Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION COPY
Published CUSIP Number:
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of February 17, 2006
among
ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L. P.,
as Borrower,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as Arranger,
CITIBANK, N.A. and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Co-Syndication Agents,
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC. and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Co-Documentation Agents,
and
THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WHOSE NAMES
APPEAR
ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HEREOF AS “BANKS”
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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1.
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DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF
INTERPRETATION.
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1
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1.1
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Definitions
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1
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1.2
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Rules of Interpretation
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16
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2.
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THE REVOLVING CREDIT FACILITY.
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17
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2.1
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Commitment to Lend
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17
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2.2
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Facility Fee
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17
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2.3
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Utilization Fee
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18
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2.4
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Other Fees
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19
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2.5
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Reduction or Increase of Total
Commitment
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19
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2.6
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The Notes; the Record
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19
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2.7
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Interest on Loans
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20
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2.8
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Requests for Loans
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20
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2.9
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Conversion Options
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20
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2.10
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Funds for Loans
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22
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2.11
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Limit on Number of LIBOR Loans
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22
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3.
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REPAYMENT OF LOANS
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23
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3.1
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Maturity
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23
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3.2
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Mandatory Repayments of Loans
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23
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3.3
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Optional Repayments of Loans
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24
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4.
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CERTAIN GENERAL PROVISIONS
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24
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4.1
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Application of Payments
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24
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4.2
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Funds for Payments
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24
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4.3
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Computations
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25
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4.4
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Inability to Determine LIBOR Rate
Basis
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25
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4.5
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Illegality
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25
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4.6
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Additional Costs, Etc.
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26
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4.7
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Capital Adequacy
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27
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4.8
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Certificate
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27
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4.9
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Indemnity
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27
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4.10
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Interest After Default
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27
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4.11
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Taxes
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28
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4.12
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Mitigation and Replacement
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29
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i
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Page
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5.
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
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30
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5.1
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Corporate Authority
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30
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5.2
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Governmental Approvals
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31
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5.3
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Liens; Leases
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31
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5.4
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Financial Statements
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31
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5.5
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No Material Changes, Etc.
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31
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5.6
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Permits
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31
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5.7
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Litigation
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32
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5.8
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Material Contracts
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32
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5.9
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Compliance with Other Instruments, Laws,
Etc.
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32
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5.10
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Tax Status
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32
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5.11
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No Event of Default
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33
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5.12
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Investment Company Act
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33
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5.13
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Insurance
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33
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5.14
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Certain Transactions
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33
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5.15
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Employee Benefit Plans
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33
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5.16
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Regulations U and X
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33
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5.17
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Environmental Compliance
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34
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5.18
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Funded Debt
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35
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5.19
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General
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35
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6.
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AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS OF THE
BORROWER.
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35
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6.1
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Punctual Payment
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35
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6.2
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Maintenance of Office
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35
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6.3
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Records and Accounts
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35
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6.4
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Financial Statements, Certificates, and
Information
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35
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6.5
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Notices
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37
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6.6
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Existence; Business; Properties
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39
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6.7
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Insurance
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39
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6.8
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Taxes
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39
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6.9
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Inspection of Properties and Books,
Etc.
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40
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6.10
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Compliance with Government Mandates, Contracts,
and Permits
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40
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6.11
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Use of Proceeds
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41
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6.12
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Certain Changes in Accounting
Principles
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41
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6.13
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Broker-Dealer Subsidiaries
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42
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ii
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Page
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7.
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CERTAIN NEGATIVE COVENANTS OF THE
BORROWER.
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42
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7.1
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Disposition of Assets
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42
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7.2
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Fundamental Changes
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43
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7.3
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Restrictions on Liens
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43
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7.4
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Restrictions on Investments
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45
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7.5
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Restrictions on Funded Debt
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45
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7.6
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Distributions
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45
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7.7
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Transactions with Affiliates
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46
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7.8
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Fiscal Year
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46
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7.9
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Compliance with Environmental Laws
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46
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7.10
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Employee Benefit Plans
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46
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7.11
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Amendments to Certain Documents
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47
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8.
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FINANCIAL COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER.
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47
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8.1
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Consolidated Leverage Ratio
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47
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8.2
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Minimum Consolidated Net Worth
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47
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8.3
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Miscellaneous
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47
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9.
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CLOSING CONDITIONS.
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47
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9.1
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Financial Statements and Material
Changes
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9.2
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Loan Documents
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48
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9.3
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Certified Copies of Charter Documents
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48
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9.4
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Partnership and Corporate Action
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48
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9.5
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Consents
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48
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9.6
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Opinions of Counsel
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48
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9.7
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Proceedings
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48
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9.8
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Incumbency Certificate
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48
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9.9
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Fees
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48
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9.10
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Representations and Warranties True; No
Defaults
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49
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9.11
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Termination of Prior Credit Agreement
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49
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9.12
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Determinations under Section 9
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49
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10.
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CONDITIONS TO ALL BORROWINGS.
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49
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10.1
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No Default
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49
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10.2
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Representations True
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49
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10.3
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Loan Request
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49
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10.4
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Payment of Fees
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49
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iii
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Page
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10.5
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No Legal Impediment
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50
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11.
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EVENTS OF DEFAULT; ACCELERATION; ETC.
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50
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11.1
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Events of Default and Acceleration
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50
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11.2
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Termination of Commitments
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53
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11.3
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Application of Monies
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53
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12.
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SETOFF
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53
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13.
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THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
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54
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13.2
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Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers
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57
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13.3
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Payments
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57
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13.4
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Holders of Notes
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58
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13.5
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Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by
Administrative Agent
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58
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14.
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EXPENSES
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58
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15.
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INDEMNIFICATION
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59
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16.
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SURVIVAL OF COVENANTS, ETC.
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59
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17.
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ASSIGNMENT AND PARTICIPATION.
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60
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17.1
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Assignments and Participations
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60
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17.2
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New Notes
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62
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17.3
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Disclosure
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62
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17.4
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Assignee or Participant Affiliated with the
Borrower
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63
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17.5
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Miscellaneous Assignment Provisions
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63
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17.6
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SPC Provision
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63
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18.
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NOTICES, ETC.
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64
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18.1
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Notices
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64
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18.2
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Electronic Notices
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64
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iv
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Page
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19.
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CONFIDENTIALITY
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65
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20.
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GOVERNING LAW
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65
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21.
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HEADINGS
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65
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22.
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COUNTERPARTS
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66
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23.
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ENTIRE AGREEMENT, ETC.
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66
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24.
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WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
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66
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25.
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CONSENTS, AMENDMENTS, WAIVERS, ETC.
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66
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26.
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NO WAIVER; CUMULATIVE REMEDIES
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67
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27.
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SEVERABILITY
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67
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28.
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USA PATRIOT Act Notice
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67
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v
Schedules
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Schedule 1
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-
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Banks and Commitments
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Schedule 2
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-
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Broker-Dealer Subsidiaries
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Schedule 5.2
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-
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Governmental Approvals
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Schedule 5.19
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-
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Funded Debt
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Schedule 7.3
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-
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Certain Permitted Liens
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Schedule 7.4
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-
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Certain Investments
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Exhibits
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Exhibit A
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-
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Form of Note
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Exhibit B
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-
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Form of Loan Request
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Exhibit C
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-
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Form of Confirmation of Loan
Request
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Exhibit D
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-
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Form of Conversion Request
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Exhibit E
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-
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Form of Confirmation of Conversion
Request
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Exhibit F
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-
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Form of Compliance Certificate
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Exhibit G
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-
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Opinion Letter
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Exhibit H
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-
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Form of Assignment and
Acceptance
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Exhibit I
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-
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Form of Supplement
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vi
REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
THIS REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT,
dated as of February 17, 2006 (this “Credit
Agreement”), by and among ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership (together with its permitted
successors, the “Borrower”), the financial institutions
from time to time party hereto (collectively, the
“Banks”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as administrative
agent for the Banks (in such capacity, the “Administrative
Agent”);
W I T N E S S E T
H:
WHEREAS, the Borrower desires to
obtain from the Banks certain credit facilities as described in
this Credit Agreement for general partnership purposes, including
the support of the Borrower’s issuance of commercial paper,
and for other purposes as provided below;
WHEREAS, the Banks are willing to
provide such credit facilities to the Borrower upon the terms and
conditions set forth in this Credit Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Administrative Agent is
willing to act as administrative agent, for the Banks in connection
with such credit facilities as provided in this Credit
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the foregoing, the mutual covenants and agreements set forth
hereinbelow, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt
and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties,
the parties hereto do hereby agree as follows:
1.
DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF
INTERPRETATION.
1.1
Definitions
. The following terms shall
have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1 or elsewhere
in the provisions of this Credit Agreement referred to
below:
Accounting Change
. As defined in
Section 6.12.
Accounting Notice
. As defined in
Section 6.12.
Acquisition
. As defined in
Section 7.2.
Administrative Agent
. Bank of America, acting
as administrative agent for the Banks, or any successor
Administrative Agent appointed pursuant to
Section 13.1.6.
Administrative Agent’s Head
Office . The
Administrative Agent’s head office located at 101 North Tryon
Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255, or at such other location
as the Administrative Agent may designate in a written notice to
the other parties hereto from time to time.
Administrative Agent’s
Overnight Investment Rate . The annual rate of interest in effect
from time to time that is equal to the interest rate received by
the Administrative Agent from time to time with respect to funds
invested in overnight repurchase agreements.
Affected Computation
. As defined in
Section 6.12.
Affiliate . As defined under Rule 144
(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, but, in the
case of the Borrower, not including any Subsidiary or any
investment fund which is managed or advised by the
Borrower.
Agent-Related Person
. The Administrative Agent,
together with its Affiliates (including, in the case of Bank of
America, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, and Banc of
America Securities LLC), and the officers, directors, employees,
agents and attorneys-in-fact of such Persons and
Affiliates.
Alliance Distributors
. AllianceBernstein Investment
Research and Management, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any
successor thereto as the primary distributor of securities of
investment companies sponsored by the Borrower or its
Subsidiaries.
