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AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

Revolving Credit Agreement

AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT | Document Parties: RUBY TUESDAY INC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | RUBY TUESDAY, INC | SUNTRUST BANK | US BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | WELLS FARGO BANK, NA You are currently viewing:
This Revolving Credit Agreement involves

RUBY TUESDAY INC | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. | RUBY TUESDAY, INC | SUNTRUST BANK | US BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | WELLS FARGO BANK, NA

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Title: AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Georgia     Date: 3/5/2007
Industry: Restaurants     Law Firm: Hunton Williams     Sector: Services

AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT, Parties: ruby tuesday inc , bank of america  n.a. , ruby tuesday  inc , suntrust bank , us bank  national association , wachovia bank  national association , wells fargo bank  na
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AMENDED AND RESTATED

REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of February 28, 2007

among

RUBY TUESDAY, INC.,
as Borrower,

THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and
Swingline Lender,

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Syndication Agent,

and

CITIBANK, N.A.,
as Documentation Agent


BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page


ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION.

   Section 1.1

Definitions.

   Section 1.2

Classifications of Loans and Borrowings.

22 

   Section 1.3

Accounting Terms and Determination.

22 

   Section 1.4

Terms Generally.

23 

   Section 1.5

Letter of Credit Amounts.

23 

   Section 1.6

Times of Day.

24 


ARTICLE II

AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE COMMITMENTS.

24 

   Section 2.1

General Description of Facilities.

24 

   Section 2.2

Revolving Loans.

24 

   Section 2.3

Procedure for Revolving Borrowings.

24 

   Section 2.5

Swingline Commitment.

26 

   Section 2.6

Procedure for Swingline Borrowing; Etc.

26 

   Section 2.7

Funding of Borrowings.

28 

   Section 2.8

Interest Elections.

28 

   Section 2.9

Optional Reduction and Termination of Commitments.

29 

   Section 2.10

Repayment of Loans.

30 

   Section 2.11

Evidence of Indebtedness.

30 

   Section 2.12

Prepayments.

30 

   Section 2.13

Interest on Loans.

31 

   Section 2.14

Fees.

32 

   Section 2.15

Computation of Interest and Fees.

33 

   Section 2.16

Inability to Determine Interest Rates.

33 

   Section 2.17

Illegality.

33 

   Section 2.18

Increased Costs.

34 

   Section 2.19

Funding Indemnity.

35 

   Section 2.20

Taxes.

35 

   Section 2.21

Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

37 

   Section 2.22

Mitigation of Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

38 

   Section 2.23

Letters of Credit.

39 


ARTICLE III

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO LOANS AND LETTERS OF CREDIT.

45 

   Section 3.1

Conditions To Effectiveness.

45 

   Section 3.2

Each Credit Event.

46 

   Section 3.3

Delivery of Documents.

47 


ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

47 

   Section 4.1

Existence; Power.

47 

   Section 4.2

Organizational Power; Authorization.

47 

   Section 4.3

Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.

48 

 

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   Section 4.4

Financial Statements.

48 

   Section 4.5

Litigation and Environmental Matters.

48 

   Section 4.6

Compliance with Laws and Agreements.

49 

   Section 4.7

Investment Company Act, Etc.

49 

   Section 4.8

Taxes.

49 

   Section 4.9

Margin Regulations.

49 

   Section 4.10

ERISA.

49 

   Section 4.11

Ownership of Property.

50 

   Section 4.12

Disclosure.

50 

   Section 4.13

Labor Relations.

50 

   Section 4.14

Subsidiaries.

51 

   Section 4.15

Solvency.

51 


ARTICLE V

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.

51 

   Section 5.1

Financial Statements and Other Information.

51 

   Section 5.2

Notices of Material Events.

53 

   Section 5.3

Existence; Conduct of Business.

53 

   Section 5.4

Compliance with Laws, Etc.

54 

   Section 5.5

Payment of Obligations.

54 

   Section 5.6

Books and Records.

54 

   Section 5.7

Visitation, Inspection, Etc.

54 

   Section 5.8

Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.

54 

   Section 5.9

Use of Proceeds and Letters of Credit.

55 

   Section 5.10

Additional Subsidiaries.

55 

   Section 5.11

Additional Guaranties.

55 


ARTICLE VI

FINANCIAL COVENANTS

56 

   Section 6.1

Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.

56 

   Section 6.2

Maximum Adjusted Total Debt to EBITDAR Ratio.

56 

   Section 6.3

Minimum Consolidated Net Worth.

56 


ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

57 

   Section 7.1

Negative Pledge.

57 

   Section 7.2

Fundamental Changes.

57 

   Section 7.3

Investments, Loans, Etc.

58 

   Section 7.4

Restricted Payments.

59 

   Section 7.5

Sale of Assets.

60 

   Section 7.6

Transactions with Affiliates.

61 

   Section 7.7

Restrictive Agreements.

61 

   Section 7.8

Hedging Agreements.

61 

   Section 7.9

Amendment to Material Documents.

61 

   Section 7.10

Accounting Changes.

62 

   Section 7.11

ERISA.

62 


ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

62 

   Section 8.1

Events of Default.

62 

 

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ARTICLE IX

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

65 

   Section 9.1

Appointment and Authority.

65 

   Section 9.2

Rights as a Lender.

65 

   Section 9.3

Exculpatory Provisions.

65 

   Section 9.4

Reliance by Administrative Agent.

66 

   Section 9.5

Delegation of Duties.

67 

   Section 9.6

Resignation of Administrative Agent.

67 

   Section 9.7

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

68 

   Section 9.8

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

68 

   Section 9.9

Guaranty Matters.

69 

   Section 9.10

No Other Duties, Etc.

69 


ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

69 

   Section 10.1

Notices.

69 

   Section 10.2

Waiver; Amendments.

71 

   Section 10.3

Expenses; Indemnification.

72 

   Section 10.4

Successors and Assigns.

73 

   Section 10.5

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

77 

   Section 10.6

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.

78 

   Section 10.7

Right of Setoff.

78 

   Section 10.8

Counterparts; Integration.

79 

   Section 10.9

Survival.

79 

   Section 10.10

Severability.

80 

   Section 10.11

Confidentiality.

80 

   Section 10.12

Interest Rate Limitation.

80 

   Section 10.13

Payments Set Aside.

81 

   Section 10.14

Patriot Act Notice.

81 

   Section 10.15

No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

81 

   Section 10.16

Waiver of Notice of Termination.

82 

 

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Schedules

 

 


Schedule 1.1(a)

-

Applicable Margin and Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage

Schedule 1.1(b)

-

Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 1.2

-

Revolving Commitments

Schedule 4.14

-

Subsidiaries

Schedule 7.1

-

Existing Liens

Schedule 7.3

-

Existing Investments

Schedule 7.7

-

Restrictive Agreements


Exhibits

 

 


Exhibit A

-

Revolving Credit Note

Exhibit B

-

Swingline Note

Exhibit C

-

Form of Assignment and Acceptance

Exhibit D

-

Form of Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement


Exhibit 2.3

-

Notice of Revolving Borrowing

Exhibit 2.6

-

Notice of Swingline Borrowing

Exhibit 2.8

-

Form of Continuation/Conversion

Exhibit 3.1(b)(iv)

-

Form of Secretary's Certificate of Ruby Tuesday, Inc.

Exhibit 3.1(b)(vi)

-

Form of General Counsel Legal Opinion

Exhibit 3.1(b)(vii)

-

Form of Officer's Certificate

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of February 28, 2007, by and among RUBY TUESDAY, INC., a Georgia corporation (the “ Borrower ”), the several banks and other financial institutions from time to time party hereto (the “ Lenders ”) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders (the “ Administrative Agent ”), as Issuing Bank (the “ Issuing Bank ”), and as Swingline Lender (the “ Swingline Lender ”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as agent, are parties to that certain Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of November 19, 2004 (as amended and modified, the “ Existing Credit Agreement ”);

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders have agreed to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the refinancing of the Existing Credit Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders establish a $500,000,000 revolving credit facility (which shall include a $50,000,000 swingline subcommitment and a $50,000,000 letter of credit subcommitment);

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Lenders severally, to the extent of their respective Commitments as defined herein, are willing to severally establish the requested revolving credit facility;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants herein contained, the Borrower, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS; CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Section 1.1

Definitions .

