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Exhibit
10.1
U.S.$1,000,000,000
364-DAY REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
Dated as of April 15,
2005
Among
ALTRIA GROUP,
INC.
and
THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED
HEREIN
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
N.A.
and
CITIBANK,
N.A.
as
Administrative Agents
and
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST
BOSTON, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
and
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES
INC.
as Syndication
Agents
and
ABN AMRO BANK
N.V.
and
BNP PARIBAS
and
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
and
UBS SECURITIES
LLC
as Arrangers
and Documentation Agents
* * * * * * * * *
*
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES
INC., CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST
BOSTON, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH and DEUTSCHE
BANK SECURITIES
INC.
as Joint
Lead Arrangers and
Bookrunners
Table of
Contents
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS |
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1 |
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Section 1.01.
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Certain
Defined Terms |
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1 |
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Section 1.02.
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Computation of Time Periods |
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10 |
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Section 1.03.
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Accounting Terms |
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10 |
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ARTICLE II
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AMOUNTS
AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES |
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11 |
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Section 2.01.
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The Pro
Rata Advances |
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11 |
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Section 2.02.
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Making
the Pro Rata Advances |
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11 |
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Section 2.03.
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Repayment
of Pro Rata Advances |
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13 |
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Section 2.04.
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Interest
on Pro Rata Advances |
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13 |
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Section 2.05.
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Additional Interest on LIBO Rate Advances |
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13 |
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Section 2.06.
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Conversion of Pro Rata Advances |
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14 |
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Section 2.07.
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The
Competitive Bid Advances |
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14 |
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Section 2.08.
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LIBO Rate
Determination |
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18 |
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Section 2.09.
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Fees |
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20 |
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Section 2.10.
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Termination or Reduction of the Commitments |
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20 |
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Section 2.11.
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Prepayments |
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20 |
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Section 2.12.
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Increased
Costs |
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21 |
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Section 2.13.
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Illegality |
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22 |
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Section 2.14.
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Payments
and Computations |
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22 |
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Section 2.15.
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Taxes |
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23 |
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Section 2.16.
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Sharing
of Payments, Etc. |
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25 |
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Section 2.17.
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Evidence
of Debt |
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26 |
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Section 2.18.
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Use of
Proceeds |
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26 |
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ARTICLE III
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CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING |
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27 |
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Section 3.01.
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Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness |
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27 |
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Section 3.02.
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Initial
Advance to Each Designated Subsidiary |
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28 |
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Section 3.03.
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Conditions Precedent to Each Pro Rata Borrowing |
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29 |
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Section 3.04.
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Conditions Precedent to Each Competitive Bid
Borrowing |
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29 |
i
Table of
Contents
(continued)
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Page
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ARTICLE IV
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
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30 |
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Section 4.01.
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Representations and Warranties of Altria |
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30 |
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ARTICLE V
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COVENANTS
OF ALTRIA |
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31 |
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Section 5.01.
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Affirmative Covenants |
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31 |
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Section 5.02.
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Negative
Covenants |
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32 |
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ARTICLE VI
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EVENTS OF
DEFAULT |
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34 |
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Section 6.01.
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Events of
Default |
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34 |
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Section 6.02.
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Lenders’ Rights upon Event of Default |
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35 |
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ARTICLE VII
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THE
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENTS |
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36 |
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Section 7.01.
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Authorization and Action |
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36 |
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Section 7.02.
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Administrative Agents’ Reliance, Etc. |
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36 |
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Section 7.03.
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JPMorgan
Chase, Citibank and Affiliates |
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37 |
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Section 7.04.
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Lender
Credit Decision |
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37 |
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Section 7.05.
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Indemnification |
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37 |
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Section 7.06.
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Successor
Administrative Agents |
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38 |
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Section 7.07.
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Syndication Agents and Arrangers and Documentation
Agents |
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38 |
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ARTICLE VIII
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GUARANTY |
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39 |
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Section 8.01.
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Guaranty |
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39 |
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Section 8.02.
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Guaranty
Absolute |
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39 |
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Section 8.03.
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Waivers |
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39 |
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Section 8.04.
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Continuing Guaranty |
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40 |
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ARTICLE IX
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MISCELLANEOUS |
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40 |
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Section 9.01.
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Amendments, Etc. |
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40 |
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Section 9.02.
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Notices,
Etc. |
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41 |
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Section 9.03.
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No
Waiver; Remedies |
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42 |
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Section 9.04.
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Costs and
Expenses |
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42 |
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Section 9.05.
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Right of
Set-Off |
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43 |
ii
Table of
Contents
(continued)
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Page
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Section 9.06.
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Binding
Effect |
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44 |
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Section 9.07.
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Assignments and Participations |
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44 |
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Section 9.08.
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Designated Subsidiaries |
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47 |
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Section 9.09.
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Governing
Law |
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47 |
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Section 9.10.
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Execution
in Counterparts |
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47 |
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Section 9.11.
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Jurisdiction, Etc. |
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47 |
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Section 9.12.
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Confidentiality |
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48 |
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Section 9.13.
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Integration |
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48 |
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Section 9.14.
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USA
Patriot Act Notice |
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49 |
SCHEDULE
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Schedule I
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List of
Applicable Lending Offices |
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Schedule II
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- |
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Certain
Subsidiary Information |
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EXHIBITS
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Exhibit A-1
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Form of
Pro Rata Note |
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Exhibit A-2
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Form of
Competitive Bid Note |
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Exhibit B-1
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Form of
Notice of Pro Rata Borrowing |
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Exhibit B-2
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- |
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Form of
Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing |
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Exhibit C
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- |
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Form of
Assignment and Acceptance |
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Exhibit D
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Form of
Designation Agreement |
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Exhibit E-1
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Form of
Opinion of Counsel for Altria |
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Exhibit E-2
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- |
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Form of
Opinion of Counsel for Altria |
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Exhibit F
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- |
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Form of
Opinion of Counsel for Designated Subsidiary |
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Exhibit G
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Form of
Opinion of Counsel for JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent |
iii
364-DAY REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
Dated as of April 15,
2005
ALTRIA GROUP, INC., a
Virginia corporation (“ Altria ”), the banks,
financial institutions and other institutional lenders (the “
Initial Lenders ”) listed on the signature pages
hereof, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (“ JPMorgan
Chase ”) and CITIBANK, N.A. (“ Citibank
”), as administrative agents (each, in such capacity, an
“ Administrative Agent ”), CREDIT SUISSE FIRST
BOSTON, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH and DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC., as
syndication agents (each, in such capacity, a “
Syndication Agent ”) and ABN AMRO BANK N.V., BNP
PARIBAS, HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AND UBS SECURITIES
LLC, as arrangers and documentation agents (each, in such capacity,
an “ Arranger and Documentation Agent ”) for the
Lenders (as hereinafter defined), agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING
TERMS
Section 1.01. Certain
Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms
shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined):
“ Advance
” means a Pro Rata Advance or a Competitive Bid
Advance.
“ Agents ”
means each Administrative Agent, each Syndication Agent and each
Arranger and Documentation Agent.
“ Applicable
Facility Fee Rate ” means, for any period, a percentage
per annum equal to 0.1000%.
“ Applicable
Interest Rate Margin ” means for any Interest Period a
percentage per annum equal to 0.4000% provided that for any
day during any Interest Period that the aggregate amount of
Advances outstanding under this Agreement and the 5-Year Facility
exceeds 50% of the aggregate amount of Commitments under this
Agreement and commitments under the 5-Year Facility, the Applicable
Interest Rate Margin shall be increased by 0.1000% per
annum.
“ Applicable Lending
Office ” means, with respect to each Lender, such
Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Pro Rata
Advance and, in the case of a Competitive Bid Advance, the office
of such Lender notified by such Lender to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, as its Applicable Lending Office with respect
to such Competitive Bid Advance.
