ”
in respect of the determination of the LIBO Rate for any Interest
Period (a) for any Eurocurrency Borrowing in Dollars or any
Alternative Currency (other than British Pounds Sterling), means
the day on which quotations would ordinarily be given by prime
banks in the London interbank market for deposits in the currency
in which such Borrowing is denominated for delivery on the first
day of such
14
Interest Period; provided , that if
quotations would ordinarily be given on more than one date, the
Quotation Day for such Interest Period shall be the last of such
dates and (b) for any Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in
British Pounds Sterling, means the first day of such Interest
Period.
“ Register ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 10.04 .
“ Related Parties
” means, with respect to any specified Person, such
Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers
and employees of such Person and such Person’s
Affiliates.
“ Required Lenders
” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit
Exposures and unused Revolving Commitments representing more than
50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused
Revolving Commitments at such time; provided that, for
purposes of declaring the Loans to be due and payable pursuant to
Article VII, and for all purposes after the Loans become due and
payable pursuant to Article VII or the Revolving Commitments
expire or terminate, the outstanding Competitive Loans and
Negotiated Rate Loans of the Lenders shall be included in their
respective Revolving Credit Exposures in determining the Required
Lenders.
“ Restricted Subsidiary
” means any Subsidiary other than (a) each Subsidiary
organized and existing under laws other than the laws of the United
States or a State thereof, (b) each Subsidiary substantially
all of the physical properties of which are located, or
substantially all of the business of which is carried on, outside
of the United States, (c) each Subsidiary the primary business
of which consists of finance, banking, credit, leasing, insurance,
financial services, or similar operations or any combination
thereof, (d) each Subsidiary the primary business of which
consists of the ownership, construction, management, operation,
sale or leasing of real property or improvements thereon, similar
operations or any combination thereof, (e) each Subsidiary the
primary business of which consists of the exploration for, or the
extraction, production, transporting or marketing of petroleum or
gas or other extracted substances, or similar operations or any
combination thereof, (f) each Subsidiary the primary business
of which consists of the ownership or operation of one or more
transportation businesses or facilities or equipment related
thereto or similar operations or any combination thereof,
(g) each Subsidiary the primary business of which consists of
obtaining funds with which to make investments outside of the
United States, (h) each Subsidiary substantially all of the
assets of which consist of the ownership directly or indirectly of
the Equity Interests of one or more Subsidiaries covered by the
preceding clauses (a) through (g), (i) each Subsidiary
which the Company or any Subsidiary is, by the terms of the final
order of any court of competent jurisdiction from which no further
appeal may be taken, required to dispose of and which shall by
Board Resolution be determined not to be a Restricted Subsidiary,
effective as of the date specified in such resolution and
(j) any entity a majority of the voting Equity Interests of
which shall at the time be owned directly or indirectly by one or
more entities specified in the preceding clauses (a) through
(i); provided that the Board of Directors may by Board
Resolutions declare any such Subsidiary to be a Restricted
Subsidiary, effective as of the date such resolution is adopted.
For purposes of this definition and any provisions of this
Agreement in which
15
the term Restricted Subsidiary appears, the term
“Subsidiary” means, at any date, any entity of which
the Company, or the Company and one or more Subsidiaries, directly
or indirectly own outstanding Equity Interests having voting power
sufficient to elect, under ordinary circumstances (not dependent
upon the happening of a contingency), a majority of the directors
or persons performing similar functions.
“ Revaluation Date
” means, with respect to an Alternative Currency Borrowing,
the last day of each Interest Period with respect to such Borrowing
(and if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three
months, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that
occurs at intervals of three months duration after the first day of
such Interest Period).
“ Revolving Commitment
” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such
Lender to make Revolving Loans to the Company and Fortune Brands UK
hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum
aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure
hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to
time pursuant to Section 2.07 and (b) reduced or
increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such
Lender pursuant to Section 10.04 . The initial amount
of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment is set forth on
Schedule 2.01 , or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant
to which such Lender shall have assumed its Revolving Commitment,
as applicable.
“ Revolving Credit
Exposure ” means, with respect to any Lender at any time,
the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of such
Lender’s Revolving Loans denominated in Dollars, plus
(b) the Assigned Dollar Value at such time of the outstanding
principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans denominated
in Alternative Committed Currencies.
