EXHIBIT 10.40
5-YEAR COMPETITIVE ADVANCE AND
REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY AGREEMENT
Dated as of July 30, 2004
among
THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY,
as Borrower,
THE BANKS NAMED HEREIN,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
as Administrative Agent,
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as Sole Lead Arranger and
Sole Bookrunner, and
WACHOVIA BANK, N.A., US BANK N.A.
KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION and SUNTRUST
BANK,
as Syndication Agents, and
FIFTH THIRD BANK AND MELLON BANK,
N.A.,
as Co-Syndication Agents
Table of Contents
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Page
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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1
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Section 1.01.
Defined Terms
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1
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Section 1.02.
Terms Generally
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11
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ARTICLE II THE CREDITS
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11
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Section 2.01.
Commitments
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11
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Section 2.02.
Loans
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11
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Section 2.03.
Competitive Bid Procedure
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13
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Section 2.04.
Standby Borrowing Procedure
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15
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Section 2.05.
Refinancings
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15
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Section 2.06.
Fees
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16
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Section 2.07.
Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt
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16
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Section 2.08.
Interest on Loans
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17
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Section 2.09.
Default Interest
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17
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Section 2.10.
Alternate Rate of Interest
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18
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Section 2.11.
Termination and Reduction of Commitments
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18
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Section 2.12.
Prepayment
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18
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Section 2.13.
Reserve Requirements; Change in Circumstances
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19
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Section 2.14.
Change in Legality
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21
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Section 2.15.
Indemnity
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21
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Section 2.16.
Pro Rata Treatment
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22
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Section 2.17.
Sharing of Setoffs
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22
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Section 2.18.
Payments
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23
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Section 2.19.
Taxes
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23
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Section 2.20.
Mandatory Assignment; Commitment Termination
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26
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ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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26
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Section 3.01.
Organization; Powers
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26
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Section 3.02.
Authorization
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26
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Section 3.03.
Enforceability
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27
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Section 3.04.
Governmental Approvals
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27
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Section 3.05.
Financial Statements
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27
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Section 3.06.
No Material Adverse Change
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27
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Section 3.07.
Title to Properties; Possession Under Leases
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27
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Section 3.08.
Stock of Borrower
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28
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Section 3.09.
Litigation; Compliance with Laws
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28
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Section 3.10.
Agreements
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28
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Section 3.11.
Federal Reserve Regulations
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28
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Section 3.12.
Investment Company Act; Public Utility Holding Company
Act
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28
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Section 3.13.
Use of Proceeds
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29
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Section 3.14.
Tax Returns
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29
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Section 3.15.
No Material Misstatements
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29
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Section 3.16.
Employee Benefit Plans
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29
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Section 3.17.
Environmental and Safety Matters
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29
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i
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Page
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ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS OF LENDING
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30
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Section 4.01.
All Borrowings
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30
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Section 4.02.
First Borrowing
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30
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ARTICLE V AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
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32
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Section 5.01.
Existence; Businesses and Properties
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32
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Section 5.02.
Insurance
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32
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Section 5.03.
Obligations and Taxes
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32
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Section 5.04.
Financial Statements, Reports, etc
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33
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Section 5.05.
Litigation and Other Notices
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34
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Section 5.06.
ERISA
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34
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Section 5.07.
Maintaining Records; Access to Properties and
Inspections
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35
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Section 5.08.
Use of Proceeds
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35
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Section 5.09.
Filings
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35
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ARTICLE VI NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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35
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Section 6.01.
Indebtedness
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35
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Section 6.02.
Liens
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36
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Section 6.03.
Sale and Lease-Back Transactions
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37
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Section 6.04.
Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets
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38
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Section 6.05.
Interest Coverage Ratio
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38
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Section 6.06.
Fiscal Year
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38
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ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT
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38
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ARTICLE VIII THE AGENT
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41
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ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS
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43
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Section 9.01.
Notices
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43
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Section 9.02.
Survival of Agreement
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43
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Section 9.03.
Binding Effect
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44
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Section 9.04.
Successors and Assigns
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44
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Section 9.05.
Expenses; Indemnity
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47
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Section 9.06.
Rights of Setoff
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48
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Section
9.07. APPLICABLE LAW
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48
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Section 9.08.
Waivers; Amendment
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48
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Section 9.09.
Interest Rate Limitation
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48
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Section 9.10.
Entire Agreement
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49
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Section 9.11.
Waiver of Jury Trial
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49
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Section 9.12.
Severability
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49
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Section 9.13.
Counterparts
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49
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Section 9.14.
Headings
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49
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Section 9.15.
Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process
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49
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Section 9.16.
Confidentiality
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50
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ii
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Exhibit A-1
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Form of Competitive Bid Request
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Exhibit A-2
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Form of Notice of Competitive Bid
Request
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Exhibit A-3
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Form of Competitive Bid
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Exhibit A-4
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Form of Competitive Bid Accept/Reject
Letter
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Exhibit A-5
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Form of Standby Borrowing Request
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Exhibit B
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Administrative Questionnaire
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Exhibit C
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Form of Assignment and Acceptance
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Exhibit D
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Form of Opinion of Counsel
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Schedule 2.01
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Commitments
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Schedule 3.09
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Litigation
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Schedule 3.17
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Environmental
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Schedule 6.01
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Indebtedness
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iii
5-YEAR COMPETITIVE ADVANCE AND
REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY AGREEMENT dated as of July 30, 2004,
among THE E.W. SCRIPPS COMPANY, an Ohio corporation (the
“Borrower”), the banks listed in Schedule 2.01 (the
“Banks”), JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, a New York banking
corporation, as agent for the Banks (in such capacity, the
“Agent”).
The Borrower has requested the Banks
to extend credit to the Borrower in order to enable it to borrow on
a standby revolving credit basis on and after the date hereof and
at any time and from time to time prior to the Maturity Date (as
herein defined) a principal amount not in excess of $450,000,000 at
any time outstanding. The Borrower has also requested the Banks to
provide a procedure pursuant to which the Borrower may invite the
Banks to bid on an uncommitted basis on short-term borrowings by
the Borrower. The proceeds of such borrowings are to be used for
general corporate purposes. The Banks are willing to extend such
credit to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions
herein set forth.
Accordingly, the Borrower, the Banks
and the Agent agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01. Defined Terms .
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
meanings specified below:
“ABR Borrowing” shall
mean a Borrowing comprised of ABR Loans.
“ABR Loan” shall mean
any Standby Loan bearing interest at a rate determined by reference
to the Alternate Base Rate in accordance with the provisions of
Article II.
“Administrative Fees”
shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.06(b).
“Administrative
Questionnaire” shall mean an Administrative Questionnaire in
the form of Exhibit B hereto.
“Affiliate” shall mean,
when used 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.
“Alternate Base Rate”
shall mean, for any day, a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to the greatest of (a) the
Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Base CD Rate in effect on
such day plus 1% and (c) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect
on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. For purposes hereof, “Prime
Rate” shall mean the rate of interest per annum publicly
announced from time to time by the Agent as its prime rate in
effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the
Prime Rate shall be effective on the date such change is publicly
announced as effective. “Base CD Rate” shall mean the
sum of (a) the product of (i) the Three-Month Secondary CD Rate and
(ii) Statutory
1
Reserves and (b) the Assessment Rate.