 

In addition to the other terms defined herein, the following terms used herein shall have the meanings herein specified (to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

Acquisition ” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the date of this Agreement, by which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, or division

 

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thereof, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (ii) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the securities of a corporation which have ordinary voting power for the election of directors (other than securities having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority (by percentage of voting power) of the outstanding ownership interests of a partnership or limited liability company.

 

Additional Loan ” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.4 .

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate ” shall mean, with respect to each Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing, the rate per annum obtained by dividing (i) LIBOR for such Interest Period by (ii) a percentage equal to 1.00 minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage.

 

Adjusted Total Debt ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, (i) all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, including without limitation all Loans and LC Exposure, but excluding all Indebtedness of the type described in subsection (xi) of the definition of Indebtedness and excluding any Synthetic Lease Obligations to the extent that such Synthetic Lease Obligations are included in clause (ii) below, plus (ii) to the extent not included in clause (i), the present value of all lease obligations arising under operating leases of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as determined in accordance with GAAP, applying a discount rate of ten percent (10%).

 

Adjusted Total Debt to EBITDAR Ratio ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (i) Adjusted Total Debt as of such date to (ii) Consolidated EBITDAR as of such date, measured for the four Fiscal Quarter period ending on such date.

 

Administrative Agent ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the opening paragraph hereof.

 

Administrative Agent’s Office ” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth in Section 10.1 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

Administrative Questionnaire ” shall mean, with respect to each Lender, an administrative questionnaire in the form prepared by the Administrative Agent and submitted to the Administrative Agent duly completed by such Lender.

 

Affiliate ” shall mean, as to any Person, any other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such Person.

 

Aggregate Revolving Commitment Amount ” shall mean the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Commitments, including any Incremental Facility if and to the extent made pursuant to Section 2.4 of this Agreement, of all Lenders from time to time. On the Closing Date, the Aggregate Revolving Commitment Amount equals $500,000,000.

 

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Aggregate Revolving Commitments ” shall mean, collectively, all Revolving Commitments of all Lenders plus all Incremental Facility amounts of any of the Lenders at any time outstanding.

 

Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage ” shall mean, as of any date, the percentage per annum determined by reference to the applicable Adjusted Total Debt to EBITDAR Ratio in effect on such date as set forth on Schedule 1.1(a) attached hereto; provided , that a change in the Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage resulting from a change in the Adjusted Total Debt to EBITDAR Ratio shall be effective on the second Business Day after the date the Borrower is required to deliver the financial statements required by Section 5.1(a) or (b) and the compliance certificate required by Section 5.1(c) ; provided, further, that if at any time the Borrower shall have failed to deliver such financial statements and such certificate, the Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage shall be at Level IV until such time as such financial statements and certificate are delivered, at which time the Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage shall be determined as provided above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage from the Closing Date until the first financial statements and compliance certificate are required to be delivered shall be at Level II.

 

Applicable Lending Office ” shall mean, for each Lender and for each Type of Loan, the “Lending Office” of such Lender (or an Affiliate of such Lender) designated for such Type of Loan in the Administrative Questionnaire submitted by such Lender or such other office of such Lender (or an Affiliate of such Lender) as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower as the office by which its Loans of such Type are to be made and maintained.

 

Applicable Margin ” shall mean, as of any date, the percentage per annum determined by reference to the applicable Adjusted Total Debt to EBITDAR Ratio in effect on such date as set forth on Schedule 1.1(a) attached hereto; provided , that a change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in such ratio shall be effective on the second Business Day after which the Borrower is required to deliver the financial statements required by Section 5.1(a) or (b) and the compliance certificate required by Section 5.1(c) ; provided, further, that if at any time the Borrower shall have failed to deliver such financial statements and such certificate, the Applicable Margin shall be at Level IV until such time as such financial statements and certificate are delivered, at which time the Applicable Margin shall be determined as provided above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Applicable Margin from the Closing Date until the first financial statements and compliance certificate are required to be delivered shall be at Level II.

 

Approved 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 and 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 ” shall mean Banc of America Securities LLC.

 

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Assignee Group ” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.

 

Assignment and Acceptance ” shall mean an assignment and acceptance entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.4(b) ) and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Availability Period ” shall mean the period from the Closing Date to the Revolving Commitment Termination Date.

 

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

 

BAS ” shall mean Banc of America Securities LLC.

 

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.

 

Borrower ” shall have the meaning in the introductory paragraph hereof.

 

Borrowing ” shall mean a borrowing consisting of (i) Loans of the same Class and Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and in case of Eurodollar Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (ii) a Swingline Loan.

 

Business Day ” shall mean (i) any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Charlotte, North Carolina are authorized or required by law to close and (ii) if such day relates to a Borrowing of, a payment or prepayment of principal or interest on, a conversion of or into, or an Interest Period for, a Eurodollar Loan or a notice with respect to any of the foregoing, any day on which dealings in Dollars are carried on in the London interbank market.

 

Capital Lease Obligations ” of any Person shall mean all obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Change in Control ” shall mean the occurrence of one or more of the following events: (a) any sale, lease, exchange or other transfer (in a single transaction or a series of related

 

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transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower to any Person or “group” (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder in effect on the date hereof), (b) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or “group” (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of 30% or more of the outstanding shares of the voting stock of the Borrower; or (c) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the current board of directors nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated.

 

Change in Law ” shall mean (i) the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (ii) any change in any applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change in the interpretation or application thereof, by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement, or (iii) the making or issuance by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) requiring compliance by any Lender (or its Applicable Lending Office) or the Issuing Bank (or for purposes of Section 2.18(b) , by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if applicable).

 

Class ”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans and when used in reference to any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is a Revolving Commitment, a Swingline Commitment or a LC Commitment.

 

Closing Date ” shall mean February 28, 2007.

 

Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time.

 

Commitment ” shall mean a Revolving Commitment, a Swingline Commitment or a LC Commitment or any combination thereof (as the context shall permit or require).

 

Consolidated Assets ” shall mean, as of any date, the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that would be reflected on the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet as of such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Companies ” shall mean, collectively, the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries, and “Consolidated Company” shall mean, individually, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Consolidated EBITDA ” shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) income tax expense determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (iii) depreciation and amortization determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with

 

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GAAP and (iv) all other non-cash charges determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, in each case for such period.

 

Consolidated EBITDAR ” shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated EBITDA plus (b) Consolidated Lease Expense, in each case for such period.

 

Consolidated EBITR ” shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, (i) Consolidated Interest Expense, (ii) income tax expense determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, (iii) all other non-cash charges, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, and (iv) Consolidated Lease Expense, in each case for such period.

 

Consolidated Fixed Charges ” shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, the sum (without duplication) of (a) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period and (b) Consolidated Lease Expense for such period.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense ” shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, the sum of (i) total interest expense, including without limitation the interest component of any payments in respect of Capital Leases Obligations capitalized or expensed during such period (whether or not actually paid during such period) plus (ii) the net amount payable (or minus the net amount receivable) under Hedging Agreements during such period (whether or not actually paid or received during such period).

 

Consolidated Lease Expense ” shall mean, for any period, the aggregate amount of fixed and contingent rental and operating lease expense payable by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with respect to leases of real and personal property (excluding Capital Lease Obligations) determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP for such period.

 

Consolidated Net Income ” shall mean, for any period, the net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding therefrom (to the extent otherwise included therein) (i) any extraordinary gains or losses, (ii) any gains attributable to write-ups of assets, (iii) any equity interest of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower in the unremitted earnings of any Person that is not a Subsidiary and (iv) any income (or loss) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary on the date that such Person’s assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.

 

Consolidated Net Worth ” shall mean, as of any date, (i) the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that would be reflected on the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet as of such date prepared in accordance with GAAP, after eliminating all amounts properly attributable to minority interests, if any, in the stock and surplus of Subsidiaries, minus the sum of (i) the total liabilities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that would be reflected on the Borrower’s consolidated balance sheet as of such date prepared in accordance with GAAP and (ii) the

 

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amount of any write-up in the book value of any assets resulting from a revaluation thereof or any write-up in excess of the cost of such assets acquired reflected on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as of such date prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Restaurant Revenues ” shall mean, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for any period, an amount equal to the restaurant sales and operating revenue generated at the restaurant level determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, but excluding therefrom (to the extent otherwise included therein) any franchise royalty revenues or fees.