“ Revolving Loan
” means a Loan made to the Company or Fortune Brands UK
pursuant to Section 2.01 .
“ S&P ” means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, or any successor
thereto.
“ Secured Debt ”
means indebtedness for money borrowed if such indebtedness is
secured by a mortgage upon any assets of the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary, including in such assets, without
limitation, shares of stock or indebtedness of any Restricted
Subsidiary owned by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary.
Indebtedness secured by mortgages on property existing at the time
it is acquired and mortgages securing any part of the purchase
price of property purchased, constructed or improved shall be
deemed to be indebtedness for money borrowed. The Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to have assumed any
indebtedness secured by any mortgage upon any of its property or
assets whether or not it has actually done so.
“ Spot Exchange Rate
” means, on any day, (a) with respect to any Alternative
Currency in relation to Dollars, the spot rate at which Dollars are
offered on such day for such Alternative Currency which appears on
page FX of the Reuters Screen
16
at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time
(and if such spot rate is not available on the applicable page of
the Reuters Screen, such spot rate as quoted by J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time), and
(b) with respect to Dollars in relation to any specified
Alternative Currency, the spot rate at which such specified
Alternative Currency is offered on such day for Dollars which
appears on page FXFX of the Reuters Screen at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time (and if such spot rate is not
available on the applicable page of the Reuters Screen, such spot
rate as quoted by J.P. Morgan Europe Limited at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time). For purposes of determining the Spot
Exchange Rate in connection with an Alternative Currency Borrowing,
such Spot Exchange Rate shall be determined as of the Denomination
Date for such Borrowing with respect to transactions in the
applicable Alternative Currency that will settle on the date of
such Borrowing.
“ SPV ” has the
meaning specified in paragraph (h) of
Section 10.04 .
“ Statutory Reserve
Rate ” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the
numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which
is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve
percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or
supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the
Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency
funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency
Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve
percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such
Regulation D. Eurocurrency Loans shall be deemed to constitute
eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements
without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets
that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such
Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory
Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the
effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.
“ Subsidiary ”
means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent
”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which
would be consolidated with those of the parent in the
parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial
statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such
date.
“ Taxes ” means
any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties,
deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority.
“ Termination Date
” means October 4, 2007.
“ Term-Out Option
” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.20.
“ Term-Out Period
” means the period commencing on and including the
Termination Date and ending on and including the Extended Maturity
Date.
“ Total Credit Exposure
” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the total Revolving
Credit Exposure of the Lenders at such time, plus (b) the
outstanding principal amount of Competitive Loans and Negotiated
Rate Loans of the Lenders at such time that are denominated in
Dollars, plus (c) the Assigned Dollar Value at such time of
the outstanding principal amount of all Competitive Loans and
Negotiated Rate Loans of the Lenders at such time that are
denominated in Alternative Currencies.
17
“ Transactions ”
means (a) the execution, delivery and performance by the
Borrowers of this Agreement, (b) the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and (c) the borrowing of the
Loans and the use of the proceeds thereof.
“ Type ”, when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the
rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such
Borrowing, is determined by reference to (a) the Adjusted LIBO
Rate, (b) the Alternate Base Rate, (c) in the case of a
Competitive Loan or Borrowing, the LIBO Rate or a Fixed Rate or
(d) in the case of a Negotiated Rate Loan or Borrowing, the
rate negotiated between the applicable Borrower and the applicable
Lender.
“ Value ” means,
as to any sale and lease back transaction to which
Section 6.03 applies, the product of (a) the net proceeds
from any such sale (less the amount applied in connection with such
sale to the retirement of outstanding Funded Debt in accordance
with Section 6.03(c)) and (b) a fraction, the numerator
of which is the number of full years of the term of the lease
relating to such property (without regard to any options to renew
or extend such term) remaining at the time of the determination of
such value and the denominator of which is the number of full years
of such term at the time of such sale.
“ Withdrawal Liability
” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a
complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as
such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of
Title IV of ERISA.
SECTION 1.02. Classification of
Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may
be classified and referred to by Class ( e.g. , a
“Revolving Loan”) or by Type ( e.g. , a
“Eurocurrency Loan”) or by Currency ( e.g. , a
“Dollar Loan”) or by Class, Type and Currency (
e.g. , a “Eurocurrency Dollar Revolving Loan”).
Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (
e.g. , a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (
e.g. , a “Eurocurrency Borrowing”) or by
Currency ( e.g. , a “Dollar Borrowing”) or by
Class, Type and Currency ( e.g. , a “Eurocurrency
Dollar Revolving Borrowing”).
SECTION 1.03. Terms
Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally
to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the
context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding
masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words
“include”, “includes” and
“including” shall be deemed to be followed by the
phrase “without limitation”. The word
“will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and
effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires
otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement,
instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to
time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any
restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set
forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be
construed to include such Person’s successors
18
and assigns (subject to any restrictions on such
assignments set forth herein), (c) the words
“herein”, “hereof” and
“hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be
construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any
particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to
Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to
refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to,
this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and
“property” shall be construed to have the same meaning
and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible
assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and
contract rights.
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms;
GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms
of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in
accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time;
provided that, if the Company notifies the Administrative
Agent that the Company requests an amendment to any provision
hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the
date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation
of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the
Company that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any
provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such
notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the
application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on
the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such
change shall have become effective until such notice shall have
been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance
herewith.
ARTICLE II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Revolving
Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans in Dollars or in
any Alternative Committed Currency to the Company or Fortune Brands
UK from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate
principal amount that will not result in (a) such
Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such
Lender’s Revolving Commitment or (b) the Total Credit
Exposure exceeding the total Revolving Commitments. Within the
foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, each Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving
Loans. Revolving Loans repaid on or after the Termination Date may
not be reborrowed.
SECTION 2.02. Loans and
Borrowings. (a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part
of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders
ratably in accordance with their respective Revolving Commitments.
Each Competitive Loan and Negotiated Rate Loan shall be made in
accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.04. The
failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it
shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder;
provided that the Revolving Commitments and Competitive Bids
of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for
any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as
required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.12,
(i) each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of
ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Loans as the applicable Borrower
may
19
request in accordance herewith (except that a
Revolving Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Committed
Currency must be comprised entirely of Eurocurrency Loans),
(ii) each Competitive Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of
Eurocurrency Loans or Fixed Rate Loans as the applicable Borrower
may request in accordance herewith and (iii) each Negotiated
Rate Loan shall be denominated in Dollars or an Alternative
Currency as agreed between the applicable Borrower and the
applicable Lender. Each Lender at its option may make any
Eurocurrency Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or
Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that
any exercise of such option shall not (a) affect the
obligation of the applicable Borrower to repay such Loan in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement or (b) result in
the Borrower incurring any additional cost or expense (including
pursuant to Section 2.13, 2.15 or 2.18).
(c) At the commencement of each
Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Borrowing, such Borrowing
shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000. At the time that each ABR
Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount
that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than
$1,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an
aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the
total Revolving Commitments. Each Competitive Borrowing shall be in
an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and
not less than $1,000,000. Each Negotiated Rate Borrowing shall be
in an aggregate amount that is separately agreed between the
applicable Borrower and the applicable Lender. Subject to
Section 2.12, Loans made pursuant to any Alternative Currency
Borrowing shall be made in the Alternative Currency specified in
the applicable Borrowing Request or Competitive Bid Request in an
aggregate amount equal to the Alternative Currency Equivalent of
the Dollar amount specified in such Borrowing Request or, in the
case of a Competitive Borrowing, the Dollar amount accepted
pursuant to Section 2.04 (in each case as determined by J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited based upon the applicable Spot Exchange Rate
as of the Denomination Date for such Borrowing (which determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error)); provided that
for purposes of the borrowing amounts specified above, each
Alternative Currency Borrowing shall be deemed to be in a principal
amount equal to its Assigned Dollar Value. Borrowings of more than
one Type, Class and Currency may be outstanding at the same time;
provided that there shall not at any time be more than a
total of eight Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowings outstanding in any
Currency.
(d) Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, the Borrowers shall not be entitled to
request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing (other
than to continue a Borrowing denominated in an Alternative
Committed Currency for a one-month Interest Period, which shall not
affect the applicable Borrower’s obligations to repay such
Borrowing on the Termination Date (or, if the Term-Out Option is
exercised, on the Extended Maturity Date), together with accrued
interest thereon and any other amounts payable pursuant to
Section 2.14, if any) if the Interest Period requested with
respect thereto would end after the Termination Date (or, if the
Term-Out Option is exercised, the Extended Maturity
Date).