“Three-Month Secondary CD Rate” shall mean, for any
day, the secondary market rate for three-month certificates of
deposit reported as being in effect on such day (or, if such day
shall not be a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day) by
the Board through the public information telephone line of the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York (which rate will, under the
current practices of the Board, be published in Federal Reserve
Statistical Release H.15(519) during the week following such day),
or, if such rate shall not be so reported on such day or such next
preceding Business Day, the average of the secondary market
quotations for three-month certificates of deposit of major money
center banks in New York City received at approximately 10:00 a.m.,
New York City time, on such day (or, if such day shall not be a
Business Day, on the next preceding Business Day) by the Agent from
three New York City negotiable certificate of deposit dealers of
recognized standing selected by it. “Federal Funds Effective
Rate” shall mean, for any day, 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 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 which is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for
the day of such transactions received by the Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it. If for
any reason the Agent shall have determined (which determination
shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that it is unable to
ascertain the Base CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate or
both for any reason, including the inability or failure of the
Agent to obtain sufficient quotations in accordance with the terms
thereof, the Alternate Base Rate shall be determined without regard
to clause (b) or (c), or both, of the first sentence of this
definition, as appropriate, until the circumstances giving rise to
such inability no longer exist. Any change in the Alternate Base
Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Three-Month Secondary
CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective on
the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the
Three-Month Secondary CD Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate,
respectively.
“Applicable Percentage”
shall mean on any date, with respect to the Facility Fee or the
Loans comprising any Eurodollar Standby Borrowing, the applicable
percentage set forth below based upon the ratings applicable on
such date to the Borrower’s implied or actual senior,
unsecured, non-credit-enhanced long-term indebtedness for borrowed
money (the “Index Debt”):
FEE AND SPREAD
TABLE
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Ratings
(S&P/Moody’s)
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Facility Fee
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LIBOR
Spread
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Category 1
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A+/A1 or
higher
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0.0700%
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0.1550%
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Category 2
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A/A2
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0.0800%
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0.1700%
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Category 3
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A-/A3
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0.1000%
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0.2000%
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Category 4
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BBB+/Baa1
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0.1250%
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0.3750%
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Category 5
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BBB/Baa2
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0.1500%
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0.4750%
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Category 6
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BBB-/Baa3
or lower
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0.1750%
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0.5750%
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For purposes of the foregoing, (a)
if no rating for the Index Debt shall be available from either
Moody’s or S&P (other than by reason of the circumstances
referred to in the last sentence of this definition), each such
rating agency shall be deemed to have established a
rating
2
in Category 4; (b) if only one of Moody’s
and S&P shall have in effect a rating for the Index Debt, the
Applicable Percentage shall be determined by reference to the
available rating; (c) if the ratings established or deemed to have
been established by Moody’s and S&P shall fall within
different categories, the Applicable Percentage shall be based upon
the superior (or numerically lower) category unless the ratings
differ by more than one category, in which case the governing
rating shall be the rating next below the higher of the two; and
(d) if any rating established or deemed to have been established by
Moody’s or S&P shall be changed (other than as a result
of a change in the rating system of either Moody’s or
S&P), such change shall be effective as of the date on which
such change is first announced publicly by the rating agency making
such change. Any change in the LIBOR spread due to a change in the
applicable category shall be effective on the effective date of
such change in the applicable category and shall apply to all
Eurodollar Standby Loans that are outstanding at any time during
the period commencing on the effective date of such change in the
applicable category and ending on the date immediately preceding
the effective date of the next such change in the applicable
category. If the rating system of either Moody’s or S&P
shall change, the Borrower and the Banks shall negotiate in good
faith to amend the references to specific ratings in this
definition to reflect such changed rating system. If either
Moody’s or S&P shall cease to be in the business of
rating corporate debt obligations, the Borrower and the Banks shall
negotiate in good faith to agree upon a substitute rating agency
and to amend the references to specific ratings in this definition
to reflect the ratings used by such substitute rating agency and,
pending such agreement, the Applicable Percentage shall be
determined on the basis of the ratings provided by the other rating
agency.
“Assessment Rate” shall
mean for any date the annual rate (rounded upwards if necessary, to
the next 1/100 of 1%) most recently estimated by the Agent as the
then current net annual assessment rate that will be employed in
determining amounts payable by the Agent to the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation (or such successor) of time deposits made in
dollars at the Agent’s domestic offices.
“Assignment and
Acceptance” shall mean an assignment and acceptance entered
into by a Bank and an assignee, and accepted by the Agent, in the
form of Exhibit C.
“Board” shall mean the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United
States.
“Borrowing” shall mean a
group of Loans of a single Type made by the Banks (or, in the case
of a Competitive Borrowing, by the Bank or Banks whose Competitive
Bids have been accepted pursuant to Section 2.03) on a single date
and as to which a single Interest Period is in effect.
“Business Day” shall
mean any day (other than a day which is a Saturday, Sunday or legal
holiday in the State of New York) on which banks are open for
business in New York City; provided , however , that,
when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term
“Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which
banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London
interbank market.
“Capital Lease
Obligations” of any person shall mean the obligations of such
person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other
arrangement conveying the right
3
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, for the purposes of this Agreement,
the amount of such obligations at any time shall be the capitalized
amount thereof at such time determined in accordance with
GAAP.
A “Change in Control”
shall be deemed to have occurred if the Trust or the beneficiaries
thereof shall not be the direct or indirect owner, beneficially and
of record, of at least 51% of the issued and outstanding Common
Voting Shares, $.01 par value per share, of the Borrower and any
other common stock at any time issued by the Borrower, other than
the Borrower’s Class A Common Shares, $.01 per
share.
“Closing Date” shall
mean July 30, 2004.
“Code” shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same may be amended from time
to time.
“Commitment” shall mean,
with respect to each Bank, the commitment of such Bank hereunder as
set forth in Schedule 2.01 hereto, as such Bank’s Commitment
may be permanently terminated or reduced from time to time pursuant
to Section 2.11. The Commitments shall automatically and
permanently terminate on the Maturity Date.
“Competitive Bid” shall
mean an offer by a Bank to make a Competitive Loan pursuant to
Section 2.03.
“Competitive Bid Accept/Reject
Letter” shall mean a notification made by the Borrower
pursuant to Section 2.03(d) in the form of Exhibit A-4.
“Competitive Bid Rate”
shall mean, as to any Competitive Bid made by a Bank pursuant to
Section 2.03(b), (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Loan, the Margin,
and (ii) in the case of a Fixed Rate Loan, the fixed rate of
interest offered by the Bank making such Competitive
Bid.
“Competitive Bid
Request” shall mean a request made pursuant to Section 2.03
in the form of Exhibit A-1.
“Competitive Borrowing”
shall mean a borrowing consisting of a Competitive Loan or
concurrent Competitive Loans from the Bank or Banks whose
Competitive Bids for such Borrowing have been accepted by the
Borrower under the bidding procedure described in Section
2.03.
“Competitive Loan” shall
mean a Loan from a Bank to the Borrower pursuant to the bidding
procedure described in Section 2.03. Each Competitive Loan shall be
a Eurodollar Competitive Loan or a Fixed Rate Loan.
“Consolidated Cash Flow”
shall mean with respect to any person for any period the aggregate
operating income of such person and its consolidated subsidiaries
plus any depreciation and any amortization of intangibles arising
from acquisitions that have been deduced in deriving such operating
income, all computed and consolidated in accordance with
GAAP.
4
“Consolidated
Indebtedness” with respect to any person shall mean the
aggregate Indebtedness of such person and its consolidated
subsidiaries, consolidated in accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Interest
Expense” with respect to any person shall mean for any period
the aggregate interest expense of such person and its consolidated
subsidiaries for such period, computed and consolidated in
accordance with GAAP.
