Exhibit 10.1
SENIOR SECURED REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
dated as of
December 28, 2005
between
ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
The LENDERS Party Hereto
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent
MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL
CORPORATION
UBS SECURITIES LLC,
WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
as Syndication Agents
$250,000,000
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES
INC.,
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead
Arranger
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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DEFINITIONS
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SECTION 1.01.
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Defined Terms
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1
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SECTION 1.02.
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Classification of Loans and
Borrowings
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21
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SECTION 1.03.
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Terms Generally
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21
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SECTION 1.04.
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Accounting Terms; GAAP
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21
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SECTION 1.06.
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Currencies; Currency
Equivalents
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22
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ARTICLE II
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THE CREDITS
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SECTION 2.01.
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The Commitments
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23
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SECTION 2.02.
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Loans and Borrowings
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23
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SECTION 2.03.
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Requests for Borrowings
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24
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SECTION 2.04.
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Letters of Credit
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25
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SECTION 2.05.
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Funding of Borrowings
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29
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SECTION 2.06.
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Interest Elections
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30
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SECTION 2.07.
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Termination, Reduction or Increase
of the Commitments
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32
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SECTION 2.08.
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Repayment of Loans; Evidence of
Debt
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34
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SECTION 2.09.
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Prepayment of Loans
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35
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SECTION 2.10.
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Fees
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37
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SECTION 2.11.
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Interest
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39
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SECTION 2.12.
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Alternate Rate of
Interest
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40
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SECTION 2.13.
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Increased Costs
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40
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SECTION 2.14.
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Break Funding Payments
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41
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SECTION 2.15.
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Taxes
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42
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SECTION 2.16.
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Payments Generally; Pro Rata
Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs
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45
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SECTION 2.17.
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Mitigation Obligations; Replacement
of Lenders
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47
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ARTICLE III
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REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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SECTION 3.01.
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Organization; Powers
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48
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SECTION 3.02.
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Authorization;
Enforceability
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48
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SECTION 3.03.
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Governmental Approvals; No
Conflicts
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49
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SECTION 3.04.
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Financial Condition; No Material
Adverse Change
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49
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SECTION 3.05.
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Litigation
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50
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SECTION 3.06.
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Compliance with Laws and
Agreements
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50
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i
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SECTION 3.07.
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Holding Company Status
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50
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SECTION 3.08.
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Taxes
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50
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SECTION 3.09.
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ERISA
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51
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SECTION 3.10.
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Disclosure
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51
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SECTION 3.11.
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Investment Company Act; Margin
Regulations
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51
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SECTION 3.12.
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Material Agreements and
Liens
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52
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SECTION 3.13.
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Subsidiaries and
Investments
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52
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SECTION 3.14.
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Properties
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52
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SECTION 3.15.
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Affiliate Agreements
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53
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ARTICLE IV
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CONDITIONS
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SECTION 4.01.
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Effective Date
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53
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SECTION 4.02.
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Each Credit Event
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55
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ARTICLE V
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AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
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SECTION 5.01.
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Financial Statements and Other
Information
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56
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SECTION 5.02.
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Notices of Material
Events
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57
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SECTION 5.03.
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Existence; Conduct of
Business
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58
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SECTION 5.04.
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Payment of Obligations
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58
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SECTION 5.05.
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Maintenance of Properties;
Insurance
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58
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SECTION 5.06.
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Books and Records; Inspection and
Audit Rights
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58
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SECTION 5.07.
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Compliance with Laws
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59
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SECTION 5.08.
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Certain Obligations Respecting
Subsidiaries; Further Assurances
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59
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SECTION 5.09.
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Use of Proceeds
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61
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SECTION 5.10.
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Status of RIC and BDC
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62
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SECTION 5.11.
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Investment and Valuation
Policies
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62
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SECTION 5.12.
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Portfolio Valuation and
Diversification, Etc.
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62
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SECTION 5.13.
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Calculation of Borrowing
Base
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64
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ARTICLE VI
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NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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SECTION 6.01.
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Indebtedness
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69
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SECTION 6.02.
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Liens
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70
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SECTION 6.03.
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Fundamental Changes
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70
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SECTION 6.04.
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Investments
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71
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SECTION 6.05.
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Restricted Payments
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72
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SECTION 6.06.
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Certain Restrictions on
Subsidiaries
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73
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SECTION 6.07.
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Certain Financial
Covenants
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74
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SECTION 6.08.
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Transactions with
Affiliates
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74
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ii
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SECTION 6.09.
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Lines of Business
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74
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SECTION 6.10.
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No Further Negative
Pledge
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74
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SECTION 6.11.
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Modifications of Certain
Documents
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75
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SECTION 6.12.
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Permitted Indebtedness
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75
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ARTICLE VII
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EVENTS OF DEFAULT
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75
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ARTICLE VIII
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THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
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79
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ARTICLE IX
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MISCELLANEOUS
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SECTION 9.01.
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Notices; Electronic
Communications
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82
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SECTION 9.02.
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Waivers; Amendments
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83
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SECTION 9.03.
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Expenses; Indemnity; Damage
Waiver
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85
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SECTION 9.04.
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Successors and Assigns
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87
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SECTION 9.05.
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Survival
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90
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SECTION 9.06.
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Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness; Electronic Execution
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90
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SECTION 9.07.
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Severability
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91
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SECTION 9.08.
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Right of Setoff
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91
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SECTION 9.09.
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction;
Etc.
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91
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SECTION 9.10.
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WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
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92
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SECTION 9.11.
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Judgment Currency
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92
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SECTION 9.12.
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Headings
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93
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SECTION 9.13.
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Treatment of Certain Information;
Confidentiality
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93
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SECTION 9.14.
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USA PATRIOT Act
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94
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SCHEDULE I
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Commitments
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SCHEDULE II
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Material Agreements and
Liens
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SCHEDULE III
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Litigation
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SCHEDULE IV
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Subsidiaries and
Investments
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SCHEDULE V
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Transactions with
Affiliates
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SCHEDULE VI
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Moody’s Industry
Classification Group List
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SCHEDULE VII
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–
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Approved Dealers and Approved
Pricing Services
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SCHEDULE VIII
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Mandatory Cost Schedule
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EXHIBIT A
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Form of Assignment and
Assumption
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EXHIBIT B
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Form of Guarantee and Security
Agreement
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EXHIBIT C-1
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Form of Opinion of New York
Counsel to Borrower
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iii
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EXHIBIT C-2
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Form of Opinion of Maryland
Counsel to the Borrower
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EXHIBIT D
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Form of Opinion of Counsel to
JPMCB
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EXHIBIT E
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Form of Borrowing Base
Certificate
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EXHIBIT F
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Form of Borrowing
Request
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EXHIBIT G
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Form of Interest Election
Request
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iv
SENIOR SECURED REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT dated as of December 28, 2005, between ARES CAPITAL
CORPORATION, the LENDERS party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
N.A. as Administrative Agent.
The Borrower (as hereinafter
defined) has requested that the Lenders (as so defined) extend
credit to it in an initial aggregate principal or face amount not
exceeding $250,000,000 at any one time outstanding. The
Lenders are prepared to extend such credit upon the terms and
conditions hereof, and, accordingly, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01.
Defined Terms . As used in this Agreement, the
following terms have the meanings specified below:
“ ABR ”, when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such
Loan, or the Loans constituting such Borrowing, are denominated in
Dollars and bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to
the Alternate Base Rate.
“ Adjusted Borrowing
Base ” means the Borrowing Base minus the
aggregate amount of Cash and Cash Equivalents included in the
Portfolio Investments held by the Obligors.