20
SECTION 2.03. Requests for
Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the
applicable Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and, in
the case of Revolving Borrowings denominated in any Alternative
Committed Currency, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, of such request by
telephone (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing
denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., New
York City time, three Business Days before the date of the
proposed Borrowing, (b) in the case of a Eurocurrency
Borrowing denominated in an Alternative Committed Currency, not
later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days
before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (c) in the case
of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:30 a.m., New York City
time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic
Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed
promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent
(and, in the case of an Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P. Morgan
Europe Limited) of a written Borrowing Request in the form of
Exhibit E or any other form approved by the Administrative
Agent and signed by the applicable Borrower. Each such telephonic
and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following
information in compliance with Section 2.02
:
(i) the Borrower in respect of the
requested Borrowing;
(ii) the aggregate amount (expressed
in Dollars) and Currency (which must be Dollars or an Alternative
Committed Currency) of the requested Borrowing;
(iii) the requested Borrowing Date,
which shall be a Business Day;
(iv) whether such Borrowing is to be
an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing;
(v) in the case of a Eurocurrency
Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto,
which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term
“Interest Period”; and
(vi) the location and number of the
applicable Borrower’s account to which funds are to be
disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of
Section 2.05.
If no election as to the Type of
Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving
Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing (if denominated in Dollars) or
a Eurocurrency Borrowing (if denominated in an Alternative
Committed Currency). If no election as to the Currency of the
requested Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested
Revolving Borrowing shall be denominated in Dollars. If no Interest
Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency
Revolving Borrowing, then the applicable Borrower shall be deemed
to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
If no election as to the identity of the Borrower is specified, the
requested Revolving Borrowing shall be made by the Company.
Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance
with this Section, the Administrative Agent (in the case of
Revolving Borrowings denominated in Dollars) or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited
21
(in the case of Revolving Borrowings denominated
in any Alternative Committed Currency) shall advise each applicable
Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such
Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested
Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04. Competitive Bid and
Negotiated Rate Loan Procedures. (a) Subject to the terms
and conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the
Availability Period either Borrower may request Competitive Bids
and may (but shall not have any obligation to) accept Competitive
Bids and borrow Competitive Loans denominated in Dollars or any
Alternative Currency; provided that the Total Credit
Exposure at any time shall not exceed the total Revolving
Commitments. To request Competitive Bids, the applicable Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent and, in the case of a
Borrowing denominated in any Alternative Currency, J.P. Morgan
Europe Limited, of such request by telephone, (i) in the case
of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not later than
11:00 a.m., New York City time, four Business Days before the date
of the proposed Borrowing, (ii) in the case of a Eurocurrency
Borrowing denominated in any Alternative Currency, not later than
9:00 a.m., New York City time, four Business Days before the date
of the proposed Borrowing, and (iii) in the case of a Fixed
Rate Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, one
Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing;
provided that the Borrowers may submit up to (but not more
than) two Competitive Bid Requests on the same day, but a
Competitive Bid Request shall not be made within five Business Days
after the date of any previous Competitive Bid Request from either
Borrower, unless any and all such previous Competitive Bid Requests
shall have been withdrawn or all Competitive Bids received in
response thereto rejected. Each such telephonic Competitive Bid
Request shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to
the Administrative Agent and, if applicable, J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, of a written Competitive Bid Request in a form approved by
the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as
applicable, and signed by the applicable Borrower. Each such
telephonic and written Competitive Bid Request shall specify the
following information in compliance with Section 2.02
:
(i) the aggregate amount (expressed
in Dollars) and Currency of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the requested Borrowing Date,
which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such Borrowing is to
be a Eurocurrency Borrowing or a Fixed Rate Borrowing;
(iv) the Interest Period to be
applicable to such Borrowing, which shall be a period contemplated
by the definition of the term “Interest
Period”;
(v) the location and number of the
applicable Borrower’s account to which funds are to be
disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of
Section 2.05 ; and
(vi) the identity of the Borrower in
respect of such Borrowing.
22
Promptly following receipt of a Competitive Bid
Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent
or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable, shall notify the
Lenders of the details thereof by telecopy, inviting such Lenders
to submit Competitive Bids.