“Consolidated Net
Income” with respect to any person shall mean for any period
the aggregate net income (or net deficit) of such person and its
consolidated subsidiaries for such period equal to gross revenues
and other proper income less the aggregate for such person and its
consolidated subsidiaries of (i) operating expenses, (ii) selling,
administrative and general expenses, (iii) taxes, (iv)
depreciation, depletion and amortization of properties and (v) any
other items that are treated as expenses under GAAP but excluding
from the definition of Consolidated Net Income any extraordinary
gains or losses, all computed and consolidated in accordance with
GAAP.
“Consolidated
Stockholders’ Equity” with respect to any person shall
mean the aggregate Stockholders’ Equity of such person and
its consolidated subsidiaries, consolidated in accordance with
GAAP.
“Control” shall mean 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 ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise, and “Controlling” and
“Controlled” shall have meanings correlative
thereto.
“Default” shall mean any
event or condition which upon notice, lapse of time or both would
constitute an Event of Default.
“dollars” or
“$” shall mean lawful money of the United States of
America.
“ERISA” shall mean the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as the same may be
amended from time to time.
“ERISA Affiliate” shall
mean any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that is a
member of a group of which the Borrower is a member and which is
treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the
Code.
“Eurodollar Borrowing”
shall mean a Borrowing comprised of Eurodollar Loans.
“Eurodollar Competitive
Loan” shall mean any Competitive Loan bearing interest at a
rate determined by reference to the LIBO Rate in accordance with
the provisions of Article II.
5
“Eurodollar Loan” shall
mean any Eurodollar Competitive Loan or Eurodollar Standby
Loan.
“Eurodollar Standby
Borrowing” shall mean a Borrowing comprised of Eurodollar
Standby Loans.
“Eurodollar Standby
Loan” shall mean any Standby Loan bearing interest at a rate
determined by reference to the LIBO Rate in accordance with the
provisions of Article II.
“Event of Default” shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.
“Existing Credit
Agreements” shall mean (i) the 5-Year Competitive Advance and
Revolving Credit Facility Agreement dated as of August 8, 2002,
among the Borrower, the banks named therein and JPMorgan Chase
Bank, successor by merger to the Chase Manhattan Bank, as agent and
(ii) the 364-Day Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility
Agreement dated as of August 7, 2003, among the Borrower, the banks
named therein and JPMorgan Chase Bank, successor by merger to the
Chase Manhattan Bank, as agent.
“Facility Fee” shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.06(a).
“Fee Letter” shall mean
the letter agreement dated June 22, 2004, between the Borrower and
the Agent, providing for the payment of certain fees or other
amounts in connection with the credit facilities established by
this Agreement.
“Fees” shall mean the
Facility Fee and the Administrative Fees.
“Financial Officer” of
any corporation shall mean the chief financial officer, principal
accounting officer, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer or Controller of
such corporation.
“Fixed Rate Borrowing”
shall mean a Borrowing comprised of Fixed Rate Loans.
“Fixed Rate Loan” shall
mean any Competitive Loan bearing interest at a fixed percentage
rate per annum (expressed in the form of a decimal to no more than
four decimal places) specified by the Bank making such Loan in its
Competitive Bid.
“GAAP” shall mean
generally accepted accounting principles, applied on a consistent
basis.
“Governmental Authority”
shall mean any Federal, state, local or foreign court or
governmental agency, authority, instrumentality or regulatory
body.
“Guarantee” of or by any
person shall mean any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such
person 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 such person, 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 of
such Indebtedness, (b) to purchase property, securities or services
for the purpose of assuring the
6
owner of such Indebtedness of the payment of
such Indebtedness or (c) to maintain working capital, equity
capital or other financial statement condition or liquidity of the
primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such
Indebtedness; provided , however , that the term
Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit,
in either case in the ordinary course of business.
“Indebtedness” of any
person shall mean, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such
person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or advances
of any kind, (b) all obligations of such person evidenced by bonds,
debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of
such person under conditional sale or other title retention
agreements relating to property or assets purchased by such person,
(d) all obligations of such person issued or assumed as the
deferred purchase price of property or services, (e) all
Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such
Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be
secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such person,
whether or not the obligations secured thereby have been assumed,
(f) all Guarantees by such person of Indebtedness of others, (g)
all Capital Lease Obligations of such person, (h) all obligations
of such person in respect of interest rate protection agreements,
foreign currency exchange agreements or other interest or exchange
rate hedging arrangements, in such amount which exceeds $15,000,000
at any time and (i) all obligations of such person as an account
party in respect of letters of credit and bankers’
acceptances; provided that the definition of Indebtedness
shall not include (i) accounts payable to suppliers and (ii)
programming rights, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of
business and not overdue. The Indebtedness of any person shall
include the recourse Indebtedness of any partnership in which such
person is a general partner. For purposes of this Agreement, the
amount of any Indebtedness referred to in clause (h) of the
preceding sentence shall be amounts, including any termination
payments, required to be paid to a counterparty after giving effect
to any contractual netting arrangements, and not any notional
amount with regard to which payments may be calculated.
“Interest Payment Date”
shall mean, with respect to any Loan, the last day of the Interest
Period applicable thereto and, in the case of a Eurodollar Loan
with an Interest Period of more than three months’ duration
or a Fixed Rate Loan with an Interest Period of more than 90
days’ duration, each day that would have been an Interest
Payment Date for such Loan had successive Interest Periods of three
months’ duration or 90 days’ duration, as the case may
be, been applicable to such Loan and, in addition, the date of any
refinancing or conversion of such Loan with or to a Loan of a
different Type.
“Interest Period” shall
mean (a) as to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on
the date of such Borrowing or on the last day of the immediately
preceding Interest Period applicable to such Borrowing, as the case
may be, and ending on the numerically corresponding day (or, if
there is no numerically corresponding day, on the last day) in the
calendar month that is 1, 2, 3 or 6 months (or, if agreed to by all
Banks, 9 or 12 months) thereafter, as the Borrower may elect, (b)
as to any ABR Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such
Borrowing and ending on the date 90 days thereafter or, if earlier,
on the Maturity Date or the date of prepayment of such Borrowing
and (c) as to any Fixed Rate Borrowing, the period commencing on
the date of such Borrowing and ending on the date specified in the
Competitive Bids in which the offer to make the Fixed Rate Loans
comprising such Borrowing were extended, which shall not be earlier
than seven days after the date of such
7
Borrowing or later than 360 days after the date
of such Borrowing; provided , however , that 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 Eurodollar Loans only, such next
succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in
which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding
Business Day. Interest shall accrue from and including the first
day of an Interest Period to but excluding the last day of such
Interest Period.
“LIBO Rate” shall mean,
with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period,
the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate Service (or on any
successor or substitute page of such Service, or any successor to
or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations
comparable to those currently provided on such page of such
Service, as reasonably determined by the Agent from time to time
for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable
to dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately
11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the
commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for dollar
deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the
event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason,
then the “ LIBO Rate ” with respect to such
Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at
which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable
to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office
of the Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank
market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days
prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.
“Lien” shall mean, with
respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien,
pledge, encumbrance, charge or security interest in or on such
asset or (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any
conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention
agreement relating to such asset.
“Loan” shall mean a
Competitive Loan or a Standby Loan, whether made as a Eurodollar
Loan, an ABR Loan or a Fixed Rate Loan, as permitted
hereby.
“Loan Documents” shall
mean this Agreement and the Fee Letter.
“Margin” shall mean, as
to any Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the margin (expressed as a
percentage rate per annum in the form of a decimal to no more than
four decimal places) to be added to or subtracted from the LIBO
Rate in order to determine the interest rate applicable to such
Loan, as specified in the Competitive Bid relating to such
Loan.