 

Contractual Obligation ” of any Person shall mean any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or undertaking under which such Person is obligated or by which it or any of the property in which it has an interest is bound.

 

Control ” shall mean the power, directly or indirectly, either to (i) vote 5% or more of securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of a Person or (ii) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. The terms “Controlling”, “Controlled by”, and “under common Control with” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Debtor Relief Laws ” shall mean 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 ” shall mean any condition or event that, with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

Default Interest ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.13(c) .

 

Disposition ” shall mean the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, but excluding any sale, lease, license, transfer or other disposition permitted by Section 7.5 (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e).

 

Dollar(s) ” and the sign “$” shall mean lawful money of the United States of America.

 

Eligible Assignee ” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.4(b)(ii) , (iv) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.4(b)(ii) ).

Employee Benefit Plans ” shall mean, collectively, Borrower’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan, the Morrison Incorporated Long Term Incentive Plan, the 1984 Morrison Incorporated Long Term Incentive Plan, the 1987 Stock Bonus and Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan, the 1989 Non-Qualified Stock Incentive Plan, the Ruby Tuesday, Inc. 1996 Stock Incentive Plan, the Ruby Tuesday, Inc. 1996 Non-Executive Stock Incentive Plan, the Ruby Tuesday, Inc. Stock Incentive and Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors, the Ruby

 

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Tuesday, Inc. Salary Deferral Plan, the Ruby Tuesday, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan and any salary deferral or deferred compensation plan of any Subsidiary or franchisee of Borrower pursuant to which the equity securities of Borrower or any Subsidiary are the subject of rights to acquire such equity securities, an investment option under such plan or a matching contribution under such plan; in each case as any such plan may be amended, modified or replaced by successor plan thereto.

 

Environmental Laws ” shall mean all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by or with any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Material.

 

Environmental Liability ” shall mean any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental investigation and remediation, costs of administrative oversight, fines, natural resource damages, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) any actual or alleged violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) any actual or alleged exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the Release or threatened Release of any Hazardous Materials or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

ERISA ” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

 

ERISA Affiliate ” shall mean any trade or business (whether or not incorporated), which, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for the purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

 

ERISA Event ” shall mean (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d ) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator appointed by the PBGC of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the

 

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imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

Eurodollar ” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

 

Eurodollar Reserve Percentage ” shall mean the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including, without limitation, any emergency, supplemental, special or other marginal reserves) expressed as a decimal (rounded upwards to the next 1/100th of 1%) in effect on any day to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate pursuant to regulations issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions) with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “eurocurrency liabilities” under Regulation D). Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under Regulation D. The Eurodollar Reserve Percentage shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

 

Event of Default ” shall have the meaning provided in Article VIII .

 

Excluded Taxes ” shall mean with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction 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, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which any Lender is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that (i) is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, (ii) is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at any time that such Foreign Lender designates a new Applicable Lending Office, other than taxes that have accrued prior to the designation of such lending office that are otherwise not Excluded Taxes, and (iii) is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.20(e) .

 

Existing Credit Agreement ” shall have the meaning given to such term in the first WHEREAS paragraph.

 

Existing Letters of Credit ” means the letters of credit described by date of issuance, letter of credit number, undrawn amount, name of beneficiary and date of expiry on Schedule 1.1(b) attached hereto.

 

Federal Funds Rate ” shall mean, for any day, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100th of 1%) equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with member banks of the Federal Reserve System arranged by

 

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Federal funds brokers, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the next succeeding Business Day or if such rate is not so published for any Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100th of 1% of the quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.

 

Fee Letter ” shall mean that certain fee letter, dated January 22, 2007, executed by Bank of America and Banc of America Securities LLC and accepted by Borrower.

 

Fiscal Quarter ” shall mean any fiscal quarter of the Borrower or the Consolidated Companies, as applicable.

 

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITR to (b) Consolidated Fixed Charges, in each case measured for the four Fiscal Quarter period ending on such date.

 

Foreign Lender ” shall mean any Lender that is not a United States person under Section 7701(a)(3) of the Code.

 

Foreign Subsidiary ” shall mean any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than one of the fifty states of the United States or the District of Columbia.

 

" Franchise Facility Credit Agreement " means that certain Amended and Restated Loan Facility Agreement and Guaranty, dated as of November 19, 2004, among the Borrower, Bank of America, as servicer, and a syndicate of lenders, as amended, extended, replaced or refinanced from time to time.

 

" Franchise Facility " means that certain credit facility in the amount of up to $48,000,000 extended by Bank of America, as servicer, to certain franchisees of the Borrower, as guaranteed by the Borrower and certain of its Subsidiaries, all pursuant to the Franchise Facility Credit Agreement, with an option of the Borrower to increase such facility by $25,000,000 up to a total amount of $73,000,000.

 

Franchise Partner ” means, collectively, a limited liability company or limited partnership in which the Borrower owns an equity interest pursuant to the Franchise Partner Program.

 

Franchise Partner Program ” shall mean the optional financing and business structuring program offered by the Borrower to a limited number of qualified restaurant operators, such operators to be determined by the Borrower in its sole discretion, which provides such restaurant operators a business structure for organizing, owning and funding the establishment and operation of restaurants doing business under operating concepts owned by the Borrower.

 

GAAP ” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis and subject to the terms of Section 1.3 .

 

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Governmental Authority ” shall mean the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

Guarantor ” shall mean each Subsidiary Loan Party now or hereafter a party to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement or any Subsidiary that becomes a party to the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement pursuant to Section 5.11 , and their respective successors and permitted assigns.

 

Guaranty ” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) shall mean any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of Guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the “primary obligor “) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly and including any obligation, direct or indirect, of the guarantor (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued in support of such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term “Guaranty” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposits in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guaranty shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which Guaranty is made or, if not so stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof (assuming such Person is required to perform thereunder) as determined by such Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

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.

 

Hedging Agreements ” shall mean interest rate swap, cap or collar agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts, commodity agreements and other similar agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in interest rates, currency values or commodity values, in each case to which any Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party.

 

Hostile Acquisition ” shall mean any Investment resulting in control of a Person involving a tender offer or proxy contest that has not been recommended or approved by the board of directors of the Person that is the subject of the Investment prior to the first public announcement or disclosure relating to such Investment.

 

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Incremental Facility ” shall have the meaning provided in Section 2.4 .

 

Indebtedness ” of any Person shall mean, without duplication (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of business; provided, that for purposes of Section 8.1(f) , trade payables overdue by more than 120 days shall be included in this definition except to the extent that any of such trade payables are being disputed in good faith and by appropriate measures), (iv) all obligations of such Person under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement(s) relating to property acquired by such Person, (v) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (vi) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of letters of credit, acceptances or similar extensions of credit, (vii) all Guarantees of such Person of the type of Indebtedness described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, (viii) all Indebtedness of a third party secured by any Lien on property owned by such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness has been assumed by such Person, (ix) all obligations of such Person, contingent or otherwise, to purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value any capital stock of such Person, (x) Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities and (xi) all obligations under Hedging Agreements. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent that the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

 

Indemnified Taxes ” shall mean Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Information Memorandum ” shall mean the Confidential Information Memorandum dated February 2007 relating to the Borrower and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

Interest Period ” shall mean (i) with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, a period of one, two, three or six months, and (ii) with respect to a Swingline Loan, a period of such duration not to exceed 10 days, as the Borrower may request and the Swingline Lender may agree in accordance with Section 2.6 ; provided, that:

 

(i)             the initial Interest Period for such Borrowing shall commence on the date of such Borrowing (including the date of any conversion from a Borrowing of another Type), and each Interest Period occurring thereafter in respect of such Borrowing shall commence on the day on which the next preceding Interest Period expires;

 

(ii)            if any Interest Period would otherwise end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period would end on the next preceding Business Day;

 

(iii)           any Interest Period which 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

 

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month at the end of such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month in which such Interest Period ends; and

 

(iv)          no Interest Period may extend beyond the Revolving Commitment Termination Date.