(b) Each Lender may (but shall not
have any obligation to) make one or more Competitive Bids to the
applicable Borrower in response to a Competitive Bid Request. Each
Competitive Bid by a Lender must be in a form approved by the
Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable,
and must be received by the Administrative Agent (and, in the case
of an Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited)
by telecopy, (i) in the case of a Eurocurrency Competitive
Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m.,
New York City time, three Business Days before the proposed date of
such Competitive Borrowing, (ii) in the case of a Eurocurrency
Competitive Borrowing denominated in any Alternative Currency, not
later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days
before the proposed date of such Competitive Borrowing and
(iii) in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than
12:00 noon, New York City time, on the proposed date of such
Competitive Borrowing. Competitive Bids that do not conform
substantially to the form approved by the Administrative Agent may
be rejected by the Administrative Agent and the Administrative
Agent shall notify the applicable Lender as promptly as
practicable. Each Competitive Bid shall specify (i) the
principal amount (expressed in Dollars and which shall be a minimum
of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and which may
equal the entire principal amount of the Competitive Borrowing
requested by the applicable Borrower) and Currency of the
Competitive Loan or Loans that the Lender is willing to make,
(ii) the Competitive Bid Rate or Rates at which the Lender is
prepared to make such Loan or Loans (expressed as a percentage rate
per annum in the form of a decimal to no more than four decimal
places) and (iii) the Interest Period applicable to each such
Loan and the last day thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent or J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable, shall promptly notify the
applicable Borrower by telecopy of the Competitive Bid Rate and the
principal amount specified in each Competitive Bid and the identity
of the Lender that shall have made such Competitive Bid.
(d) Subject only to the provisions
of this paragraph, the applicable Borrower may accept or reject any
Competitive Bid. Such Borrower shall notify the Administrative
Agent (and, in the case of an Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited) by telephone, confirmed by telecopy in a
form approved by the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, as applicable, whether and to what extent it has decided
to accept or reject each Competitive Bid (i) in the case of a
Eurocurrency Competitive Borrowing denominated in Dollars, not
later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days
before the date of the proposed Competitive Borrowing, (ii) in
the case of a Eurocurrency Competitive Borrowing denominated in an
Alternative Currency, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City
time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed
Competitive Borrowing and (iii) in the case of a Fixed Rate
Borrowing, not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the
proposed date of the Competitive Borrowing; provided that
(i) the failure of such Borrower to give
23
such notice shall be deemed to be a rejection of
each Competitive Bid, (ii) such Borrower shall not accept a
Competitive Bid made at a particular Competitive Bid Rate if such
Borrower rejects a Competitive Bid made at a lower Competitive Bid
Rate, (iii) the aggregate amount of the Competitive Bids
accepted by such Borrower shall not exceed the aggregate amount of
the requested Competitive Borrowing specified in the related
Competitive Bid Request, (iv) to the extent necessary to
comply with clause (iii) above, such Borrower may accept
Competitive Bids at the same Competitive Bid Rate in part, which
acceptance, in the case of multiple Competitive Bids at such
Competitive Bid Rate, shall be made pro rata in accordance with the
amount of each such Competitive Bid, and (v) except pursuant
to clause (iv) above, no Competitive Bid shall be accepted for
a Competitive Loan unless such Competitive Loan is in a minimum
principal amount of $5,000,000 and an integral multiple of
$1,000,000; provided further that if a Competitive
Loan must be in an amount less than $5,000,000 because of the
provisions of clause (iv) above, such Competitive Loan may be
for a minimum amount of $1,000,000 or any integral multiple
thereof, and in calculating the pro rata allocation of acceptances
of portions of multiple Competitive Bids at a particular
Competitive Bid Rate pursuant to clause (iv) the amounts shall
be rounded to integral multiples of $1,000,000 in a manner
determined by such Borrower. A notice given by such Borrower
pursuant to this paragraph shall be irrevocable.
(e) The Administrative Agent or J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable, shall promptly notify each
bidding Lender by telecopy whether or not its Competitive Bid has
been accepted (and, if so, the amount and Competitive Bid Rate so
accepted), and each successful bidder will thereupon become bound,
subject to the terms and conditions hereof, to make the Competitive
Loan in respect of which its Competitive Bid has been
accepted.