Alternate Base Rate
. A simple interest rate equal
to the higher of (a) the Federal Funds Rate Basis plus
one-half of one percent (0.50%) or (b) the Prime Rate.
The Alternate Base Rate shall be adjusted automatically as of the
opening of business as of the effective date of each change in the
Federal Funds Rate Basis or the Prime Rate, as the case may be, to
account for such change.
Alternate Base Rate
Loan . A Loan which
bears interest at the Alternate Base Rate.
Applicable Lending
Office . With
respect to each Bank, such Bank’s Domestic Lending Office in
the case of a Federal Funds Rate Loan or Alternate Base Rate Loan
and such Bank’s LIBOR Lending Office in the case of a LIBOR
Loan.
Applicable Margin
. An annual percentage rate
determined by the Administrative Agent, as of any date of
determination, in accordance with the Borrower’s long-term
senior unsecured debt rating in effect as of any date of
determination as follows:
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Borrower’s
S&P Rating/Moody’s Rating
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Applicable Margin
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> AA/Aa2
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0.150%
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AA-, A+/Aa3, A1
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0.190%
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A/A2
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0.230%
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A-/A3
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0.270%
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BBB+/Baa1
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0.310%
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< BBB/Baa2 or no S&P Rating or Moody’s
Rating
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0.375%
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Notwithstanding the foregoing,
(a) if there is a split in the debt ratings of only one level,
the Applicable Margin of the higher debt rating shall apply and
(b) if there is a split in the debt ratings of more than one
level, the Applicable Margin that is one level higher than the
Applicable Margin of the lower debt rating shall apply, in any such
case, subject, as applicable, to the provisions of
Section 4.10 hereof.
2
Approved Fund.
Any Fund that is administered
or managed by (a) a Bank, (b) an Affiliate of a Bank or
(c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or
manages a Bank.
Assignment and
Acceptance . an
assignment and acceptance entered into by a Bank and an Eligible
Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required
by Section 17.1), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in
substantially the form of Exhibit H or any other form
approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.
Attributable
Indebtedness . On
any date with respect to any Person, in respect of any Synthetic
Lease Obligation of such Person, the capitalized amount of the
remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear
on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in
accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a
Capitalized Lease.
AXA Group . AXA, a société anonyme
organized under the laws of France, and its
Subsidiaries.
Bank of America
. Bank of America, N.A.,
a national banking association.
Banks . As defined in the preamble
hereto.
Borrower . As defined in the preamble
hereto.
Borrower Control Change
Notice . As defined
in Section 6.5.4.
Borrower Partnership
Agreement . The
Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the
Borrower, dated as of October 29, 1999, by and among the
General Partner and those other Persons who became partners of the
Borrower as provided therein, as such agreement has been amended
and exists at the date of this Credit Agreement and may be amended
or modified from time to time in compliance with the provisions of
this Credit Agreement.
Broker-Dealer Debt
. The obligations incurred or
otherwise arising in connection with the Securities Trading
Activities of any Broker-Dealer Subsidiary.
Broker-Dealer
Subsidiaries . The
Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 2 attached hereto and
each other Subsidiary that engages in activities of the type
described in the definition of Securities Trading Activities and
that is so designated by the Borrower in writing to the
Administrative Agent; and “ Broker-Dealer Subsidiary
” means any one of such Broker-Dealer
Subsidiaries.
Business . With respect to any Person, the assets,
properties, business, operations and condition (financial and
otherwise) of such Person.
Business Day
. Any day on which banking
institutions in Charlotte, North Carolina and New York, New York,
are open for the transaction of banking business and, in the case
of LIBOR Loans, also a day which is a LIBOR Business
Day.
Capitalized Leases
. Leases under which the
Borrower or any of its Consolidated Subsidiaries is the lessee or
obligor, the discounted future rental payment obligations
under
3
which are required to be capitalized
on the balance sheet of the lessee or obligor in accordance with
GAAP.
CERCLA . As defined in
Section 5.17(a).
Change of Control
. Each and every
(a) issue, sale, or other disposition of Voting Equity
Securities of the Borrower that results in any Person or group of
Persons acting in concert (other than any of AXA
Financial, Inc. and its Subsidiaries, and any member of the
AXA Group) beneficially owning or controlling, directly or
indirectly, more than eighty percent (80%) (by number of votes) of
the Voting Equity Securities of the Borrower or (b) issue,
sale, or other disposition of Voting Equity Securities of the
General Partner which results in any Person or group of Persons
acting in concert (other than any of AXA Financial, Inc. and
its Subsidiaries, and any member of the AXA Group) beneficially
owning or controlling, directly or indirectly, more than fifty
percent (50%) (by number of votes) of the Voting Equity Securities
of the General Partner.
Change of Control Date
. Any date upon which a Change
of Control occurs.
Closing Date
. The date, not later than
March 31, 2006, on which each of the conditions set forth in
Section 9 is satisfied or waived.
Code . The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
Co-Documentation Agent
. Deutsche Bank Securities
Inc. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., acting as co-documentation
agents.
Commitment
. With respect to each Bank
party hereto on the date hereof, its obligation to make Loans to
the Borrower, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time
outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such
Bank’s name on Schedule 1 under the caption
“Commitment” or opposite such caption in the Assignment
and Acceptance pursuant to which such Bank becomes a party hereto,
as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in
accordance with this Credit Agreement; or if such commitment is
terminated pursuant to the provisions hereof, zero.
Commitment Percentage
. With respect to each Bank at
any time, the percentage carried out to the ninth decimal place) of
the Total Commitment represented by such Bank’s Commitment at
such time. If the Commitment of each Bank has been terminated
in full pursuant to Section 2.5(a) or 11.1 , or if
the Commitments have expired, then the Commitment Percentage of
each Bank shall be determined based on the Commitment Percentage of
such Bank most recently in effect, after giving effect to any
subsequent assignments. The initial Commitment Percentage of
each Bank is set forth opposite the name of such Bank on
Schedule 1 or in the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant
to which such Bank becomes a party hereto, as
applicable.
Consolidated
or consolidated . Except as
otherwise provided, with reference to any term defined herein,
shall mean that term as applied to the accounts of the Borrower,
the Consolidated Subsidiaries and the Excluded Funds consolidated
in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Adjusted Cash
Flow . With respect
to any fiscal period, the sum of (A) EBITDA for such fiscal
period, plus (B) non-cash charges (other than charges for
depreciation
4
and amortization) for such fiscal
period to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net
Income (or Loss) for such period.
Consolidated Adjusted Funded
Debt . At any time,
the aggregate Outstanding principal amount of Funded Debt of the
Borrower and the Consolidated Subsidiaries (whether owed by more
than one of them jointly or by any of them singly) at such time
determined on a consolidated basis and, except with respect to
items (f) and (g) of the definition of Funded Debt,
determined in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Leverage
Ratio . As of any
date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Adjusted
Funded Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated
Adjusted Cash Flow for the period of the four fiscal quarters most
recently ended for which the Borrower has delivered financial
statements.
Consolidated Net
Income ( or Loss
). The net income (or loss) of the Borrower and the Consolidated
Subsidiaries, determined in accordance with GAAP, but excluding in
any event:
(a)
any portion of the net earnings of
any Subsidiary that, by virtue of a restriction or Lien binding on
such Subsidiary under a Contract or Government Mandate, is
unavailable for payment of dividends to the Borrower or any other
Subsidiary;
(b)
earnings resulting from any
reappraisal, revaluation, or write-up of assets; and
(c)
any reversal of any contingency
reserve, except to the extent that such provision for such
contingency reserve shall have been made from income arising during
the period subsequent to December 31, 2004, through the end of
the period for which Consolidated Net Income (or Loss) is then
being determined, taken as one accounting period.
Consolidated Net Worth
. The excess of Consolidated
Total Assets over Consolidated Total Liabilities, less , to
the extent otherwise includible in the computations of Consolidated
Net Worth, any subscriptions receivable with respect to Equity
Securities of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries (with such
adjustments as may be appropriate so as not to double count
intercompany items).
Consolidated
Subsidiaries . At
any point in time, the Subsidiaries of the Borrower (which, as
provided in the definition of “ Subsidiary ” do
not include the Excluded Funds) that are consolidated with the
Borrower for financial reporting purposes with respect to the
fiscal period of the Borrower in which such point in time
occurs.
Consolidated Total
Assets . All assets
of the Borrower determined on a consolidated basis (excluding the
Excluded Funds) in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Total
Liabilities . All
liabilities of the Borrower determined on a consolidated basis
(excluding the Excluded Funds) in accordance with GAAP.
Contracts . Contracts, agreements, mortgages,
leases, bonds, promissory notes, debentures, guaranties,
Capitalized Leases, indentures, pledges, powers of attorney,
proxies, trusts, franchises, or other instruments or
obligations.
Control Change Notice
. As defined in
Section 6.5.4.
5
Conversion Request
. A notice given by the
Borrower to the Administrative Agent of the Borrower’s
election to convert or continue a Loan in accordance with
Section 2.9.
Co-Syndication Agent
. Citibank, N.A. and The Bank
of New York, acting as co-syndication agents.
Credit Agreement
. This Revolving Credit
Agreement, including the Schedules and Exhibits hereto.
Default . Any event or condition that constitutes
an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the
passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
Delinquent Bank
. As defined in
Section 13.3.
Disposition
. As defined in
Section 7.1.
Distribution
. With respect to any Entity,
the declaration or payment (without duplication) of any dividend or
distribution on or in respect of any Equity Securities of such
Entity, other than dividends payable solely in Equity Securities of
such Entity that are not required to be classified as liabilities
on the balance sheet of such Entity under GAAP; the purchase,
redemption, or other retirement of any Equity Securities of such
Entity, directly or indirectly through a Subsidiary of such Entity
or otherwise; or the return of capital by such Entity to the
holders of its Equity Securities as such.
Dollars or $ . Dollars in lawful currency
of the United States of America.
Domestic Lending
Office . Initially,
the office of each Bank designated as such in
Schedule 1 hereto or in the Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to which it became a party hereto; thereafter, such other
office of such Bank, if any, located within the United States that
will be making or maintaining Federal Funds Rate Loans or Alternate
Base Rate Loans.