“Margin Stock” shall
have the meaning given such term under Regulation U.
“Material Adverse
Effect” shall mean (a) a materially adverse effect on the
business, assets, operations, or condition, financial or otherwise,
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) material
impairment of the ability of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to
perform any of its obligations under any Loan Document to which it
is or will be a party or (c) material impairment of the rights of
or benefits expressly available to the Banks under any Loan
Document.
“Maturity Date” shall
mean July 30, 2009.
8
“Multiemployer Plan”
shall mean a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of
ERISA to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate (other than one
considered an ERISA Affiliate only pursuant to subsection (m) or
(o) of Code Section 414) 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.
“Participant” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“PBGC” shall mean the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in
ERISA.
“person” shall mean any
natural person, corporation, business trust, joint venture,
association, company, partnership or government, or any agency or
political subdivision thereof.
“Plan” shall mean any
pension plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the
provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code and
which is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate.
“Rate” shall include the
LIBO Rate, the Alternate Base Rate and the Fixed Rate.
“Register” shall have
the meaning given such term in Section 9.04(b)(iv).
“Regulation D” shall
mean Regulation D of the Board as from time to time in effect and
all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or
thereof.
“Regulation U” shall
mean Regulation U of the Board as from time to time in effect and
all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or
thereof.
“Regulation X” shall
mean Regulation X of the Board as from time to time in effect and
all official rulings and interpretations thereunder or
thereof.
“Related Parties” shall
mean, with respect to any specified person, such person’s
Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees,
agents and advisors of such person and such person’s
Affiliates.
“Reportable Event” shall
mean any reportable event as defined in Section 4043(b) of ERISA or
the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other
than a Plan maintained by an ERISA Affiliate that is considered an
ERISA Affiliate only pursuant to subsection (m) or (o) of Code
Section 414).
“Required Banks” shall
mean, at any time, Banks having Commitments representing at least
51% of the Total Commitment or, for purposes of acceleration
pursuant to clause (ii) of Article VII, Banks holding Loans
representing at least 51% of the aggregate principal amount of the
Loans outstanding.
“Responsible Officer” of
any corporation shall mean any executive officer or Financial
Officer of such corporation and any other officer or similar
official thereof responsible for the administration of the
obligations of such corporation in respect of this
Agreement.
9
“Standby Borrowing”
shall mean a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Standby Loans
from each of the Banks.
“Standby Borrowing
Request” shall mean a request made pursuant to Section 2.04
in the form of Exhibit A-5.
“Standby Loans” shall
mean the revolving loans made by the Banks to the Borrower pursuant
to Section 2.04. Each Standby Loan shall be a Eurodollar Standby
Loan or an ABR Loan.
“Statutory Reserves”
shall mean 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 and any
other banking authority to which the Agent is subject for new
negotiable nonpersonal time deposits in dollars of over $100,000
with maturities approximately equal to the applicable Interest
Period. Statutory Reserves shall be adjusted automatically on and
as of the effective date of any change in any reserve
percentage.
“Stockholders’
Equity” shall mean, for any corporation, the consolidated
total stockholders’ equity of such corporation determined in
accordance with GAAP, consistently applied.
“subsidiary” shall mean,
with respect to any person (herein referred to as the
“parent”), any corporation, partnership, association or
other business entity (a) of which securities or other ownership
interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50%
of the ordinary voting power or more than 50% of the general
partnership interests are, at the time any determination is being
made, owned, controlled or held, or (b) which is, at the time any
determination is made, otherwise Controlled by the parent or one or
more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more
subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary” shall mean
any subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Total Commitment” shall
mean at any time the aggregate amount of the Banks’
Commitments, as in effect at such time.
“Transactions” shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.02.
“Trust” shall mean The
Edward W. Scripps Trust, being that certain trust for the benefit
of descendants of Edward W. Scripps and owning shares of capital
stock of the Borrower.
“Type”, when used in
respect of any Loan or Borrowing, shall refer to the Rate by
reference to which interest on such Loan or on the Loans comprising
such Borrowing is determined.
“Utilization Fee” shall
have the meaning assigned to such term in Section
2.06(c).
10
“Withdrawal Liability”
shall mean 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. Terms Generally
. The definitions in Section 1.01 shall apply equally to both 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”. All references herein to
Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be deemed
references to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules
to, this Agreement unless the context shall otherwise require.
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 ,
however , that, for purposes of determining compliance with
any covenant set forth in Article VI, such terms shall be construed
in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the date of this Agreement
applied on a basis consistent with the application used in
preparing the Borrower’s audited financial statements
referred to in Section 3.05.
ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS
Section 2.01. Commitments .
Subject to the terms and conditions and relying upon the
representations and warranties herein set forth, each Bank agrees,
severally and not jointly, to make Standby Loans to the Borrower,
at any time and from time to time on and after the date hereof and
until the earlier of the Maturity Date and the termination of the
Commitment of such Bank as provided in this Agreement, in an
aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed
such Bank’s Commitment minus the amount by which the
Competitive Loans outstanding at such time shall be deemed to have
used such Commitment pursuant to Section 2.16, subject, however, to
the conditions that (a) at no time shall (i) the sum of (x) the
outstanding aggregate principal amount of all Standby Loans made by
all Banks plus (y) the outstanding aggregate principal amount of
all Competitive Loans made by all Banks exceed (ii) the Total
Commitment and (b) at all times the outstanding aggregate principal
amount of all Standby Loans made by each Bank shall equal the
product of (i) the percentage which its Commitment represents of
the Total Commitment times (ii) the outstanding aggregate principal
amount of all Standby Loans made pursuant to Section 2.04. Each
Bank’s Commitment is set forth opposite its respective name
in Schedule 2.01. Such Commitments may be terminated or reduced
from time to time pursuant to Section 2.11.
Within the foregoing limits, the
Borrower may borrow, pay or repay and reborrow hereunder, on and
after the Closing Date and prior to the Maturity Date, subject to
the terms, conditions and limitations set forth herein.
Section 2.02. Loans . (a)
Each Standby Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting
of Loans made by the Banks ratably in accordance with their
Commitments; provided, however, that the failure of any Bank to
make any Standby Loan shall not in itself relieve any other Bank of
its obligation to lend hereunder (it being understood, however,
that no Bank shall be responsible for the failure of any other Bank
to make any Loan
11
required to be made by such other Bank). Each
Competitive Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures
set forth in Section 2.03. The Standby Loans or Competitive Loans
comprising any Borrowing shall be (i) in the case of Competitive
Loans, in an aggregate principal amount which is an integral
multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (ii) in the
case of Standby Loans, in an aggregate principal amount which is an
integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000 in
the case of Eurodollar Standby Loans and $5,000,000 in the case of
ABR Loans (or an aggregate principal amount equal to the remaining
balance of the available Commitments).
(b) Each Competitive Borrowing shall
be comprised entirely of Eurodollar Competitive Loans or Fixed Rate
Loans, and each Standby Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of
Eurodollar Standby Loans or ABR Loans, as the Borrower may request
pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.04, as applicable. Each Bank may at
its option make any Eurodollar Loan by causing any domestic or
foreign branch or Affiliate of such Bank to make such Loan;
provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect
the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement. Borrowings of more than one Type
may be outstanding at the same time; provided ,
however , that the Borrower shall not be entitled to request
any Borrowing which, if made, would result in an aggregate of more
than five separate Standby Loans of any Bank being outstanding
hereunder at any one time. For purposes of the foregoing, Loans
having different Interest Periods, regardless of whether they
commence on the same date, shall be considered separate
Loans.
