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AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

Revolving Credit Agreement

AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT | Document Parties: GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE ROASTERS, INC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, | SOVEREIGN BANK | TD BANKNORTH, N.A You are currently viewing:
This Revolving Credit Agreement involves

GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE ROASTERS, INC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, | SOVEREIGN BANK | TD BANKNORTH, N.A

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Title: AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: New York     Date: 12/13/2007
Industry: Food Processing     Sector: Consumer/Non-Cyclical

AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT, Parties: green mountain coffee roasters  inc , bank of america  n.a.  , banc of america securities llc  , sovereign bank , td banknorth  n.a
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EXHIBIT 4.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 


AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of December 3, 2007

Among

GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE ROASTERS, INC.,

as Borrower,

THE SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER,

as Guarantors,

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and

L/C Issuer,

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO,

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,

as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager,

SOVEREIGN BANK,

as Syndication Agent,

TD BANKNORTH, N.A.,

as Documentation Agent,

and

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS FINANCING, INC. and

KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Documentation Agents

 


 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Section

        Page
Article I.    DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS    1
1.01    Defined Terms.    1
1.02    Other Interpretive Provisions    14
1.03    Accounting Terms    14
1.04    Rounding    15
1.05    Times of Day    15
1.06    Letter of Credit Amounts    15
Article II.    THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS    15
2.01    Committed Loans    15
2.02    Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans    15
2.03    Letters of Credit    16
2.04    Swing Line Loans    22
2.05    Prepayments    24
2.06    Termination or Reduction of Commitments.    25
2.07    Repayment of Loans    25
2.08    Interest    25
2.09    Fees    26
2.10    Computation of Interest and Fees    26
2.11    Evidence of Debt    27
2.12    Payments Generally; Agent’s Clawback    27
2.13    Sharing of Payments    28
2.14    Increase in Facility    29
Article III.    TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY    30
3.01    Taxes    30
3.02    Illegality    30
3.03    Inability to Determine Rates    31
3.04    Increased Costs    31
3.05    Compensation for Losses    32
3.06    Mitigation Obligations    32
3.07    Survival    33
Article IV.    CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS    33
4.01    Conditions of Initial Credit Extension    33
4.02    Conditions to all Credit Extensions    34
Article V.      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES    35
5.01    Existence, Qualification and Power    35
5.02    Authorization; No Contravention    35
5.03    Governmental Authorization; Other Consents    35
5.04    Binding Effect    35
5.05    Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect; No Internal Control Event; Solvency    35
5.06    Litigation    36
5.07    No Default    36
5.08    Ownership of Property; Liens    36
5.09    Environmental Compliance    37
5.10    Insurance    37
5.11    Taxes    37
5.12    ERISA Compliance    37
5.13    Subsidiaries    37
5.14    Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act    38
5.15    Disclosure    38
5.16    Compliance with Laws    38
5.17    Taxpayer Identification Number    38

 

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5.18    Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.    38
5.19    Rights in Collateral; Priority of Liens    38
Article VI.    AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS    39
6.01    Financial Statements    39
6.02    Certificates; Other Information    39
6.03    Notices    40
6.04    Payment of Obligations    41
6.05    Preservation of Existence, Etc    41
6.06    Maintenance of Properties    41
6.07    Maintenance of Insurance    41
6.08    Compliance with Laws    41
6.09    Books and Records    41
6.10    Inspection Rights    42
6.11    Use of Proceeds    42
6.12    Financial Covenants    42
6.13    Additional Guarantors    43
6.14    Collateral Records    43
6.15    Security Interests    43
6.16    Pledge of Security Interests    43
Article VII.    NEGATIVE COVENANTS    44
7.01    Liens    44
7.02    Investments    44
7.03    Indebtedness    45
7.04    Fundamental Changes    46
7.05    Dispositions    46
7.06    Restricted Payments    47
7.07    Change in Nature of Business    47
7.08    Transactions with Affiliates    47
7.09    Burdensome Agreements    47
7.10    Use of Proceeds    47
Article VIII.    EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES    48
8.01    Events of Default    48
8.02    Remedies Upon Event of Default    49
8.03    Application of Funds    50
Article IX.       ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT    50
9.01    Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent    50
9.02    Rights as a Lender    51
9.03    Exculpatory Provisions    51
9.04    Reliance by Administrative Agent    51
9.05    Delegation of Duties    52
9.06    Resignation of Agent    52
9.07    Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders    52
9.08    No Other Duties, Etc.    52
9.09    Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim    53
9.10    Guaranty Matters    53
9.11    Collateral Matters    53
Article X.        MISCELLANEOUS    54
10.01    Amendments, Etc.    54
10.02    Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications    55
10.03    No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies    57
10.04    Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver    57
10.05    Payments Set Aside    58
10.06    Successors and Assigns    58
10.07    Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality    61
10.08    Right of Setoff    62
10.09    Interest Rate Limitation    62