Drawdown Date
. The date on which any Loan
is made or is to be made, and the date on which any Loan is
converted or continued in accordance with
Section 2.9.
EBITDA . The Consolidated Net Income (or Loss)
for any period, plus provision for any income taxes, interest
(whether paid or accrued, but without duplication of interest
accrued for previous periods), depreciation, or amortization for
such period, in each case to the extent deducted in determining
such Consolidated Net Income (or Loss).
Effective Date
. As defined in
Section 6.12(c).
Eligible Assignee
. Any of (a) a Bank,
(b) an Affiliate of a Bank, (c) an Approved Fund,
(d) a commercial bank or finance company organized under the
laws of the United States, any State thereof, or the District of
Columbia, and having total assets in excess of One Billion Dollars
($1,000,000,000); (e) a commercial bank organized under the
laws of any other country that is a member of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development (the “OECD”), or a
political subdivision of any such country, and having total assets
in excess of One Billion Dollars ($1,000,000,000), provided
that such bank is acting through a branch or agency located in the
country in which it is organized or another country which is also a
member of the OECD; and (f) the central bank of any country
which is a member of the OECD.
6
Employee Benefit Plan
. Any employee benefit plan
within the meaning of §3(2) of ERISA maintained or
contributed to by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate, other than a
Multiemployer Plan.
Entity . Any corporation, partnership, trust,
unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability
company, or other legal or business entity.
Environmental Laws
. As defined in
Section 5.17(a).
EPA . As defined in
Section 5.17(b).
Equity Securities
. With respect to any Entity,
all equity securities of such Entity, including any (a) common
or preferred stock, (b) limited or general partnership
interests, (c) limited liability company member interests,
(d) options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or acquire
any equity security, or (e) securities convertible into any
equity security.
ERISA . The Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended.
ERISA Affiliate
. Any Person that is treated
as a single employer together with the Borrower under §414 of
the Code.
ERISA Reportable Event
. A reportable event with
respect to a Guaranteed Pension Plan within the meaning of
§4043 of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder as
to which the requirement of notice has not been waived.
Event of Default
. As defined in
Section 11.
Examining Authority
. The meaning set forth in
Rule 15c3-1(c)(12) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
Excluded Funds
. A collective reference to
each investment company, investment fund or similar Entity that
(i) is deemed not to be a “Subsidiary” of the
Borrower by virtue of the definition of “ Subsidiary
,” but (ii) is required in accordance with the
application of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation
No. 46-Revised, Accounting Research Bulletin 51 and related or
successor accounting literature to be consolidated with the
Borrower for financial reporting purposes. The assets,
liabilities, income (or losses), or activities or other attributes
of any Excluded Fund, including without limitation, Funded Debt,
Investments or Indebtedness of any Excluded Fund, shall not be
attributed to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Consolidated
Subsidiary of the Borrower for purposes of this Credit Agreement as
a result solely of the application of principles of consolidation
applied in accordance with GAAP that require consolidation of
Excluded Funds.
Excluded Taxes
. With respect to the
Administrative Agent, any Bank or any other recipient of any
payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the
Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its
overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes
imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction
(or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such
recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located
or, in the case of any Bank, in which its Applicable Lending Office
is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United
States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in
which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign
Bank, any United States withholding tax that is imposed on amounts
payable to such Foreign Bank at the time such
7
Foreign Bank becomes a party hereto
(or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such
Foreign Bank’s failure or inability (other than as a result
of a change in law) to comply with Section 4.11(e), except to
the extent that such Foreign Bank (or its assignor, if any) was
entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or
assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with
respect to such withholding tax pursuant to
Section 4.11(a).
Federal Funds Rate
. A simple interest rate equal
to the sum of the Federal Funds Rate Basis plus the Applicable
Margin. The Federal Funds Rate shall be adjusted
automatically as of the opening of business of the effective date
of each change in the Federal Funds Rate Basis to account for such
change.
Federal Funds Rate
Basis . For any
day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates
on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as
published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business
Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such
day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate Basis for such
day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding
Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day,
and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next
succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate Basis for such day
shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole
multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on
such transactions as determined by the Administrative
Agent.
Federal Funds Rate
Loan . A Loan
(other than an Alternate Base Rate Loan) which bears interest at
the Federal Funds Rate.
Fee Letter
. That certain fee letter
dated January 17, 2006 among the Borrower, Bank of America,
and Banc of America Securities LLC.
Foreign Bank.
Any Bank that is organized
under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the
Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this
definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District
of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single
jurisdiction.
Fully Effective
. With respect to any
Contract, that (a) such Contract is the legal, valid, and
binding obligation of the Borrower or its Subsidiary, as the case
may be, enforceable against such party according to its terms, and
(b) if such Contract exists on or before the date of this
Credit Agreement, such Contract shall remain in full force and
effect notwithstanding the execution and delivery of the Loan
Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
the Loan Documents.
Fund. Any Person (other than an individual)
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; provided, that the
foregoing shall be disregarded for purposes of the definition of
Excluded Funds.
Funded Debt
. With respect to the Borrower
or any Consolidated Subsidiary, (a) all Indebtedness for money
borrowed of such Person, (b) in respect of Capitalized Leases,
the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet
of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, (c) all
reimbursement obligations of such Person with respect to letters of
credit, bankers’ acceptances, or similar facilities issued
for the account of such Person, (d) Indebtedness in respect of
the disposition of 12b-1 Fees, (e) all guarantees,
endorsements,
8
acceptances, and other contingent
obligations of such Person, whether direct or indirect, in respect
of Indebtedness for borrowed money of others, including any
obligation to supply funds to or in any manner to invest in,
directly or indirectly, the debtor, to purchase Indebtedness for
borrowed money, or to assure the owner of Indebtedness for borrowed
money against loss, through an agreement to purchase goods,
supplies, or services for the purpose of enabling the debtor to
make payment of the Indebtedness held by such owner or otherwise,
(f) net obligations of such Person under any Swap Contract in
an amount equal to the Swap Termination Value thereof, and
(g) Attributable Indebtedness of such Person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Funded Debt shall not include
Broker-Dealer Debt.
GAAP . Subject to Section 6.12,
(a) when used in financial covenants set forth in
Section 8, whether directly or indirectly through reference to
a capitalized term used therein, (i) principles that are
consistent with the principles promulgated or adopted by the
Financial Accounting Standards Board and its predecessors, in
effect for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2004, and
(ii) to the extent consistent with such principles, the
accounting practices of the Borrower reflected in its consolidated
financial statements for the year ended on December 31, 2004,
and (b) when used in general, other than as provided above,
means principles that are (i) consistent with the principles
promulgated or adopted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board
and its predecessors, as in effect from time to time and
(ii) consistently applied with past financial statements of
the Borrower adopting the same principles, provided that in each
case referred to in this definition of “GAAP” a
certified public accountant would, insofar as the use of such
accounting principles is pertinent, be in a position to deliver an
unqualified opinion (other than a qualification regarding changes
in GAAP) as to financial statements in which such principles have
been properly applied, subject, in each case, to the application of
accounting principles as of the date of implementation of, and with
respect to, Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation
No. 46-Revised.
General Partner
. (a) Alliance Capital
Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation, in its capacity as
general partner of the Borrower and (b) any other Persons who
satisfy the requirements for admitting general partners without
causing a Default or an Event of Default as set forth in
Section 11.1(n) and who are so admitted, each in its capacity
as a general partner of the Borrower, and their respective
successors.
Government Authority
. The United States of America
or any state, district, territory, or possession thereof, any local
government within the United States of America or any of its
territories and possessions, any foreign government having
appropriate jurisdiction or any province, territory, or possession
thereof, or any court, tribunal, administrative or regulatory
agency, taxing or revenue authority, central bank or banking
regulatory agency, commission, or body of any of the
foregoing.
Government Mandate
. With respect to (a) any
Person, any statute, law, rule, regulation, code, or ordinance duly
adopted by any Government Authority, any treaty or compact between
two (2) or more Government Authorities, and any judgment,
order, decree, ruling, finding, determination, or injunction of any
Government Authority, in each such case that is, pursuant to
appropriate jurisdiction, legally binding on such Person, any of
its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, and
(b) the Administrative Agent or any Bank, in addition to
subsection (a) hereof, any policy, guideline, directive,
or standard duly adopted by any Government Authority with respect
to the regulation of banks, monetary policy, lending, investments,
or other financial matters.
Granting Lender
. As defined in
Section 17.6.
9
Guarantee . As to any Person, (a) any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or
having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Funded Debt or other
obligation payable or performable by another Person (the
“primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or
indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds
for the purchase or payment of) such Funded Debt or other
obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or
services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such
Funded Debt or other obligation of the payment or performance of
such Funded Debt or other obligation, (iii) to maintain
working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the
primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such
Funded Debt or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the
purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of
such Funded Debt or other obligation of the payment or performance
thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof
(in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such
Person securing any Funded Debt or other obligation of any other
Person, whether or not such Funded Debt or other obligation is
assumed by such Person. The amount of any Guarantee shall be
deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount
of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect
of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable,
the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as
determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term
“Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding
meaning.
Guaranteed Pension
Plan . Any employee
pension benefit plan within the meaning of §3(2) of ERISA
maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate
the benefits of which are guaranteed on termination in full or in
part by the PBGC pursuant to Title IV of ERISA, other than a
Multiemployer Plan.
Hazardous Substances
. As defined in
Section 5.17(b).
Indebtedness
. All obligations, contingent
and otherwise, that in accordance with GAAP should be classified
upon the obligor’s balance sheet as liabilities, or to which
reference should be made by footnotes thereto in accordance with
GAAP, including: (a) all debt and similar monetary
obligations, whether direct or indirect; (b) all liabilities
secured by any Lien existing on property owned or acquired subject
thereto, whether or not the liability secured thereby shall have
been assumed; (c) all obligations in respect of hedging
contracts, including, without limitation, interest rate and
currency swaps, caps, collars and other financial derivative
products; and (d) all guarantees, endorsements, and other
contingent obligations whether direct or indirect in respect of
indebtedness of others, including any obligation to supply funds to
or in any manner to invest in, directly or indirectly, the debtor,
to purchase indebtedness, or to assure the owner of indebtedness
against loss, through an agreement to purchase goods, supplies, or
services for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of
the indebtedness held by such owner or otherwise, and the
obligations to reimburse the issuer in respect of any letters of
credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Indebtedness shall not
include Broker-Dealer Debt.