 

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

 

Issuing Bank ” shall mean SunTrust Bank with respect to the SunTrust Letter of Credit, and Bank of America with respect to all other Letters of Credit.

 

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.

 

LC Borrowing ” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed or refinanced as a Loan on the Business Day of such drawing.

 

LC Commitment ” shall mean that portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment Amount that may be used by the Borrower for the issuance of Letters of Credit in an aggregate face amount not to exceed $50,000,000.

 

LC Disbursement ” shall mean a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

 

LC Documents ” shall mean the Letters of Credit and all applications, agreements and instruments relating to the Letters of Credit.

 

LC Exposure ” shall mean, 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 drawings under Letters of Credit, 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 1.5 . 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. The LC Exposure of any Lender shall be its Pro Rata Share of the total LC Exposure at such time.

 

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Lenders ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the opening paragraph of this Agreement and shall include, where appropriate, the Swingline Lender.

 

Letter of Credit ” shall mean (a) the SunTrust Letter of Credit, (b) any letter of credit issued pursuant to Section 2.23 by Bank of America for the account of the Borrower pursuant to the LC Commitment and (c) any Existing Letter of Credit.

 

LIBOR ” shall mean, for any Interest Period (rounded upwards, as necessary, to the nearest 1/100 of 1%) 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 the Administrative 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 the Administrative 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 by Bank of America’s London Branch to 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.

 

Lien ” shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien (statutory or otherwise), charge, encumbrance, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, or other arrangement having the practical effect of the foregoing or any preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any capital lease having the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

 

Loan Documents ” shall mean, collectively, this Agreement, the Notes (if any), the LC Documents, the Fee Letter, all Notices of Borrowing, the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement, all Notices of Conversion/Continuation and any and all other instruments, agreements, documents and writings executed in connection with any of the foregoing.

 

Loan Parties ” shall mean the Borrower and the Subsidiary Loan Parties.

 

Loans ” shall mean all Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans in the aggregate or any of them, as the context shall require.

 

Margin Regulations ” shall mean Regulation T, Regulation U and Regulation X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as the same may be in effect from time to time.

 

Material Adverse Effect ” shall mean, with respect to any event, act, condition or occurrence of whatever nature (including any adverse determination in any litigation, arbitration, or governmental investigation or proceeding), whether singularly or in conjunction with any

 

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other event or events, act or acts, condition or conditions, occurrence or occurrences whether or not related, a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect on, (i) the business, results of operations, financial condition, assets or liabilities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) the ability of the Loan Parties to perform any of their respective obligations under the Loan Documents, (iii) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, Swingline Lender, and the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents or (iv) the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents.

 

Material Indebtedness ” shall mean Indebtedness (other than the Loans and Letters of Credit) or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $25,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect to any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Material Subsidiary ” shall mean (i) each Loan Party other than the Borrower, and (ii) each other Subsidiary of the Borrower, now existing or hereafter established or acquired, that at any time prior to the Revolving Commitment Termination Date, has or acquires total assets in excess of $5,000,000, or that accounted for or produced more than 5% of the Consolidated Net Income (Loss) of the Borrower on a consolidated basis during any of the three most recently completed fiscal years of the Borrower, or that is otherwise material to the operations or business of the Borrower or another Material Subsidiary.

 

Moody’s ” shall mean Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Multiemployer Plan ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

 

Notes ” shall mean, collectively, the Revolving Credit Notes and the Swingline Note.

 

Notices of Borrowing ” shall mean, collectively, the Notices of Revolving Borrowing and the Notices of Swingline Borrowing.

 

Notice of Conversion/Continuation ” shall mean the notice given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent in respect of the conversion or continuation of an outstanding Borrowing as provided in Section 2.8(b) hereof.

 

Notice of Revolving Borrowing ” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2.3(a) .

 

Notice of Swingline Borrowing ” shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 2.6(a) .

 

Obligations ” shall mean all amounts owing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender (including the Swingline Lender) pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, including without limitation, all principal, interest (including any interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to the

 

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Borrower, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), all reimbursement obligations, fees, expenses, indemnification and reimbursement payments, costs and expenses (including all fees and expenses of counsel to the Administrative Agent and any Lender (including the Swingline Lender) incurred pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, now existing or hereafter arising hereunder or thereunder, and all obligations arising under Hedging Agreements relating to the foregoing to the extent permitted hereunder, and all obligations and liabilities incurred in connection with collecting and enforcing the foregoing, together with all renewals, extensions, modifications or refinancings thereof.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities ” of any Person shall mean (i) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (ii) any liability of such Person under any sale and leaseback transactions which do not create a liability on the balance sheet of such Person, (iii) any Synthetic Lease Obligation or (iv) any obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP.

 

OSHA ” shall mean the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.            

 

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

 

Participant ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.4(d) .

 

Payment Office ” shall mean the office of the Administrative Agent for borrowings and paydowns as set forth in Section 10.1 , or such other location as to which the Administrative Agent shall have given written notice to the Borrower and the other Lenders.

 

PBGC ” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA, and any successor entity performing similar functions.

 

Permitted Acquisition ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(j) .

 

Permitted Encumbrances ” shall mean

 

(i)             Liens imposed by law for taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP;

 

(ii)            statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and other Liens imposed by law created in the ordinary course of business for amounts not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by

 

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appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP;

 

(iii)           pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

 

(iv)          deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(v)           judgment and attachment liens not giving rise to an Event of Default or Liens created by or existing from any litigation or legal proceeding that are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which adequate reserves are being maintained in accordance with GAAP; and

 

(vi)          easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole;

 

provided , that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing    Indebtedness.

 

Permitted Investments ” shall mean:

 

(i)             direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally Guaranteed by, the United States (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(ii)            commercial paper having the highest rating, at the time of acquisition thereof, of S&P or Moody’s and in either case maturing within six months from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(iii)           certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days of the date of acquisition thereof issued or Guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(iv)          fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (i) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (iii) above; and

 

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(v)          mutual funds investing solely in any one or more of the Permitted Investments described in clauses (i) through (iv) above.

 

Permitted Liens ” means all Liens permitted under Section 7.1 .

 

Person ” shall mean any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or other entity, or any Governmental Authority.

 

Plan ” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

 

Pro Forma Basis ” means, for purposes of calculating the financial covenants set forth in Article VI (including for purposes of determining the Applicable Margin), that any Disposition, Acquisition or Restricted Payment shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recent four fiscal quarter period preceding the date of such transaction for which the Borrower was required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 5.1(a) or (b) . In connection with the foregoing, (a) with respect to any Disposition, income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property disposed of shall be excluded to the extent relating to any period occurring prior to the date of such transaction and (b) with respect to any Acquisition, income statement items attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (A) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement items for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.1 and (B) such items are supported by financial statements or other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including the Person or property acquired) in connection with such transaction (A) shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period and (B) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination.

 

Pro Rata Share ” shall mean (i) with respect to any Commitment of any Lender at any time, a percentage, the numerator of which shall be such Lender’s Commitment (or if such Commitments have been terminated or expired or the Loans have been declared to be due and payable, such Lender’s Loan funded under such Commitment), and the denominator of which shall be the sum of such Commitments of all Lenders (or if such Commitments have been terminated or expired or the Loans have been declared to be due and payable, all Loans of all Lenders funded under such Commitments) and (ii) with respect to all Commitments of any Lender at any time, the numerator of which shall be the sum of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment (or if the Revolving Commitments have been terminated or expired or the Loans have been declared to be due and payable, such Lender’s Revolving Loan) and the denominator of which shall be the sum of all Lenders’ Revolving Commitments (or if the Revolving

 

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Commitments have been terminated or expired or the Loans have been declared to be due and payable, all Revolving Loans).

 

Register ” has the meaning provided in Section 10.4(c) .

 

Regulation D ” shall mean Regulation D of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as the same may be in effect from time to time, and any successor regulations.

 

Related Parties ” shall mean, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

 

Release ” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or within any building, structure, facility or fixture.