“ Adjusted Covered Debt
Balance ” means, on any date, the aggregate Covered Debt
Amount on such date minus the aggregate amount of Cash and
Cash Equivalents included in the Portfolio Investments held by the
Obligors.
“ Adjusted LIBO Rate
” means, for the Interest Period for any Eurocurrency
Borrowing, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate
for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the
Statutory Reserve Rate for such Interest Period.
“ Administrative Agent
” means JPMCB, in its capacity as administrative agent for
the Lenders hereunder.
“ Administrative
Agent’s Account ” means, for each Currency, an
account in respect of such Currency designated by the
Administrative Agent in a notice to the Borrower and the
Lenders.
“ Administrative
Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in
a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“ Advance Rate ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 5.13.
“ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that
directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the
Person specified. Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the term “Affiliate” shall not include
any Person that constitutes an Investment held by the Borrower in
the ordinary course of business.
“ Affiliate Agreements
” means collectively, (a) the Investment Advisory and
Management Agreement dated as of September 30, 2004 between
the Borrower and Ares Capital Management, (b) the
Administration Agreement dated as of September 30, 2004,
between the Borrower and Ares Technical Administration LLC,
(c) the Trademark License Agreement dated as of
September 30, 2004 between Ares Capital Corporation and Ares
Management LLC and (d) other than for purposes of
Section 6.11, the CP Facility Documents and the Custodian
Agreement.
“ Agreed Foreign
Currency ” means, at any time, any of Canadian Dollars,
English Pounds Sterling, Euros and, with the agreement of each
Lender, any other Foreign Currency, so long as, in respect of any
such specified Foreign Currency or other Foreign Currency, at such
time (a) such Foreign Currency is dealt with in the London
(or, in the case of English Pounds Sterling, Paris) interbank
deposit market, (b) such Foreign Currency is freely
transferable and convertible into Dollars in the London foreign
exchange market and (c) no central bank or other governmental
authorization in the country of issue of such Foreign Currency
(including, in the case of the Euro, any authorization by the
European Central Bank) is required to permit use of such Foreign
Currency by any Lender for making any Loan hereunder and/or to
permit the Borrower to borrow and repay the principal thereof and
to pay the interest thereon, unless such authorization has been
obtained and is in full force and effect.
“ Alternate Base Rate
” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater
of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the
Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day plus 1/2 of
1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in
the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be
effective from and including the effective date of such change in
the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, as the case may
be.
“ Applicable Percentage
” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the
total Commitments represented by such Lender’s
Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired,
the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the
Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect to any
assignments.
“ Applicable Margin
” means: (a) with respect to any ABR Loan,
0.00% per annum; and (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency
Loan, 1.00% per annum.
2
“ Approved Dealer
” means (a) in the case of any Portfolio Investment that
is not a U.S. Government Security, a bank or a broker-dealer
registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 of nationally
recognized standing or an Affiliate thereof, (b) in the case
of a U.S. Government Security, any primary dealer in U.S.
Government Securities, and (c) in the case of any foreign
Portfolio Investment, any foreign broker-dealer of internationally
recognized standing or an Affiliate thereof, in the case of each of
clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, as set forth on
Schedule VII or any other bank or broker-dealer acceptable to
the Administrative Agent in its reasonable
determination.
“ Approved Pricing
Service ” means a pricing or quotation service as set
forth in Schedule VII or any other pricing or quotation
service approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower and
designated in writing to the Administrative Agent (which
designation shall be accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the
Board of Directors of the Borrower that such pricing or quotation
service has been approved by the Borrower).
“ Ares Capital CP
” means Ares Capital CP Funding LLC, a wholly owned
Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“ Ares Capital
Management ” means Ares Capital Management LLC, a
Delaware Limited Liability Company.
“ Asset Coverage Ratio
” means the ratio, determined on a consolidated basis,
without duplication, in accordance with GAAP, of (a) the Value
of total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, less all
liabilities (other than Indebtedness, including Indebtedness
hereunder) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, to (b) the
aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries.
“ Assignment and
Assumption ” means an Assignment and Assumption entered
into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party
whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by
the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any
other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“ Assuming Lender
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.07(e).
“ Availability Period
” means the period from and including the Effective Date to
but excluding the earlier of the Commitment Termination Date and
the date of termination of the Commitments.
“ Board ” means
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United
States of America.
“ Borrower ”
means Ares Capital Corporation, a Maryland corporation.
3
“ Borrowing ”
means (a) all ABR Loans made, converted or continued on
the same date or (b) all Eurocurrency Loans denominated in the
same Currency that have the same Interest Period.
“ Borrowing Base
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 5.13.
“ Borrowing Base
Certificate ” means a certificate of a Financial Officer
of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit E and
appropriately completed.
“ Borrowing Base
Deficiency ” means, at any date on which the same is
determined, the amount, if any, that (a) the aggregate Covered
Debt Amount as of such date exceeds (b) the Borrowing Base as
of such date.
“ Borrowing Request
” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in
accordance with Section 2.03 substantially in the form of
Exhibit F.
“ Business Day ”
means any day (a) that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day
on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or
required by law to remain closed, (b) if such day relates to a
borrowing of, a payment or prepayment of principal of or interest
on, a continuation or conversion of or into, or the Interest Period
for, a Eurocurrency Borrowing, or to a notice by the Borrower with
respect to any such borrowing, payment, prepayment, continuation,
conversion, or Interest Period, that is also a day on which
dealings in deposits denominated in the Currency of such Borrowing
are carried out in the London interbank market and (c) if such
day relates to a borrowing or continuation of, a payment or
prepayment of principal of or interest on, or the Interest Period
for, any Borrowing denominated in any Foreign Currency, or to a
notice by the Borrower with respect to any such borrowing,
continuation, payment, prepayment or Interest Period, that is also
a day on which commercial banks and the London foreign exchange
market settle payments in the Principal Financial Center for such
Foreign Currency.
“ Capital Lease
Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such
Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other
arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property,
or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be
classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet
of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such obligations shall
be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Cash ” means
any immediately available funds in Dollars or in any currency other
than Dollars which is a freely convertible currency.
4
“ Cash Equivalents
” means investments (other than Cash) that are one or more of
the following obligations:
(a)
U.S. Government Securities, in each case maturing within one year
from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b)
investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the
date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of
acquisition, a credit rating of at least A-1 from S&P and at
least P-1 from Moody’s;
(c)
investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances
and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of
acquisition thereof (i) issued or guaranteed by or placed
with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any
domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of
the United States of America or any State thereof or under the laws
of the jurisdiction or any constituent jurisdiction thereof of any
Agreed Foreign Currency, provided that such certificates of
deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits are held in a
securities account (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code)
through which the Collateral Agent can perfect a security interest
therein and (ii) having, at such date of acquisition, a credit
rating of at least A-1 from S&P and at least P-1 from
Moody’s; and
(d)
fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more
than 30 days from the date of acquisition thereof for U.S.
Government Securities and entered into with (i) a financial
institution satisfying the criteria described in
clause (c) of this definition or (ii) an Approved
Dealer having (or being a member of a consolidated group having) at
such date of acquisition, a credit rating of at least A-1 from
S&P and at least P-1 from Moody’s,
provided , that (i) in no event shall Cash
Equivalents include any obligation that provides for the payment of
interest alone (for example, interest-only securities or “
IOs ”); (ii) if any of Moody’s or S&P
changes its rating system, then any ratings included in this
definition shall be deemed to be an equivalent rating in a
successor rating category of Moody’s or S&P, as the case
may be; (iii) Cash Equivalents (other than U.S. Government
Securities or repurchase agreements) shall not include any such
investment of more than 10% of total assets of the Loan Parties in
any single issuer; and (iv) in no event shall Cash Equivalents
include any obligation that is not denominated in Dollars or an
Agreed Foreign Currency.