Indemnified
Liabilities . As
defined in Section 15.
Indemnified Taxes
. Taxes other than Excluded
Taxes.
Interest Payment Date
. (a) As to any Federal
Funds Rate Loan or Alternate Base Rate Loan, the second Business
Day of each calendar quarter for the immediately preceding calendar
quarter during all or a portion of which such Federal Funds Rate
Loan or Alternate Base Rate Loan were Outstanding and the maturity
of such Federal Funds Rate Loan or Alternate Base Rate
10
Loan; (b) as to any LIBOR Loan,
the last day of each Interest Period with respect to such LIBOR
Loan, the maturity of such LIBOR Loan, and, if the Interest Period
of such LIBOR Loan is longer than three (3) months, the date
that is three (3) months from the first day of such Interest
Period and the last day of each successive three (3) month
period during such Interest Period.
Interest Period
. With respect to any LIBOR
Loan, (a) initially, the period commencing on the Drawdown
Date of such Loan and ending on the last day of, as selected by the
Borrower in a Loan Request, one (1) or two (2) weeks, or
one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5), or six
(6) months, if available in readily ascertainable markets; and
(b) thereafter, each period commencing on the last day of the
next preceding Interest Period applicable to such Loan and ending
on the last day of one of the periods set forth above, as selected
by the Borrower in a Conversion Request; provided that all
of the foregoing provisions relating to Interest Periods are
subject to the following:
(i)
if any Interest Period for a LIBOR
Loan would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, that
Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business
Day unless the result of such extension would be to carry such
Interest Period into another calendar month, in which event such
Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business
Day; and
(ii)
any Interest Period commencing prior
to the Maturity Date that would otherwise extend beyond the
Maturity Date shall end on the Maturity Date.
Investment
. As to any Person, any direct
or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by
means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital
stock or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan,
advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt
of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity
participation or interest in, another Person, including any
partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person, or
(c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a
series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute
a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the
amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested,
without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the
value of such Investment.
LIBOR Business Day
. Any day on which commercial
banks are open for international business (including dealings in
Dollar deposits) in London, England.
LIBOR Lending Office
. Initially, the office of
each Bank designated as such in Schedule 1 hereto or in
the Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to which it became a party
hereto; thereafter, such other office of such Bank, if any, that
shall be making or maintaining LIBOR Loans.
LIBOR Loan.
A Loan which bears interest
at the LIBOR Rate.
LIBOR Rate
. A simple per annum interest
rate equal to the sum of (a) the quotient of (i) the
LIBOR Rate Basis divided by (ii) one minus the LIBOR Reserve
Percentage, stated as a decimal, plus (b) the Applicable
Margin. The LIBOR Rate shall be rounded upward to four
decimal places and shall apply to the applicable Interest Period,
and, once determined, shall be subject to the provisions of this
Credit Agreement and shall remain unchanged during the applicable
Interest Period, except for changes to reflect adjustments in the
LIBOR Reserve Percentage.
11
LIBOR Rate Basis
. For any Interest Period, the
rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate
(“ BBA LIBOR ”), as published by Reuters (or
other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA
LIBOR as designated by 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 LIBOR Rate
Basis for such Interest Period shall be the interest 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 LIBOR
Loan being made, continued or converted by the Banks and with a
term equivalent to such Interest Period would be offered by the
Administrative Agent’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.
LIBOR Reserve
Percentage . The
percentage which is in effect from time to time under Regulation D
of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as such
regulation may be amended from time to time, as the actual reserve
requirement applicable with respect to Eurocurrency Liabilities (as
that term is defined in Regulation D), to the extent that any Bank
has any Eurocurrency Liabilities subject to such reserve
requirement at that time. The LIBOR Rate for any LIBOR Loan
shall be adjusted as of the effective date of any change in the
LIBOR Reserve Percentage.
Lien . Any lien, mortgage, security interest,
pledge, charge, beneficial or equitable interest or right,
hypothecation, collateral assignment, easement, or other
encumbrance.
Loan Documents
. This Credit Agreement, any
Notes and any instrument or document designated by the parties
thereto as a “Loan Document” for purposes
hereof.
Loan Request
. As defined in
Section 2.8.
Loans . Revolving credit loans made or to be
made by the Banks to the Borrower pursuant to
Section 2.
Majority Banks
. The Banks whose aggregate
Commitments constitute more than fifty percent (50%) of the Total
Commitment or, if the Commitments have been terminated, the Banks
whose Loans constitute more than fifty percent (50%) of the
aggregate amount of the Loans.
Material Adverse
Effect . A material
adverse effect on (a) the ability of the Borrower to enter
into and to perform and observe its Obligations under the Loan
Documents, or (b) the assets, properties, business, operations
and condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
Material Broker-Dealer
Subsidiary . Any
Broker-Dealer Subsidiary that has total assets as of the date of
determination equal to not less than five (5%) of the Consolidated
Total Assets of the Borrower as set forth in the consolidated
balance sheet of the Borrower (excluding the Excluded Funds)
included in the most recent available annual or quarterly report of
the Borrower.
Material Subsidiary
. Any Subsidiary of the
Borrower or Alliance Distributors that, singly or together with any
other such Subsidiaries then subject to one or more of the
conditions described in Section 11.1(h), Section 11.1(i),
or Section 11.1(m), either (a) at the date of
12
determination owns Significant
Assets, or (b) has total assets as of the date of
determination equal to not less than five percent (5%) of the
Consolidated Total Assets of the Borrower as set forth in the
consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower (excluding the Excluded
Funds) included in the most recent available annual or quarterly
report of the Borrower.
Maturity Date
. February 17,
2011.
Moody’s Rating
. With respect to any Entity,
the rating assigned to long-term senior unsecured debt issued by
such Entity by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. from time
to time in effect or, if such Entity does not issue long-term
senior unsecured debt rated by Moody’s Investors
Service, Inc., the issuer rating assigned by Moody’s
Investors Service, Inc. from time to time in
effect.
Multiemployer Plan
. Any multiemployer plan
within the meaning of §3(37) of ERISA maintained or
contributed to by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
Net Capital Rule
. Rule 15c3-1 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
1940 Act . The Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
Notes . Any Notes of the Borrower to the Banks
in respect of the Borrower’s Obligations under this Credit
Agreement of even date herewith, substantially in the form of
Exhibit A , as amended, modified and renewed from time
to time.
Obligations
. All indebtedness,
obligations, and liabilities of any of the Borrower or its
Subsidiaries to any of the Banks and the Administrative Agent,
individually or collectively, existing on the date of this Credit
Agreement or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint or
several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated
or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising or incurred under
this Credit Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or in
respect of any of the Loans made or any of the Notes or other
instruments at any time evidencing any thereof.
Other Taxes
. 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 under
any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or
enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Credit Agreement
or any other Loan Document.
Outstanding
. With respect to the Loans,
the aggregate unpaid principal thereof as of any date of
determination.
Participant
. As defined in
Section 17.1(d).
PBGC . The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
created by §4002 of ERISA and any successor entity or entities
having similar responsibilities.
Permits . Permits, licenses, franchises, patents,
copyrights, trademarks, trade names, approvals, clearances, and
applications for or rights in respect of the foregoing of any
Government Authority.
Permitted Liens
. Liens permitted by
Section 7.3.
13
Person . Any individual, Entity or Government
Authority.
Prime Rate
. The rate of interest adopted
by the Administrative Agent as its reference rate for the
determination of interest rates for loans of varying maturities in
United States dollars to United States residents of varying degrees
of creditworthiness and being quoted at such time by the
Administrative Agent 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.
Proceedings
. Any (a) actions at law,
(b) suits in equity, (c) bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership, dissolution, or reorganization cases or proceedings,
(d) administrative or regulatory hearings or other
proceedings, (e) arbitration and mediation proceedings,
(f) criminal prosecutions, (g) judgment levies,
foreclosure proceedings, pre-judgment security procedures, or other
enforcement actions, and (h) other litigation, actions, suits,
and proceedings conducted by, before, or on behalf of any
Government Authority.
RCRA . As defined in
Section 5.17(a).
Real Estate
. All real property at any
time owned or leased (as lessee or sublessee) by the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries.
Record . The grid attached to a Note, or the
continuation of such grid, or any other similar record, including
computer records, maintained by any Bank with respect to any Loan
referred to in such Note or in this Credit Agreement.
Register . As defined in
Section 17.1(c).
Related Parties.
With respect to any Person,
such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors,
officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and of such
Person’s Affiliates.
Reorganization and
Reorganize . As
defined in Section 7.2.
SARA . As defined in
Section 5.17(a).
Securities Trading
Activities . The
activities in the ordinary course of business of a Broker-Dealer
Subsidiary, including, without limitation, acting as a broker for
clients and/or as a dealer in the purchase and sale of securities
traded on exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets, entering
into securities repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase
agreements, securities lending and borrowing and securities
clearing, either through agents or directly through clearing
systems.
Significant Assets
. At the date of any sale,
transfer, assignment, or other disposition of assets of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (or as of the date of any
Default or Event of Default), assets of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries (including Equity Securities of Subsidiaries of the
Borrower) which generated thirty-three and one-third percent
(33 1/3%) or more of the consolidated revenues of the Borrower
during the four (4) fiscal quarters of the Borrower most
recently ended (the “Measuring Period”),
provided that assets of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries (including Equity Securities of Subsidiaries of the
Borrower) which do not
14
meet the definition of Significant
Assets in the first part of this sentence shall nonetheless be
deemed to be Significant Assets if such assets generated revenues
for the Measuring Period that if subtracted from the consolidated
revenues of the Borrower for the Measuring Period would result in
consolidated revenues of the Borrower for the Measuring Period of
less than $1,200,000,000.