“ Assignment and
Acceptance ” means an assignment and acceptance entered
into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee, and accepted by JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of
Exhibit C hereto.
“ Base Rate
” means a fluctuating interest rate per annum in effect from
time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to
the higher of:
(i) the rate of interest
announced publicly by JPMorgan Chase in New York, New York, from
time to time, as JPMorgan Chase’s prime rate; and
(ii) 1/2 of one percent per
annum above the Federal Funds Effective Rate.
“ Base Rate
Advance ” means a Pro Rata Advance that bears interest as
provided in Section 2.04(a)(i).
“ Board ”
means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the
United States (or any successor).
“ Borrowers
” means, collectively, Altria and each Designated Subsidiary
that shall become a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section
9.08.
“ Borrowing
” means a Pro Rata Borrowing or a Competitive Bid
Borrowing.
“ Business Day
” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or
authorized by law to close in New York City and, if the applicable
Business Day relates to any LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid
Advances, on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank
market and banks are open for business in London.
“ Commitment
” means as to any Lender (i) the Dollar amount set forth
opposite such Lender’s name on the signature pages hereof or
(ii) if such Lender has entered into an Assignment and Acceptance,
the Dollar amount set forth for such Lender in the Register
maintained by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, pursuant to
Section 9.07(d), in each case as such amount may be reduced
pursuant to Section 2.10.
“ Competitive Bid
Advance ” means an advance by a Lender to any Borrower as
part of a Competitive Bid Borrowing resulting from the competitive
bidding procedure described in Section 2.07 and refers to a Fixed
Rate Bid Advance or a Floating Rate Bid Advance.
“ Competitive Bid
Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous
Competitive Bid Advances from each of the Lenders whose offer to
make one or more Competitive Bid Advances as part of such borrowing
has been accepted under the competitive bidding procedure described
in Section 2.07.
“ Competitive Bid
Note ” means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to
the order of any Lender, in substantially the form of Exhibit A-2
hereto, evidencing the indebtedness of such Borrower to such Lender
resulting from a Competitive Bid Advance made by such Lender to
such Borrower.
“ Competitive Bid
Reduction ” has the meaning specified in Section
2.01.
2
“ Consolidated
Tangible Assets ” means the total assets appearing on a
consolidated balance sheet of Altria and its Subsidiaries (as
reduced by the total assets appearing on the consolidated balance
sheet of Kraft Foods Inc. and its Subsidiaries), less goodwill and
other intangible assets and the minority interests of other Persons
in such Subsidiaries (as reduced by the goodwill and other
intangible assets of Kraft Foods Inc. and its Subsidiaries and the
minority interests of other Persons in such Subsidiaries), all as
determined in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States, except that if there has been a
material change in an accounting principle as compared to that
applied in the preparation of the financial statements of Altria
and its Subsidiaries as at and for the year ended December 31,
2004, then such new accounting principle shall not be used in the
determination of Consolidated Tangible Assets. A material change in
an accounting principle is one that, in the year of its adoption,
changes Consolidated Tangible Assets at any quarter in such year by
more than 10%.
“ Convert
,” “ Conversion ” and “
Converted ” each refers to a conversion of Pro Rata
Advances of one Type into Pro Rata Advances of the other Type
pursuant to Section 2.06, 2.08 or 2.13.
“ Debt ”
means, without duplication, (a) indebtedness for borrowed money or
for the deferred purchase price of property or services, whether or
not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments,
(b) obligations as lessee under leases that, in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, are
recorded as capital leases, (c) obligations as an account party or
applicant under letters of credit (other than trade letters of
credit incurred in the ordinary course of business) to the extent
such letters of credit are drawn and not reimbursed within five
Business Days of such drawing, (d) the aggregate principal (or
equivalent) amount of financing raised through outstanding
securitization financings of accounts receivable, and (e)
obligations under direct or indirect guaranties in respect of, and
obligations (contingent or otherwise) to purchase or otherwise
acquire, or otherwise to assure a creditor against loss (including
by way of (i) granting a security interest or other Lien on
property or (ii) having a reimbursement obligation under or in
respect of a letter of credit or similar arrangement (to the extent
such letter of credit is not collateralized by assets (other than
Operating Assets) having a fair value equal to the amount of such
reimbursement obligation), in either case in respect of,
indebtedness or obligations of any other Person of the kinds
referred to in clause (a), (b), (c) or (d) above). For the
avoidance of doubt, the following shall not constitute
“Debt” for purposes of this Agreement: (A) any
obligation that is fully non-recourse to Altria or any of its
Subsidiaries, (B) intercompany debt of Altria or any of its
Subsidiaries, (C) any appeal bond or other arrangement to secure a
stay of execution on a judgment or order, provided that any such
appeal bond or other arrangement issued by a third party in
connection with such arrangement shall constitute Debt to the
extent Altria or any of its Subsidiaries has a reimbursement
obligation to such third party that is not collateralized by assets
(other than Operating Assets) having a fair value equal to the
amount of such reimbursement obligation, (D) unpaid judgments, or
(E) defeased indebtedness.
“ Default
” means any event specified in Section 6.01 that would
constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that notice
be given or time elapse or both.
3
“ Designated
Subsidiary ” means any wholly-owned Subsidiary of Altria
designated for borrowing privileges under this Agreement pursuant
to Section 9.08.
“ Designation
Agreement ” means, with respect to any Designated
Subsidiary, an agreement in the form of Exhibit D hereto signed by
such Designated Subsidiary and Altria.
“ Dollars
” and the “ $ ” sign each means lawful
currency of the United States of America.
“ Domestic Lending
Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of
such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office”
opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender, or such other
office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify
to Altria and JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent.
“ Earnings Before
Income Taxes ” means, for any accounting period, income
or loss from continuing operations for such period, as determined
in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States, plus total federal, state and foreign income taxes
which have been included in the determination of earnings or losses
from continuing operations for such period in accordance with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and
amounts which, in the determination of earnings or losses from
continuing operations for such period, have been deducted for the
items referred to in the definition of the term “Fixed
Charges,” except that if there has been a material change in
an accounting principle as compared to that applied in the
preparation of the financial statements of Altria and its
Subsidiaries as at and for the year ended December 31, 2004, then
such new accounting principle shall not be used in the
determination of Earnings Before Income Taxes. A material change in
an accounting principle is one that, in the year of its adoption,
changes Earnings Before Income Taxes or Fixed Charges for any
quarter in such year by more than 10%.
“ Effective Date
” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.
“ Eligible
Assignee ” means (i) a commercial bank organized under
the laws of the United States, or any State thereof, and having
total assets in excess of $5,000,000,000; (ii) a commercial bank
organized under the laws of any other country which is a member of
the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (or any
successor) (“ OECD ”), or a political
subdivision of any such country, and having total assets in excess
of $5,000,000,000, provided that such bank is acting through a
branch or agency located in the country in which it is organized or
another country which is also a member of the OECD or the Cayman
Islands; (iii) the central bank of any country which is a member of
the OECD; (iv) a commercial finance company or finance Subsidiary
of a corporation organized under the laws of the United States, or
any State thereof, and having total assets in excess of
$3,000,000,000; (v) an insurance company organized under the laws
of the United States, or any State thereof, and having total assets
in excess of $5,000,000,000; (vi) any Lender; (vii) an affiliate of
any Lender; and (viii) any other bank, commercial finance company,
insurance company or other Person approved in
4
writing by Altria, which
approval shall be notified to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent.
“ ERISA ”
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and
rulings issued thereunder.
“ ERISA
Affiliate ” means any Person that for purposes of Title
IV of ERISA is a member of any Borrower’s controlled group,
or under common control with any Borrower, within the meaning of
Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.