 

Required Lenders ” shall mean, at any time, Lenders holding at least 50.1% of the aggregate outstanding Revolving Commitments at such time or, if the Commitments are no longer in effect, Lenders holding at least 50.1% of the aggregate outstanding Loans.

 

Requirement of Law ” for any Person shall mean the articles or certificate of incorporation and bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation, or determination of a Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

Responsible Officer ” shall mean any of the president, the chief executive officer, the chief operating officer, the chief financial officer, the treasurer or a vice president of the Borrower or such other representative of the Borrower as may be designated in writing by any one of the foregoing with the consent of the Administrative Agent; and, with respect to the financial covenants only, the chief financial officer or the treasurer of the Borrower.

 

Restricted Payment ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.4 .

 

Revolving Commitment ” shall mean, with respect to each Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower and to participate in Letters of Credit (subject to the terms herein) and Swingline Loans in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding the amount set forth with respect to such Lender on Schedule 1.2 , or in the case of a Person becoming a Lender after the Closing Date, the amount of the assigned “Revolving Commitment” as provided in the Assignment and Acceptance Agreement executed by such Person as an assignee, as the same may be changed pursuant to terms hereof.

 

Revolving Commitment Termination Date ” shall mean the earlier of (i) February 23, 2012, or (ii) the date on which all amounts outstanding under this Agreement have been declared or have automatically become due and payable (whether by acceleration or otherwise).

 

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Revolving Credit Exposure ” shall mean, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans, such Lender’s LC Exposure and such Lender’s Swingline Exposure.

 

Revolving Credit Note ” shall mean a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the order of a requesting Lender in the principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, in substantially the form of Exhibit A .

 

Revolving Lenders ” shall mean, at any time, Lenders holding outstanding Revolving Loans and unused Revolving Commitments at such time or if the Lenders have no Revolving Loans outstanding, then Lenders holding the Revolving Commitments.

 

Revolving Loan ” shall mean a loan made by a Lender (other than the Swingline Lender) to the Borrower under its Revolving Commitment, which may either be a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Loan.

 

S&P ” shall mean Standard & Poor’s.

 

SEC ” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to 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 Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, as each of the foregoing may be amended and in effect on any applicable date hereunder.

 

Senior Note Purchase Agreement ” means that certain Note Purchase Agreement dated as of April 1, 2003 among the Borrower and the purchasers party thereto, as amended or modified from time to time.

 

Solvent ” or “ Solvency ” means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature in their ordinary course, (c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which such Person is engaged or is to engage, (d) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent liabilities, of such Person and (e) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured. In computing the amount of contingent liabilities at any time, it is intended that such liabilities will be computed at the amount which, in

 

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light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

Subsidiary ” shall mean, with respect to any Person (the “parent”), any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power, or in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, are directly or indirectly owned, controlled (intentionally lowercase) or held by the parent. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to “Subsidiary” hereunder shall mean a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement ” shall mean the Subsidiary Guaranty Agreement as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, substantially in the form of Exhibit D , made by the Subsidiary Loan Parties in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders.

 

Subordinated Debt ” shall mean all Indebtedness of Borrower subordinated to all obligations of Borrower or any other Loan Party arising under this Agreement, the Notes, and the Guaranty Agreement, created, incurred or assumed on terms and conditions satisfactory in all respects to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, including without limitation, with respect to interest rates, payment terms, maturities, amortization schedules, covenants, defaults, remedies, and subordination provisions, as evidenced by the written approval of the Administrative Agent and Required Lenders.

 

Subsidiary Loan Party ” shall mean any Material Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary.

 

SunTrust Letter of Credit ” shall mean the letter of credit issued by SunTrust Bank on October 19, 1995, Letter of Credit No. F501115, in favor of Director, Division of SELF, in the face amount of $300,000.

 

Swingline Commitment ” shall mean the commitment of the Swingline Lender to make Swingline Loans in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed $50,000,000.

 

Swingline Exposure ” shall mean, with respect to each Lender, the principal amount of the Swingline Loans in which such Lender is legally obligated either to make a Base Rate Loan or to purchase a participation in accordance with Section 2.6 , which shall equal such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all outstanding Swingline Loans.

 

Swingline Lender ” shall mean Bank of America and its successors.

 

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Swingline Loan ” shall mean a loan made to the Borrower by the Swingline Lender under the Swingline Commitment.

 

Swingline Note ” shall mean the promissory note of the Borrower payable to the order of the Swingline Lender in the principal amount of the Swingline Commitment, substantially the form of Exhibit B .

 

Swingline Rate ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.6 .

 

Synthetic Lease ” means a lease transaction under which the parties intend that (i) the lease will be treated as an “operating lease” by the lessee pursuant to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13, as amended and (ii) the lessee will be entitled to various tax and other benefits ordinarily available to owners (as opposed to lessees) of like property.

 

Synthetic Lease Obligations ” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the sum of (i) all remaining rental obligations of such Person as lessee under Synthetic Leases which are attributable to principal and, without duplication, (ii) all rental and purchase price payment obligations of such Person under such Synthetic Leases assuming such Person exercises the option to purchase the lease property at the end of the lease term.

 

Taxes ” shall mean any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

 

Traditional Franchisee ” means, collectively, a franchisee of the Borrower that (i) is not a Franchise Partner and (ii) is not operating under the Franchise Partner Program.

 

Type ”, when used in reference to a Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Base Rate.

 

Withdrawal Liability ” shall mean liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

 

Section 1.2

Classifications of Loans and Borrowings .

 

For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g. a “Revolving Loan” or “Swingline Loan”) or by Type (e.g. a “Eurodollar Loan” or “Base Rate Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g. “Revolving Eurodollar Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g. “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g. “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g. “ Revolving Eurodollar Borrowing”).

 

 

Section 1.3

Accounting Terms and Determination .

 

(a)           Unless otherwise defined or specified herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all accounting determinations hereunder shall be made, and all financial

 

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statements required to be delivered hereunder shall be prepared, in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis consistent (except for such changes approved by the Borrower’s independent public accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial statement of the Borrower delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(a) ; provided, that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower wishes to amend any covenant in Article VI to eliminate the effect of any change in GAAP on the operation of such covenant (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders wish to amend Article VI for such purpose), then the Borrower’s compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of GAAP in effect immediately before the relevant change in GAAP became effective, until either such notice is withdrawn or such covenant is amended in a manner satisfactory to the Borrower and the Required Lenders; provided, further, that if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower wishes to change its fiscal year end in accordance with Section 7.10 and such change effects any covenant in Article VI, then the Borrower’s compliance with such covenant shall be determined on the basis of the fiscal year end in effect immediately before such requested change in fiscal year end became effective, until such covenant is amended in a manner satisfactory to the Borrower and the Required Lenders.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the above, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that all calculations of the financial covenants in Article VI (including for purposes of determining the Applicable Margin) shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

 

Section 1.4

Terms Generally .

 

The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the word “to” means “to but excluding”. Unless the context requires otherwise (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as it was originally executed or as it may from time to time be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (iii) the words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import shall be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision hereof, (iv) all references to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules to this Agreement and (v) all references to a specific time shall be construed to refer to the time in the city and state of the Administrative Agent’s principal office, unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

Section 1.5

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 ,

 

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however , that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any LC 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.

 

 

Section 1.6

Times of Day .

 

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

 

ARTICLE II

 

AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE COMMITMENTS

 

 

Section 2.1

General Description of Facilities .

 

Subject to and upon the terms and conditions herein set forth, (i) the Revolving Lenders hereby establish in favor of the Borrower a revolving credit facility pursuant to which the Revolving Lenders severally agree (to the extent of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment) to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.2 , (ii) the Issuing Bank agrees to issue Letters of Credit in accordance with Section 2.23 , (iii) the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in accordance with Section 2.5 and (iv) each Revolving Lender agrees to purchase a participation interest in the Letters of Credit and the Swingline Loans pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof; provided, that in no event shall the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans and outstanding LC Exposure exceed at any time the Aggregate Revolving Commitment Amount from time to time in effect.

 

 

Section 2.2

Revolving Loans .