“ Change in Control
” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group
(within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as
in effect on the date hereof), of shares representing more than 35%
of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued
and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; (b) occupation
of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board
of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither
(i) nominated by the requisite members of the board of
directors of the Borrower nor
5
(ii) appointed by a majority of
the directors so nominated; or (c) the acquisition of direct
or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group other
than Ares Capital Management.
“ Change in Law ”
means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation
after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law,
rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application
thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this
Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank
(or, for purposes of Section 2.13(b), by any lending office of
such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s
holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental
Authority made or issued after the date of this
Agreement.
“ Code ” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time.
“ Collateral ”
has the meaning assigned to such term in the Guarantee and Security
Agreement.
“ Collateral Agent
” means JPMCB in its capacity as Collateral Agent under the
Guarantee and Security Agreement, and includes any successor
Collateral Agent thereunder.
“ Commitment ”
means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender
to make Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit
hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum
aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure
hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to
time pursuant to Section 2.07 and (b) reduced or
increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such
Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of
each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule I, or
in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender
shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial
aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is
$250,000,000.
“ Commitment Increase
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.07(e).
“ Commitment Increase
Date ” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.07(e).
“ Commitment Termination
Date ” means December 28, 2010.
“ Control ” means
the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person,
whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract
or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “
Controlled ” have meanings correlative
thereto.
6
“ Covered Debt Amount
” means, on any date, (a) all of the Revolving Credit
Exposures of all Lenders on such date plus (b) the
aggregate amount of outstanding Permitted Indebtedness on such date
plus (c) the aggregate amount of any Indebtedness
incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(f) minus
(d) the LC Exposures fully cash collateralized on such
date pursuant to Section 2.04(k) and the last paragraph of
Section 2.08(a).
“ CP Facility ”
means the credit facility established on November 3, 2004
between, among others, Ares Capital CP and Wachovia Capital
Markets, LLC pursuant to the CP Facility Documents.
“ CP Facility Documents
” means, collectively, (a) the Purchase and Sale
Agreement dated as of November 3, 2004 by and between the
Borrower and Ares Capital CP, (b) the Sale and Servicing
Agreement by and among the Borrower, Ares Capital CP, the Conduit
Purchasers and institutional purchasers party thereto, the
Purchaser Agents party thereto, Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as
Administrative Agent, U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee,
and Lyon Financial Services, Inc., as Backup Servicer, and
(c) the Intercreditor and Concentration Account Administration
Agreement dated as of November 3, 2004 by and among U.S. Bank
National Association, as Concentration Account Bank, U.S. Bank
National Association, as Account Custodian, the Borrower, as
Originator, Original Servicer and Concentration Account Servicer,
and the Security Interest Grantees from time to time party
thereto. It is understood that the term “CP Facility
Documents” shall not include the exhibits and schedules
thereto.
“ Currency ”
means Dollars or any Foreign Currency.
“ Custodian Agreement
” means the Custodian Agreement dated as of a date in
October, 2004 by and among the Borrower and U.S. Bank, National
Association.
“ Default ” means
any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or
which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or
waived, become an Event of Default.
“ Designated Subsidiary
” means a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Borrower to
which any Obligor sells, conveys or otherwise transfers (whether
directly or indirectly) Portfolio Investments, which engages in no
material activities other than in connection with the purchase or
financing of such assets and which is designated by the Borrower
(as provided below) as a “Designated Subsidiary” and
which meets the following criteria
(a)
no portion of the Indebtedness or any other obligations (contingent
or otherwise) of such Subsidiary (i) is Guaranteed by any
Obligor (other than Guarantees in respect of Standard
Securitization Undertakings), (ii) is recourse to or obligates
any Obligor in any way other than pursuant to Standard
Securitization Undertakings or (iii) subjects any property of
any Obligor (other than property that has been contributed or sold,
purported to be sold or otherwise transferred to
7
such Subsidiary), directly or
indirectly, contingently or otherwise, to the satisfaction thereof,
other than pursuant to Standard Securitization Undertakings or any
Guarantee thereof,
(b)
with which no Obligor has any material contract, agreement,
arrangement or understanding other than on terms no less favorable
to such Obligor than those that might be obtained at the time from
Persons that are not Affiliates of any Obligor, other than fees
payable in the ordinary course of business in connection with
servicing receivables, and
(c)
to which no Obligor has any obligation to maintain or preserve such
entity’s financial condition or cause such entity to achieve
certain levels of operating results, other than pursuant to
Standard Securitization Undertakings.
Any such designation by the Borrower
shall be effected pursuant to a certificate of a Financial Officer
delivered to the Administrative Agent, which certificate shall
include a statement to the effect that, to the best of such
officer’s knowledge, such designation complied with the
foregoing conditions. Each Subsidiary of a Designated
Subsidiary shall be deemed to be a Designated Subsidiary and shall
comply with the foregoing requirements of this definition.
The parties hereby agree that Ares Capital CP, ARCC Cervantes
Corporation and ARCC Cervantes LLC shall each constitute a
Designated Subsidiary so long as they comply with the foregoing
requirements of this definition.
“ Disclosed Matters
” means the actions, suits and proceedings disclosed in
Schedule III.
“ Dollar Equivalent
” means, on any date of determination, with respect to an
amount denominated in any Foreign Currency, the amount of Dollars
that would be required to purchase such amount of such Foreign
Currency on the date two Business Days prior to such date, based
upon the spot selling rate at which the Administrative Agent offers
to sell such Foreign Currency for Dollars in the London foreign
exchange market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, for
delivery two Business Days later.
“ Dollars ” or
“ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United
States of America.
“ Effective Date
” means the date on which the conditions specified in
Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with
Section 9.02).
“ Equity Interests
” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests,
membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial
interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a
Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the
holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity
interest.
“ ERISA ” means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
from time to time.
8
“ ERISA Affiliate
” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated)
that, together with the Borrower, is treated as a single employer
under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code, or,
solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and
Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under
Section 414 of the Code.
“ ERISA Event ”
means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in
Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder
with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day
notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to
any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as
defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of
ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to
Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of
ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding
standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the
Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under
Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan;
(e) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from
the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an
intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to
administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any
of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the
withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer
Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA
Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan
from the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning
the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a
Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in
reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“ Eurocurrency ”,
when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether
such Loan, or the Loans constituting such Borrowing, are bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO
Rate.
“ Event of Default
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Article VII.
“ Excluded Taxes
” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any
Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to
be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower
hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or
measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by
the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the
laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal
office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its
applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits
taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax
imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located,
(c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee
pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.17(b)),
any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such
Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to
this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is
attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability
(other than as a result of a Change in Law described in clause ( a)
or (b) of the definition of Change in Law) to comply with
Section 2.15(e), except to the extent, other than in a case of
failure to comply with Section 2.15(e), that such Foreign
Lender’s (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at
the
9
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 2.15(a) and (d) in the case of any Lender or
Issuing Bank that is not a Foreign Lender, any withholding tax that
is imposed as a result of such Lender’s or Issuing
Bank’s failure or inability to comply with
Section 2.15(e).
“ Federal Funds Effective
Rate ” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on
overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on
the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a
Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the
next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such
transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by
it.
“ Financial Officer
” means the president, chief financial officer, principal
accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the
Borrower.