(c) Subject to Section 2.05, each
Bank shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the
proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available
funds to the Agent in New York, New York, not later than 12:00
noon, New York City time, and the Agent shall by 3:00 p.m., New
York City time, wire transfer the amounts so received to the
general deposit account of the Borrower at Mellon Bank (or other
general deposit account designated by the Borrower in writing) or,
if a Borrowing shall not occur on such date because any condition
precedent herein specified shall not have been met, return the
amounts so received to the respective Banks. Competitive Loans
shall be made by the Bank or Banks whose Competitive Bids therefor
are accepted pursuant to Section 2.03 in the amounts so accepted
and Standby Loans shall be made by the Banks pro rata in accordance
with Section 2.16. Unless the Agent shall have received notice from
a Bank prior to the date of any Borrowing that such Bank will not
make available to the Agent such Bank’s portion of such
Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Bank has made such
portion available to the Agent on the date of such Borrowing in
accordance with this paragraph (c) and the Agent may, in reliance
upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a
corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Bank shall not
have made such portion available to the Agent, such Bank and the
Borrower severally agree (without duplication) to repay to the
Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with
interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made
available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to
the Agent at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate
applicable at the time to the Loans comprising such Borrowing and
(ii) in the case of such Bank, the Federal Funds Effective Rate. If
such Bank shall repay to the Agent such corresponding amount, such
amount shall constitute such Bank’s Loan as part of such
Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.
12
(d) Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to
request any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect
thereto would end after the Maturity Date.
Section 2.03. Competitive Bid
Procedure . (a) In order to request Competitive Bids, the
Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy to the Agent a duly
completed Competitive Bid Request in the form of Exhibit A-1
hereto, to be received by the Agent (i) in the case of a Eurodollar
Competitive Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City
time, four Business Days before a proposed Competitive Borrowing
and (ii) in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than
10:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day before a proposed
Competitive Borrowing. No ABR Loan shall be requested in, or made
pursuant to, a Competitive Bid Request. A Competitive Bid Request
that does not conform substantially to the format of Exhibit A-1
may be rejected in the Agent’s sole discretion, and the Agent
shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower of such rejection
by telecopier. Such request shall in each case refer to this
Agreement and specify (x) whether the Borrowing then being
requested is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing or a Fixed Rate
Borrowing, (y) the date of such Borrowing (which shall be a
Business Day) and the aggregate principal amount thereof which
shall be in a minimum principal amount of $5,000,000 and in an
integral multiple of $1,000,000, and (z) the Interest Period with
respect thereto (which may not end after the Maturity Date). As
soon as practicable after its receipt of a Competitive Bid Request
that is not rejected as aforesaid, the Agent shall invite by
telecopier (in the form set forth in Exhibit A-2 hereto) the Banks
to bid, on the terms and conditions of this Agreement, to make
Competitive Loans pursuant to the Competitive Bid
Request.
(b) Each Bank may, in its sole
discretion, make one or more Competitive Bids to the Borrower
responsive to a Competitive Bid Request. Each Competitive Bid by a
Bank must be received by the Agent via telecopier, in the form of
Exhibit A-3 hereto, (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Competitive
Borrowing, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City time, three
Business Days before a proposed Competitive Borrowing and (ii) in
the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later than 9:30 a.m., New
York City time, on the day of a proposed Competitive Borrowing.
Multiple bids will be accepted by the Agent. Competitive Bids that
do not conform substantially to the format of Exhibit A-3 may be
rejected by the Agent after conferring with, and upon the
instruction of, the Borrower, such conference between the Agent and
the Borrower to occur as soon as practicable following the receipt
by the Agent of such Competitive Bid, and the Agent shall notify
the Bank making such nonconforming bid of such rejection as soon as
practicable. Each Competitive Bid shall refer to this Agreement and
specify (x) the principal amount (which shall be in a minimum
principal amount of $5,000,000 and in an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 and which may equal the entire principal amount of the
Competitive Borrowing requested by the Borrower) of the Competitive
Loan or Loans that the Bank is willing to make to the Borrower, (y)
the Competitive Bid Rate or Rates at which the Bank is prepared to
make the Competitive Loan or Loans and (z) the Interest Period and
the last day thereof. If any Bank shall elect not to make a
Competitive Bid, such Bank shall so notify the Agent via telecopier
(I) in the case of Eurodollar Competitive Loans, not later than
9:30 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before a
proposed Competitive Borrowing, and (II) in the case of Fixed Rate
Loans, not later than 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the day of
a proposed Competitive Borrowing; provided , however
, that failure by any Bank to give such notice shall not cause such
Bank to be obligated to make any Competitive Loan as part of such
Competitive Borrowing. A Competitive Bid submitted by a Bank
pursuant to this paragraph (b) shall be irrevocable.
13
(c) The Agent shall as soon as
practicable notify the Borrower by telecopier (i) in the case of
Eurodollar Competitive Loans, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York
City time, three Business Days before a proposed Competitive
Borrowing, and (ii) in the case of Fixed Rate Loans, not later than
10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the day of a proposed
Competitive Borrowing, of all the Competitive Bids made, the
Competitive Bid Rate and the principal amount of each Competitive
Loan in respect of which a Competitive Bid was made and the
identity of the Bank that made each bid. The Agent shall send a
copy of all Competitive Bids to the Borrower for its records as
soon as practicable after completion of the bidding process set
forth in this Section 2.03.
(d) The Borrower may in its sole and
absolute discretion, subject only to the provisions of this
paragraph (d), accept or reject any Competitive Bid referred to in
paragraph (c) above. The Borrower shall notify the Agent by
telephone, confirmed by telecopier in the form of a Competitive Bid
Accept/Reject Letter in the form of Exhibit A-4, whether and to
what extent it has decided to accept or reject any of or all the
bids referred to in paragraph (c) above, (x) in the case of a
Eurodollar Competitive Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New
York City time, three Business Days before a proposed Competitive
Borrowing, and (y) in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, not later
than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the day of a proposed
Competitive Borrowing; provided , however , that (i)
the failure by the Borrower to give such notice shall be deemed to
be a rejection of all the bids referred to in paragraph (c) above,
(ii) the Borrower shall not accept a bid made at a particular
Competitive Bid Rate if the Borrower has decided to reject an
unrestricted bid made at a lower Competitive Bid Rate, (iii) the
aggregate amount of the Competitive Bids accepted by the Borrower
shall not exceed the principal amount specified in the Competitive
Bid Request, (iv) if the Borrower shall accept a bid or bids made
at a particular Competitive Bid Rate but the amount of such bid or
bids shall cause the total amount of bids to be accepted by the
Borrower to exceed the amount specified in the Competitive Bid
Request, then the Borrower shall accept a portion of such bid or
bids in an amount equal to the amount specified in the Competitive
Bid Request less the amount of all other Competitive Bids accepted
with respect to such Competitive Bid Request, which acceptance, in
the case of multiple bids at such Competitive Bid Rate, shall be
made pro rata in accordance with the amount of each such bid at
such Competitive Bid Rate, and (v) except pursuant to clause (iv)
above, no 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 , however , 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 of
$1,000,000 or any integral multiple thereof, and in calculating the
pro rata allocation of acceptances of portions of multiple 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 which shall be in the discretion of the Borrower. A notice
given by the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph (d) shall be
irrevocable.
(e) The Agent shall promptly notify
each bidding Bank (i) in the case of Eurodollar Competitive Loans,
not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days
before a proposed Competitive Borrowing, and (ii) in the case of
Fixed Rate Loans, not
14
later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on
the day of a proposed Competitive Borrowing, whether or not its
Competitive Bid has been accepted (and if so, in what amount and at
what Competitive Bid Rate) by telecopy sent by the Agent, and each
successful bidder will thereupon become bound, subject to the other
applicable conditions hereof, to make the Competitive Loan in
respect of which its bid has been accepted.