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Revolving Lender severally agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower, from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time that will not result in (i) such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Revolving Lender’s Revolving Commitment or (ii) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures of all Revolving Lenders exceeding the Aggregate Revolving Commitment Amount. During the Availability Period, the Borrower shall be entitled to borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement; provided, that the Borrower may not borrow or reborrow should there exist a Default or Event of Default.

 

 

Section 2.3

Procedure for Revolving Borrowings .

 

The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of each Revolving Borrowing substantially in the form of

 

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Exhibit 2.3 attached hereto (a “ Notice of Revolving Borrowing ”) (x) prior to noon on the Business Day of the requested date of each Base Rate Borrowing and (y) prior to 2:00 p.m. three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of each Eurodollar Borrowing. Each Notice of Revolving Borrowing shall be irrevocable and shall specify: (i) the aggregate principal amount of such Borrowing, (ii) the date of such Borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the Type of such Revolving Loan comprising such Borrowing and (iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the duration of the initial Interest Period applicable thereto (subject to the provisions of the definition of Interest Period). Each Revolving Borrowing shall consist entirely of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Loans, as the Borrower may request. The aggregate principal amount of each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be not less than $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000, and the aggregate principal amount of each Base Rate Borrowing shall not be less than $1,000,000 or a larger multiple of $100,000; provided , that Base Rate Loans made pursuant to Section 2.6 or Section 2.23 may be made in lesser amounts as provided therein. At no time shall the total number of Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding at any time exceed eight. Promptly following the receipt of a Notice of Revolving Borrowing in accordance herewith, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Revolving Lender of the details thereof and the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loan to be made as part of the requested Revolving Borrowing.

 

 

Section 2.4

Incremental Facility .

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower shall have the right, at any time and from time to time (but not to exceed four (4) increases in the aggregate) prior to the date that is ninety (90) days prior to the Revolving Commitment Termination Date, to incur additional Indebtedness under this Agreement in the form of an increase to the Aggregate Revolving Committed Amount (each an “ Incremental Facility ”) by an aggregate amount of up to $100,000,000. The following terms and conditions shall apply to each Incremental Facility: (a) the loans made under any such Incremental Facility (each an “ Additional Loan ”) shall constitute Obligations and will be guaranteed with the other Obligations on a pari passu basis, (b) any such Incremental Facility shall have the same terms (including interest rate and maturity date) as the existing Revolving Loans, (c) any such Incremental Facility shall be entitled to the same voting rights as the existing Revolving Loans and shall be entitled to receive proceeds of prepayments on the same basis as the existing Revolving Loans, (d) any such Incremental Facility shall be obtained from existing Lenders or from other banks, financial institutions or investment funds, in each case in accordance with the terms set forth below, (e) any such Incremental Facility shall be in a minimum principal amount of $10,000,000 and integral multiples of $10,000,000 in excess thereof, (f) the proceeds of any Additional Loan will be used for the purposes set forth in Section 5.9, (g) the Borrower shall execute a Revolving Credit Note in favor of any new Lender, if requested by such Lender, (h) the conditions to Extensions of Credit in Section 3.2 shall have been satisfied and (i) the Administrative Agent shall have received from the Borrower updated financial projections and an officer’s certificate, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, demonstrating that, after giving effect to any such Incremental Facility on a Pro Forma Basis, the Borrower will be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Article VI. Participation in the Incremental Facility shall be offered first to each of the existing Lenders, but no Lender shall have any obligation to provide all or any portion of the Incremental Facility. If the amount of the Incremental Facility requested by the Borrower shall exceed the commitments which the existing Lenders are willing to provide with respect to such Incremental Facility, then the Borrower may invite other banks, financial

 

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institutions and investment funds reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent to join this Agreement as Lenders hereunder for the portion of such Incremental Facility not taken by existing Lenders, provided that such other banks, financial institutions and investment funds shall enter into such joinder agreements to give effect thereto as the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may reasonably request. If the commitments received for any Incremental Facility exceed the amount of such Incremental Facility, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall have the right to decide how such commitments are allocated. If commitments for the total amount of the Incremental Facility requested by the Borrower are not obtained, the Borrower shall have the right to accept the commitments which are obtained and accept an Incremental Facility in an amount less than requested so long as such accepted Incremental Facility exceeds the minimum amount set forth above. The Borrower shall have the right to decline any Incremental Facility if the Pro Rata Share of any existing Lender immediately prior to the implementation of the Incremental Facility would be different immediately thereafter. The Administrative Agent is authorized to enter into, on behalf of the Lenders, any amendment to this Agreement or any other Loan Document as may be necessary to incorporate the terms of any new Incremental Facility therein.

 

 

Section 2.5

Swingline Commitment .

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans to the Borrower during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time not to exceed the lesser of (i) the Swingline Commitment then in effect and (ii) the difference between the Aggregate Revolving Commitment Amount and the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. The Borrower shall be entitled to borrow, repay and reborrow Swingline Loans in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

 

Section 2.6

Procedure for Swingline Borrowing; Etc .

 

(a)           The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of each Swingline Borrowing substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.6 attached hereto (“ Notice of Swingline Borrowing ”) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the requested date of each Swingline Borrowing. Each Notice of Swingline Borrowing shall be irrevocable and shall specify: (i) the principal amount of such Swingline Loan, (ii) the date of such Swingline Loan (which shall be a Business Day) and (iii) the account of the Borrower to which the proceeds of such Swingline Loan should be credited. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of each Notice of Swingline Borrowing. Each Swingline Loan shall accrue interest at the Base Rate or any other interest rate as agreed between the Borrower and the Swingline Lender (the “ Swingline Rate ”) and shall have an Interest Period (subject to the definition thereof) as agreed between the Borrower and the Lender. The aggregate principal amount of each Swingline Loan shall be not less than $100,000 or a larger multiple of $50,000, or such other minimum amounts agreed to by the Swingline Lender and the Borrower. The Swingline Lender will make the proceeds of each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower in Dollars in immediately available funds at the account specified by the Borrower

 

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in the applicable Notice of Swingline Borrowing not later than 3:00 p.m. on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(b)           The Swingline Lender, at any time and from time to time in its sole discretion, may, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs the Swingline Lender to act on its behalf), give a Notice of Revolving Borrowing to the Administrative Agent requesting the Revolving Lenders (including the Swingline Lender) to make a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to the unpaid principal amount of any Swingline Loan. Each Revolving Lender will make the proceeds of its Base Rate Loan included in such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender in accordance with Section 2.7 , which will be used solely for the repayment of such Swingline Loan.

 

(c)           If for any reason a Base Rate Borrowing may not be (as determined in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent), or is not, made in accordance with the foregoing provisions, then each Revolving Lender (other than the Swingline Lender) shall purchase an undivided participating interest in such Swingline Loan in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share thereof on the date that such Base Rate Borrowing should have occurred. On the date of such required purchase, each Revolving Lender shall promptly transfer, in immediately available funds, the amount of its participating interest to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender. If such Swingline Loan bears interest at a rate other than the Base Rate, such Swingline Loan shall automatically become a Base Rate Loan on the effective date of any such participation and interest shall become payable on demand.

 

(d)           Each Revolving Lender’s obligation to make a Base Rate Loan pursuant to Section 2.6(b) or to purchase the participating interests pursuant to Section 2.6(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including without limitation (i) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender or any other Person may have or claim against the Swingline Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (ii) the existence of a Default or an Event of Default or the termination of any Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (iii) the existence (or alleged existence) of any event or condition which has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (iv) any breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any Lender or (v) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing. If such amount is not in fact made available to the Swingline Lender by any Revolving Lender, the Swingline Lender shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Lender, together with accrued interest thereon for each day from the date of demand thereof at the Federal Funds Rate. Until such time as such Lender makes its required payment, the Swingline Lender shall be deemed to continue to have outstanding Swingline Loans in the amount of the unpaid participation for all purposes of the Loan Documents. In addition, such Lender shall be deemed to have assigned any and all payments made of principal and interest on its Loans and any other amounts due to it hereunder, to the Swingline Lender to fund the amount of such Lender’s participation interest in such Swingline Loans that such Lender failed to fund pursuant to this Section, until such amount has been purchased in full.