“ ERISA Event
” means (a) (i) the occurrence with respect to a Plan of a
reportable event, within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA,
unless the 30-day notice requirement with respect thereto has been
waived by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any
successor) (“ PBGC ”), or (ii) the requirements
of subsection (1) of Section 4043(b) of ERISA (without regard to
subsection (2) of such section) are met with respect to a
contributing sponsor, as defined in Section 4001(a)(13) of ERISA,
of a Plan, and an event described in paragraph (9), (10), (11),
(12) or (13) of Section 4043(c) of ERISA is reasonably expected to
occur with respect to such Plan within the following 30 days; (b)
the application for a minimum funding waiver with respect to a
Plan; (c) the provision by the administrator of any Plan of a
notice of intent to terminate such Plan, pursuant to Section
4041(a)(2) of ERISA (including any such notice with respect to a
plan amendment referred to in Section 4041(e) of ERISA); (d) the
cessation of operations at a facility of any Borrower or Altria or
any of their ERISA Affiliates in the circumstances described in
Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (e) the withdrawal by any Borrower or
Altria or any of their ERISA Affiliates from a Multiple Employer
Plan during a plan year for which it was a substantial employer, as
defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (f) the conditions set
forth in Section 302(f)(1)(A) and (B) of ERISA to the creation of a
lien upon property or rights to property of any Borrower or Altria
or any of their ERISA Affiliates for failure to make a required
payment to a Plan are satisfied; (g) the adoption of an amendment
to a Plan requiring the provision of security to such Plan,
pursuant to Section 307 of ERISA; or (h) the termination of a Plan
by the PBGC pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA, or the occurrence of
any event or condition described in Section 4042 of ERISA that
constitutes grounds for the termination of, or the appointment of a
trustee to administer, a Plan.
“ Eurocurrency
Liabilities ” has the meaning assigned to that term in
Regulation D of the Board, as in effect from time to
time.
“ Eurocurrency
Lending Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the
office of such Lender specified as its “Eurocurrency Lending
Office” opposite its name on Schedule I hereto or in the
Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender (or,
if no such office is specified, its Domestic Lending Office), or
such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to
time specify to Altria and JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent.
5
“ Eurocurrency Rate
Reserve Percentage ” for any Interest Period, for all
LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances comprising part of
the same Borrowing, means the reserve percentage applicable two
Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period under
regulations issued from time to time by the Board for determining
the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any
emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) for
a member bank of the Federal Reserve System in New York City with
respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including
Eurocurrency Liabilities (or with respect to any other category of
liabilities that includes deposits by reference to which the
interest rate on LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances
is determined) having a term equal to such Interest
Period.
“ Event of
Default ” has the meaning specified in Section
6.01.
“ Existing Loan
Agreement ” means Altria’s existing
U.S.$5,000,000,000 5-Year Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of
July 24, 2001.
“ Federal Bankruptcy
Code ” means the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, as
amended from time to time.
“ Federal Funds
Effective Rate ” means, for any period, a fluctuating
interest rate per annum equal, for each day during such period, to
the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds
transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by
Federal funds brokers, as published for such day (or, if such day
is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) on
Telerate Page 120 (or any successor page), or, if such rate is not
so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the
quotations for such day on such transactions received by JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, from three Federal funds brokers of
recognized standing selected by it.
“ 5-Year
Facility ” means the U.S.$4,000,000,000 5-Year Revolving
Credit Agreement dated as of April 15, 2005 among Altria and the
agents and lenders parties thereto.
“ Fixed Charges
” means, for any accounting period, the sum of (a) interest,
whether expensed or capitalized, in respect of any Debt outstanding
during such period, plus (b) amortization of debt expense
and discount or premium relating to any Debt outstanding during
such period, whether expensed or capitalized, plus (c) such
portion of rental expense as can be demonstrated to be
representative of the interest factor in the particular case, all
as to be applicable to continuing operations and determined in
accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States, except that if there has been a material change in
an accounting principle as compared to that applied in the
preparation of the financial statements of Altria as at and for the
year ended December 31, 2004, then such new accounting principle
shall not be used in the determination of Fixed Charges. A material
change in an accounting principle is one that, in the year of its
adoption, changes Earnings Before Income Taxes or Fixed Charges for
any quarter in such year by more than 10%.
6
“ Fixed Rate Bid
Advance ” means a Competitive Bid Advance bearing
interest based on a fixed rate per annum as specified in the
relevant Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing.
“ Floating Rate Bid
Advance ” means a Competitive Bid Advance bearing
interest at a rate of interest quoted as a margin over the LIBO
Rate as specified in the relevant Notice of Competitive Bid
Borrowing.
“ Home Jurisdiction
Withholding Taxes ” means (a) in the case of Altria,
withholding for United States income taxes, United States back-up
withholding taxes and United States withholding taxes and (b) in
the case of a Designated Subsidiary, withholding taxes imposed by
the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Designated Subsidiary
is organized or any political subdivision thereof.
“ Interest
Period ” means, for each LIBO Rate Advance comprising
part of the same Pro Rata Borrowing and each Floating Rate Bid
Advance comprising part of the same Competitive Bid Borrowing, the
period commencing on the date of such LIBO Rate Advance or Floating
Rate Bid Advance or the date of Conversion of any Base Rate Advance
into such LIBO Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the
period selected by the Borrower requesting such Borrowing pursuant
to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period
shall be one, two, three or six months, or, if available to all
Lenders, nine months, as such Borrower may select upon notice
received by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, not later than
11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to
the first day of such Interest Period; provided ,
however , that:
(a) such Borrower may not
select any Interest Period that ends after the Termination
Date;
(b) whenever the last day of
any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a
Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be
extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day,
provided that if such extension would cause the last day of
such Interest Period to occur in the next following calendar month,
the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the immediately
preceding Business Day; and
(c) whenever the first day of
any Interest Period occurs on a day of an initial calendar month
for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar
month that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of
months equal to the number of months in such Interest Period, such
Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such
succeeding calendar month.
“ Internal Revenue
Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and the
rulings issued thereunder.
“ JPMorgan
Chase’s Administrative Agent Account ” means (a)
the account of JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, maintained
by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, at its office at 1111
Fannin, Houston, Texas 77002, Account No.
7
323243088, Attention: Leah
Hughes, or (b) such other account of JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, as is designated in writing from time to time
by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, to Altria and the
Lenders for such purpose.
“ Lenders
” means the Initial Lenders and their respective successors
and permitted assignees.
“ LIBO Rate
” means an interest rate per annum equal to
either:
(a) the offered rate per
annum at which deposits in Dollars appear on Telerate Page 3750 (or
any successor page) as of 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business
Days before the first day of such Interest Period, or
(b) if the LIBO Rate does not
appear on Telerate Page 3750 (or any successor page), then the LIBO
Rate will be determined by taking the average (rounded upward to
the nearest whole multiple of 1/16 of 1% per annum, if such average
is not such a multiple) of the rates per annum at which deposits in
Dollars are offered by the principal office of each of the
Reference Banks in London, England to prime banks in the London
interbank market at 11:00 A.M. (London time) two Business Days
before the first day of such Interest Period for an amount
substantially equal to the amount that would be the Reference
Banks’ respective ratable shares of such Borrowing
outstanding during such Interest Period and for a period equal to
such Interest Period, as determined by JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, subject , however , to the
provisions of Section 2.08.
“ LIBO Rate
Advance ” means a Pro Rata Advance that bears interest as
provided in Section 2.04(a)(ii).
“ Lien ”
has the meaning specified in Section 5.02(a).