 

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10.10    Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness    62
10.11    Survival of Representations and Warranties    63
10.12    Severability    63
10.13    Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc    63
10.14    Waiver of Jury Trial    64
10.15    No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility    64
10.16    USA PATRIOT Act Notice    64
10.17    Time of the Essence    64
10.18    Existing Credit Agreement Superseded.    64

 

SCHEDULES     
2.01        Commitments and Applicable Percentages
5.06        Litigation
5.09        Environmental Matters
5.13        Subsidiaries and Other Equity Investments
7.01        Existing Liens
7.02        Investments Existing on the Closing Date
7.03        Existing Indebtedness
10.02      Administrative Agent’s Office, Certain Addresses for Notices
10.06      Processing and Recordation Fees

 

EXHIBITS          
  Form of
  A      Committed Loan Notice
  B      Swing Line Loan Notice
  C      Amended and Restated Note
  D      Compliance Certificate
  E      Assignment and Assumption

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

This AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into as of December 3, 2007, among Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Borrower ”), the Subsidiaries of the Borrower as Guarantors, each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, “ Lenders ” and individually, a “ Lender ”), BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, Banc of America Securities LLC, as sole Lead Arranger and sole Book Manager, Sovereign Bank as Syndication Agent, TD Banknorth, N.A. as Documentation Agent, and BMO Capital Markets Financing, Inc. and KeyBank National Association as Co-Documentation Agents.

Borrower has requested that Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein. In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

  1.01 Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acquisition Documents ” means the Merger Agreement and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates entered into by any of the parties to the Merger Agreement in connection with the Merger or the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement.

Adjusted EBITDA ” means, for any period, EBITDA of the Borrower Affiliated Group, including the EBITDA of any business acquired in a Permitted Acquisition as if such acquisition had occurred on the first day of such period, with such pro forma adjustments as are based on the good faith judgment of the Borrower and as are reasonably acceptable to the Agent.

Administrative Agent ” or “ Agent ” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

Administrative Agent’s Office ” means Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02 , or such other address or account as Agent may from time to time notify Borrower and Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire ” means an administrative questionnaire in a form supplied by Agent.

Affiliate ” means, with respect to any 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.

Aggregate Commitments ” means the Commitments of all Lenders, which amount as of the effective date of this Agreement is $225,000,000.00, less any reductions pursuant to Section 2.06 plus any increases pursuant to Section 2.14 .

Agreement ” means this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.

Applicable Percentage ” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.

Applicable Rate ” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Funded Debt to Adjusted EBITDA ratio (the “ Financial Covenant ”) as set forth in Section 6.12(b) of Schedule 2 to the most recent Compliance Certificate received by Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(b) :

 

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Applicable Rate

    Funded Debt to      

Eurodollar Rate +

   

Pricing Level

 

Adjusted EBITDA Ratio

 

Commitment fee

 

Letters of Credit

 

Base Rate +

1

  > 3.00:1   0.300%   1.75%   0.75%

2

  > 2.25:1 but <3.00:1   0.250%   1.50%   0.50%

3

  > 1.50:1 but <2.25:1   0.200%   1.25%   0.25%

4

  > 1.00:1 but <1.50:1   0.175%   1.00%   0.00%

5

  <1.00:1   0.150%   0.75%   0.00%

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Financial Covenant shall become effective on the 5 th Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(b) ; provided , however , that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then Pricing Level 1 shall apply and become effective on the 5 th Business Day immediately following the date such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered until the date such delinquent Compliance Certificate is actually delivered. The Applicable Rate in effect from the Closing Date through December 31, 2007 shall be determined based upon Pricing Level 3.

Approved Fund ” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

Arranger ” means Banc of America Securities LLC, in its capacity as sole lead arranger and sole book manager.

Assignee Group ” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another.

Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b) ), and accepted by Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit E or any other form approved by Agent.

Audited Financial Statements ” means, collectively, the audited consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.

Availability Period ” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 , and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02 .