 

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Section 2.7

Funding of Borrowings .

 

(a)           Each Lender will make available each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer in immediately available funds by 11:00 a.m. to the Administrative Agent at the Payment Office (or 3:00 p.m. in the case of Base Rate Borrowings); provided that the Swingline Loans will be made as set forth in Section 2.6 . The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts that it receives, in like funds by the close of business on such proposed date, to an account maintained by the Borrower with the Administrative Agent or at the Borrower’s option, by effecting a wire transfer of such amounts to an account designated by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)           Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by any Lender prior to 5 p.m. one (1) Business Day prior to the date of a Borrowing in which such Lender is participating that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such amount available to the Administrative Agent on such date, and the Administrative Agent, in reliance on such assumption, may make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If such corresponding amount is not in fact made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender on the date of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover such corresponding amount on demand from such Lender together with interest at the Federal Funds Rate for up to two (2) days and thereafter at the rate specified for such Borrowing. If such Lender does not pay such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower, and the Borrower shall immediately pay such corresponding amount to the Administrative Agent together with interest at the rate specified for such Borrowing. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fund its Pro Rata Share of any Borrowing hereunder or to prejudice any rights which the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

(c)           All Borrowings shall be made by the Lenders on the basis of their respective Pro Rata Shares. No Lender shall be responsible for any default by any other Lender in its obligations hereunder, and each Lender shall be obligated to make its Loans provided to be made by it hereunder, regardless of the failure of any other Lender to make its Loans hereunder.

 

 

Section 2.8

Interest Elections .

 

(a)           Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Notice of Borrowing, and in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Notice of Borrowing. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing into a different Type or to continue such Borrowing, and in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall NOT apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

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(b)           To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent prior written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) of each Borrowing substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.8 hereto (a “ Notice of Conversion/Continuation ”) that is to be converted or continued, as the case may be, (x) prior to noon on the Business of the requested date of a conversion into a Base Rate Borrowing and (y) prior to 2:00 p.m. three (3) Business Days prior to a continuation of or conversion into a Eurodollar Borrowing. Each such Notice of Conversion/Continuation shall be irrevocable and shall specify (i) the Borrowing to which such Notice of Continuation/Conversion applies and if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof that are to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing); (ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Notice of Continuation/Conversion, which shall be a Business Day, (iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be a Base Rate Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing; and (iv) if the resulting Borrowing is to be a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of “Interest Period”. If any such Notice of Continuation/Conversion requests a Eurodollar Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month. The principal amount of any resulting Borrowing shall satisfy the minimum borrowing amount for Eurodollar Borrowings and Base Rate Borrowings set forth in Section 2.3 .

 

(c)           If, on the expiration of any Interest Period in respect of any Eurodollar Borrowing, the Borrower shall have failed to deliver a Notice of Conversion/ Continuation, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected to convert such Borrowing to a Base Rate Borrowing. No Borrowing may be converted into, or continued as, a Eurodollar Borrowing if a Default or an Event of Default exists, unless the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall have otherwise consented in writing. No conversion of any Eurodollar Loans shall be permitted except on the last day of the Interest Period in respect thereof.

 

(d)           Upon receipt of any Notice of Conversion/Continuation, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

 

 

Section 2.9

Optional Reduction and Termination of Commitments.

 

(a)           Unless previously terminated, all Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date.

 

(b)           Upon at least three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent (which notice shall be irrevocable), the Borrower may reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in part or terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in whole; provided , however , that (i) any partial reduction shall apply to reduce proportionately and permanently the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender, (ii) any partial reduction pursuant to this Section 2.9 shall be in an amount of

 

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at least $5,000,000 and any larger multiple of $1,000,000, and (iii) no such reduction shall be permitted which would reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments to an amount less than the outstanding Revolving Credit Exposures of all Lenders. Any such reduction in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall result in a proportionate reduction (rounded to the next lowest integral multiple of $100,000) in the Swingline Commitment and the LC Commitment.

 

 

Section 2.10

Repayment of Loans.

 

(a)           The outstanding principal amount of all Revolving Loans shall be due and payable (together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon) on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date.

 

(b)           The principal amount of each Swingline Borrowing shall be due and payable (together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon) on the earlier of (i) the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Borrowing and (ii) the Revolving Commitment Termination Date.

 

 

Section 2.11

Evidence of Indebtedness .

 

(a)           Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice appropriate records evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable thereon and paid to such Lender from time to time under this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall maintain appropriate records in which shall be recorded (i) the Revolving Commitment of each Lender, (ii) the amount of each Loan made hereunder by each Lender, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (iii) the date of each continuation thereof pursuant to Section 2.8 , (iv) the date of each conversion of all or a portion thereof to another Type pursuant to Section 2.8 , (v) the date and amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder in respect of such Loans and (vi) both the date and amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower in respect of the Loans and each Lender’s Pro Rata Share thereof. The entries made in such records shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein recorded; provided , however , that the failure or delay of any Lender or the Administrative Agent in maintaining or making entries into any such record or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans (both principal and unpaid accrued interest) of such Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(b)           At the request of any Lender (including the Swingline Lender) at any time, the Borrower agrees that it will execute and deliver to such Lender a Revolving Credit Note and, in the case of the Swingline Lender only, a Swingline Note, payable to the order of such Lender.

 

 

Section 2.12

Prepayments .

 

The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty, by giving irrevocable written notice (or telephonic notice promptly confirmed in writing) to the Administrative Agent no later than (i)

 

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in the case of prepayment of any Eurodollar Borrowing, 12:00 noon not less than three (3) Business Days prior to any such prepayment, (ii) in the case of any prepayment of any Base Rate Borrowing, not less than one Business Day prior to the date of such prepayment, and (iii) in the case of Swingline Borrowings, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the proposed date of such prepayment and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid. Upon receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the contents thereof and of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of any such prepayment. If such notice is given, the aggregate amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date designated in such notice, together with accrued interest to such date on the amount so prepaid; provided , that if a Eurodollar Borrowing is prepaid on a date other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall also pay all amounts required pursuant to Section 2.19 . Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000,000, and each partial prepayment of any Swingline Loan shall be in a minimum amount of $100,000 and integral multiples of $50,000. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans comprising such Borrowing.

 

 

Section 2.13

Interest on Loans .

 

(a)           The Borrower shall pay interest on each Base Rate Loan at the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time, and the Borrower shall pay interest on each Eurodollar Loan at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the applicable Interest Period in effect for such Loan, plus the Applicable Margin in effect from time to time.

 

 

(b)

The Borrower shall pay interest on each Swingline Loan at the Swingline Rate.

(c)           If an Event of Default has occurred or is continuing, and at any time after acceleration of the Loans pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 8.1 , the Borrower shall pay interest (“ Default Interest ”) with respect to all Eurodollar Loans at the rate otherwise applicable for the then-current Interest Period plus an additional 2% per annum until the last day of such Interest Period, and thereafter, and with respect to all Base Rate Loans (including all Swingline Loans) and all other Obligations hereunder (other than Loans), at an all-in rate in effect for Base Rate Loans, plus an additional 2% per annum.

(d)           Interest on the principal amount of all Loans shall accrue from and including the date such Loans are made to but excluding the date of any repayment thereof. Interest on all outstanding Base Rate Loans shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter and on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date. Interest on all outstanding Eurodollar Loans shall be payable on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto, and, in the case of any Eurodollar Loans having an Interest Period in excess of three months or 90 days, respectively, on each day which occurs every three months or 90 days, as the case may be, after the initial date of such Interest Period, and on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date. Interest on each Swingline Loans shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter, and on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date. Interest on any Loan which is converted into a Loan of another Type or which is repaid or prepaid shall be payable on

 

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the date of such conversion or on the date of any such repayment or prepayment (on the amount repaid or prepaid) thereof. All Default Interest shall be payable on demand.

(e)           The Administrative Agent shall determine each interest rate applicable to the Loans hereunder and shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of such rate in writing (or by telephone, promptly confirmed in writing). Any such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

Section 2.14

Fees .

(a)           The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for its own account fees in the amounts and at the times previously agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in the Fee Letter.