S&P Rating
. With respect to any Entity,
the rating assigned to long-term senior unsecured debt issued by
such Entity by Standard & Poor’s Rating Service from
time to time in effect or, if such Entity does not issue long-term
senior unsecured debt rated by Standard & Poor’s
Rating Service, the counterparty rating assigned by
Standard & Poor’s Rating Service from time to time
in effect.
SPC . As defined in
Section 17.6.
Subsidiary
. Any Entity (i) of which
the designated parent shall at any time own directly or indirectly
through a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries at least a majority (by number
of votes) of the outstanding Voting Equity Securities of such
Entity, or (ii) that is consolidated with such Entity in
accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation
No. 46-Revised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term
“Subsidiary” shall not include any Entity that is an
investment company, investment fund or similar Entity that is
managed or advised by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the
Borrower and in which the Borrower’s or such
Subsidiary’s ownership of Voting Equity Securities is a
function of its role as manager or adviser (whether as general
partner or otherwise) rather than its economic or beneficial
interest in the entity. Unless otherwise provided herein, any
reference to a “Subsidiary” shall mean a Subsidiary of
the Borrower.
Swap Contract
. A Swap Contract is:
(a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit
derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity
swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or
equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index
swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward
bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign
exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar
transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap
transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other
similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing
(including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether
or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master
agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and
the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and
conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement
published by the International Swaps and Derivatives
Association, Inc., or any International Foreign Exchange
Master Agreement (any such master agreement, together with any
related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any
such obligations or liabilities under any Master
Agreement.
Swap Termination Value
. In respect of any one or
more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any
legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap
Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap
Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined
in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and
(b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a),
the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such
Swap Contracts, as determined by the Borrower based upon one or
more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by
one or more recognized dealers in such Swap Contracts (which may
include a Bank or any affiliate of a Bank).
Synthetic Lease
Obligation . The
monetary obligation of a Person under a so-called synthetic,
off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, where such transaction is
considered borrowed
15
money Indebtedness for tax purposes
but which is classified as an operating lease pursuant to
GAAP.
Taxes . All present or future taxes, levies,
imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or
other charges imposed by any Government Authority, including any
interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable
thereto.
Termination Date
. The earlier of (a) the
Maturity Date and (b) the date of termination in whole of the
Commitments pursuant to Section 2.5(a) or
11.1.
Total Commitment
. The sum of the Commitments
of the Banks, as in effect from time to time. As of the
Closing Date the Total Commitment is $800,000,000.
12b-1 Fees
. All or any portion of
(a) the compensation or fees paid, payable, or expected to be
payable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for acting as
the distributor of securities as permitted under Rule 12b-l
under the 1940 Act, (b) the contingent deferred sales charges
or redemption fees paid, payable, or expected to be paid to the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (c) any right, title,
or interest in or to any such compensation or fees.
Type . As to any Loan, its nature as a Federal
Funds Rate Loan, Alternate Base Rate Loan or LIBOR Loan, as the
case may be.
Units . Units representing assignments of
beneficial ownership of limited partnership interests in the
Borrower.
Voting Equity
Securities . Equity
Securities of any class or classes (however designated), the
holders of which are at the time entitled, as such holders, to vote
for the election of a majority of the directors (or persons
performing similar functions) of the Entity that issued such Equity
Securities.
1.2
Rules of
Interpretation .
(a)
A reference to
any Contract or other document shall include such Contract or other
document as amended, modified, or supplemented from time to time in
accordance with its terms and the terms of this Credit
Agreement.
(b)
The singular
includes the plural and the plural includes the
singular.
(c)
A reference to
any Government Mandate includes any amendment or modification to
such Government Mandate or any successor Government
Mandate.
(d)
A reference to
any Person includes its permitted successors and permitted
assigns. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a
reference to any Bank shall include any Person that succeeds
generally to its assets and liabilities.
(e)
Accounting terms
not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them by
GAAP.
(f)
The words
“include”, “includes”, and
“including” are not limiting.
16
(g)
All terms not
specifically defined herein or by GAAP, which terms are defined in
the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in The State of New York,
have the meanings assigned to them therein.
(h)
Reference to a
particular “§”, Section, Schedule, or
Exhibit refers to that Section, Schedule, or Exhibit of
this Credit Agreement unless otherwise indicated.
(i)
The words
“herein”, “hereof”, and
“hereunder” and words of like import shall refer to
this Credit Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
section or subdivision of this Credit Agreement.
2.
THE REVOLVING CREDIT
FACILITY.
2.1
Commitment to Lend
.
(a)
Subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in Section 10 hereof, each of
the Banks severally shall lend to the Borrower, and the Borrower
may borrow, repay, and reborrow from time to time between the
Closing Date and the Maturity Date upon notice by the Borrower to
the Administrative Agent given in accordance with Section 2.8,
such sums as are requested by the Borrower up to a maximum
aggregate principal amount Outstanding (after giving effect to all
amounts requested) at any one time equal to such Bank’s
Commitment, provided that the Outstanding amount of the Loans
(after giving effect to all amounts requested) shall not at any
time exceed the Total Commitment. The Loans shall be made
pro rata in accordance with each Bank’s Commitment
Percentage; provided that the failure of any Bank to lend in
accordance with this Credit Agreement shall not release any other
Bank or the Administrative Agent from their obligations hereunder,
nor shall any Bank have any responsibility or liability in respect
of a failure of any other Bank to lend in accordance with this
Credit Agreement. Each request for a Loan and each borrowing
hereunder shall constitute a representation and warranty by the
Borrower that the conditions set forth in Section 10 have been
satisfied on the date of such request.
(b)
In the event
that, at any time when the conditions precedent for any Loan have
been satisfied, a Bank fails or refuses to fund its portion of such
Loan, then, until such time as such Bank has funded its portion of
such Loan, or all of the other Banks have received (in accordance
with Section 13.3.3) payment in full of the principal and
interest due in respect of such Loan, such non-funding Bank shall
not have the right to receive payment of any principal, interest or
fees from the Borrower in respect of its Loans.
2.2
Facility Fee
. The Borrower shall pay to
the Administrative Agent for the accounts of the Banks in
accordance with their respective Commitment Percentages a facility
fee on the daily average amount of the Total Commitment as of the
most recently completed calendar quarter calculated at the rate per
annum, on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual number of days
elapsed, as determined in accordance with the chart below with
respect to the Borrower’s long-term senior unsecured debt
rating as of the last Business Day of each calendar quarter.
The facility fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the
second Business Day of each calendar quarter for the immediately
preceding calendar quarter commencing on the first such date
following the date hereof, with a final payment on the Maturity
Date or any earlier date on which the Total Commitment shall
terminate. In no case shall any portion of the facility fee
be refundable.
The facility fee shall be calculated
based upon the Borrower’s long-term senior unsecured debt
rating in effect as of any date of determination as
follows:
17
|
Borrower’s
S&P Rating/Moody’s Rating
|
|
Facility Fee
|
|
|
> AA/Aa2
|
|
0.050%
|
|
|
AA-, A+/Aa3, A1
|
|
0.060%
|
|
|
A/A2
|
|
0.070%
|
|
|
A-/A3
|
|
0.080%
|
|
|
BBB+/Baa1
|
|
0.090%
|
|
|
< BBB/Baa2 or no S&P Rating or Moody’s
Rating
|
|
0.125%
|
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if there
is a split in the debt ratings of only one level, the facility fee
of the higher debt rating shall apply and (b) if there is a
split in the debt ratings of more than one level, the facility fee
that is one level higher than the facility fee of the lower debt
rating shall apply, in any such case, subject, as applicable, to
the provisions of Section 4.10 hereof.
2.3
Utilization Fee
. For any calendar quarter in
which the average aggregate daily Outstanding balance of the Loans
is greater than 50% of the daily average amount of the Total
Commitment for such quarter, the Borrower shall pay to the
Administrative Agent for the accounts of the Banks in accordance
with their respective Commitment Percentages a utilization fee on
the average aggregate Outstanding amount of the Loans during such
calendar quarter calculated at the rate per annum, on the basis of
a 360-day year for the actual number of days elapsed, as determined
in accordance with the chart below with respect to the
Borrower’s long-term senior unsecured debt rating as of the
last Business Day of each calendar quarter. The utilization
fee shall be payable on the earlier of the second Business Day of a
calendar quarter for any immediately preceding calendar quarter in
which such fee shall be due and owing in accordance with this
Section 2.3 or the Maturity Date or any earlier date on which
the Total Commitment shall terminate. In no case shall any
portion of the utilization fee be refundable.
The utilization fee shall be
calculated based upon the Borrower’s long-term senior
unsecured debt rating in effect as of any date of determination as
follows:
|
Borrower’s
S&P Rating/Moody’s Rating
|
|
Utilization Fee
|
|
|
> AA/Aa2
|
|
0.050%
|
|
|
AA-, A+/Aa3, A1
|
|
0.050%
|
|
|
A/A2
|
|
0.050%
|
|
|
A-/A3
|
|
0.050%
|
|
|
BBB+/Baa1
|
|
0.100%
|
|
|
< BBB/Baa2 or no S&P Rating or Moody’s
Rating
|
|
0.125%
|
|
18
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if there
is a split in the debt ratings of only one level, the utilization
fee of the higher debt rating shall apply and (b) if there is
a split in the debt ratings of more than one level, the utilization
fee that is one level higher than the utilization fee of the lower
debt rating shall apply, in any such case, subject, as applicable,
to the provisions of Section 4.10 hereof.
2.4
Other Fees
. The Borrower shall pay the
fees described in the Fee Letter as and when the same become due
and payable pursuant to the terms of the Fee Letter.
2.5
Reduction or Increase of Total
Commitment .
(a) Reduction of Total Commitment . The Borrower
shall have the right at any time and from time to time upon three
(3) Business Days’ prior written notice to the
Administrative Agent to reduce by at least $10,000,000 or integral
multiples of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, or to terminate
entirely, the unborrowed portion of the Total Commitment, whereupon
the Commitments of the Banks shall be reduced pro rata in
accordance with their respective Commitment Percentages of the
amount specified in such notice or, as the case may be,
terminated. Promptly after receiving any notice of the
Borrower delivered pursuant to this Section 2.5(a), the
Administrative Agent will notify the Banks of the substance
thereof. Upon the effective date of any such reduction or
termination, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for
the respective accounts of the Banks the full amount of any
facility fee then accrued on the amount of the reduction. No
reduction or termination of the Commitments may be
reinstated.