Bank of America ” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

Base Rate ” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1% and (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate.” The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

Base Rate Committed Loan ” means a Committed Loan that is a Base Rate Loan.

Base Rate Loan ” means a Loan that bears interest reference to the Base Rate.

 

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Borrower ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Borrower Affiliated Group ” means, collectively, the Borrower and all of its Subsidiaries, including without limitation Keurig.

Borrower Materials ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

Borrowing ” means a Committed Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as the context may require.

Build-up Basket ” means an aggregate amount equal to (i) fifty percent (50%) of the cumulative net income of the Borrower from and after September 29, 2007 plus (ii) proceeds from the sales of Equity Interests by the Borrower and proceeds from asset sales of the Borrower from and after September 29, 2007, in each case to the extent permitted under this Agreement. The Build-up Basket may be used at the Borrower’s option to supplement the amount otherwise available hereunder for Permitted Acquisitions and Restricted Payments. The Build-up Basket shall increase by such net income or proceeds on a quarterly basis, based on the amounts set forth in a Compliance Certificate. To the extent any portion of the Build-up Basket is applied to any Permitted Acquisition or Restricted Payment, the amount so applied shall thereafter be deducted from the Build-up Basket so that such amount shall not be used again.

Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

Cash Collateralize ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(g) .

Change in Law ” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.

Change of Control ” means, with respect to any Person, an event or series of events by which any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding (a) any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan and (b) Robert Stiller, members of his family and trusts for their benefit) become(s) the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of such Person entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of such Person on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such Person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right).

Closing Date ” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01 .

Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Collateral ” shall mean any and all assets and rights and interests in or to property of Borrower and each of the other Loan Parties, whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, in which a Lien is granted or purported to be granted pursuant to the Collateral Documents.

Collateral Documents ” means all agreements, instruments and documents now or hereafter executed and delivered by the Borrower and each Guarantor (including without limitation any future Subsidiary) in connection with this Agreement pursuant to which Liens are granted or purported to be granted to Agent in Collateral securing all or part of the Obligations each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent.

 

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Commitment ” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Committed Loans to Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 , (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

Committed Borrowing ” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Committed Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01 .

Committed Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 .

Committed Loan Notice ” means a notice of (a) a Committed Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A .

Compliance Certificate ” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D .

Contractual Obligation ” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” have meanings correlative thereto.

Credit Extension ” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

Debtor Relief Laws ” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

Default ” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

Default Rate ” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than L/C Fees an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided , however , that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to L/C Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.

Defaulting Lender ” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Committed Loans, participations in L/C Obligations or participations in Swing Line Loans required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder unless such failure has been cured, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, unless the subject of a good faith dispute or unless such failure has been cured, or (c) has been deemed insolvent or become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

Disposition ” or “ Dispose ” means the sale, transfer, exclusive license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

Documentation Agent ” means TD Banknorth, N.A., in its capacity as documentation agent.

Dollar ” and “ $ ” mean lawful money of the United States.

 

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Domestic Subsidiary ” means any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Borrower existing on the date hereof or acquired or formed hereafter that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

EBITDA ” means net income, less the amount of any addition to net income as a result of any non-cash gain to the extent included in the calculation of net income, less income or plus loss from discontinued operations, disposition of assets and extraordinary items, plus income taxes, plus interest expense, plus depreciation and amortization, plus the amount of any deduction to net income as a result of any other non-cash charge to the extent deducted in the calculation of net income, plus transaction costs in connection with this credit facility and any acquisition or disposition permitted hereby, plus the amount of any transaction-related payments to employees, restructuring charges and expenses incurred to achieve business optimization and synergies in connection with any acquisition or disposition permitted hereby, such amount not to exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement.

Eligible Assignee ” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii) , (v)  and (vi)  (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii) ).

Environmental Laws ” means any and all Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.

Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

Equity Interests ” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

ERISA Affiliate ” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

ERISA Event ” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.

Eurodollar Base Rate ” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.