 

(b)           The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Commitment Fee Percentage (determined daily in accordance with Schedule 1.1 ) on the daily amount of the unused Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the Availability Period. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter and on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date, commencing on the first such date after the Closing Date; provided, further, however, that any commitment fees accruing after the Revolving Commitment Termination Date shall be payable on demand. For purposes of computing commitment fees with respect to the Revolving Commitments, the Revolving Commitment of each Revolving Lender shall be deemed used to the extent of the outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure, but not Swingline Exposure, of such Lender.

 

(c)           The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Revolving Lender, a letter of credit fee with respect to such Lender’s participation in each Letter of Credit, which shall accrue at the Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Loans then in effect on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) attributable to such Letter of Credit during the period from and including the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit to but excluding the date on which such Letter of Credit expires or is drawn in full (including without limitation any LC Exposure that remains outstanding after the Revolving Commitment Termination Date) and (ii) to the Issuing Bank for its own account a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate set forth in the Fee Letter on the daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the Availability Period (or until the date that such Letter of Credit is irrevocably cancelled, whichever is later), as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Accrued letter of credit fees and fronting fees shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each Fiscal Quarter, commencing with the last day of the Fiscal Quarter in which the first Letter of Credit is issued, and ending on the Revolving Commitment Termination Date, and thereafter accrued letter of credit fees and fronting fees shall be payable on demand.

 

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Section 2.15

Computation of Interest and Fees .

 

Other than calculations in respect of the Base Rate (which shall be made on the basis of actual number of days elapsed in a 365/366 day year), all computations of interest and fees hereunder shall be made on the basis of a year of 360 days for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest or fees are payable (to the extent computed on the basis of days elapsed). Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest amount or fee hereunder shall be made in good faith and, except for manifest error, shall be final, conclusive and binding for all purposes.

 

 

Section 2.16

Inability to Determine Interest Rates .

 

If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing,

 

(i)             the Administrative Agent shall have determined (which determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the Borrower absent manifest error) that, by reason of circumstances affecting the relevant interbank market, adequate means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for such Interest Period, or

 

(ii)            the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender, as the case may be) of making, funding or maintaining their (or its, as the case may be) Eurodollar Loans for such Interest Period,

 

the Administrative Agent shall give written notice (or telephonic notice, promptly confirmed in writing) to the Borrower and to the Lenders as soon as practicable thereafter. In the case of Eurodollar Loans, until the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) the obligations of the Lenders to make Eurodollar Loans or to continue or convert outstanding Loans as or into Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended and (ii) all such affected Loans shall be converted into Base Rate Loans on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto unless the Borrower prepays such Loans in accordance with this Agreement. Unless the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent at least one Business Day before the date of any Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing for which a Notice of Revolving Borrowing has previously been given that it elects not to borrow on such date, then such Revolving Borrowing shall be made as a Base Rate Borrowing.

 

 

Section 2.17

Illegality .

 

If any Change in Law shall make it unlawful or impossible for any Lender to make, maintain or fund any Eurodollar Loan and such Lender shall so notify the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower and the other Lenders, whereupon until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist, the obligation of such Lender to make Eurodollar Loans, or to continue or convert outstanding Loans as or into Eurodollar Loans, shall be suspended. In the case of the making of a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, such Lender’s Revolving Loan shall be made as a Base Rate Loan as part of the same Revolving

 

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Borrowing for the same Interest Period and if the affected Eurodollar Loan is then outstanding, such Loan shall be converted to a Base Rate Loan either (i) on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar Loan if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Loan to such date or (ii) immediately if such Lender shall determine that it may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Loan to such date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the affected Lender shall, prior to giving such notice to the Administrative Agent, designate a different Applicable Lending Office if such designation would avoid the need for giving such notice and if such designation would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender in the good faith exercise of its discretion.

 

 

Section 2.18

Increased Costs .

 

 

(a)

If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)             impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement that is not otherwise included in the determination of the Adjusted LIBO Rate hereunder against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank;

 

(ii)            impose on any Lender or on the Issuing Bank or the eurodollar interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or any Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or any participation therein; or

(iii)           change the basis of taxation of the overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or any foreign jurisdiction or any political subdivision of either thereof under the laws of which any Lender is organized or has its lending office;

and the result of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting into, continuing or maintaining a Eurodollar Loan or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Bank of participating in or issuing any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount), then the Borrower shall promptly pay, upon written notice from and demand by such Lender on the Borrower (with a copy of such notice and demand to the Administrative Agent), to the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender, within ten (10) days after the date of such notice and demand, additional amount or amounts sufficient to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)           If any Lender or the Issuing Bank shall have determined that on or after the date of this Agreement any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital (or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s parent corporation) as a consequence of its obligations hereunder or under or in respect of any Letter of Credit to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s parent corporation could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies or the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s parent corporation with respect to capital

 

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adequacy) then, from time to time, within ten (10) days after receipt by the Borrower of written demand by such Lender (with a copy thereof to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s parent corporation for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)           A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s parent corporation, as the case may be, specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) and shall be conclusive, absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay any such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such amount or amounts within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)           Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation.

 

 

Section 2.19

Funding Indemnity .

 

In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of a Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion or continuation of a Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or (c) the failure by the Borrower to borrow, prepay, convert or continue any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any applicable notice (regardless of whether such notice is withdrawn or revoked) then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender, within ten (10) days after written demand from such Lender, for any loss, cost or expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost or expense shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (A) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such Eurodollar Loan if such event had not occurred at the Adjusted LIBO Rate applicable to such Eurodollar Loan for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Loan) over (B) the amount of interest that would accrue on the principal amount of such Eurodollar Loan for the same period if the Adjusted LIBO Rate were set on the date such Eurodollar Loan was prepaid or converted or the date on which the Borrower failed to borrow, convert or continue such Eurodollar Loan. A certificate as to any additional amount payable under this Section 2.19 submitted to the Borrower by any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

 

Section 2.20

Taxes .

 

(a)           Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided, however, that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions

 

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applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank (as the case may be) shall receive an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

(b)           In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c)           The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within ten (10) days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)           As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e)           Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the Code or any treaty to which the United States is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Foreign Lender agrees that it will deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (or in the case of a Participant, to the Lender from which the related participation shall have been purchased), as appropriate, two (2) duly completed copies of (i) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 ECI, or any successor form thereto, certifying that the payments received from the Borrower hereunder are effectively connected with such Foreign Lender’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States; or (ii) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 BEN, or any successor form thereto, certifying that such Foreign Lender is entitled to benefits under an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party which reduces the rate of withholding tax on payments of interest; or (iii) Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 BEN, or any successor form prescribed by the Internal Revenue Service, together with a certificate (A) establishing that the payment to the Foreign Lender qualifies as “portfolio interest” exempt from U.S. withholding tax under Code section 871(h) or 881(c), and (B) stating that (1) the Foreign Lender is not a bank for purposes of Code section 881(c)(3)(A), or the obligation of the Borrower hereunder is not, with respect to such Foreign Lender, a loan

 

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agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business, within the meaning of that section; (2) the Foreign Lender is not a 10% shareholder of the Borrower within the meaning of Code section 871(h)(3) or 881(c)(3)(B); and (3) the Foreign Lender is not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to the Borrower within the meaning of Code section 881(c)(3)(C); or (iv) such other Internal Revenue Service forms as may be applicable to the Foreign Lender, including Forms W-8 IMY or W-8 EXP. Each such Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent such forms on or before the date that it becomes a party to this Agreement (or in the case of a Participant, on or before the date such Participant purchases the related participation). In addition, each such Foreign Lender shall deliver such forms promptly upon the obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered by such Foreign Lender. Each such Foreign Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at any time that it determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any previously delivered certificate to the Borrower (or any other form of certification adopted by the Internal Revenue Service for such purpose).

 

Section 2.21     Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs .

 

(a)           The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.18 , 2.19 or 2.20 , or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, free and clear of any defenses, rights of set-off, counterclaim, or withholding or deduction of taxes. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at the Payment Office, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.18 , 2.19 and 2.20 and 10.3 may be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be made payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in Dollars.

 

(b)           If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

 

(c)           If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans that would result in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount

 

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of its Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary 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 L


 
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