(f) A Competitive Bid Request shall
not be made within five Business Days after the date of any
previous Competitive Bid Request.
(g) If the Agent shall elect to
submit a Competitive Bid in its capacity as a Bank, it shall submit
such bid directly to the Borrower one quarter of an hour earlier
than the latest time at which the other Banks are required to
submit their bids to the Agent pursuant to paragraph (b)
above.
(h) All Notices required by this
Section 2.03 shall be given in accordance with Section
9.01.
Section 2.04. Standby Borrowing
Procedure . In order to request a Standby Borrowing, the
Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy to the Agent in the form of
Exhibit A-5 (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Standby Borrowing, not
later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days
before a proposed borrowing and (b) in the case of an ABR
Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
day of a proposed borrowing. No Fixed Rate Loan shall be requested
or made pursuant to a Standby Borrowing Request. Such notice shall
be irrevocable and shall in each case specify (i) whether the
Borrowing then being requested is to be a Eurodollar Standby
Borrowing or an ABR Borrowing; (ii) the date of such Standby
Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day) and the amount thereof;
and (iii) if such Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Standby
Borrowing, the Interest Period with respect thereto. If no election
as to the Type of Standby Borrowing is specified in any such
notice, then the requested Standby Borrowing shall be an ABR
Borrowing. If no Interest Period with respect to any Eurodollar
Standby Borrowing is specified in such notice, then the Borrower
shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one
month’s duration. If the Borrower shall not have given notice
in accordance with this Section 2.04 of its election to refinance a
Standby Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period in effect
for such Borrowing, then the Borrower shall (unless such Borrowing
is repaid at the end of such Interest Period) be deemed to have
given notice of an election to refinance such Borrowing with an ABR
Borrowing. The Agent shall promptly advise the Banks of any notice
given pursuant to this Section 2.04 and of each Bank’s
portion of the requested Borrowing.
Section 2.05. Refinancings .
The Borrower may refinance all or any part of any Borrowing with a
Borrowing of the same or a different Type made pursuant to Section
2.03 or Section 2.04, subject to the conditions and limitations set
forth herein and elsewhere in this Agreement, including
refinancings of Competitive Borrowings with Standby Borrowings and
Standby Borrowings with Competitive Borrowings. Any Borrowing or
part thereof so refinanced shall be repaid in accordance with
Section 2.07 with the proceeds of a new Borrowing hereunder and the
proceeds of the new Borrowing shall be paid by the Banks to the
Agent or by the Agent to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.02(c);
provided , however , that (i) if the principal amount
extended by a Bank in a refinancing is greater than the principal
amount extended by
15
such Bank in the Borrowing being refinanced,
then such Bank shall pay such difference to the Agent for
distribution to the Banks described in (ii) below, (ii) if the
principal amount extended by a Bank in the Borrowing being
refinanced is greater than the principal amount being extended by
such Bank in the refinancing, the Agent shall return the difference
to such Bank out of amounts received pursuant to (i) above, and
(iii) to the extent any Bank fails to pay the Agent amounts due
from it pursuant to (i) above, any Loan or portion thereof being
refinanced with such amounts shall not be deemed repaid in
accordance with Section 2.07 and shall be payable by the
Borrower.
Section 2.06. Fees . (a) The
Borrower agrees to pay to each Bank, through the Agent, on each
March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 and on the date on
which the Commitment of such Bank shall be terminated as provided
herein, a facility fee (a “Facility Fee”) at a rate per
annum equal to the Applicable Percentage from time to time in
effect, on the amount of the Commitment of such Bank, whether used
or unused, during the preceding quarter (or shorter period
commencing with the date hereof or ending with the Maturity Date or
any date on which the Commitment of such Bank shall be terminated
as provided in this Agreement). All Facility Fees shall be computed
on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 360
days. The Facility Fee due to each Bank shall commence to accrue on
the date hereof and shall cease to accrue on the earlier of the
Maturity Date and the termination of the Commitment of such Bank as
provided herein.
(b) The Borrower agrees to pay the
Agent, for its own account, the fees (the “Administrative
Fees”) at the times and in the amounts agreed upon in the Fee
Letter.
(c) The Borrower agrees to pay, in
immediately available funds, to the Agent for the account of each
Bank a fee (the “ Utilization Fee ”) based upon
the average daily amount of the outstanding Standby Loans of such
Bank at a rate per annum equal to 0.100%, when and for as long as
the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Standby Loans exceed
50% of the aggregate Commitments as in effect at such time. The
Utilization Fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last
day of each March, June, September and December, commencing on the
first of such dates to occur after the date hereof, and on the
Maturity Date (or such earlier date on which the Commitments shall
terminate and the Loans and all interest, fees and other amounts in
respect thereof shall have been paid in full).
(d) All Fees shall be paid on the
date due, in immediately available funds, to the Agent for
distribution, if and as appropriate, among the Banks.
Section 2.07. Repayment of Loans;
Evidence of Debt . (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally
promises to pay (i) to the Agent for the account of each Bank the
then unpaid principal amount of each Standby Loan on the Maturity
Date and (ii) to the Agent for the account of each applicable Bank
the then unpaid principal amount of each Competitive Loan on the
last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Loan.
(b) Each Bank shall maintain in
accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts
evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Bank resulting
from each Loan made by such Bank, including the amounts of
principal and interest payable and paid to such Bank from time to
time hereunder.
16
(c) The Agent shall maintain
accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made
hereunder, whether such Loan is a Standby Loan or a Competitive
Loan, and the Type 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 the Borrower to each Bank
hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Agent
hereunder for the account of the Banks and each Bank’s share
thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts
maintained pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (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 Bank or the Agent to maintain such accounts or any
error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the
Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
(e) Any Bank may request that Loans
made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the
Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Bank a
promissory note payable to the order of such Bank (or, if requested
by such Bank, to such Bank and its registered assigns) and in a
usual and customary form for such Type approved by the Agent in its
reasonable discretion.
Section 2.08. Interest on
Loans . (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.09, the
Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest
(computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a
year of 360 days) at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of
each Eurodollar Standby Loan, the LIBO Rate for the Interest Period
in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Percentage, and
(ii) in the case of each Eurodollar Competitive Loan, the LIBO Rate
for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the
Margin offered by the Bank making such Loan and accepted by the
Borrower pursuant to Section 2.03.
(b) Subject to the provisions of
Section 2.09, the Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing shall bear
interest (computed on the basis of the actual number of days
elapsed over a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, when
determined by reference to the Prime Rate and over a year of 360
days at all other times) at a rate per annum equal to the Alternate
Base Rate.
(c) Subject to the provisions of
Section 2.09, each Fixed Rate Loan shall bear interest at a rate
per annum (computed on the basis of the actual number of days
elapsed over a year of 360 days) equal to the fixed rate of
interest offered by the Bank making such Loan and accepted by the
Borrower pursuant to Section 2.03.
(d) Interest on each Loan shall be
payable on each Interest Payment Date applicable to such Loan. The
LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate for each Interest Period or
day within an Interest Period shall be determined by the Agent, and
such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest
error.
Section 2.09. Default
Interest . If the Borrower shall default in the payment of the
principal of or interest on any Loan or any other amount becoming
due hereunder, whether by scheduled maturity, notice of prepayment,
acceleration or otherwise, the Borrower shall on demand from time
to time from the Agent pay interest, to the extent permitted by
law, on such defaulted amount up to (but not including) the date of
actual payment (after as well as before judgment) at a rate per
annum (computed as provided in Section 2.08(b)) equal to the
Alternate Base Rate plus 1%.