(f) If the Administrative Agent
shall elect to submit a Competitive Bid in its capacity as a
Lender, it shall submit such Competitive Bid directly to the
applicable Borrower at least one quarter of an hour earlier than
the time by which the other Lenders are required to submit their
Competitive Bids to the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph
(b) of this Section.
(g) Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth herein, from time to time during the
Availability Period either Borrower may make Negotiated Rate Loan
Requests to any Lender or Lenders and may (but shall not have any
obligation to) borrow Negotiated Rate Loans denominated in Dollars
or any Alternative Currency; provided that the Total Credit
Exposure at any time shall not exceed the total Revolving
Commitments. If the applicable Borrower and any Lender agree to the
terms of a Negotiated Rate Loan to be made on a Borrowing Date
pursuant to a Negotiated Rate Loan Request, such Borrower and such
Lender shall promptly notify by telephone the Administrative Agent
and, if applicable, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited of the aggregate
amount (expressed in Dollars) and Currency of the Negotiated Rate
Loan to be made on such Borrowing Date, the Borrower with respect
thereto and the respective interest rate, Interest Period and
Interest Payment Dates therefor. Each Lender that agrees to make a
Negotiated Rate Loan shall, at such time, on such Borrowing Date
and at such location as shall be mutually agreed upon between such
Borrower and such Lender, make available to such Borrower the
amount of the Negotiated Rate Loan to be made by such Lender, in
immediately available funds.
24
SECTION 2.05. Funding of
Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Revolving Loan
denominated in Dollars (other than any Negotiated Rate Loan) to be
made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer
of immediately available funds by 2:00 p.m., New York City time (or
time of such other city designated by the Administrative Agent), to
the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by
it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. Each Lender shall
make each Loan (other than any Negotiated Rate Loan) denominated in
an Alternative Currency to be made by it hereunder on the proposed
date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by
1:00 p.m., London time (or time of such other city designated by
J.P. Morgan Europe Limited), to the account of J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice
to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, as applicable, will make such Loans available to the
applicable Borrower by promptly crediting, before 2:00 p.m. Local
Time, the amounts so received, in like funds, to an account of such
Borrower maintained with (i) the Administrative Agent in New
York City, in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars, and
(ii) J.P. Morgan Europe Limited in London (or such other city
as J.P. Morgan Europe Limited may designate in respect of the
applicable currency), in the case of Loans denominated in any
Alternative Currency, in each case designated by such Borrower in
the applicable Borrowing Request or Competitive Bid Request. Each
Lender making a Negotiated Rate Loan shall make such Loan on the
date, at the time and to the account of the applicable Borrower
separately agreed between such Lender and such Borrower.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent
(and, in the case of an Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P. Morgan
Europe Limited) shall have received notice from a Lender prior to
the proposed date of any Borrowing (other than any Negotiated Rate
Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the
Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable,
such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative
Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable, may assume that
such Lender has made such share available on such date in
accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in
reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable
Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not
in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the
Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable,
then the applicable Lender and the applicable Borrower severally
agree to pay to the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, as applicable, forthwith on demand such corresponding
amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the
date such amount is made available to such Borrower to but
excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent or J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable, at (i) in the case of
such Lender, the greater of (A)(1) the Federal Funds Effective Rate
in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars and (2) the rate
reasonably determined by J.P. Morgan Europe Limited to be the cost
to it of funding such amount, in the case of Loans denominated in
any other Currency, and (B) a rate determined by the
Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, as applicable,
in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation
or (ii) in the case of such Borrower, the higher of
(A) the interest rate applicable to the Loan in
25
respect of which such payment is owed or
(B) the Administrative Agent’s or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited’s cost of funds, as applicable. If such Lender pays
such amount to the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, as applicable, then such amount shall constitute such
Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.06. Interest
Elections. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be
of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in
the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, shall have an
initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request.
Thereafter, the applicable Borrower may elect to convert such
Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in
the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods
therefor, all as provided in this Section, provided that the
Currency of a Revolving Borrowing may not be changed in connection
with any continuation or conversion of the Interest Period
therefor. Alternative Currency Revolving Borrowings may only be
Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowings and may not be converted to ABR
Revolving Borrowings. The applicable Borrower may elect different
options with respect to different portions of the affected
Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated
ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such
Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be
considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to
Competitive Borrowings or Negotiated Rate Borrowings, which may not
be converted or continued.