Eurodollar Rate ” means for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, a rate per annum determined by Agent pursuant to the following formula:

 

 

Eurodollar Rate =

  

Eurodollar Base Rate

  
     1.00 – Eurodollar Reserve Percentage   

 

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Where,

(a) “ Eurodollar Base Rate ” means, for such Interest Period the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”), as published by Reuters (or other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “Eurodollar Base Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate per annum determined by Agent to be the rate at which deposits in Dollars for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period in same day funds in the approximate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loan being made, continued or converted by Bank of America and with a term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered to Bank of America’s London Branch by major banks in the London interbank eurodollar market at their request at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

(b) “ Eurodollar Reserve Percentage ” means, for any day during any Interest Period, the reserve percentage (expressed as a decimal, carried out to five decimal places) in effect on such day, whether or not applicable to any Lender, under regulations issued from time to time by the FRB for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including any emergency, supplemental or other marginal reserve requirement) with respect to Eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities”). The Eurodollar Rate for each outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be adjusted automatically as of the effective date of any change in the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.

Eurodollar Rate Loan ” means a Committed Loan that bears interest by reference to the Eurodollar Rate.

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 .

Excluded Taxes ” means, with respect to Agent, Arranger, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, and (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which Borrower is located.

Existing Credit Agreement ” means that certain Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of June 15, 2006, as amended prior to the Closing Date, among the Borrower, the Agent, and the lenders party thereto.

Existing Letters of Credit ” means those letters of credit issued under the Existing Credit Agreement and listed on Schedule 7.03 hereto.

Federal Funds Rate ” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by Agent.

Fee Letter ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(b) .

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ” means the ratio of (a) the sum of Adjusted EBITDA, minus the lesser of Twelve Million Dollars ($12,000,000) or the amount of Unfinanced Capital Expenditures, minus cash income taxes, to (b) the sum of cash interest expense plus scheduled principal payments (including without limitation the principal portion of any capital lease payments). The Twelve Million Dollar ($12,000,000) amount referenced above shall increase by $1,000,000 increments in each succeeding fiscal year, beginning October 1, 2008, up to a maximum of $15,000,000.

 

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Foreign Subsidiary ” means any direct subsidiary of the Borrower existing on the date hereof or acquired or formed hereafter that is not organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.

FRB ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

Fund ” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

Funded Debt ” means all outstanding liabilities for borrowed money, Letters of Credit, and other interest-bearing liabilities, including current and long term liabilities.

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

Governmental Authority ” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

Guarantee ” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other similar monetary obligation payable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantor ” means, collectively, Keurig and any future domestic Subsidiary executing a Guarantee of the Obligations.

Guaranty ” means the Guarantee made by the Guarantor in favor of Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent.

Hazardous Materials ” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Indebtedness ” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

 

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(b) all direct or contingent obligations of such Person arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

(c) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract, including without limitation any foreign exchange obligations;

(d) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);

(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

(f) capital leases;

(g) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any Equity Interest in such Person or any other Person, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; and

(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing.

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any net obligation under any Swap Contract on any date shall be deemed to be the Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date.

Indemnified Taxes ” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

Indemnitees ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b) .

Information ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07 .

Interest Payment Date ” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided , however , that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

Interest Period ” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by Borrower in its Committed Loan Notice; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date; and

(d) any such selection shall be subject to availability.

 

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Internal Control Event ” means a material weakness in, or fraud that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in, Borrower’s internal controls over financial reporting, in each case as described in the Securities Laws.

Investment ” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

IRS ” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

ISP ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

Issuer Documents ” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the L/C Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

Keurig ” means Keurig, Incorporated, a Delaware corporation.

Laws ” means, collectively, all international, foreign, Federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

L/C Advance ” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

L/C Application ” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

L/C Borrowing ” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Committed Borrowing.

L/C Credit Extension ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

L/C Expiration Date ” means the day that is five days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

L/C Fee ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(i) .

L/C Issuer ” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit selected by the Borrower hereunder.

L/C Obligations ” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

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L/C Sublimit ” means an amount equal to $10,000,000. The L/C Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

Lender ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto and, as the context requires, includes Swing Line Lender.

Lending Office ” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify Borrower and Agent.

Letter of Credit ” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder.

Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

Loan ” means an extension of credit by a Lender to Borrower under Article II in the form of a Committed Loan or a Swing Line Loan.

Loan Documents ” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, the Fee Letter, each Collateral Document, the Guaranty and the Omnibus Amendment.

Loan Parties ” means, collectively, Borrower and each Person (other than Agent, the L/C Issuer, Swing Line Lender, the Arranger or any Lender) executing a Loan Document including, without limitation, each Guarantor and each Person executing a Collateral Document.

Material Adverse Effect ” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the business, operations, assets, financial condition or results of operations of Borrower or Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Loan Parties to perform their obligations under the Loan Documents; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Loan Parties of the Loan Documents.