“ Fitch ” means
Fitch Ratings or any successors thereto.
“ Foreign Currency
” means at any time any Currency other than
Dollars.
“ Foreign Currency
Equivalent ” means, with respect to any amount in
Dollars, the amount of any Foreign Currency that could be purchased
with such amount of Dollars using the reciprocal of the foreign
exchange rate(s) specified in the definition of the term
“Dollar Equivalent”, as determined by the
Administrative Agent.
“ Foreign Lender
” means any Lender or Issuing Bank that is organized under
the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is
located. For purposes of this definition, the United States
of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall
be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“ GAAP ” means
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of
America.
“ Governmental
Authority ” means the government of the United States of
America, or of any other nation, or any political subdivision
thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority,
instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other
entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing,
regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining
to government.
“ Guarantee ” of
or by any Person (the “ guarantor ”) means any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing
or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or
other obligation of any other Person (the “ primary
obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly,
and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect,
(a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for
the
10
purchase or payment of) such
Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment
thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or
services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness
or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain
working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the
primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or
(d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or
letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or
obligation; provided , that the term Guarantee shall not
include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary
course of business.
“ Guarantee and Security
Agreement ” means a Guarantee and Security Agreement
substantially in the form of Exhibit B between the Borrower,
the Administrative Agent, each holder (or a representative or
trustee therefor) from time to time of any Other Secured
Indebtedness, and the Collateral Agent.
“ Guarantee Assumption
Agreement ” means a Guarantee Assumption Agreement
substantially in the form of Exhibit B to the Guarantee and
Security Agreement between the Administrative Agent and an entity
that, pursuant to Section 5.08 is required to become a
“Subsidiary Guarantor” under the Guarantee and Security
Agreement (with such changes as the Administrative Agent shall
request, consistent with the requirements of
Section 5.08).
“ Hedging Agreement
” means any interest rate protection agreement, foreign
currency exchange protection agreement, commodity price protection
agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate or commodity
price hedging arrangement.
“ Increasing Lender
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.07(e).
“ Indebtedness ”
of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations
of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to deposits or
advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments,
(c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or
other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by
such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of
the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding
accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business),
(e) all Indebtedness of others secured by any Lien on property
owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness
secured thereby has been assumed, (f) all Guarantees by such
Person of Indebtedness of others, (g) all Capital Lease
Obligations of such Person, (h) all obligations, contingent or
otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters
of credit and letters of guaranty and (i) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of
bankers’ acceptances. The Indebtedness of any Person
shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (including any
partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the
extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such
Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with
such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness
provide that such Person is not liable therefor.
11
“ Indemnified Taxes
” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“ Independent ”
when used with respect to any specified Person means that such
Person (a) does not have any direct financial interest or any
material indirect financial interest in the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries or Affiliates (including its investment advisor or any
Affiliate thereof) and (b) is not connected with the Borrower
or of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates (including its investment
advisor or any Affiliate thereof) as an officer, employee,
promoter, underwriter, trustee, partner, director or Person
performing similar functions.
“ Industry Classification
Group ” means (a) any of the Moody’s
classification groups set forth in Schedule VI hereto,
together with any such classification groups that may be
subsequently established by Moody’s and provided by the
Borrower to the Lenders, (b) up to three additional industry
group classifications established by the Borrower pursuant to
Section 5.12 and (c) CDO Securities (treated as a single
Industry Classification Group).
“ Interest Election
Request ” means a request by the Borrower to convert or
continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.06
substantially in the form of Exhibit G.
“ Interest Payment Date
” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, each
Quarterly Date, and (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Loan,
the last day of each Interest Period therefor and, in the case of
any Interest Period of more than three months’ duration, each
day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at
three-month intervals after the first day of such Interest
Period.
“ Interest Period
” means, for any Eurocurrency Loan or Borrowing, the period
commencing on the date of such Loan or Borrowing and ending on the
numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one,
two, three or six months thereafter or, with respect to such
portion of any Eurocurrency Loan or Borrowing denominated in a
Foreign Currency that is scheduled to be repaid on the Commitment
Termination Date, a period of less than one month’s duration
commencing on the date of such Loan or Borrowing and ending on the
Commitment Termination Date, as specified in the applicable
Borrowing Request or Interest Election Request; provided ,
that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than
a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next
succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day
would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest
Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, and
(ii) any Interest Period (other than an Interest Period
pertaining to a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in a Foreign
Currency that ends on the Commitment Termination Date that is
permitted to be of less than one month’s duration as provided
in this definition) that commences on the last Business Day of a
calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically
corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest
Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar
month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date
of a Loan
12
initially shall be the date on which
such Loan is made and thereafter shall be the effective date of the
most recent conversion or continuation of such Loan, and the date
of a Borrowing comprising Loans that have been converted or
continued shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion
or continuation of such Loans.
“ Investment ”
means, for any Person: (a) Equity Interests, bonds,
notes, debentures or other securities of any other Person or any
agreement to acquire any Equity Interests, bonds, notes, debentures
or other securities of any other Person (including any “short
sale” or any sale of any securities at a time when such
securities are not owned by the Person entering into such sale);
(b) deposits, advances, loans or other extensions of credit
made to any other Person (including purchases of property from
another Person subject to an understanding or agreement, contingent
or otherwise, to resell such property to such Person); or
(c) Hedging Agreements.
“ Investment Policies
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 3.11(c).
“ Investment Company
Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended from time to time.
“ Issuing Bank ”
means JPMCB, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit
hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in
Section 2.04(j).
“ JPMCB ” means
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
“ LC Disbursement
” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a
Letter of Credit.
“ LC Exposure
” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate
undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time
plus (b) the aggregate amount of all
LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on
behalf of the Borrower at such time. The LC Exposure of
any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the
total LC Exposure at such time.
“ Lenders ” means
the Persons listed on Schedule I and any other Person that
shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and
Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party
hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.
“ Letter of Credit
” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this
Agreement.
“ Letter of Credit
Collateral Account ” has the meaning assigned to such
term in Section 2.04(k).
13
“ Letter of Credit
Documents ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit,
collectively, any application therefor and any other agreements,
instruments, guarantees or other documents (whether general in
application or applicable only to such Letter of Credit) governing
or providing for (a) the rights and obligations of the parties
concerned or at risk with respect to such Letter of Credit or
(b) any collateral security for any of such obligations, each
as the same may be modified and supplemented and in effect from
time to time.
“ LIBO Rate ”
means, for the Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Borrowing
denominated in any Currency, the rate appearing on Page 3750
of the Telerate Service (or on any successor or substitute
page of such Service, or any successor to or substitute for
such Service, providing rate quotations comparable to those
currently provided on such page of such Service, as determined
by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of
providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in
such currency in the London or other applicable interbank market)
at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days
prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as LIBOR for
deposits denominated in such Currency with a maturity comparable to
such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not
available as described above for any reason, then the LIBO Rate for
such Interest Period shall be the rate at which deposits in such
Currency in the amount of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable
to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office
of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the
London (or, in the case of English Pounds Sterling, Paris)
interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two
Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the LIBO Rate for any
Eurocurrency Loan denominated in English Pounds Sterling for any
Interest Period shall be the sum of (i) the rate referred to
above plus (ii) the MCR Cost.
“ LIBOR ” means,
for any Currency, the rate at which deposits denominated in such
Currency are offered to leading banks in the London interbank
market (or, in the case of English Pounds Sterling, in the
eurocurrency market).