(b)
Increase of Total Commitment . At any time prior to
the Termination Date the Borrower may, on the terms set forth
below, request that the Total Commitment hereunder be increased by
an aggregate amount of up to $200,000,000 in minimum increments of
$25,000,000; provided , however , that (i) an
increase in the Total Commitment hereunder may only be made at a
time when no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and
(ii) in no event shall the Total Commitment hereunder exceed
$1,000,000,000. In the event of such a requested increase in
the Total Commitment, any Bank or other financial institution which
the Borrower invites to become a Bank or to increase its Commitment
may set the amount of its Commitment at a level agreed to by the
Borrower; provided , that each such other financial
institution shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative
Agent, and that the minimum Commitment of each such other financial
institution equals or exceeds $10,000,000. In the event that
the Borrower and one or more of the Banks (or other financial
institutions) shall agree upon such an increase in the Commitments
(i) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Bank or
other financial institution increasing its Commitment or extending
a new Commitment shall enter into a supplement to this Agreement
(each, a “ Supplement ”) substantially in the
form of Exhibit I setting forth, among other things, the
amount of the increased Commitment of such Bank or the new
Commitment of such other financial institution, as applicable, and
(ii) the Borrower shall furnish, if requested, new or amended
and restated Notes, as applicable, to each financial institution
that is extending a new Commitment and each Bank that is increasing
its Commitment. No such Supplement shall require the approval
or consent of any Bank whose Commitment is not being
increased. Upon the execution and delivery of such
Supplements as provided above and the occurrence of the
“Effective Date” specified therein, and upon the
Administrative Agent administering the reallocation of the
outstanding Loans ratably among the Banks after giving effect to
each such increase in the Commitments (and the payment by the
Borrower of any amounts under Section 4.9 if such Effective
Date is not the last day of an Interest Period for any outstanding
Loan), and the delivery of certified evidence of partnership
authorization and a legal opinion in substantially the form of
Exhibit G hereto on behalf of the Borrower, this Credit
Agreement shall be deemed to be amended accordingly.
2.6
The Notes; the Record
. Upon the request of the
Administrative Agent or any Bank, the Loans shall be evidenced by
separate promissory notes of the Borrower in substantially the form
of Exhibit A hereto (each a “ Note
”), dated as of the Closing Date and completed with
appropriate insertions. One Note shall be payable to the
order of each Bank requesting a Note in a principal amount equal to
such
19
Bank’s Commitment or, if less, the
Outstanding amount of all Loans made by such Bank, plus interest
accrued thereon, as set forth below. The Borrower irrevocably
authorizes each Bank to make or cause to be made, at or about the
time of the Drawdown Date of any Loan or at the time of receipt of
any payment of principal on such Bank’s Loans, an appropriate
notation on such Bank’s Record reflecting the making of such
Loan or (as the case may be) the receipt of such payment. The
Outstanding amount of the Loans set forth on such Bank’s
Record shall be prima facie evidence of the principal amount
thereof owing and unpaid to such Bank, but the failure to record,
or any error in so recording, any such amount on such Bank’s
Record shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the
Borrower hereunder or under any Note to make payments of principal
of or interest on any Loans when due. In recognition of the
fact that the Loans may be made without having been evidenced by a
written Note, the Borrower hereby promises to pay to each Bank the
principal amount of the Loans made by such Bank, and accrued and
unpaid interest and fees thereon, as the same become due and
payable in accordance with this Credit Agreement.
2.7
Interest on Loans
.
2.7.1
Interest
Rates . Except as otherwise
provided in Section 4.10, the Loans shall bear interest as
follows:
(a)
Each Federal
Funds Rate Loan shall bear interest at an annual rate equal to the
Federal Funds Rate as in effect from time to time while such
Federal Funds Rate Loan is Outstanding.
(b)
Each LIBOR Loan
shall bear interest for each Interest Period at an annual rate
equal to the LIBOR Rate for such Interest Period in effect from
time to time during such Interest Period.
(c)
Each Alternate
Base Rate Loan shall bear interest at an annual rate equal to the
Alternate Base Rate as in effect from time to time while such
Alternate Base Rate Loan is Outstanding.
2.7.2
Interest
Payment Dates . The Borrower shall
pay all accrued interest on each Loan in arrears on each Interest
Payment Date with respect thereto.
2.8
Requests for Loans
. The Borrower shall give to
the Administrative Agent written notice in the form of
Exhibit B hereto (or telephonic notice confirmed in a
writing in the form of Exhibit C hereto) of each Loan
requested hereunder (a “ Loan Request” ) no
later than (a) 11:00 a.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina
time) on the proposed Drawdown Date of any Federal Funds Rate Loan
or Alternate Base Rate Loan and (b) three (3) Business
Days prior to the proposed Drawdown Date of any LIBOR Loan.
Each such notice shall specify (i) the principal amount of the
Loan requested, (ii) the proposed Drawdown Date of such Loan,
(iii) the Type of such Loan, and (iv) the Interest Period
for such Loan if such Loan is a LIBOR Loan. Promptly upon
receipt of any such Loan Request, the Administrative Agent shall
notify each of the Banks thereof. Each Loan Request shall be
irrevocable and binding on the Borrower and shall obligate the
Borrower to accept the Loan requested from the Banks on the
proposed Drawdown Date. Each Loan Request shall be in a
minimum aggregate amount of $3,000,000 or in an integral multiple
of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.
2.9
Conversion Options
.
2.9.1
Conversion to
LIBOR Loan . The Borrower may
elect from time to time, subject to Section 2.11, to convert
any Outstanding Federal Funds Rate Loan or Alternate Base Rate Loan
to a LIBOR Loan, provided that (a) the Borrower shall
give the Administrative Agent
20
at least three
(3) Business Days’ prior written notice of such
election; and (b) no Federal Funds Rate Loan or Alternate Base
Rate Loan may be converted into a LIBOR Loan when any Default or
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. Each notice
of election of such conversion, and each acceptance by the Borrower
of such conversion, shall be deemed to be a representation and
warranty by the Borrower that no Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing. The Administrative Agent shall
notify the Banks promptly of any such notice. On the date on
which such conversion is being made, each Bank shall take such
action as is necessary to transfer its Commitment Percentage of
such Loans to its LIBOR Lending Office. All or any part of
Outstanding Federal Funds Rate Loans or Alternate Base Rate Loans
may be converted into a LIBOR Loan as provided herein, provided
that any partial conversion shall be in an aggregate principal
amount of $3,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in
excess thereof.
2.9.2
Continuation of
Type of Loan.
(a)
All Federal Funds
Rate Loans or Alternate Base Rate Loans shall continue as Federal
Funds Rate Loans or Alternate Base Rate Loans, as the case may be,
until converted into LIBOR Loans as provided in
Section 2.9.1.
(b)
Any LIBOR Loan
may, subject to Section 2.11, be continued, in whole or in
part, as a LIBOR Loan upon the expiration of the Interest Period
with respect thereto, provided that (i) the Borrower
shall give the Administrative Agent at least three
(3) Business Days’ prior written notice of such
election; (ii) no LIBOR Loan may be continued as such when any
Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, but
shall be automatically converted to a Federal Funds Rate Loan on
the last day of the first Interest Period relating thereto ending
during the continuance of any Default or Event of Default; and
(iii) any partial continuation of a LIBOR Loan shall be in an
aggregate principal amount of $3,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each notice of election of such
continuance of a LIBOR Loan, and each acceptance by the Borrower of
such continuance, shall be deemed to be a representation and
warranty by the Borrower that no Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing.
(c)
If the Borrower
shall fail to give any notice of continuation of a LIBOR Loan as
provided under this Section 2.9.2, the Borrower shall be
deemed to have requested a conversion of the affected LIBOR Loan to
a Federal Funds Rate Loan on the last day of the then current
Interest Period with respect thereto.
(d)
The
Administrative Agent shall notify the Banks promptly when any such
continuation or conversion contemplated by this Section 2.9.2
is scheduled to occur. On the date on which any such
continuation or conversion is to occur, each Bank shall take such
action as is necessary to transfer its Commitment Percentage of
such Loans to its Domestic Lending Office or its LIBOR Lending
Office as appropriate.
2.9.3
LIBOR
Loans . Any conversion to or
from LIBOR Loans shall be in such amounts and be made pursuant to
such elections so that, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate
principal amount of all LIBOR Loans having the same Interest Period
shall not be less than $3,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof.
2.9.4
Conversion
Requests . All notices of the
conversion or continuation of a Loan provided for in this
Section 2.9 shall be in writing in the form of
Exhibit D hereto (or shall be given by telephone and
confirmed by a writing in the form of Exhibit E
hereto). Each such notice shall specify (a) the
principal amount and Type of the Loan subject thereto, (b) the
date on
21
which the current
Interest Period of such Loan ends if such Loan is a LIBOR Loan, and
(c) the new Interest Period for such Loan if such Loan is a
LIBOR Loan. Promptly upon receipt of any such notice, the
Administrative Agent shall notify each of the Banks thereof.
Each such notice shall be irrevocable and binding on the
Borrower.
2.10
Funds for Loans
.
2.10.1
Funding
Procedures . Not later than
1:00 p.m. (Charlotte, North Carolina time) on the proposed
Drawdown Date of any Loan, each of the Banks will make available to
the Administrative Agent, at the Administrative Agent’s Head
Office, in immediately available funds, the amount of such
Bank’s Commitment Percentage of the amount of the requested
Loan. Upon receipt from each Bank of such amount, and upon
receipt of the documents required by Section 10 and the
satisfaction of the other conditions set forth therein, to the
extent applicable, the Administrative Agent will make available to
the Borrower the aggregate amount of such Loan made available to
the Administrative Agent by the Banks. The failure or refusal
of any Bank to make available to the Administrative Agent at the
aforesaid time and place on any Drawdown Date the amount of its
Commitment Percentage of the requested Loan shall not relieve any
other Bank from its several obligation hereunder to make available
to the Administrative Agent the amount of such other Bank’s
Commitment Percentage of any requested Loan, but no other Bank
shall be liable in respect of the failure of such Bank to make
available such amount.