“ Major
Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary (except Kraft Foods
Inc. and any of its Subsidiaries) (a) more than 50% of the voting
securities of which is owned directly or indirectly by Altria, (b)
which is organized and existing under, or has its principal place
of business in, the United States or any political subdivision
thereof, Canada or any political subdivision thereof, any country
which is a member of the European Union on the date hereof (other
than Greece, Portugal or Spain) or any political subdivision
thereof, or Switzerland, Norway or Australia or any of their
respective political subdivisions, and (c) which has at any time
total assets (after intercompany eliminations) exceeding
$1,000,000,000.
“ Margin Stock
” means margin stock, as such term is defined in Regulation
U.
“ Multiemployer
Plan ” means a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section
4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
is making or accruing an obligation to make contributions, or has
within any of the preceding five plan years made or accrued an
obligation to make contributions, such plan being maintained
pursuant to one or more collective bargaining
agreements.
8
“ Multiple Employer
Plan ” means a single employer plan, as defined in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees
of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person
other than such Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so
maintained and in respect of which such Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA
in the event such plan has been or were to be
terminated.
“ Note ”
means a Pro Rata Note or a Competitive Bid Note.
“ Notice of
Competitive Bid Borrowing ” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.07(b).
“ Notice of Pro Rata
Borrowing ” has the meaning specified in Section
2.02(a).
“ Obligations
” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“ Operating
Assets ” means, for any accounting period, any assets
included in the consolidated balance sheet of Altria and its
Subsidiaries as “Inventories,” or “Property,
plant and equipment” or “Receivables” for such
period.
“ Other Taxes
” has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(b).
“ Person ”
means an individual, partnership, corporation (including a business
trust), joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association,
joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, or a
government or any political subdivision or agency
thereof.
“ Plan ”
means a Single Employer Plan or a Multiple Employer
Plan.
“ Pro Rata
Advance ” means an advance by a Lender to any Borrower as
part of a Pro Rata Borrowing and refers to a Base Rate Advance or a
LIBO Rate Advance (each of which shall be a “ Type
” of Pro Rata Advance).
“ Pro Rata
Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous
Pro Rata Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders
pursuant to Section 2.01.
“ Pro Rata Note
” means a promissory note of any Borrower payable to the
order of any Lender, delivered pursuant to a request made under
Section 2.17 in substantially the form of Exhibit A-1 hereto,
evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of such Borrower to such
Lender resulting from the Pro Rata Advances made by such Lender to
such Borrower.
“ Reference
Banks ” means JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Credit Suisse
First Boston, Cayman Islands Branch and Deutsche Bank AG New York
Branch.
“ Register
” has the meaning specified in Section 9.07(d).
“ Regulation A
” means Regulation A of the Board, as in effect from time to
time.
9
“ Regulation U
” means Regulation U of the Board, as in effect from time to
time.
“ Required
Lenders ” means at any time Lenders owed at least 50.1%
of the then aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Pro Rata
Advances owing to Lenders, or, if no such principal amount is then
outstanding, Lenders having at least 50.1% of the
Commitments.
“ Single Employer
Plan ” means a single employer plan, as defined in
Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees
of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than
such Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and
in respect of which such Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have
liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has
been or were to be terminated.
“ Spin-off
Transaction ” means the spin-off or other not for value
disposition of Philip Morris International Inc. (“PMI”)
such that Altria owns no more than a de minimus equity
interest in PMI.
“ Subsidiary
” of any Person means any corporation of which (or in which)
more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having voting power
to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation
(irrespective of whether at the time capital stock of any other
class or classes of such corporation shall or might have voting
power upon the occurrence of any contingency) is at the time
directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person, by such
Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or by one or more
of such Person’s other Subsidiaries.
“ Taxes ”
has the meaning specified in Section 2.15(a).
“ Termination
Date ” means the earlier of (a) the date that is the
Business Day preceding the first anniversary of the Effective Date,
(b) the date that a Spin-off Transaction is effective and (c) the
date of termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section
2.10 or 6.02.
Section 1.02. Computation
of Time Periods . In this Agreement in the computation of
periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date,
the word “from” means “from and including”
and the words “to” and “until” each mean
“to but excluding.”
Section 1.03. Accounting
Terms . All accounting terms not specifically defined herein
shall be construed in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America, except that if
there has been a material change in an accounting principle
affecting the definition of an accounting term as compared to that
applied in the preparation of the financial statements of Altria as
of and for the year ended December 31, 2004, then such new
accounting principle shall not be used in the determination of the
amount associated with that accounting term. A material change in
an accounting principle is one that, in the year of its adoption,
changes the amount associated with the relevant accounting term for
any quarter in such year by more than 10%.
10
ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE
ADVANCES
Section 2.01. The Pro Rata
Advances . (a) Obligation to Make Pro Rata Advances .
Each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, to make Pro Rata Advances to any Borrower
from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the
Effective Date until the Termination Date in an aggregate amount
not to exceed at any time outstanding such Lender’s
Commitment; provided , however , that the aggregate
amount of the Commitments of the Lenders shall be deemed used from
time to time to the extent of the aggregate amount of the
Competitive Bid Advances then outstanding and such deemed use of
the aggregate amount of the Commitments shall be allocated among
the Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments (such
deemed use of the aggregate amount of the Commitments being a
“ Competitive Bid Reduction ”).
(b) Amount of Pro Rata
Borrowings . Each Pro Rata Borrowing shall be in an aggregate
amount of no less than $50,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof.
(c) Type of Pro Rata
Advances . Each Pro Rata Borrowing shall consist of Pro Rata
Advances of the same Type made on the same day by the Lenders
ratably according to their respective Commitments. Within the
limits of each Lender’s Commitment and subject to this
Section 2.01, any Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01,
prepay pursuant to Section 2.11 or repay pursuant to Section 2.03
and reborrow under this Section 2.01.
Section 2.02. Making the
Pro Rata Advances . (a) Notice of Pro Rata Borrowing .
Each Pro Rata Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later
than (x) 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day
prior to the date of the proposed Pro Rata Borrowing in the case of
a Pro Rata Borrowing consisting of LIBO Rate Advances, or (y) 9:00
A.M. (New York City time) on the date of the proposed Pro Rata
Borrowing in the case of a Pro Rata Borrowing consisting of Base
Rate Advances, by the Borrower to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof by
telecopier. Each such notice of a Pro Rata Borrowing (a “
Notice of Pro Rata Borrowing ”) shall be by telephone,
confirmed immediately in writing, by registered mail or telecopier
in substantially the form of Exhibit B-1 hereto, specifying therein
the requested:
(i) date of such Pro Rata
Borrowing,
(ii) Type of Advances
comprising such Pro Rata Borrowing,
(iii) aggregate amount of
such Pro Rata Borrowing, and
(iv) in the case of a Pro
Rata Borrowing consisting of LIBO Rate Advances, the initial
Interest Period for each such Pro Rata Advance. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, no Borrower may select LIBO Rate
Advances for any Pro Rata Borrowing if the obligation of the
Lenders to make LIBO Rate Advances shall then be suspended pursuant
to Section 2.08(c) or 2.13.
11
(b) Funding Pro Rata
Advances . Each Lender shall, before 11:00 A.M. (New York City
time) on the date of such Pro Rata Borrowing, make available for
the account of its Applicable Lending Office to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, at JPMorgan Chase’s Administrative
Agent Account, in same day funds, such Lender’s ratable
portion of such Pro Rata Borrowing. After receipt of such funds by
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, and upon fulfillment of
the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, JPMorgan Chase,
as Administrative Agent, will make such funds available to the
relevant Borrower at the address of JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, referred to in Section 9.02.
(c) Irrevocable Notice
. Each Notice of Pro Rata Borrowing of any Borrower shall be
irrevocable and binding on such Borrower. In the case of any Pro
Rata Borrowing that the related Notice of Pro Rata Borrowing
specifies is to be comprised of LIBO Rate Advances, the Borrower
requesting such Pro Rata Borrowing shall indemnify each Lender
against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a
result of any failure to fulfill on or before the date specified in
such Notice of Pro Rata Borrowing for such Pro Rata Borrowing the
applicable conditions set forth in Article III, including, without
limitation, any loss (excluding loss of anticipated profits), cost
or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of
deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Pro
Rata Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Pro Rata
Borrowing when such Pro Rata Advance, as a result of such failure,
is not made on such date.