“ Lien ” means,
with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust,
lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security
interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor
or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or
title retention agreement (or any financing lease having
substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing)
relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any
purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with
respect to such securities, except in favor of the issuer
thereof.
“ Loan Documents
” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Letter of Credit
Documents and the Security Documents.
“ Loans ” means
the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to
Section 2.01.
14
“ Local Time ”
means, with respect to any Loan denominated in or any payment to be
made in any Currency, the local time in the Principal Financial
Center for the Currency in which such Loan is denominated or such
payment is to be made.
“ Margin Stock ”
means “margin stock” within the meaning of Regulations
T, U and X.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the
business, Portfolio Investments and other assets, liabilities and
financial condition of the Borrower taken as a whole (excluding in
any case a decline in the net asset value of the Borrower or a
change in general market conditions or values of the
Borrower’s Portfolio Investments), or (b) the validity
or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or the rights or
remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
thereunder.
“ Material Indebtedness
” means (a) Indebtedness (other than the Loans, Letters
of Credit and Hedging Agreements), of any one or more of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount
exceeding $10,000,000 and (b) obligations in respect of one or
more Hedging Agreements under which the maximum aggregate amount
(giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower and the
Subsidiaries would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement(s)
were terminated at such time would exceed $10,000,000.
“ MCR Cost ”
means, with respect to any Lender, the cost imputed to such Lender
of compliance with the Mandatory Cost Rate requirements of the Bank
of England during the relevant period, determined in accordance
with Schedule VIII.
“ Moody’s
” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any
successor thereto.
“ Multiemployer Plan
” means a multiemployer plan as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“ National Currency
” means the currency, other than the Euro, of a Participating
Member State.
“ Obligor ”
means, collectively, the Borrower and the Subsidiary
Guarantors.
“ Other Permitted
Indebtedness ” means (a) accrued expenses and
current trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of
the Borrower’s business which are not overdue for a period of
more than 90 days or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings, (b) Indebtedness (other than
Indebtedness for borrowed money) arising in connection with
transactions in the ordinary course of the Borrower’s
business in connection with its purchasing of securities,
derivatives transactions, reverse repurchase agreements or dollar
rolls to the extent such transactions are permitted under the
Investment Company Act and the Investment Policies, provided
that such
15
Indebtedness does not arise in
connection with the purchase of Portfolio Investments other than
Cash Equivalents and U.S. Government Securities and
(c) Indebtedness in respect of judgments or awards that have
been in force for less than the applicable period for taking an
appeal so long as such judgments or awards do not constitute an
Event of Default under clause (l) of
Article VII.
“ Other Secured
Indebtedness ” means, as at any date, Indebtedness (other
than Indebtedness hereunder) of the Borrower (which may be
Guaranteed by Subsidiary Guarantors) that (a) has no
amortization prior to, and a final maturity date not earlier than,
six months after the Commitment Termination Date, (b) is
incurred pursuant to documentation containing other terms
(including interest, amortization, covenants and events of default)
that are no more restrictive in any material respect upon the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries than those set forth in this
Agreement and (c) is not secured by any assets of any Obligor
other than pursuant to the Security Documents and the holders of
which have agreed, in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent and the Collateral Agent, to be bound by the provisions of
the Security Documents.
“ Other Taxes ”
means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or
any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies
arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the
execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect
to, any Loan Document.
“ Participating Member
State ” means any member state of the European Community
that adopts or has adopted the Euro as its lawful currency in
accordance with the legislation of the European Union relating to
the European Monetary Union.
“ PBGC ” means
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in
ERISA and any successor entity performing similar
functions.
“ Permitted
Indebtedness ” means, collectively, Other Secured
Indebtedness and Unsecured Indebtedness.
“ Permitted Liens
” means (a) Liens imposed by any Governmental Authority
for taxes, assessments or charges not yet due or that are being
contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings if adequate
reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the
Borrower in accordance with GAAP; (b) Liens of clearing
agencies, broker-dealers and similar Liens incurred in the ordinary
course of business, provided that such Liens (i) attach only
to the securities (or proceeds) being purchased or sold and
(ii) secure only obligations incurred in connection with such
purchase or sale, and not any obligation in connection with margin
financing; (c) Liens imposed by law, such as
materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’,
workmens’, storage and repairmen’s Liens and other
similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and
securing obligations (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money);
(d) Liens incurred or pledges or deposits made to secure
obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business under
workers’ compensation laws, unemployment insurance or other
similar social security legislation (other than in respect of
employee benefit plans subject to ERISA) or to secure public
or
16
statutory obligations;
(e) Liens securing the performance of, or payment in respect
of, bids, insurance premiums, deductibles or co-insured amounts,
tenders, government or utility contracts (other than for the
repayment of borrowed money), surety, stay, customs and appeal
bonds and other obligations of a similar nature incurred in the
ordinary course of business; (f) Liens arising out of
judgments or awards that have been in force for less than the
applicable period for taking an appeal so long as such judgments or
awards do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (l)
of Article VII; (g) customary rights of setoff and liens
upon (i) deposits of cash in favor of banks or other
depository institutions in which such cash is maintained in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) cash and financial assets
held in securities accounts in favor of banks and other financial
institutions with which such accounts are maintained in the
ordinary course of business and (iii) assets held by a
custodian in favor of such custodian in the ordinary course of
business securing payment of fees, indemnities and other similar
obligations; (h) Liens arising solely from precautionary
filings of financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code
of the applicable jurisdictions in respect of operating leases
entered into by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business; and (i) precautionary Liens, and
filings of financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code,
covering assets sold or contributed to a Designated Subsidiary
pursuant to a securitization permitted hereunder.
“ Person ” means
any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust,
joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental
Authority or other entity.
“ Plan ” means
any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan)
subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412
of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which
the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were
terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be)
an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of
ERISA.
“ Portfolio Investment
” means any Investment held by the Obligors in their asset
portfolio (and solely for purposes of determining the Borrowing
Base, and of Sections 6.02(d) and 6.04(d) and
clause (p) of Article VII, Cash). Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that
any Portfolio Investments that have been contributed or sold,
purported to be sold or otherwise transferred to any Designated
Subsidiary, or which secure obligations in respect of the CP
Facility, shall not be treated as Portfolio Investments.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall limit the
provisions of Section 5.12(b)(i), which provides that, for
purposes of this Agreement, all determinations of whether an
investment is to be included as a Portfolio Investment shall be
determined on a settlement-date basis (meaning that any investment
that has been purchased will not be treated as a Portfolio
Investment until such purchase has settled, and any Portfolio
Investment which has been sold will not be excluded as a Portfolio
Investment until such sale has settled), provided that no
such investment shall be included as a Portfolio Investment to the
extent it has not been paid for in full.
17
“ Prime Rate ”
means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time
to time by JPMCB as its prime rate in effect at its principal
office in New York City; each change in the Prime Rate shall be
effective from and including the date such change is publicly
announced as being effective.
“ Principal Financial
Center ” means, in the case of any Currency, the
principal financial center where such Currency is cleared and
settled, as determined by the Administrative Agent.
“ Quarterly Dates
” means the last Business Day of March, June,
September and December in each year, commencing on
March 31, 2006.
“ Register ” has
the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“ Regulations D, T, U and
X ” means, respectively, Regulations D, T, U and X of the
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any
successor), as the same may be modified and supplemented and in
effect from time to time.
“ Related Parties
” means, with respect to any specified Person, such
Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers,
employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such
Person’s Affiliates.
“ Required Lenders
” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit
Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the
sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments
at such time.