17
Section 2.10. Alternate Rate of
Interest . In the event, and on each occasion, that on the day
two Business Days prior to the commencement of any Interest Period
for a Eurodollar Borrowing the Agent shall have determined that
dollar deposits in the principal amounts of the Eurodollar Loans
comprising such Borrowing are not generally available in the London
interbank market, or that the rates at which such dollar deposits
are being offered will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost
to any Bank of making or maintaining its Eurodollar Loan during
such Interest Period, or that reasonable means do not exist for
ascertaining the LIBO Rate, the Agent shall, as soon as practicable
thereafter, give written or telecopy notice of such determination
to the Borrower and the Banks. In the event of any such
determination, until the Agent shall have advised the Borrower and
the Banks that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no
longer exist, (i) any request by the Borrower for a Eurodollar
Competitive Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.03 shall be of no force
and effect and shall be denied by the Agent and (ii) any request by
the Borrower for a Eurodollar Standby Borrowing pursuant to Section
2.04 shall be deemed to be a request for an ABR Borrowing. Each
determination by the Agent hereunder shall be conclusive absent
manifest error.
Section 2.11. Termination and
Reduction of Commitments . (a) The Commitments shall be
automatically terminated on the Maturity Date.
(b) Upon at least three Business
Days’ prior irrevocable written or telecopy notice to the
Agent, the Borrower may at any time in whole permanently terminate,
or from time to time in part permanently reduce, the Total
Commitment; provided , however , that (i) each
partial reduction of the Total Commitment shall be in an integral
multiple of $5,000,000 and in a minimum principal amount of
$5,000,000 and (ii) no such termination or reduction shall be made
which would reduce the Total Commitment to an amount less than the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans.
(c) Each reduction in the Total
Commitment hereunder shall be made ratably among the Banks in
accordance with their respective Commitments. The Borrower shall
pay to the Agent for the account of the Banks, on the date of each
termination or reduction, the Facility Fees on the amount of the
Commitments so terminated or reduced accrued to the date of such
termination or reduction.
Section 2.12. Prepayment .
(a) The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to
time to prepay any Standby Borrowing, in whole or in part, upon
giving written or telecopy notice (or telephone notice promptly
confirmed by written or telecopy notice) to the Agent: (i) before
10:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days prior to
prepayment, in the case of Eurodollar Loans and (ii) before 10:00
a.m., New York City time, one Business Day prior to prepayment, in
the case of ABR Loans; provided , however , that each
partial prepayment shall be in an amount which is an integral
multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $10,000,000. The Borrower
shall not have the right to prepay any Competitive
Borrowing.
(b) On the date of any termination
or reduction of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.11, the
Borrower shall pay or prepay so much of the Standby Borrowings as
shall be
18
necessary in order that the aggregate principal
amount of the Competitive Loans and Standby Loans outstanding will
not exceed the Total Commitment after giving effect to such
termination or reduction.
(c) Each notice of prepayment shall
specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each
Borrowing (or portion thereof) to be prepaid, shall be irrevocable
and shall commit the Borrower to prepay such Borrowing (or portion
thereof) by the amount stated therein on the date stated therein.
All prepayments under this Section 2.12 shall be subject to Section
2.15 but otherwise without premium or penalty. All prepayments
under this Section 2.12 shall be accomplished by accrued interest
on the principal amount being prepaid to the date of
payment.
Section 2.13. Reserve
Requirements; Change in Circumstances . (a) Notwithstanding any
other provision herein, if after the date of this Agreement any
change in applicable law or regulation or in the interpretation or
administration thereof by any governmental authority charged with
the interpretation or administration thereof (whether or not having
the force of law) shall change the basis of taxation of payments to
any Bank of the principal of or interest on any Eurodollar Loan or
Fixed Rate Loan made by such Bank or any Fees or other amounts
payable hereunder (other than changes in respect of taxes imposed
on the overall net income of such Bank by the jurisdiction in which
such Bank has its principal office or by any political subdivision
or taxing authority therein), or shall impose, modify or deem
applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of or credit
extended by such Bank, or shall impose on such Bank or the London
interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or
any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan made by such Bank, and the
result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to
such Bank of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan or Fixed
Rate Loan or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable
by such Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or
otherwise) by an amount deemed by such Bank to be material, then
the Borrower will pay to such Bank within 30 days of demand such
additional costs incurred or reduction suffered. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, no Bank shall be entitled to request compensation
under this paragraph with respect to any Competitive Loan if it
shall have been aware of the change giving rise to such request at
the time of submission of the Competitive Bid pursuant to which
such Competitive Loan shall have been made.
(b) If any Bank shall have
determined that the applicability of any law, rule, regulation or
guideline adopted pursuant to or arising out of the July 1988
report of the Basle Committee on Banking Regulations and
Supervisory Practices entitled “International Convergence of
Capital Measurement and Capital Standards”, or the adoption
after the date hereof of any other law, rule, regulation or
guideline regarding capital adequacy, or any change in any of the
foregoing or in the interpretation or administration of any of the
foregoing by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable
agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof,
or compliance by any Bank (or any lending office of such Bank) or
any Bank’s holding company with any request or directive
regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the focus of law)
of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, has or
would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such
Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Bank’s holding
company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans
made by such Bank pursuant hereto to a level below that which such
Bank or such Bank’s holding
19
company could have achieved but for such
applicability, adoption, change or compliance (taking into
consideration such Bank’s policies and the policies of such
Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy) by
an amount deemed by such Bank to be material, then from time to
time the Borrower shall pay to such Bank such additional amount or
amounts as will compensate such Bank or such Bank’s holding
company for any such reduction suffered. It is acknowledged that
the Facility Fee provided for in this Agreement has been determined
on the understanding that the Banks will not be required to
maintain capital against their Commitments under currently
applicable law, rules, regulations and regulatory guidelines. In
the event the Banks shall be advised by bank regulatory authorities
responsible for interpreting or administering such applicable laws,
rules, regulations and guidelines or shall otherwise determine, on
the basis of applicable laws, rules, regulations, guidelines or
other requests or statements (whether or not having the force of
law) of such bank regulatory authorities, that such understanding
is incorrect, it is agreed that the Banks will be entitled to make
claims under this paragraph based upon prevailing market
requirements for commitments under comparable credit facilities
against which capital is required to be maintained.
(c) Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Section 2.13, no Bank shall demand compensation
for any increased cost or reduction referred to in paragraph (a) or
(b) above if it shall not at the time be the general policy or
practice of such Bank to demand such compensation in similar
circumstances under comparable provisions of other credit
agreements, if any.
(d) A certificate of a Bank setting
forth such amount or amounts as shall be necessary to compensate
such Bank as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) above, as the case
may be, shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive
absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay each Bank the amount
shown as due on any such certificate delivered by it within 30 days
after the receipt of the same. If any Bank subsequently receives a
refund of any such amount paid by the Borrower it shall remit such
refund to the Borrower.
(e) Failure on the part of any Bank
to demand compensation for any increased costs or reduction in
amounts received or receivable or reduction in return on capital
with respect to any period shall not constitute a waiver of such
Bank’s right to demand compensation with respect to any other
period; provided that if any Bank fails to make such demand
within 90 days after it obtains knowledge of the event giving rise
to the demand such Bank shall, with respect to amounts payable
pursuant to this Section 2.13 resulting from such event, only be
entitled to payment under this Section 2.13 for such costs incurred
or reduction in amounts or return on capital from and after the
date 90 days prior to the date that such Bank does make such
demand. The protection of this Section shall be available to each
Bank regardless of any possible contention of the invalidity or
inapplicability of the law, rule, regulation, guideline or other
change or condition which shall have occurred or been
imposed.