(d) Lender’s Ratable
Portion . Unless JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall
have received notice from a Lender prior to 11:00 A.M. (New York
City time) on the day of any Pro Rata Borrowing that such Lender
will not make available to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent,
such Lender’s ratable portion of such Pro Rata Borrowing,
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, may assume that such
Lender has made such portion available to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, on the date of such Pro Rata Borrowing in
accordance with Section 2.02(b) and JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, may, in reliance upon such assumption, make
available to the Borrower proposing such Pro Rata Borrowing on such
date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender
shall not have so made such ratable portion available to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, such Lender and such Borrower
severally agree to repay to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with
interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made
available to such Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, at:
(i) in the case of such
Borrower, the higher of (A) the interest rate applicable at the
time to Pro Rata Advances comprising such Pro Rata Borrowing and
(B) the cost of funds incurred by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, in respect of such amount, and
(ii) in the case of such
Lender, the Federal Funds Effective Rate.
If such Lender shall repay to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, such corresponding amount, such
amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Pro Rata
Advance as part of such Pro Rata Borrowing for purposes of this
Agreement.
12
(e) Independent Lender
Obligations . The failure of any Lender to make the Pro Rata
Advance to be made by it as part of any Pro Rata Borrowing shall
not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder
to make its Pro Rata Advance on the date of such Pro Rata
Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of
any other Lender to make the Pro Rata Advance to be made by such
other Lender on the date of any Pro Rata Borrowing.
Section 2.03. Repayment of
Pro Rata Advances . Each Borrower shall repay to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, for the ratable account of the
Lenders on the Termination Date the unpaid principal amount of the
Pro Rata Advances then outstanding.
Section 2.04. Interest on
Pro Rata Advances . (a) Scheduled Interest . Each
Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each
Pro Rata Advance owing by such Borrower to each Lender from the
date of such Pro Rata Advance until such principal amount shall be
paid in full, at the following rates per annum:
(i) Base Rate Advances
. During such periods as such Pro Rata Advance is a Base Rate
Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the Base Rate in
effect from time to time, payable in arrears monthly on the 20th
day of each month and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be
Converted or paid in full.
(ii) LIBO Rate
Advances . During such periods as such Pro Rata Advance is a
LIBO Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during each
Interest Period for such Pro Rata Advance to the sum of (x) the
LIBO Rate for such Interest Period for such Pro Rata Advance
plus (y) the Applicable Interest Rate Margin in effect from
time to time, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest
Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than
three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period
every three months from the first day of such Interest Period, and
on the date such LIBO Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in
full.
(b) Default Interest .
Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of
Default, each Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal
amount of each Pro Rata Advance owing to each Lender, payable in
arrears on the dates referred to in Section 2.04(a)(i) or Section
2.04(a)(ii), at a rate per annum equal at all times to 1% per annum
above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Pro Rata
Advance.
Section 2.05. Additional
Interest on LIBO Rate Advances . Each Borrower shall pay to
each Lender, so long as such Lender shall be required under
regulations of the Board to maintain reserves with respect to
liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency
Liabilities, additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of
each LIBO Rate Advance of such Lender to such Borrower, from the
date of such Advance until such principal amount is paid in full,
at an interest rate per annum equal at all times to the remainder
obtained by subtracting (i) the LIBO Rate for the Interest Period
for such Advance from (ii) the rate obtained by dividing such LIBO
Rate by a percentage equal to 100% minus the Eurocurrency Rate
Reserve Percentage of such Lender for such Interest Period, payable
on each date on which interest is payable on such Advance. Such
additional interest shall be determined by such Lender and notified
to Altria through JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent.
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Section 2.06. Conversion
of Pro Rata Advances . (a) Conversion Upon Absence of
Interest Period . If any Borrower shall fail to select the
duration of any Interest Period for any LIBO Rate Advances in
accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of the
term “Interest Period,” JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, will forthwith so notify such Borrower and
the Lenders, and such Advances will automatically, on the last day
of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base
Rate Advances.
(b) Conversion Upon Event
of Default . Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of
any Event of Default under Section 6.01(a), JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, or the Required Lenders may elect that (i)
each LIBO Rate Advance be, on the last day of the then existing
Interest Period therefor, Converted into Base Rate Advances and
(ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances
into, LIBO Rate Advances be suspended.
(c) Voluntary
Conversion . Subject to the provisions of Sections 2.08(c) and
2.13, any Borrower may convert all such Borrower’s Pro Rata
Advances of one Type constituting the same Pro Rata Borrowing into
Advances of the other Type on any Business Day, upon notice given
to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, not later than 11:00
A.M. (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the
date of the proposed Conversion; provided , however ,
that the Conversion of a LIBO Rate Advance into a Base Rate Advance
may be made on, and only on, the last day of an Interest Period for
such LIBO Rate Advance. Each such notice of a Conversion shall,
within the restrictions specified above, specify
(i) the date of such
Conversion;
(ii) the Pro Rata Advances to
be Converted; and
(iii) if such Conversion is
into LIBO Rate Advances, the duration of the Interest Period for
each such Pro Rata Advance.
Section 2.07. The
Competitive Bid Advances . (a) Competitive Bid
Advances’ Impact on Commitments . Each Lender severally
agrees that any Borrower may make Competitive Bid Borrowings under
this Section 2.07 from time to time on any Business Day during the
period from the Effective Date until the Termination Date in the
manner set forth below; provided that, following the making
of each Competitive Bid Borrowing, the aggregate amount of the
Advances then outstanding shall not exceed the aggregate amount of
the Commitments of the Lenders. As provided in Section 2.01, the
aggregate amount of the Commitments of the Lenders shall be deemed
used from time to time to the extent of the aggregate amount of the
Competitive Bid Advances then outstanding, and such deemed use of
the aggregate amount of the Commitments shall be applied to the
Lenders ratably according to their respective Commitments;
provided , however , that any Lender’s
Competitive Bid Advances shall not otherwise reduce that
Lender’s obligation to lend its pro rata share of the
remaining available Commitments.
(b) Notice of Competitive
Bid Borrowing . Any Borrower may request a Competitive Bid
Borrowing under this Section 2.07 by delivering to JPMorgan Chase,
as Administrative
14
Agent, by telecopier, a notice of a
Competitive Bid Borrowing (a “ Notice of Competitive Bid
Borrowing ”), in substantially the form of Exhibit B-2
hereto, specifying therein the following:
(i) date of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing;
(ii) aggregate amount of such
proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing;
(iii) interest rate basis and
day count convention to be offered by the Lenders;
(iv) in the case of a
Competitive Bid Borrowing consisting of Floating Rate Bid Advances,
Interest Period, or in the case of a Competitive Bid Borrowing
consisting of Fixed Rate Bid Advances, maturity date for repayment
of each Fixed Rate Bid Advance to be made as part of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing (which maturity date may not be earlier
than the date occurring seven days after the date of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing or later than the earlier of (A) 360 days
after the date of such Competitive Bid Borrowing and (B) the
Termination Date);
(v) interest payment date or
dates relating thereto;
(vi) location of such
Borrower’s account to which funds are to be advanced;
and
(vii) other terms (if any) to
be applicable to such Competitive Bid Borrowing.
A Borrower requesting a Competitive Bid
Borrowing shall deliver a Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing to
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, not later than 10:00 A.M.