2.10.2
Funding by
Banks; Presumption by Administrative Agent . Unless the
Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Bank prior a
Drawdown Date that such Bank will not make available to the
Administrative Agent such Bank’s share of such Loan, the
Administrative Agent may assume that such Bank has made such share
available on such Drawdown Date and may, in reliance upon such
assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding
amount. In such event, if a Bank has not in fact made its
share of the applicable Loan available to the Administrative Agent,
then the applicable Bank and the Borrower severally agree to pay to
the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding
amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for
each day from and including the date such amount is made available
to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the
Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be
made by such Bank, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate
determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking
industry rules on interbank compensation and (B) in the
case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate
equal to the rate payable on the Loans incurred by the Borrower (
provided , if such Loans are LIBOR Loans, the Borrower shall
pay interest equal to the rate payable on Federal Funds Rate
Loans). If the Borrower and such Bank shall pay such interest
to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period,
the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the
amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.
If such Bank pays its share of the applicable Loan to the
Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such
Bank’s Loan included in such Loan Request. Any payment
by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the
Borrower may have against a Bank that shall have failed to make
such payment to the Administrative Agent. A notice of the
Administrative Agent to any Bank or the Borrower with respect to
any amount owing under this subsection 2.10.2 shall be
conclusive, absent manifest error.
2.11
Limit on Number of LIBOR
Loans . At no time
shall there be Outstanding LIBOR Loans having more than fifteen
(15) different Interest Periods.
22
3.
REPAYMENT OF LOANS
.
3.1
Maturity . The Borrower shall pay on the Maturity
Date, and there shall become absolutely due and payable on the
Maturity Date, all of the Loans Outstanding on such date, together
with any and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The
Total Commitment shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
3.2
Mandatory Repayments of
Loans .
3.2.1
Loans in
Excess of Commitment . If at any time the
sum of the Outstanding amount of the Loans exceeds the Total
Commitment, then the Borrower shall immediately pay the amount of
such excess to the Administrative Agent for application to the
Loans.
3.2.2
Change of
Control . Upon the occurrence
of a Change of Control or impending Change of Control:
(a)
the Borrower
shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Bank of such Change
of Control or impending Change of Control as provided in
Section 6.5.4;
(b)
the Commitments
(but not the right of the Borrower to convert and continue Types of
Loans under Section 2.9) shall be suspended for the period
from the date of such notice (or any Change of Control Notice given
by the Administrative Agent or a Bank as provided in
Section 6.5.4) through the later to occur of (i) the
Change of Control Date or (ii) the date forty (40) days after
the date of such notice from the Borrower (the “
Suspension Period” ) and neither the Banks nor the
Administrative Agent shall have any obligations to make Loans to
the Borrower;
(c)
each Bank shall
have the right within fifteen (15) days after the date of such
Bank’s receipt of a Change of Control Notice under clause
(a) above to demand payment in full of its pro rata share of
the Outstanding principal of all Loans, all accrued and unpaid
interest thereon, and any other amounts owing under the Loan
Documents;
(d)
in the event that
any Bank shall have made a demand under clause (c) above the
Borrower shall promptly, but in no event later than five
(5) Business Days after such demand, deliver notice to each
Bank (which notice shall identify the Bank making such demand) and,
notwithstanding the provisions of clause (c) above, the right
of each Bank to demand repayment shall remain in effect through the
fifteenth (15th) day next succeeding receipt by such Bank of any
notice required to be given pursuant to this clause (d), provided
that the provisions of this clause (d) shall only apply with
respect to demands given by Banks prior to the expiration of the
period specified in clause (c); and
(e)
in the event any
Bank makes a demand under clause (c) or clause (d) above,
the Borrower shall on the last day of the Suspension Period pay to
the Administrative Agent for the credit of such Bank its pro rata
share of the Outstanding principal of all Loans, all accrued and
unpaid interest thereon, and any other amounts owing under the Loan
Documents, (provided that (i) any Bank may require the
Borrower to postpone prepayment of a LIBOR Loan until the last day
of the Interest Period with respect to such LIBOR Loan, and
(ii) if any Bank elects to require prepayment of a LIBOR Loan
that has an Interest Period ending less than sixty (60) days after
the date of such demand on a date that is not the last day of the
Interest Period for
23
such LIBOR Loan,
such Bank shall not be entitled to receive any amounts payable
under Section 4.9 in respect of the prepayment of such LIBOR
Loan).
Upon any demand for payment by any
Bank under this Section 3.2.2, the Commitment hereunder
provided by such Bank shall terminate, and such Bank shall be
relieved of all further obligations to make Loans to the
Borrower. At the end of the Suspension Period referred to
above, the Commitments shall be restored from all Banks that have
not made a demand for payment under this Section 3.2.2, and
this Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain in
full force and effect among the Borrower, such Banks and the
Administrative Agent, with such changes as may be necessary to
reflect the termination of the credit provided by the Banks that
made a demand for payment under this Section 3.2.2.
3.3
Optional Repayments of
Loans . The
Borrower shall have the right, at its election, to repay the
Outstanding amount of the Loans, as a whole or in part, at any time
without penalty or premium, provided that any full or
partial repayment of the Outstanding amount of any LIBOR Loans
pursuant to this Section 3.3 made on a date other than the
last day of the Interest Period relating thereto shall be subject
to customary breakage charges as provided in
Section 4.9. The Borrower shall give the Administrative
Agent, no later than 10:00 a.m., Charlotte, North Carolina
time, at least one (1) Business Day’s prior written
notice, of any proposed repayment pursuant to this Section 3.3
of Federal Funds Rate Loans or Alternate Base Rate Loans, and two
(2) Business Days’ notice of any proposed repayment
pursuant to this Section 3.3 of LIBOR Loans, in each case,
specifying the proposed date of payment of Loans and the principal
amount to be paid. Each such partial repayment of the Loans
shall be in an amount of $1,000,000 or an integral multiple of
$1,000,000 in excess thereof, shall be accompanied by the payment
of accrued interest on the principal repaid to the date of payment,
and shall be applied, in the absence of instruction by the
Borrower, first to the principal of Alternate Base Rate Loans,
second to the principal of Federal Funds Rate Loans and third to
the principal of LIBOR Loans (in inverse order of the last days of
their respective Interest Periods). Each partial repayment
shall be allocated among the Banks, in proportion, as nearly as
practicable, to the respective unpaid principal amount of each
Bank’s Loans, with adjustments to the extent practicable to
equalize any prior repayments not exactly in proportion. Any
amounts repaid under this Section 3.3 may be reborrowed prior
to the Maturity Date as provided in Section 2.8, subject to
the conditions of Section 10.
4.
CERTAIN GENERAL
PROVISIONS .
4.1
Application of
Payments . Except
as otherwise provided in this Credit Agreement, all payments in
respect of any Loan shall be applied first to accrued and unpaid
interest on such Loan and second to the Outstanding principal of
such Loan.
4.2
Funds for Payments
.
4.2.1
Payments to
Administrative Agent . All payments of
principal, interest, commitment fees, and any other amounts due
hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents shall be made to
the Administrative Agent, for the respective accounts of the Banks
and the Administrative Agent, at the Administrative Agent’s
Head Office, or at such other location that the Administrative
Agent may from time to time designate, in each case in immediately
available funds or directly from the proceeds of Loans.
4.2.2
No
Offset . All payments by the
Borrower hereunder and under any of the other Loan Documents shall
be made without setoff or counterclaim.
24
4.2.3
Fees
Non-Refundable . Except as expressly
set forth herein, all fees payable hereunder are non-refundable,
provided that (a) if any of the Banks is finally
adjudicated or is found in final arbitration proceedings to have
been grossly negligent or to have committed willful misconduct with
respect to the transactions contemplated hereby in any material
respect, then no facility fee shall be payable to such Bank after
the date of such final adjudication or arbitration (and such Bank
shall refund any facility fee paid to it and attributable to the
period from and after the date on which such grossly negligent
conduct or willful misconduct occurred), and (b) if the
Administrative Agent is finally adjudicated or is found in final
arbitration proceedings to have been grossly negligent or to have
committed willful misconduct with respect to the transactions
contemplated hereby, then no administrative agent’s fee will
be due and payable after the date of such final adjudication or
arbitration. If the Administrative Agent is finally found to
have been grossly negligent or to have committed willful
misconduct, the amount of any administrative agent’s fee paid
or prepaid by the Borrower and attributable to the period from and
after the date on which such grossly negligent conduct or willful
misconduct occurred shall be refunded.
4.3
Computations
. All computations of interest
with respect to Alternate Base Rate Loans shall be based on a year
of 365/366 days, and all computations of interest with respect to
both Federal Funds Rate Loans and LIBOR Loans shall be based on a
year of 360 days, and in each case paid for the actual number of
days elapsed. Except as otherwise provided in the definition
of the term “Interest Period” with respect to LIBOR
Loans, whenever a payment hereunder or under any of the other Loan
Documents becomes due on a day that is not a Business Day, the due
date for such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding
Business Day, and interest shall accrue during such
extension.
4.4
Inability to Determine LIBOR Rate
Basis . In the
event, prior to the commencement of any Interest Period relating to
any LIBOR Loan, the Administrative Agent shall determine that
adequate and reasonable methods do not exist for ascertaining the
LIBOR Rate Basis that would otherwise determine the rate of
interest to be applicable to any LIBOR Loan during any Interest
Period, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith give notice of
such determination (which shall be conclusive and binding on the
Borrower and the Banks) to the Borrower and the Banks. In
such event (a) any Loan Request or Conversion Request with
respect to LIBOR Loans shall be automatically withdrawn and shall
be deemed a request for Federal Funds Rate Loans, (b) each
LIBOR Loan will automatically, on the last day of the then current
Interest Period relating thereto, become a Federal Funds Rate Loan,
and (c) the obligations of the Banks to make LIBOR Loans shall
be suspended until the Administrative Agent determines that the
circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist,
whereupon the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and
the Banks.