Maturity Date ” means December 3, 2012; provided , however , that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

Merger ” means the acquisition of Keurig by the Borrower pursuant to the Merger Agreement.

Merger Agreement ” means that certain merger agreement by and among the Borrower, Keurig, Karma Merger Sub, Inc. and the Securityholder Representative (as defined therein), dated as of May 2, 2006.

Multiemployer Plan ” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

Note ” means an amended and restated promissory note made by Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit C .

Obligations ” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. This term includes but is not limited to all principal, interest, fees, obligations under or in respect of Swap Contracts, foreign exchange obligations and treasury management obligations.

 

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Omnibus Amendment ” means the Omnibus Amendment, dated the date hereof, to each of the Collateral Documents and the Guaranty.

Organization Documents ” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

Original Credit Agreement ” means the Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of June 15, 2006, among Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., the Subsidiaries of the Borrower as Guarantors, each lender from time to time party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, Banc of America Securities LLC, as sole Lead Arranger and sole book manager, Sovereign Bank, as Syndication Agent, and TD Banknorth, N.A., as Documentation Agent.

Other Taxes ” means all present or future stamp, intangible or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

Outstanding Amount ” means (i) with respect to Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Committed Loans and Swing Line Loans, as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.

Participant ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d) .

PBGC ” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

PCAOB ” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

Pension Plan ” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.

Permitted Acquisition ” means any acquisition by the Borrower that or in which: (i) the stock or assets of a Person engaged in a business permitted by Section 7.07 is acquired by the Borrower; (ii) the properties and assets so acquired by the Borrower are free from all Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 7.01 ; (iii) the Agent, on behalf of and for the benefit of the Lenders, shall have a valid, perfected, first-priority security interest in substantially all of the properties and assets being so acquired; (iv) immediately prior to, and after giving effect to such acquisition, no Default or Event of Default shall exist; (v) immediately prior to such acquisition, the Agent shall have received computations from the Borrower (based upon a Compliance Certificate) showing pro forma compliance as of the date of, and after giving effect to, such acquisition with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.12 ; (vi) the acquisition is “friendly” or non-hostile in nature; and (vii) the total purchase price for such acquisition, taken together with the purchase price for other acquisitions completed in such fiscal year, shall not exceed $25,000,000 plus the then available Build-up Basket, unless otherwise approved by the Required Lenders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, clause (vii) above shall not be a requirement for any acquisition if the pro forma Funded Debt to Adjusted EBITDA Ratio as of the date of, and after giving effect to, such acquisition is less than 2:00:1.00 (based upon a Compliance Certificate).

Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

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Plan ” means any “employee benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.

Platform ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02 .

Pledge Agreement ” means the Pledge Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, among the Borrower, the Guarantors and the Administrative Agent pursuant to which the Borrower and the Guarantors pledge (and any future Subsidiaries shall pledge) all of the stock of the Guarantors to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders, as such agreement may be further amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time.

Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c) .

Registered Public Accounting Firm ” has the meaning specified in the Securities Laws and shall be independent of Borrower as prescribed by the Securities Laws.

Related Parties ” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

Reportable Event ” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30 day notice period has been waived.

Request for Credit Extension ” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Committed Loans, a Committed Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a L/C Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

Required Lenders ” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the Aggregate Commitments or, if the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 , Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of the Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition); provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

Responsible Officer ” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II , any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment ” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any capital stock or other Equity Interest of Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such capital stock or other Equity Interest or on account of any return of capital to Borrower’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof).

Sarbanes-Oxley ” means the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

Securities Laws ” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Sarbanes-Oxley and the applicable accounting and auditing principles, rules, standards and practices promulgated, approved or incorporated by the SEC or the PCAOB.

 

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Subsidiary ” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of Borrower.

Swap Contract ” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “ Master Agreement ”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Termination Value ” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

Swing Line ” means the revolving credit facility made available by Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04 .

Swing Line Borrowing ” means a borrowing of a Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 2.04 .

Swing Line Lender ” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

Swing Line Loan ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a) .

Swing Line Loan Notice ” means a notice of a Swing Line Borrowing pursuant to Section 2.04(b) , which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit B .

Swing Line Sublimit ” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.

Syndication Agent ” means Sovereign Bank, in its capacity as syndication agent.

Taxes ” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

Threshold Amount ” means Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000).

Total Liabilities ” means the sum of current liabilities plus long term liabilities.

Total Outstandings ” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

Transaction Documents ” means the Loan Documents and the Acquisition Documents.