(New York City time) (x) at least two Business Days prior to the
date of the proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing, if such Borrower
shall specify in the Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing that the
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be Fixed Rate Bid Advances, or (y)
at least four Business Days prior to the date of the proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, if such Borrower shall specify in the
Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing that the Competitive Bid
Borrowing shall be Floating Rate Bid Advances. Each Notice of
Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on such
Borrower. JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall in turn
promptly notify each Lender of each request for a Competitive Bid
Borrowing received by it from such Borrower by sending such Lender
a copy of the related Notice of Competitive Bid
Borrowing.
(c) Discretion as to
Competitive Bid Advances . Each Lender may, in its sole
discretion, elect to irrevocably offer to make one or more
Competitive Bid Advances to the applicable Borrower as part of such
proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing at a rate or rates of interest
specified by such Lender in its sole discretion, by notifying
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent (which shall give prompt
notice thereof to such Borrower), before 9:30 A.M. (New York City
time) (A) on the Business Day prior to the date of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, in the case of a Competitive Bid
Borrowing consisting of Fixed Rate Bid Advances, and (B) on the
third Business Day prior to the date of such proposed Competitive
Bid Borrowing, in the case of a Competitive Bid Borrowing
consisting of Floating Rate Bid Advances; provided that, if
JPMorgan Chase in its capacity as a Lender shall, in its
sole
15
discretion, elect to make any such
offer, it shall notify such Borrower of such offer at least 30
minutes before the time and on the date on which notice of such
election is to be given by any other Lender to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent. In such notice, the Lender shall specify the
following:
(i) the minimum amount and
maximum amount of each Competitive Bid Advance which such Lender
would be willing to make as part of such proposed Competitive Bid
Borrowing (which amounts may, subject to the proviso to the first
sentence of Section 2.07(a), exceed such Lender’s
Commitment);
(ii) the rate or rates of
interest therefor; and
(iii) such Lender’s
Applicable Lending Office with respect to such Competitive Bid
Advance.
If any Lender shall elect not to make
such an offer, such Lender shall so notify JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, before 9:30 A.M. (New York City time) on the
date on which notice of such election is to be given to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, by the other Lenders, and such
Lender shall not be obligated to, and shall not, make any
Competitive Bid Advance as part of such Competitive Bid Borrowing;
provided further that the failure by any Lender to
give such notice shall not cause such Lender to be obligated to
make any Competitive Bid Advance as part of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing.
(d) Borrower Selection of
Lender Bids . The Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid
Borrowing shall, in turn, (A) before 12:00 noon (New York City
time) on the Business Day prior to the date of such proposed
Competitive Bid Borrowing, in the case of a Competitive Bid
Borrowing consisting of Fixed Rate Bid Advances and (B) before
12:00 noon (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to
the date of such proposed Competitive Bid Borrowing, in the case of
a Competitive Bid Borrowing consisting of Floating Rate Bid
Advances, either:
(i) cancel such Competitive
Bid Borrowing by giving JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent,
notice to that effect, or
(ii) accept, in its sole
discretion, one or more of the offers made by any Lender or Lenders
pursuant to Section 2.07(c), by giving notice to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, of the amount of each Competitive Bid Advance
(which amount shall be equal to or greater than the minimum amount,
and equal to or less than the maximum amount, notified to such
Borrower by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent on behalf of
such Lender, for such Competitive Bid Advance pursuant to Section
2.07(c) to be made by each Lender as part of such Competitive Bid
Borrowing) and reject any remaining offers made by Lenders pursuant
to Section 2.07(c) by giving JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, notice to that effect. Such Borrower shall accept the offers
made by any Lender or Lenders to make Competitive Bid Advances in
order of the lowest to the highest rates of interest offered by
such Lenders. If two or more Lenders have offered the same interest
rate, the amount to be borrowed at such interest rate will be
allocated among such Lenders in proportion to the maximum amount
that each such Lender offered at such interest rate.
16
If the Borrower proposing the
Competitive Bid Borrowing notifies JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, that such Competitive Bid Borrowing is
canceled pursuant to Section 2.07(d)(i), or if such Borrower fails
to give timely notice in accordance with Section 2.07(d), JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall give prompt notice thereof to
the Lenders and such Competitive Bid Borrowing shall not be
made.
(e) Competitive Bid
Borrowing . If the Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid
Borrowing accepts one or more of the offers made by any Lender or
Lenders pursuant to Section 2.07(d)(ii), JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, shall in turn promptly notify:
(i) each Lender that has made
an offer as described in Section 2.07(c), whether or not any offer
or offers made by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.07(c) have been
accepted by such Borrower;
(ii) each Lender that is to
make a Competitive Bid Advance as part of such Competitive Bid
Borrowing, of the date and amount of each Competitive Bid Advance
to be made by such Lender as part of such Competitive Bid
Borrowing; and
(iii) each Lender that is to
make a Competitive Bid Advance as part of such Competitive Bid
Borrowing, upon receipt, that JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, has received forms of documents appearing to fulfill the
applicable conditions set forth in Article III.
When each Lender that is to make a
Competitive Bid Advance as part of such Competitive Bid Borrowing
has received notice pursuant to Section 2.07(e)(iii), such Lender
shall, before 11:00 A.M. (New York City time), on the date of such
Competitive Bid Borrowing specified in the notice received from
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, pursuant to Section
2.07(e)(i), make available for the account of its Applicable
Lending Office to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, at its
address referred to in Section 9.02, in same day funds, such
Lender’s portion of such Competitive Bid Borrowing. Upon
fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III
and after receipt by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, of
such funds, JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, will make such
funds available to such Borrower at the location specified by such
Borrower in its Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing. Promptly after
each Competitive Bid Borrowing, JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, will notify each Lender of the amount of the Competitive Bid
Borrowing, the consequent Competitive Bid Reduction and the dates
upon which such Competitive Bid Reduction commenced and will
terminate.
(f) Irrevocable Notice
. If the Borrower proposing the Competitive Bid Borrowing notifies
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, that it accepts one or
more of the offers made by any Lender or Lenders pursuant to
Section 2.07(c), such notice of acceptance shall be irrevocable and
binding on such Borrower. Such Borrower shall indemnify each Lender
against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a
result of any failure to fulfill on or before the date specified in
the related Notice of Competitive Bid Borrowing for such
Competitive Bid Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth in
Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (excluding
loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of
the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired
by such Lender to fund the Competitive Bid
17
Advance to be made by such Lender as
part of such Competitive Bid Borrowing when such Competitive Bid
Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on such
date.
(g) Amount of Competitive
Bid Borrowings; Competitive Bid Notes . Each Competitive Bid
Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of $50,000,000 or an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and, following
the making of each Competitive Bid Borrowing, the aggregate amount
of Advances then outstanding shall not exceed the aggregate amount
of the Commitments of the Lenders. Within the limits and on the
conditions set forth in this Section 2.07, any Borrower may from
time to time borrow under this Section 2.07, prepay pursuant to
Section 2.11 or repay pursuant to Section 2.07(h), and reborrow
under this Section 2.07; provided that a Competitive Bid
Borrowing shall not be made within two Business Days of the date of
any other Competitive Bid Borrowing. The indebtedness of any
Borrower resulting from each Competitive Bid Advance made to such
Borrower as part of a Competitive Bid Borrowing shall be evidenced
by a separate Competitive Bid Note of such Borrower payable to the
order of the Lender making such Competitive Bid Advance.
(h) Repayment of
Competitive Bid Advances . On the maturity date of each
Competitive Bid Advance provided in the Competitive Bid Note
evidencing such Competitive Bid Advance, the Borrower shall repay
to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, for the account of each
Lender that has made a Competitive Bid Advance the then unpaid
principal amount of such Competitive Bid Advance. Except as
required by Section 2.11(b), no Borrower shall have any right to
prepay any principal amount of any Competitive Bid Advance unless,
and then only on the terms set forth in the Competitive Bid Note
evidencing such Competitive Bid Advance.