“ Restricted Payment
” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash,
securities or other property) with respect to any shares of any
class of capital stock of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries,
or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property),
including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the
purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or
termination of any such shares of capital stock of the Borrower or
any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such shares of
capital stock of the Borrower.
“ Revolving Credit
Exposure ” means, with respect to any Lender at any time,
the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s
Loans and its LC Exposure at such time.
“ RIC ” means a
person qualifying for treatment as a “regulated investment
company” under the Code.
“ S&P ” means
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of
The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc., a New York corporation, or
any successor thereto.
“ Security Documents
” means, collectively, the Guarantee and Security Agreement,
all Uniform Commercial Code financing statements filed with respect
to the
18
security interests in personal
property created pursuant to the Guarantee and Security Agreement
and all other assignments, pledge agreements, security agreements,
intercreditor agreements, control agreements and other instruments
executed and delivered on or after the date hereof by any of the
Obligors pursuant to the Guarantee and Security Agreement or
otherwise providing or relating to any collateral security for any
of the Secured Obligations under and as defined in the Guarantee
and Security Agreement.
“ Shareholders’
Equity ” means, at any date, the amount determined on a
consolidated basis, without duplication, in accordance with GAAP,
of shareholders equity for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at
such date.
“ Special Equity
Interest ” means any Equity Interest that is subject to a
Lien in favor of creditors of the issuer of such Equity Interest,
provided that (a) such Lien was created to secure
Indebtedness owing by such issuer to such creditors, (b) such
Indebtedness was (i) in existence at the time the Obligors
acquired such Equity Interest, (ii) incurred or assumed by
such issuer substantially contemporaneously with such acquisition
or (iii) already subject to a Lien granted to such creditors
and (c) unless such Equity Interest is not intended to be
included in the Collateral, the documentation creating or governing
such Lien does not prohibit the inclusion of such Equity Interest
in the Collateral.
“ Standard Securitization
Undertakings ” means, collectively, (a) customary
arms-length servicing obligations (together with any related
performance guarantees), (b) obligations (together with any
related performance guarantees) to refund the purchase price or
grant purchase price credits for dilutive events or
misrepresentations (in each case unrelated to the collectibility of
the assets sold or the creditworthiness of the associated account
debtors ) and (c) representations, warranties, covenants and
indemnities (together with any related performance guarantees) of a
type that are reasonably customary in accounts receivable
securitizations.
“ Statutory Reserve
Rate ” means, for the Interest Period for any
Eurocurrency Borrowing, a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the
numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which
is the number one minus the arithmetic mean, taken over each
day in such Interest Period, of the aggregate of the maximum
reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or
supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the
Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency
funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency
liabilities” in Regulation D). Such reserve
percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to
Regulation D. Eurocurrency Loans shall be deemed to
constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve
requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions
or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender
under Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The
Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of
the effective date of any change in any reserve
percentage.
19
“ Subsidiary ”
means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent
”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which
would be consolidated with those of the parent in the
parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial
statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date,
as well as any other corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, association or other entity (a) of which
securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50%
of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in
the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership
interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or
(b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the
parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent
and one or more subsidiaries of the parent. Anything herein
to the contrary notwithstanding, the term “Subsidiary”
shall not include any Person that constitutes an Investment held by
the Borrower in the ordinary course of business and that is not,
under GAAP, consolidated on the financial statements of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries. Unless otherwise specified,
“Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the
Borrower.
“ Subsidiary Guarantor
” means any Subsidiary that is a Guarantor under the
Guarantee and Security Agreement. It is understood and agreed
that Designated Subsidiaries shall not be required to be Subsidiary
Guarantors.
“ Taxes ” means
any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties,
deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental
Authority.
“ Transactions ”
means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of
Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters
of Credit hereunder.
“ Type ”, when
used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the
rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans constituting such
Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or
the Alternate Base Rate.
“ Uniform Commercial
Code ” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect
from time to time in the State of New York.
“ Unsecured
Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Borrower
(which may be Guaranteed by Subsidiary Guarantors) that
(a) has no amortization prior to, and a final maturity date
not earlier than, six months after the Commitment Termination Date,
(b) is incurred pursuant to documentation containing other
terms (including interest, amortization, covenants and events of
default) and, in each case, no more restrictive in any material
respect upon the Borrower and its Subsidiaries than those set forth
in this Agreement and (c) is not secured by any assets of any
Obligor.
“ U.S. Government
Securities ” means securities that are direct obligations
of, and obligations the timely payment of principal and interest on
which is fully guaranteed by, the United States or any agency or
instrumentality of the United States the
20
obligations of which are backed by
the full faith and credit of the United States and in the form of
conventional bills, bonds, and notes.
“ Valuation Policy
” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 5.12(b)(ii)(B).
“ Value ” has the
meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.
“ Withdrawal Liability
” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a
complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as
such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of
ERISA.
SECTION 1.02.
Classification of Loans and Borrowings . For purposes
of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Type
(e.g., an “ABR Loan”). Borrowings also may be
classified and referred to by Type (e.g., an “ABR
Borrowing”). Loans and Borrowings may also be
identified by Currency.
SECTION 1.03.
Terms Generally . The definitions of terms herein
shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall
include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter
forms. The words “include”,
“includes” and “including” shall be deemed
to be followed by the phrase “without
limitation”. The word “will” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word
“shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise
(a) any definition of or reference to any agreement,
instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to
time amended, supplemented, renewed or otherwise modified (subject
to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements, renewals or
modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to
any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s
successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”,
“hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of
similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in
its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof,
(d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and
Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of,
and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the
words “asset” and “property” shall be
construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any
and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including
cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
SECTION 1.04.
Accounting Terms; GAAP . Except as otherwise expressly
provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature
shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time
to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the
Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment to any
provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring
after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the
operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent
notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an
amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of
whether any such notice is given before or after such change in
GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be
interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and
applied
21
immediately
before such change shall have become effective until such notice
shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance
herewith.
SECTION 1.06.
Currencies; Currency Equivalents.
(a)
Currencies Generally . At any time, any reference in
the definition of the term “Agreed Foreign Currency” or
in any other provision of this Agreement to the Currency of any
particular nation means the lawful currency of such nation at such
time whether or not the name of such Currency is the same as it was
on the date hereof. Except as provided in
Section 2.09(b) and the last sentence of
Section 2.16(a), for purposes of determining (i) whether
the amount of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, together with all
other Borrowings and Letters of Credit then outstanding or to be
borrowed at the same time as such Borrowing, would exceed the
aggregate amount of the Commitments, (ii) the aggregate
unutilized amount of the Commitments, (iii) the Revolving
Credit Exposure, (iv) the LC Exposure, (v) the Covered
Debt Amount and (vi) the Borrowing Base or the Value or the
fair market value of any Portfolio Investment, the outstanding
principal amount of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit that is
denominated in any Foreign Currency or the Value or the fair market
value of any Portfolio Investment that is denominated in any
Foreign Currency shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the
amount of the Foreign Currency of such Borrowing, Letter of Credit
or Portfolio Investment, as the case may be, determined as of the
date of such Borrowing or Letter of Credit (determined in
accordance with the last sentence of the definition of the term
“Interest Period”) or the date of valuation of such
Portfolio Investment, as the case may be. Wherever in this
Agreement in connection with a Borrowing or Loan an amount, such as
a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but
such Borrowing or Loan is denominated in a Foreign Currency, such
amount shall be the relevant Foreign Currency Equivalent of such
Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest 1,000 units of such Foreign
Currency).