Type ” means, with respect to a Committed Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

 

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Unfinanced Capital Expenditures ” means all capital expenditures except: (1) capital expenditures financed using capital leases or purchase money obligations; (2) capital expenditures financed using proceeds from dispositions permitted under Sections 7.05(a) or 7.05(c) (to the extent such proceeds were not included in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA); or (3) capital expenditures financed using insurance and/or condemnation proceeds of replaced assets (to the extent such proceeds were not included in the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA).

Unfunded Pension Liability ” means the excess of a Pension Plan’s benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plan’s assets, determined in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.

United States ” and “ U.S. ” mean the United States of America.

Unreimbursed Amount ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i) .

 

  1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “ include ,” “ includes ” and “ including ” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “ will ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “ shall .” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “ herein ,” “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “ asset ” and “ property ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “ from ” means “ from and including ;” the words “ to ” and “ until ” each mean “ to but excluding ;” and the word “ through ” means “ to and including .”

(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

  1.03 Accounting Terms

(a) Generally . All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

(b) Changes in GAAP . If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, Agent, Lenders and Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the

 

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original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that , until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) Borrower shall provide to Agent and Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

(c) Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities . All references herein to consolidated financial statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that Borrower is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB Interpretation No. 46 – Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities: an interpretation of ARB No. 51 (January 2003) as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.

 

  1.04 Rounding

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

  1.05 Times of Day

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

  1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts

Unless otherwise specified herein the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided , however , that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

  2.01 Committed Loans

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “ Committed Loan ”) to Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided , however , that after giving effect to any Committed Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01 , prepay under Section 2.05 , and reborrow under this Section 2.01 . Committed Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

  2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Committed Loans

(a) Each Committed Borrowing, each conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon Borrower’s irrevocable notice to Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by Agent not later than 12:00 noon (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Committed Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Committed Loans. Each telephonic notice by Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be

 

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confirmed promptly by delivery to Agent of a written Committed Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c) , each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $250,000 or a whole multiple of $50,000 in excess thereof. Each Committed Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether Borrower is requesting a Committed Borrowing, a conversion of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Committed Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Committed Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Committed Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If Borrower fails to specify a Type of Committed Loan in a Committed Loan Notice or if Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Committed Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Committed Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

(b) Following receipt of a Committed Loan Notice, Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Committed Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by Borrower, Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Committed Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Committed Loan available to Agent in immediately available funds at Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Committed Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01 ), Agent shall make all funds so received available to Borrower in like funds as received by Agent either by (i) crediting the account of Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) Agent by Borrower; provided , however , that if, on the date the Committed Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing first , shall be applied, to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second , shall be made available to Borrower as provided above.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, it being understood that any such Eurodollar Rate Loan shall automatically be converted to a Base Rate Loan upon the expiration of the then applicable Interest Period.

(d) Agent shall promptly notify Borrower and Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate.

(e) After giving effect to all Committed Borrowings, all conversions of Committed Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Committed Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten (10) Interest Periods in effect with respect to Committed Loans.

 

  2.03 Letters of Credit

(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.

(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03 , (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the L/C Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of Borrower or its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of Borrower or its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y)

 

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the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, or (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the L/C Sublimit. Each request by Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.

(ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if:

(A) subject to Section 2.03(b)(iv) , the expiration date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Required Lenders have approved such expiry date; or

(B) the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the L/C Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.

(iii) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

(B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

(C) except as otherwise agreed by Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $500,000, in the case of a standby Letter of Credit;

(D) such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;

(E) a default of any Lender’s obligations to fund under Section 2.03(c) exists or any Lender is at such time a Defaulting Lender hereunder, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into satisfactory arrangements with Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s risk with respect to such Lender; or

(F) unless specifically provided for in this Agreement, such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder.

(iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

(v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

 

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(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “ Administrative Agent ” or “ Agent ” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit .

(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to Agent) in the form of a L/C Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower. Such L/C Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and Agent not later than 12:00 noon at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such L/C Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may reasonably require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such L/C Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (W) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (X) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (Y) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (Z) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or Agent may reasonably require.