(i) Interest on
Competitive Bid Advances . Each Borrower that has borrowed
through a Competitive Bid Borrowing shall pay interest on the
unpaid principal amount of each Competitive Bid Advance from the
date of such Competitive Bid Advance to the date the principal
amount of such Competitive Bid Advance is repaid in full, at the
rate of interest for such Competitive Bid Advance and on the
interest payment date or dates set forth in the Competitive Bid
Note evidencing such Competitive Bid Advance. Upon the occurrence
and during the continuance of an Event of Default, such Borrower
shall pay interest on the amount of unpaid principal of each
Competitive Bid Advance owing to a Lender, payable in arrears on
the date or dates interest is payable thereon, at a rate per annum
equal at all times to 1% per annum above the rate per annum
required to be paid on such Competitive Bid Advance under the terms
of the Competitive Bid Note evidencing such Competitive Bid Advance
unless otherwise agreed in such Competitive Bid Note.
Section 2.08. LIBO Rate
Determination . (a) Methods to Determine LIBO Rate .
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall determine the LIBO
Rate by using the methods described in the definition of the term
“LIBO Rate,” and shall give prompt notice to the
Borrower and Lenders of each such LIBO Rate.
(b) Role of Reference
Banks . In the event that the LIBO Rate cannot be determined by
the method described in clause (a) of the definition of “LIBO
Rate,” each Reference Bank agrees to furnish to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, timely information for the purpose
of determining the LIBO Rate in accordance with the method
described in clause (b) of
18
the definition thereof. If any one or
more of the Reference Banks shall not furnish such timely
information to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, for the
purpose of determining a LIBO Rate, JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, shall determine such interest rate on the
basis of timely information furnished by the remaining Reference
Banks. If fewer than two Reference Banks furnish timely information
to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, for determining the
LIBO Rate for any LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances,
as the case may be, then:
(i) JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, shall forthwith notify Altria and the Lenders
that the interest rate cannot be determined for such LIBO Rate
Advance or Floating Rate Bid Advances, as the case may
be;
(ii) with respect to each
LIBO Rate Advance, such Advance will, on the last day of the then
existing Interest Period therefor, be prepaid by the Borrower or be
automatically Converted into a Base Rate Advance; and
(iii) the obligation of the
Lenders to make LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances or
to Convert Base Rate Advances into LIBO Rate Advances shall be
suspended until JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall
notify Altria and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such
suspension no longer exist.
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent,
shall give prompt notice to Altria and the Lenders of the
applicable interest rate determined by JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, for purposes of Section 2.04(a)(i) or (ii),
and the rate, if any, furnished by each Reference Bank for the
purpose of determining the interest rate under Section 2.04(a)(ii)
or the applicable LIBO Rate.
(c) Inadequate LIBO
Rate . If, with respect to any LIBO Rate Advances, the Required
Lenders notify JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, that (i)
they are unable to obtain matching deposits in the London interbank
market at or about 11:00 A.M. (London time) on the second Business
Day before the making of a Borrowing in sufficient amounts to fund
their respective LIBO Rate Advances as a part of such Borrowing
during the Interest Period therefor or (ii) the LIBO Rate for any
Interest Period for such Advances will not adequately reflect the
cost to such Required Lenders of making, funding or maintaining
their respective LIBO Rate Advances for such Interest Period,
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall forthwith so notify
Altria and the Lenders, whereupon (A) the Borrower of such LIBO
Rate Advances will, on the last day of the then existing Interest
Period therefor, either (x) prepay such Advances or (y) Convert
such Advances into Base Rate Advances and (B) the obligation of the
Lenders to make, or to Convert Base Rate Advances into, LIBO Rate
Advances shall be suspended until JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, shall notify Altria and the Lenders that the circumstances
causing such suspension no longer exist. In the case of clause (ii)
above, each Lender shall certify its cost of funds for each
Interest Period to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, and
Altria as soon as practicable (but in any event not later than 10
Business Days after the last day of such Interest
Period).
19
Section 2.09. Fees .
(a) Facility Fee . Altria agrees to pay to JPMorgan Chase,
as Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender a facility
fee on the aggregate amount of such Lender’s Commitment
(whether or not used and without giving effect to any Competitive
Bid Reduction) from the date hereof in the case of each Initial
Lender and from the effective date specified in the Assignment and
Acceptance pursuant to which it became a Lender in the case of each
other Lender until the Termination Date at the Applicable Facility
Fee Rate, in each case payable on the last day of each March, June,
September and December until the Termination Date and on the
Termination Date.
(b) Agent’s Fees
. Altria shall pay to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, for
its own account such fees as may from time to time be agreed
between Altria and such Agent.
Section 2.10. Termination
or Reduction of the Commitments . Altria shall have the right,
upon at least three Business Days’ notice to JPMorgan Chase,
as Administrative Agent, to terminate in whole or reduce ratably in
part the unused portions of the respective Commitments of the
Lenders; provided that each partial reduction shall be in
the aggregate amount of no less than $50,000,000 or the remaining
balance if less than $50,000,000; and provided
further that the aggregate amount of the Commitments of the
Lenders shall not be reduced to an amount that is less than the
aggregate principal amount of the Competitive Bid Advances then
outstanding.
Section 2.11.
Prepayments . (a) Optional Prepayment of Pro Rata
Advances . Each Borrower may, in the case of any LIBO Rate
Advance, upon at least three Business Days’ notice to
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, or, in the case of any
Base Rate Advance, upon notice given to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, not later than 9:00 A.M. (New York City time)
on the date of the proposed prepayment, in each case stating the
proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and
if such notice is given such Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding
principal amount of the Pro Rata Advances comprising part of the
same Pro Rata Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with
accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal
amount prepaid; provided , however , that (x) each
partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of no
less than $50,000,000 or the remaining balance if less than
$50,000,000 and (y) in the event of any such prepayment of a LIBO
Rate Advance, such Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the
Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(b).
(b) Mandatory
Prepayment . The Borrower shall, on each Business Day, prepay
an aggregate principal amount of the Advances equal to the amount
by which (A) the aggregate principal amount of the Advances then
outstanding exceeds (B) the aggregate of the Commitments (after
giving effect to any Competitive Bid Reduction) on such Business
Day. Prepayments under this Section 2.11(b) shall be allocated
first to Base Rate Advances, ratably; any excess amount shall then
be allocated to LIBO Rate Advances, in such manner as the Borrower
shall determine; and any remaining amount shall be allocated to
Competitive Bid Advances, in such manner as the Borrower shall
determine.
Each prepayment made pursuant
to this Section 2.11(b) shall be made together with any interest
accrued to the date of such prepayment on the principal amounts
prepaid and, in the case of any prepayment of a LIBO Rate Advance
or a Floating Rate Bid Advance on a date
20
other than the last day of an Interest
Period or at its maturity, any additional amounts which such
Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse to the Lenders in respect
thereof pursuant to Section 9.04(b). JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, shall give prompt notice of any prepayment
required under this Section 2.11(b) to the Borrowers and the
Lenders.
Section 2.12. Increased
Costs . (a) Costs from Change in Law or Authorities .
If, due to either (i) the introduction of or any change (other than
any change by way of imposition or increase of reserve requirements
to the extent such change is included in the Eurocurrency Rate
Reserve Percentage) in or in the interpretation of any law or
regulation or (ii) the compliance with any guideline or request
from any central bank or other governmental authority (whether or
not having the force of law), there shall be any increase in the
cost to any Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or
maintaining LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances
(excluding for purposes of this Section 2.12 any such increased
costs resulting from (i) Taxes or Other Taxes (as to which Section
2.15 shall govern) and (ii) changes in the basis of taxation of
overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or
by the foreign jurisdiction or state under the laws of which such
Lender is organized or has its Applicable Lending Office or any
political subdivision thereof), then the Borrower of the affected
Advances shall from time to time, upon demand by such Lender (with
a copy of such demand to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent),
pay to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, for the account of
such Lender additional amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender
for such increased cost; provided , however , that
before making any such demand, each Lender agrees to use reasonable
efforts (consistent with its internal policy and legal and
regulatory restrictions) to designate a different Applicable
Lending Office if the making of such a designation would avoid the
need for, or reduce the amount of, such increased cost and would
not, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, be otherwise
disadvantageous to such Lender. A certificate as to the amount of
such increased cost, submitted to Altria, such Borrower and
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, by such Lender, shall be
conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest
error.