(b) To make an election pursuant to
this Section, the applicable Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent (and, in the case of an Alternative Currency
Borrowing, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) of such election by
telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required
under Section 2.03 if such Borrower were requesting a
Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be
made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic
Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be
confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the
Administrative Agent (and, in the case of an Alternative Currency
Borrowing, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) of a written Interest
Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and
signed by the applicable Borrower.
(c) Each telephonic and written
Interest Election Request shall specify the following information
in compliance with Section 2.02 :
(i) the Borrowing to which such
Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are
being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the
portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in
which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses
(iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each
resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the
election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which
shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting
Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing (in the case of Loans
denominated in Dollars only) or a Eurocurrency Borrowing;
and
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(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a
Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable
thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a
period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest
Period”.
If any such Interest Election
Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing but does not specify an
Interest Period, then the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to
have selected an Interest Period of one month’s
duration.
(d) Promptly following receipt of an
Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan
Europe Limited, as applicable, shall advise each applicable Lender
of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each
resulting Borrowing.
(e) If the applicable Borrower fails
to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a
Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest
Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as
provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing
shall be continued as a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing with an
Interest Period of one month’s duration. Notwithstanding any
contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing and the Administrative Agent or J.P. Morgan Europe
Limited, as applicable, at the request of the Required Lenders, so
notifies the applicable Borrower, then, so long as an Event of
Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Revolving Borrowing
may be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing
(except as provided in clause (iii) below), (ii) unless
repaid, each Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in
Dollars shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the
Interest Period applicable thereto and (iii) unless repaid,
each Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in an Alternative
Committed Currency shall be continued as a Eurocurrency Revolving
Borrowing with an Interest Period of one month’s duration at
the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.07. Termination and
Reduction of Revolving Commitments. (a) Unless previously
terminated, the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the
Termination Date.
(b) The Company may at any time
terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Revolving Commitments;
provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving
Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (ii) the Company
shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments if, after
giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in
accordance with Section 2.09 , the Total Credit
Exposure would exceed the total Revolving Commitments.
(c) The Company shall notify the
Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the
Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at
least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such
termination or reduction, specifying such election and the
effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice,
the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents
thereof. Each
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notice delivered by the Company pursuant to this
Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of
termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Company
may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of
other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked
by the Company (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior
to the specified effective date) if such condition is not
satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving
Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Revolving
Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance
with their respective Revolving Commitments.
SECTION 2.08. Repayment of
Loans; Evidence of Debt. (a) Each Borrower hereby
unconditionally promises to pay (i) on the Termination Date
(or, if the Term-Out Option is exercised, on the Extended Maturity
Date) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender
the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan denominated
in Dollars owed by such Borrower, (ii) on the Termination Date
(or, if the Term-Out Option is exercised, on the Extended Maturity
Date) to J.P. Morgan Europe Limited for the account of each Lender
the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan denominated
in an Alternative Currency owed by such Borrower, (iii) to the
Administrative Agent (or, in the case of an Alternative Currency
Borrowing, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited) for the account of each
Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Competitive Loan
owed by such Borrower on the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to such Loan and (iv) to the applicable Lender the
then unpaid principal amount of each Negotiated Rate Loan owed by
such Borrower on the earlier of the Termination Date and the last
day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan.
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in
accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts
evidencing the indebtedness of each Borrower to such Lender
resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts
of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time
to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent (and,
in the case of an Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P. Morgan
Europe Limited) shall maintain accounts in which it shall record
(i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Borrower
thereof, the Class, Type and Currency thereof and the Interest
Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or
interest due and payable or to become due and payable from each
Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any
sum received by the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of an
Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P. Morgan Europe Limited)
hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s
share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts
maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this
Section shall be prima facie evidence of the
existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein;
provided that the failure of any Lender, the Administrative
Agent (or, in the case of an Alternative Currency Borrowing, J.P.
Morgan Europe Limited) to maintain such accounts or any error
therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of either
Borrower to repay its Loans in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
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(e) Any Lender may request that
Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event,
the applicable Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such
Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or,
if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered
assigns) and (i) with respect to any Revolving Loan,
substanti