(b)
Special Provisions Relating to Euro . Each obligation
hereunder of any party hereto that is denominated in the National
Currency of a state that is not a Participating Member State on the
date hereof shall, effective from the date on which such state
becomes a Participating Member State, be redenominated in Euro in
accordance with the legislation of the European Union applicable to
the European Monetary Union; provided that, if and to the
extent that any such legislation provides that any such obligation
of any such party payable within such Participating Member State by
crediting an account of the creditor can be paid by the debtor
either in Euros or such National Currency, such party shall be
entitled to pay or repay such amount either in Euros or in such
National Currency. If the basis of accrual of interest or
fees expressed in this Agreement with respect to an Agreed Foreign
Currency of any country that becomes a Participating Member State
after the date on which such currency becomes an Agreed Foreign
Currency shall be inconsistent with any convention or practice in
the interbank market for the basis of accrual of interest or fees
in respect of the Euro, such convention or practice shall replace
such expressed basis effective as of and from the date on which
such state becomes a Participating Member State; provided
that, with respect to any
22
Borrowing denominated in such
currency that is outstanding immediately prior to such date, such
replacement shall take effect at the end of the Interest Period
therefor.
Without prejudice to the respective
liabilities of the Borrower to the Lenders and the Lenders to the
Borrower under or pursuant to this Agreement, each provision of
this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of
construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time, in
consultation with the Borrower, reasonably specify to be necessary
or appropriate to reflect the introduction or changeover to the
Euro in any country that becomes a Participating Member State after
the date hereof; provided that the Administrative Agent
shall provide the Borrower and the Lenders with prior notice of the
proposed change with an explanation of such change in sufficient
time to permit the Borrower and the Lenders an opportunity to
respond to such proposed change.
ARTICLE II
THE
CREDITS
SECTION 2.01.
The Commitments . Subject to the terms and conditions
set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Loans in Dollars or in
any Agreed Foreign Currency to the Borrower from time to time
during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount
that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving
Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment,
(b) the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of all of the
Lenders exceeding the aggregate Commitments or (c) the total
Covered Debt Amount exceeding the Borrowing Base then in
effect. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms
and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay
and reborrow Loans.
SECTION 2.02.
Loans and Borrowings .
(a)
Obligations of Lenders . Each Loan shall be made as
part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Currency and
Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their
respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any
Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender
of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments
of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for
any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as
required.
(b)
Type of Loans . Subject to Section 2.12, each
Borrowing shall be constituted entirely of ABR Loans or of
Eurocurrency Loans denominated in a single Currency as the Borrower
may request in accordance herewith. Each ABR Loan shall
be denominated in Dollars. Each Lender at its option may make
any Eurocurrency Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or
Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that
any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the
Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement.
23
(c)
Minimum Amounts . Each Borrowing (whether Eurocurrency
or ABR) shall be in an aggregate amount of $1,000,000 or a larger
multiple of $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing
may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused
balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the
reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by
Section 2.04(f). Borrowings of more than one Currency
and Type may be outstanding at the same time.
(d)
Limitations on Interest Periods . Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be
entitled to request (or to elect to convert to or continue as a
Eurocurrency Borrowing) any Borrowing if the Interest Period
requested therefor would end after the Commitment Termination
Date.
SECTION 2.03.
Requests for Borrowings .
(a)
Notice by the Borrower . To request a Borrowing, the
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by
telephone (i) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing
denominated in Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York
City time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed
Borrowing, (ii) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing
denominated in a Foreign Currency, not later than 11:00 a.m.,
London time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed
Borrowing or (iii) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not
later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the
proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request
shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand
delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written
Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent
and signed by the Borrower.
(b)
Content of Borrowing Requests . Each telephonic and
written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information
in compliance with Section 2.02:
(i)
the aggregate amount and Currency of the requested
Borrowing;
(ii)
the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business
Day;
(iii)
in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, whether such
Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency
Borrowing;
(iv)
in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Interest Period
therefor, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of
the term “Interest Period” and permitted under
Section 2.02(d); and
(v)
the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which
funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements
of Section 2.05.
(c)
Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders .
Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance
with this Section, the
24
Administrative Agent shall advise
each Lender of the details thereof and of the amounts of such
Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested
Borrowing.
(d)
Failure to Elect . If no election as to the Currency
of a Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be
denominated in Dollars. If no election as to the Type of a
Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be a
Eurocurrency Borrowing having an Interest Period of one month
and, if an Agreed Foreign Currency has been specified, the
requested Borrowing shall be a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated
in such Agreed Foreign Currency and having an Interest Period of
one month. If a Eurocurrency Borrowing is requested but no
Interest Period is specified, (i) if the Currency specified
for such Borrowing is Dollars (or if no Currency has been so
specified), the requested Borrowing shall be a Eurocurrency
Borrowing denominated in Dollars having an Interest Period of one
month’s duration, and (ii) if the Currency specified for
such Borrowing is an Agreed Foreign Currency, the Borrower shall be
deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s
duration.
SECTION 2.04.
Letters of Credit .
(a)
General . Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein, in addition to the Loans provided for in
Section 2.01, the Borrower may request the Issuing Bank to
issue, at any time and from time to time during the Availability
Period, Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars or in any Agreed
Foreign Currency for its own account in such form as is acceptable
to the Issuing Bank in its reasonable determination and for the
benefit of such named beneficiary or beneficiaries as are specified
by the Borrower. Letters of Credit issued hereunder shall
constitute utilization of the Commitments up to the aggregate
amount available to be drawn thereunder.
(b)
Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal or Extension .
To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment,
renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the
Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic
communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by
the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent
(reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance
of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be
amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day),
the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall
comply with paragraph (d) of this Section), the amount
and Currency of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the
beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be
necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of
Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also
shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing
Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a
Letter of Credit. In the event of any inconsistency between
the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and
conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other
agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the
Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit,
the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall
control.
25
(c)
Limitations on Amounts . A Letter of Credit shall be
issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance,
amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the
Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after
giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension
(i) the aggregate LC Exposure of the Issuing Bank
(determined for these purposes without giving effect to the
participations therein of the Lenders pursuant to
paragraph (e) of this Section) shall not exceed
$25,000,000, (ii) the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall
not exceed the aggregate Commitments and (iii) the total
Covered Debt Amount shall not exceed the Borrowing Base then in
effect.
(d)
Expiration Date . Each Letter of Credit shall expire
at or prior to the close of business on the date twelve months
after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the
case of any renewal or extension thereof, twelve months after the
then-current expiration date of such Letter of Credit, so long as
such renewal or extension occurs within three months of such
then-current expiration date); provided that any Letter of
Credit with a one-year term may provide for the renewal thereof for
additional one-year periods.
(e)
Participations . By the issuance of a Letter of Credit
(or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount
thereof) by the Issuing Bank, and without any further action on the
part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby
grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the
Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to
such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount
available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. Each
Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire
participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of
Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by
any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or
extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance
of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments,
provided that no Lender shall be required to purchase a
participation in a Letter of Credit pursuant to this
Section 2.04(e) if (x) the conditions set forth in
Section 4.02 would not be satisfied in respect of a Borrowing
at the time such Letter of Credit was issued and (y) the
Required Lenders shall have so notified the Issuing Bank in writing
and shall not have subsequently determined that the circumstances
giving rise to such conditions not being satisfied no longer
exist.