(ii) Promptly after receipt of any L/C Application at the address set forth in Section 10.02 for receiving L/C Applications and related correspondence, the L/C Issuer will confirm with Agent (by telephone or in writing) that Agent has received a copy of such L/C Application from Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of Borrower (or the applicable Subsidiary) or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

(iii) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to Borrower and Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

(iv) If Borrower so requests in any applicable L/C Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “ Auto-Extension Letter of Credit ”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “ Non-Extension Notice Date ”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of

 

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Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the L/C Expiration Date; provided , however , that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from Agent, any Lender or Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

(v) If Borrower so requests in any applicable L/C Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that permits the automatic reinstatement of all or a portion of the stated amount thereof after any drawing thereunder (each, an “ Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit ”). Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer to permit such reinstatement. Once an Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit has been issued, except as provided in the following sentence, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to reinstate all or a portion of the stated amount thereof in accordance with the provisions of such Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit permits the L/C Issuer to decline to reinstate all or any portion of the stated amount thereof after a drawing thereunder by giving notice of such non-reinstatement within a specified number of days after such drawing (the “ Non-Reinstatement Deadline ”), the L/C Issuer shall not permit such reinstatement if it has received a notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five Business Days before the Non-Reinstatement Deadline (A) from Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such reinstatement or (B) from Agent, any Lender or Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied (treating such reinstatement as an L/C Credit Extension for purposes of this clause) and, in each case, directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such reinstatement.

(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations .

(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify Borrower and Agent thereof. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “ Honor Date ”), Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “ Unreimbursed Amount ”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Committed Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

(ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available to Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to Borrower in such amount. Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any

 

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other reason, Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03 .

(iv) Until each Lender funds its Committed Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

(v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c) , shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by Borrower of a Committed Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii) , the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Repayment of Participations .

(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c) , if Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by Agent), Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by Agent.

(ii) If any payment received by Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Obligations Absolute . The obligation of Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;

 

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(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

(iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

(v) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, Borrower or any Subsidiary.

Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

(f) Role of L/C Issuer . Each Lender and Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided , however , that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (v) of Section 2.03(e) ; provided , however , that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by Borrower which Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

 

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(g) Cash Collateral . Upon the request of Agent, (i) if the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the L/C Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, Borrower shall, in each case, immediately Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations. Sections 2.05 and 8.02(c) set forth certain additional requirements to deliver Cash Collateral hereunder. For purposes hereof, “ Cash Collateralize ” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent and the L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. Borrower hereby grants to Agent, for the benefit of the L/C Issuer and Lenders, a security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein and all proceeds of the foregoing. Cash Collateral shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America.

(h) Applicability of ISP and UCP . Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit.

(i) L/C Fees . Borrower shall pay to Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage a L/C fee (the “ L/C Fee ”) for each standby Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . L/C Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the L/C Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each standby Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all L/C Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

(j) Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer . Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum of 0.125%, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the L/C Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 . In addition, Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such individual customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

(k) Conflict with Issuer Documents . In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Documents, the terms hereof shall control.

(l) Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries . Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of Borrower, and that Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

 

  2.04 Swing Line Loans

(a) The Swing Line . Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, Swing Line Lender agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04 , to make loans (each such loan, a “ Swing Line Loan ”) to Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that

 

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such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Committed Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Each Swing Line Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan and shall bear interest in accordance with Section 2.08(a) hereof. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

(b) Borrowing Procedures . Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made upon Borrower’s irrevocable notice to Swing Line Lender and Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by Swing Line Lender and Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $50,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to Swing Line Lender and Agent of a written Swing Line Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of Borrower. Promptly after receipt by Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, Swing Line Lender will confirm with Agent (by telephone or in writing) that Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, Swing Line Lender will notify Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing (A) directing Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a) , or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to Borrower at its office by crediting the account of Borrower on the books of Swing Line Lender in immediately available funds. Lenders agree that Swing Line Lender may agree to modify the borrowing procedures used in connection with the Swing Line in its discretion and without affecting any of the obligations of Lenders hereunder other than notifying Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice.

(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans .

(i) Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Base Rate Committed Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Committed Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02 , without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 . Swing Line Lender shall furnish Borrower with a copy of the applicable Committed Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to Agent. Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Committed Loan Notice available to Agent in immediately available funds for the account of Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Committed Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii) , each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Committed Loan to Borrower in such amount. Agent shall remit the funds so received to Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Committed Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i) , the request for Base Rate Committed Loans submitted by Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to Agent for the account of Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

 

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(iii) If any Lender fails to make available to Agent for the account of Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i) , Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by Swing Line Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by Swing Line Lender in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in the relevant Committed Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against Swing Line Lender, Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided , however , that each Lender’s obligation to make Committed Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 . No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

(d) Repayment of Participations .

(i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If any payment received by Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate. Agent will make such demand upon the request of Swing Line Lender. The obligations of Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender . Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Base Rate Committed Loan or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of Swing Line Lender.