(b) Reduction in
Lender’s Rate of Return . In the event that, after the
date hereof, the implementation of or any change in any law or
regulation, or any guideline or directive (whether or not having
the force of law) or the interpretation or administration thereof
by any central bank or other authority charged with the
administration thereof, imposes, modifies or deems applicable any
capital adequacy or similar requirement (including, without
limitation, a request or requirement which affects the manner in
which any Lender allocates capital resources to its commitments,
including its obligations hereunder) and as a result thereof, in
the sole opinion of such Lender, the rate of return on such
Lender’s capital as a consequence of its obligations
hereunder is reduced to a level below that which such Lender could
have achieved but for such circumstances, but reduced to the extent
that Borrowings are outstanding from time to time, then in each
such case, upon demand from time to time Altria shall pay to such
Lender such additional amount or amounts as shall compensate such
Lender for such reduction in rate of return; provided that,
in the case of each Lender, such additional amount or amounts shall
not exceed 0.15 of 1% per annum of such Lender’s Commitment.
A certificate of such Lender as to any such additional amount or
amounts shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent
manifest error. Except as provided below, in determining any such
amount or amounts each Lender may use any reasonable averaging and
attribution methods. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Lender
shall take all reasonable actions to avoid the imposition of, or
reduce the amounts of, such increased costs, provided that such
actions, in the reasonable judgment of such
21
Lender, will not be otherwise
disadvantageous to such Lender, and, to the extent possible, each
Lender will calculate such increased costs based upon the capital
requirements for its Commitment hereunder and not upon the average
or general capital requirements imposed upon such
Lender.
Section 2.13.
Illegality . Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, if any Lender shall notify JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, that the introduction of or any change in, or
in the interpretation of, any law or regulation makes it unlawful,
or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it
is unlawful, for any Lender or its Eurocurrency Lending Office to
perform its obligations hereunder to make LIBO Rate Advances or
Floating Rate Bid Advances or to fund or maintain LIBO Rate
Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances, (a) each LIBO Rate Advance
or Floating Rate Bid Advances, as the case may be, will
automatically, upon such demand, be Converted into a Base Rate
Advance or an Advance that bears interest at the rate set forth in
Section 2.04(a)(i), as the case may be, and (b) the obligation of
the Lenders to make LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid
Advances or to Convert Base Rate Advances into LIBO Rate Advances
shall be suspended, in each case, until JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, shall notify Altria and the Lenders that the
circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist;
provided , however , that before making any such
demand, each Lender agrees to use reasonable efforts (consistent
with its internal policy and legal and regulatory restrictions) to
designate a different Eurocurrency Lending Office if the making of
such a designation would allow such Lender or its Eurocurrency
Lending Office to continue to perform its obligations to make LIBO
Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances or to continue to fund
or maintain LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances, as
the case may be, and would not, in the judgment of such Lender, be
otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.
Section 2.14. Payments and
Computations . (a) Time and Distribution of Payments .
Altria and each Borrower shall make each payment hereunder, without
set-off or counterclaim, not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City
time) on the day when due to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, at JPMorgan Chase’s Administrative Agent Account in
same day funds. JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, will
promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to
the payment of principal or interest or facility fees ratably
(other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.07, 2.12, 2.15 or
9.04(b)) to the Lenders for the account of their respective
Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment
of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the
account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be
applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. From and
after the effective date of an Assignment and Acceptance pursuant
to Section 9.07, JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, shall
make all payments hereunder in respect of the interest assigned
thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such
Assignment and Acceptance shall make all appropriate adjustments in
such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly
between themselves.
(b) Computation of
Interest and Fees . All computations of interest based on
JPMorgan Chase’s prime rate shall be made by JPMorgan Chase,
as Administrative Agent, on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days,
as the case may be. All computations of interest based on the LIBO
Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate and of facility fees shall
be made by JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent and all
computations of interest pursuant to Section
22
2.05 shall be made by a Lender, on the
basis of a year of 360 days, and all computations of interest in
respect of Competitive Bid Advances shall be made by JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, as specified in the applicable
Notice of Competitive Bid Notice, in each case for the actual
number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day)
occurring in the period for which such interest or facility fees
are payable. Each determination by JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent (or, in the case of Section 2.05 by a Lender),
of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for
all purposes, absent manifest error.
(c) Payment Due Dates
. Whenever any payment hereunder shall be stated to be due on a day
other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next
succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such
case be included in the computation of payment of interest or
facility fee, as the case may be; provided , however
, that if such extension would cause payment of interest on or
principal of LIBO Rate Advances or Floating Rate Bid Advances to be
made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be
made on the immediately preceding Business Day.
(d) Presumption of
Borrower Payment . Unless JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, receives notice from any Borrower prior to the date on which
any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that such Borrower will
not make such payment in full, JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative
Agent, may assume that such Borrower has made such payment in full
to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, on such date and
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, may, in reliance upon such
assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date
an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the
extent such Borrower has not made such payment in full to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, each Lender shall repay to JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent, forthwith on demand such amount
distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each
day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until
the date such Lender repays such amount to JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, at the Federal Funds Effective
Rate.
Section 2.15. Taxes .
(a) Any and all payments by each Borrower and Altria hereunder
shall be made, in accordance with Section 2.14, free and clear of
and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes,
levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all
liabilities with respect thereto, excluding , (i) in the
case of each Lender and JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent,
taxes imposed on its net income, and franchise taxes imposed on it,
by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such Lender or JPMorgan
Chase, as Administrative Agent (as the case may be), is organized
or any political subdivision thereof, (ii) in the case of each
Lender, taxes imposed on its net income, and franchise taxes
imposed on it, by the jurisdiction of such Lender’s
Applicable Lending Office or any political subdivision thereof,
(iii) in the case of each Lender and JPMorgan Chase, as
Administrative Agent, taxes imposed on its net income, franchise
taxes imposed on it, and any tax imposed by means of withholding to
the extent such tax is imposed solely as a result of a present or
former connection (other than the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement or a Note) between the Lender or
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, as the case may be, and
the taxing jurisdiction, and (iv) in the case of each Lender and
JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent, taxes imposed by the
United States by means of withholding tax if and to the extent that
such taxes shall be in effect and shall be applicable on the date
hereof to payments to be made to such Lender’s Applicable
Lending Office or to JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent (all
such
23
non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts,
deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities in respect of
payments hereunder being hereinafter referred to as “
Taxes ”). If any Borrower or Altria shall be required
by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable
hereunder to any Lender or JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent,
(i) the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that
after making all required deductions (including deductions
applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.15) such
Lender or JPMorgan Chase, as Administrative Agent (as the case may
be), receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had
no such deductions been made, (ii) such Borrower or Altria shall
make such deductions and (iii) such Borrower or Altria shall pay
the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or
other authority in accordance with applicable law.
(b) In addition, each
Borrower or Altria shall pay any present or future stamp or
documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or
similar levies that arise from any payment made hereunder or from
the execution, delivery or registration of, performing under, or
otherwise with respect to, this Agreement (hereinafter referred to
as “ Other Taxes ”).
(c) Each Borrower and
Al
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