4.5
Illegality
. Notwithstanding any other
provisions herein, if any present or future Government Mandate
shall make it unlawful for any Bank to make or maintain LIBOR
Loans, such Bank shall forthwith give notice of such circumstances
to the Borrower and the other Banks and thereupon (a) the
commitment of such Bank to make LIBOR Loans or convert Federal
Funds Rate Loans or Alternate Base Rate Loans to LIBOR Loans shall
forthwith be suspended, and (b) such Bank’s Loans then
Outstanding as LIBOR Loans, if any, shall be converted
automatically to Federal Funds Rate Loans on the last day of each
then existing Interest Period applicable to such LIBOR Loans or
within such earlier period after the occurrence of such
circumstances as may be required by Government Mandate. The
Borrower shall promptly pay the Administrative Agent for the
account of such Bank, upon demand by such Bank, any additional
amounts necessary to compensate such Bank for any costs incurred by
such Bank in making any conversion in accordance with this
Section 4.5 other than on the last day of an Interest Period,
including any interest or fees payable by such Bank to lenders of
funds obtained by it in order to make or maintain its LIBOR Loans
hereunder.
25
4.6
Additional Costs, Etc.
If any future applicable, or
any change in the application or interpretation of any present
applicable, Government Mandate (whether or not having the force of
law), shall:
(a)
subject any Bank
or the Administrative Agent to any tax, levy, impost, duty, charge,
fee, deduction, or withholding of any nature with respect to this
Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents, such Bank’s
Commitment, or the Loans (other than Indemnified Taxes and Other
Taxes covered by Section 4.11 and Excluded Taxes),
or
(b)
materially change
the basis of taxation (except for Excluded Taxes) of payments to
any Bank of the principal of or the interest on any Loans or any
other amounts payable to any Bank or the Administrative Agent under
this Credit Agreement or the other Loan Documents, or
(c)
impose, increase,
or render applicable (other than to the extent specifically
provided for elsewhere in this Credit Agreement) any special
deposit, reserve, assessment, liquidity, capital adequacy, or other
similar requirements (whether or not having the force of law)
against assets held by, or deposits in or for the account of, or
loans by, or commitments of an office of any Bank, or
(d)
impose on any
Bank or the Administrative Agent any other conditions or
requirements with respect to this Credit Agreement, the other Loan
Documents, the Loans, such Bank’s Commitment, or any class of
loans or commitments of which any of the Loans or such Bank’s
Commitment forms a part, and the result of any of the foregoing
is:
(i)
to increase by an amount deemed by
such Bank to be material with respect to the cost to any Bank of
making, funding, issuing, renewing, extending, or maintaining any
of the Loans or such Bank’s Commitment, or
(ii)
to reduce, by an amount deemed by
such Bank or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to be
material, the amount of principal, interest, or other amount
payable to such Bank or the Administrative Agent hereunder on
account of such Bank’s Commitment, or any of the Loans,
or
(iii)
to require such Bank or the
Administrative Agent to make any payment that, but for such
conditions or requirements described in clauses (a) through
(d), would not be payable hereunder, or forego any interest or
other sum that, but for such conditions or requirements described
in clauses (a) through (d), would be payable to such Bank or
the Administrative Agent hereunder, in any case the amount of which
payment or foregone interest or other sum is deemed by such Bank or
the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to be material and is
calculated by reference to the gross amount of any sum receivable
or deemed received by such Bank or (as the case may be) the
Administrative Agent from the Borrower hereunder, then, and in each
such case, the Borrower will, upon demand made by such Bank or (as
the case may be) the Administrative Agent at any time and from time
to time (such demand to be made in any case not later than the
first to occur of (I) the date one year after such event described
in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) giving rise to such demand, and
(II) the date ninety (90) days after both the payment in full of
all Outstanding Loans, and the termination of the Commitments) and
as often as the occasion therefor may arise, pay to such Bank or
the Administrative Agent such additional amounts as will be
sufficient to compensate such Bank or the Administrative Agent for
such additional cost, reduction, payment, foregone
26
interest or other sum.
Subject to the terms specified above in this Section 4.6, the
obligations of the Borrower under this Section 4.6 shall
survive repayment of the Loans and termination of the
Commitments.
4.7
Capital Adequacy
. If after the date hereof any
Bank or the Administrative Agent determines that (a) the
adoption of or change in any Government Mandate (whether or not
having the force of law) regarding capital requirements for banks
or bank holding companies or any change in the interpretation or
application thereof by any Government Authority with appropriate
jurisdiction, or (b) compliance by such Bank or the
Administrative Agent, or any corporation controlling such Bank or
the Administrative Agent, with any Government Mandate (whether or
not having the force of law) has the effect of reducing the return
on such Bank’s or the Administrative Agent’s commitment
with respect to any Loans to a level below that which such Bank or
(as the case may be) the Administrative Agent could have achieved
but for such adoption, change, or compliance (taking into
consideration such Bank’s or the Administrative Agent’s
then existing policies with respect to capital adequacy and
assuming full utilization of such Entity’s capital) by any
amount reasonably deemed by such Bank or (as the case may be) the
Administrative Agent to be material, then such Bank or the
Administrative Agent may notify the Borrower of such fact. To
the extent that the amount of such reduction in the return on
capital is not reflected in the Federal Funds Rate, the Borrower
shall pay such Bank or (as the case may be) the Administrative
Agent for the amount of such reduction in the return on capital as
and when such reduction is determined upon presentation by such
Bank or (as the case may be) the Administrative Agent of a
certificate in accordance with Section 4.8 hereof (but in any
case not later than the first to occur of (I) the date one year
after such adoption, change, or compliance causing such reduction,
and (II) as to adoptions of or changes in Government Mandates
occurring prior to the repayment of the Loans and the termination
of the Commitments the date ninety (90) days after both the payment
in full of all Outstanding Loans and termination of the
Commitments). Each Bank shall allocate such cost increases
among its customers in good faith and on an equitable basis.
Subject to the terms specified above in this Section 4.7, the
obligations of the Borrower under this Section 4.7 shall
survive repayment of the Loans and termination of the
Commitments.
4.8
Certificate
. A certificate setting forth
any additional amounts payable pursuant to Section 4.6 or
Section 4.7 and a brief explanation of such amounts which are
due and in reasonable detail the basis of the calculation and
allocation thereof, submitted by any Bank or the Administrative
Agent to the Borrower, shall be conclusive evidence, absent
manifest error, that such amounts are due and owing.
4.9
Indemnity . The Borrower shall indemnify and hold
harmless each Bank from and against any loss, cost, or expense
(excluding loss of anticipated profits) that such Bank may sustain
or incur as a consequence of (a) default by the Borrower in
payment of the principal amount of or any interest on any LIBOR
Loans as and when due and payable, including any such loss or
expense arising from interest or fees payable by such Bank to
lenders of funds obtained by it in order to maintain its LIBOR
Loans, (b) default by the Borrower in making a borrowing or
conversion after the Borrower has given (or is deemed to have
given) a Loan Request or a Conversion Request; or (c) except
as otherwise expressly provided in Section 3.2.2, the making
of any payment of a LIBOR Loan, the making of any conversion of any
such Loan to a Federal Funds Rate Loan or an Alternate Base Rate
Loan or the receipt by any Bank of funds in respect of any such
Loan in accordance with Section 2.5(b) on a day that is
not the last day of the applicable Interest Period with respect
thereto, including interest or fees payable by such Bank to lenders
of funds obtained by it in order to maintain any such Loans.
The obligations of the Borrower under this Section 4.9 shall
survive repayment of the Loans and termination of the
Commitments.
4.10
Interest After Default
. All amounts Outstanding
under the Loan Documents that are not paid when due, including all
overdue principal and (to the extent permitted by applicable
Government Mandate) interest and all other overdue amounts (after
giving effect to any applicable grace period), shall
27
to the extent permitted by applicable Government
Mandate bear interest until such amount shall be paid in full
(after as well as before judgment) at a rate per annum equal to two
percent (2%) above the interest rate otherwise applicable to such
amounts in the case of principal and two percent (2%) above the
Alternate Base Rate in the case of other amounts payable
hereunder. Any interest accruing under this section on
overdue principal or interest shall be due and payable upon
demand.
4.11
Taxes .
(a)
Payments Free
of Taxes . Any and all payments
by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or
under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and
without reduction or withholding for any Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes, provided that if the Borrower shall be required by
applicable law to deduct any Indemnified Taxes (including any Other
Taxes) from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be
increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions
(including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under
this Section 4.11) the Administrative Agent or any Bank, as
the case may be, receives 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 timely
pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Government Authority
in accordance with applicable law.
(b)
Payment of
Other Taxes by the Borrower . Without limiting the
provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall
timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Government Authority in
accordance with applicable law.
(c)
Indemnification by the
Borrower . The Borrower shall
indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Bank, within 10 days
after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes
or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed
or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this
Section) paid by the Administrative Agent or such Bank, as the case
may be, 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 Government Authority. A certificate as to the
amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a
Bank (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the
Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Bank,
shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(d)
Evidence of
Payments . As soon as
practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
by the Borrower to a Government Authority, the Borrower shall
deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified
copy of a receipt issued by such Government 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)
Status of
Banks . Any Foreign Bank that
is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax
under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident
for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a
party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan
Document shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the
Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by
applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed
documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such
payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of
withholding. In addition, any Bank, if requested by the
Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other
documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested
by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will
28
enable the
Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not
such Bank is subject to backup withholding or information reporting
requirements.
Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, if the Borrower is resident for tax purposes in the
United States, any Foreign Bank shall deliver to the Borrower and
the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be
requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such
Foreign Bank becomes a Bank under this Credit Agreement (and from
time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the
Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Bank is legally
entitled to do so), whichever of the following is
applicable:
(i)
duly completed copies of Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits
of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a
party,
(ii)
duly completed copies of Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,
(iii)
in the case of a Foreign Bank
claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under
section 881(c) of the Code, (A) a certificate to the
effect that such Foreign Bank is not (1) a “bank”
within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code,
(2) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower
within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(