(f) Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender . Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to Swing Line Lender.

 

  2.05 Prepayments

(a) Borrower may, upon notice to Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Committed Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by Agent not later than 12:00 noon (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Committed Loans shall be in a principal amount of $250,000 or a whole multiple of $50,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and

 

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amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Committed Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by Borrower, Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Committed Loans of Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

(b) Borrower may, upon notice to Swing Line Lender (with a copy to Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by Swing Line Lender and Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $50,000. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by Borrower, Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein.

(c) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided , however , that Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.

2.06 Termination or Reduction of Commitments. Borrower may, upon notice to Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the L/C Sublimit or the Swing Line Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

  2.07 Repayment of Loans

(a) Borrower shall repay to Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans outstanding on such date.

(b) Borrower shall repay to Swing Line Lender each Swing Line Loan on the Maturity Date.

 

  2.08 Interest

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Committed Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; provided , however , that the Applicable Rate for calculating the interest rate for Swing Line Loans shall equal the Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans minus the Applicable Rate then in effect for calculating the Commitment Fee.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

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(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iii) If there shall occur an Event of Default other than any failure to pay principal or interest as set forth in Sections 2.08(b)(i) or (b)(ii) , upon written notice from the Required Lenders to the Borrower, and for so long as any such Event of Default exists, Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

  2.09 Fees

In addition to certain fees described in subsections (i) and (j) of Section 2.03 :

(a) Commitment Fee . Borrower shall pay to Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Committed Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. For purposes of computing the commitment fee, Swing Line Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Aggregate Commitments.

(b) Agent’s Fees . Borrower shall pay to Agent for its account, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the letter agreement, dated October 17, 2007 (the “ Fee Letter ”), by and among Borrower, Agent and Arranger. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall be nonrefundable for any reason whatsoever.

(c) Arrangement and Upfront Fees . Borrower shall pay to the Arranger for its account or the accounts of the Lenders, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall be nonrefundable for any reason whatsoever. Any fees payable to the Lenders shall be paid by the Arranger from the Upfront Fee (as defined in the Fee Letter) paid to it by Borrower.

 

  2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees

All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by Bank of America’s “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a) , bear interest for one day. Each determination by Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

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  2.11 Evidence of Debt

(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by Lenders to Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through Agent, Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

  2.12 Payments Generally; Agent’s Clawback

(a) General .

(i) All payments to be made by Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by Borrower hereunder shall be made to Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 12:00 noon on the date specified herein. Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by Agent after 12:00 noon shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(ii) On each date when the payment of any principal, interest or fees are due hereunder or under any Note, Borrower agrees to maintain on deposit in an ordinary checking account maintained by Borrower with Agent (as such account shall be designated by Borrower in a written notice to Agent from time to time, the “ Borrower Account ”) an amount sufficient to pay such principal, interest or fees in full on such date. Borrower hereby authorizes Agent (A) to deduct automatically all principal, interest or fees when due hereunder or under any Note from the Borrower Account, and (B) if and to the extent any payment of principal, interest or fees under this Agreement or any Note is not made when due to deduct any such amount from any or all of the accounts of Borrower maintained at Agent. Agent agrees to provide written notice to Borrower of any automatic deduction made pursuant to this Section 2.12(a)(ii) showing in reasonable detail the amounts of such deduction. Lenders agree to reimburse Borrower based on their Applicable Percentage for any amounts deducted from such accounts in excess of amount due hereunder and under any other Loan Documents.

(b) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Agent . Unless Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Committed Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Committed Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to Agent such Lender’s share of such Committed Borrowing, Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02 ) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to Borrower a

 

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corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing available to Agent, then the applicable Lender and Borrower severally agree to pay to Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by Agent in connection with the foregoing and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to Agent for the same or an overlapping period, Agent shall promptly remit to Borrower the amount of such interest paid by Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Committed Borrowing to Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Committed Loan included in such Committed Borrowing. Any payment by Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to Agent.

(c) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Agent . Unless Agent shall have received notice from Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that Borrower will not make such payment, Agent may assume that Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A notice of Agent to any Lender or Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (c) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(d) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent . If any Lender makes available to Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II , and such funds are not made available to Borrower by Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(e) Obligations of Lenders Several . The obligations of Lenders hereunder to make Committed Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments under Section 10.04(c ) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Committed Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Committed Loan, purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c) .

(f) Funding Source . Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

  2.13 Sharing of Payments

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Committed Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Committed Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Committed Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Committed Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

(a) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and


 
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