20
Section 2.14. Change in
Legality . (a) Notwithstanding any other provision herein, if
any change in any law or regulation or in the interpretation
thereof by any governmental authority charged with the
administration or interpretation thereof shall make it unlawful for
any Bank to make or maintain any Eurodollar Loan or to give effect
to its obligations as contemplated hereby with respect to any
Eurodollar Loan, then, by written or telecopy notice to the
Borrower and to the Agent, such Bank may:
(i) declare that Eurodollar Loans
will not thereafter be made by such Bank hereunder, whereupon such
Bank shall not submit a Competitive Bid in response to a request
for Eurodollar Competitive Loans and any request by the Borrower
for a Eurodollar Standby Borrowing shall, as to such Bank only, be
deemed a request for an ABR Loan unless such declaration shall be
subsequently withdrawn; and
(ii) require that all outstanding
Eurodollar Loans made by it be converted to ABR Loans, in which
event all such Eurodollar Loans shall be automatically converted to
ABR Loans as of the effective date of such notice as provided in
paragraph (b) below.
In the event any Bank shall exercise its rights
under (i) or (ii) above, all payments and prepayments of principal
which would otherwise have been applied to repay the Eurodollar
Loans that would have been made by such Bank or the converted
Eurodollar Loans of such Bank shall instead be applied to repay the
ABR Loans made by such Bank in lieu of, or resulting from the
conversion of, such Eurodollar Loans.
(b) For purposes of this Section
2.14, a notice to the Borrower by any Bank shall be effective as to
each Eurodollar Loan, if lawful, on the last day of the Interest
Period currently applicable to such Eurodollar Loan; in all other
cases such notice shall be effective on the date of receipt by the
Borrower.
(c) Each Bank agrees that, upon the
occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of paragraph
(a) of this Section 2.14 with respect to such Bank, it shall have a
duty to endeavor in good faith to mitigate the adverse effects that
may arise as a consequence of such event to the extent that such
mitigation will not, in the reasonable judgment of such Bank,
entail any cost or disadvantage to such Bank that such Bank is not
reimbursed or compensated for by the Borrower.
Section 2.15. Indemnity . The
Borrower shall indemnify each Bank against any loss or expense
which such Bank may sustain or incur as a consequence of (a) any
failure by the Borrower to fulfill on the date of any borrowing
hereunder the applicable conditions set forth in Article IV, (b)
any failure by the Borrower to borrow or to refinance or continue
any Loan hereunder after irrevocable notice of such borrowing,
refinancing or continuation has been given pursuant to Section 2.03
or 2.04, (c) any payment, prepayment or conversion of a Eurodollar
Loan or Fixed Rate Loan required by any other provision of this
Agreement or otherwise made or deemed made on a date other than the
last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (d) any default
in payment or prepayment of the principal amount of any Loan or any
part thereof or interest accrued thereon, as and when due and
payable (at the due date thereof, whether by scheduled maturity,
acceleration, irrevocable notice of prepayment or otherwise) or (e)
the occurrence of any Event of Default, including, in each such
case, any loss or reasonable expense sustained or incurred or to be
sustained or incurred in liquidating or employing deposits from
third parties acquired to effect or maintain such Loan or any part
thereof as a Eurodollar Loan or Fixed Rate Loan. Such loss or
reasonable expense shall include an amount equal to the excess, if
any, as reasonably determined by such Bank, of (i) its cost of
obtaining the funds for the Loan being paid, prepaid, converted or
not borrowed (assumed to be the LIBO Rate or, in the case of a
Fixed Rate Loan, the fixed rate of interest applicable thereto) for
the period from the date of such payment, prepayment or failure to
borrow to the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan
(or,
21
in the case of a failure to borrow, the Interest
Period for such Loan which would have commenced on the date of such
failure) over (ii) the amount of interest (as reasonably determined
by such Bank) that would be realized by such Bank in reemploying
the funds so paid, prepaid or not borrowed for the remainder of
such period or Interest Period, as the case may be. A certificate
of any Bank setting forth any amount or amounts which such Bank is
entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to
the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest
error.
Each Bank shall have a duty to
mitigate the damages to such Bank that may arise as a consequence
of clause (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e) above to the extent that such
mitigation will not, in the reasonable judgment of such Bank,
entail any cost or disadvantage to such Bank that such Bank is not
reimbursed or compensated for by the Borrower.
Section 2.16. Pro Rata
Treatment . Except as required under Section 2.14, each Standby
Borrowing, each payment or prepayment of principal of any Standby
Borrowing, each payment of interest on the Standby Loans, each
payment of the Facility Fees, each reduction of the Commitments and
each refinancing of any Borrowing with a Standby Borrowing of any
Type, shall be allocated pro rata among the Banks in accordance
with their respective Commitments (or, if such Commitments shall
have expired or been terminated, in accordance with the respective
principal amounts of their outstanding Standby Loans). Each payment
of principal of any Competitive borrowing shall be allocated pro
rata among the Banks participating in such Borrowing in accordance
with the respective principal amounts of their outstanding
Competitive Loans comprising such Borrowing. Each payment of
interest on any Competitive Borrowing shall be allocated pro rata
among the Banks participating in such Borrowing in accordance with
the respective amounts of accrued and unpaid interest on their
outstanding Competitive Loans comprising such Borrowing. For
purposes of determining the available Commitments of the Banks at
any time, each outstanding Competitive Borrowing shall be deemed to
have utilized the Commitments of the Banks (including those Banks
which shall not have made Loans as part of such Competitive
Borrowing) pro rata in accordance with such respective Commitments.
Each Bank agrees that in computing such Bank’s portion of any
Borrowing to be made hereunder, the Agent may, in its discretion,
round each Bank’s percentage of such Borrowing to the next
higher or lower whole dollar amount.
Section 2.17. Sharing of
Setoffs . Each Bank agrees that if it shall, through the
exercise of a right of banker’s lien, setoff or counterclaim
against the Borrower, or pursuant to, a secured claim under Section
506 of title 11 of the United States Code or other security or
interest arising from, or in lieu of, such secured claim received
by such Bank under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar law or otherwise, or by any other means, obtain payment
(voluntary or involuntary) in respect of any Standby Loan or Loans
as a result of which the unpaid principal portion of the Standby
Loans shall be proportionately less than the unpaid principal
portion of the Standby Loans of any other Bank, it shall be deemed
simultaneously to have purchased from such other Bank at face
value, and shall promptly pay to such other Bank the purchase price
for, a participation in the Standby Loans of such other Bank, so
that the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Standby Loans and
participations in the Standby Loans held by each Bank shall be in
the same proportion to the aggregate unpaid principal amount of all
Standby Loans then outstanding as the principal amount of its
Standby Loans prior to such exercise of banker’s lien, setoff
or counterclaim or other event was to the principal amount of
all
22
Standby Loans outstanding prior to such exercise
of banker’s lien, setoff or counterclaim or other event;
provided , however , that, if any such purchase or
purchases or adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 2.17
and the payment giving rise thereto shall thereafter be recovered,
such purchase or purchases or adjustments shall be rescinded to the
extent of such recovery and the purchase price or prices or
adjustments restored without interest. The Borrower expressly
consents to the foregoing arrangements and agrees that any Bank
holding a participation in a Standby Loan deemed to have been so
purchased may exercise any and all rights of banker’s lien,
setoff or counterclaim