In consideration and in furtherance
of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally
agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for account of the
Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each
LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank promptly upon the
request of the Issuing Bank at any time from the time of such
LC Disbursement until such LC Disbursement is reimbursed
by the Borrower or at any time after any reimbursement payment is
required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason. Such
payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or
reduction whatsoever. Each such payment shall be made in the
same manner as provided in Section 2.05 with respect to Loans
made by such Lender (and
26
Section 2.05 shall apply,
mutatis mutandis , to the payment obligations of the
Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the
Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.
Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any
payment from the Borrower pursuant to the next following paragraph,
the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the
Issuing Bank or, to the extent that the Lenders have made payments
pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to
such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may
appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this
paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any
LC Disbursement shall not constitute a Loan and shall not
relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such
LC Disbursement.
(f)
Reimbursement . If the Issuing Bank shall make any
LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower
shall reimburse the Issuing Bank in respect of such
LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent an
amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than
12:00 noon, New York City time, on (i) the Business Day
that the Borrower receives notice of such LC Disbursement, if
such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City
time, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the day
that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not
received prior to such time, provided that, if such
LC Disbursement is not less than $1,000,000, the Borrower may,
subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in
accordance with Section 2.03 that such payment be financed
with an ABR Borrowing in an equivalent amount and, to the
extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such
payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting
ABR Borrowing.
If the Borrower fails to make such
payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender
of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from
the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage thereof.
(g)
Obligations Absolute . The Borrower’s obligation
to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in
paragraph (f) of this Section shall be absolute,
unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all
circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of
validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit, or any term or
provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented
under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or
invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or
inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank
under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other
document that does not comply strictly with the terms of such
Letter of Credit, and (iv) any other event or circumstance
whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that
might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal
or equitable discharge of the Borrower’s obligations
hereunder.
Neither the Administrative Agent,
the Lenders nor the Issuing Bank, nor any of their Related Parties,
shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in
connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit by
the Issuing Bank or any payment or failure to make any payment
thereunder (irrespective of any of the
27
circumstances referred to in the
preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or
delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other
communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including
any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in
interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from
causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that
the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank
from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages
(as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which
are hereby waived by the Borrower to the extent permitted by
applicable law) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by the
Issuing Bank’s gross negligence or willful misconduct when
determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a
Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties
hereto expressly agree that:
(i)
the Issuing Bank may accept documents that appear on their face to
be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit
without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any
notice or information to the contrary, and may make payment upon
presentation of documents that appear on their face to be in
substantial compliance with the terms of such Letter of
Credit;
(ii)
the Issuing Bank shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to
decline to accept such documents and to make such payment if such
documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such
Letter of Credit; and
(iii)
this sentence shall establish the standard of care to be exercised
by the Issuing Bank when determining whether drafts and other
documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms
thereof (and the parties hereto hereby waive, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, any standard of care inconsistent with
the foregoing).
(h)
Disbursement Procedures . The Issuing Bank shall,
within a reasonable time following its receipt thereof, examine all
documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a
Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly after such
examination notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower by
telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and
whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an
LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure
to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the
Borrower of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the
Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.
(i)
Interim Interest . If the Issuing Bank shall make any
LC Disbursement, then, unless the Borrower shall reimburse
such LC Disbursement in full on the date such
LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear
interest, for each day from and including the date such
LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the
Borrower reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per
annum then applicable to ABR Loans; provided that, if
the Borrower fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement within
two Business Days following the date when due pursuant
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to paragraph (f) of this
Section, then the provisions of Section 2.11(c) shall
apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be
for account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on
and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to
paragraph (f) of this Section to reimburse the
Issuing Bank shall be for account of such Lender to the extent of
such payment.
(j)
Replacement of the Issuing Bank . The Issuing Bank may
be replaced at any time by written agreement between the Borrower,
the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the
successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify
the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank. At
the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower
shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for account of the replaced
Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.10(b). From and after
the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor
Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the
replaced Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters
of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein
to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to
such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such
successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall
require. After the replacement of the Issuing Bank hereunder,
the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall
continue to have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank
under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it
prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue
additional Letters of Credit.
(k)
Cash Collateralization . If the Borrower shall be
required to provide cover for LC Exposure pursuant to
Section 2.08(a), Section 2.09(c) or the last
paragraph of Article VII, the Borrower shall immediately
deposit into a segregated collateral account or accounts (herein,
collectively, the “ Letter of Credit Collateral
Account ”) in the name and under the dominion and control
of the Administrative Agent Cash denominated in the Currency of the
Letter of Credit under which such LC Exposure arises in an amount
equal to the amount required under Section 2.08(a),
Section 2.09(c) or the last paragraph of
Article VII, as applicable. Such deposit shall be held
by the Administrative Agent as collateral in the first instance for
the LC Exposure under this Agreement and thereafter for the
payment of the “Secured Obligations” under and as
defined in the Guarantee and Security Agreement, and for these
purposes the Borrower hereby grants a security interest to the
Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders in the Letter
of Credit Collateral Account and in any financial assets (as
defined in the Uniform Commercial Code) or other property held
therein.
SECTION 2.05.
Funding of Borrowings .
(a)
Funding by Lenders . Each Lender shall make each Loan
to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire
transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., Local
Time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently
designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders.
The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the
Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like
funds, to an account of the Borrower designated by the Borrower in
the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that
ABR Borrowings
29
made to finance the reimbursement of
an LC Disbursement as provided in
Section 2.04(f) shall be remitted by the Administrative
Agent to the Issuing Bank.
(b)
Presumption by the Administrative Agent . Unless the
Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior
to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not
make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s
share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that
such Lender has made such share available on such date in
accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and
may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the
Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender
has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing
available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender
and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent
forthwith on demand such corresponding amount 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 (i) in the case of such
Lender, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or (ii) in the case
of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to
ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the
Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such
Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.
SECTION 2.06.
Interest Elections .
(a)
Elections by the Borrower for Borrowings . Subject to
Section 2.03(d), the Loans constituting each Borrowing
initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable
Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing,
shall have the Interest Period specified in such Borrowing
Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such
Borrowing to a Borrowing of a different Type or to continue such
Borrowing as a Borrowing of the same Type and, in the case of a
Eurocurrency Borrowing, may elect the Interest Period therefor, all
as provided in this Section; provided , however ,
that (i) a Borrowing denominated in one Currency may not be
continued as, or converted to, a Borrowing in a different Currency,
(ii) no Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in a Foreign
Currency may be continued if, after giving effect thereto, the
aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the aggregate
Commitments, and (iii) a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in
a Foreign Currency may not be converted to a Borrowing of a
different Type. The Borrower may elect different options with
respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which
case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders
holding the Loans constituting such Borrowing, and the Loans
constituting each such portion shall be considered a separate
Borrowing.
(b)
Notice of Elections . To make an election pursuant to
this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of
such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing Request
would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were
requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to
be made on the effective date of such election. Each such
telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall
be confirmed promptly (but no later than the close of business on
the date of such request) by hand delivery or telecopy to the
Administrative Agent of a
30
written Interest Election Request in
a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the
Borrower.
(c)
Content of Interest Election Requests . Each
telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall specify the
following information in compliance with
Section 2.02:
(i)
the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and,
if different options are being elected with respect to different
portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each
resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified
pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) of this
paragraph shall be specified for each resulting
Borrowing);
(ii)
the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest
Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii)
whether, in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, the
resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
Eurocurrency Borrowing; and
(iv)
if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the
Interest Period therefor after giving effect to such election,
which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term
“Interest Period” and permitted under
Section 2.02(d).
(d)
Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders .
Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details
thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting
Borrowing.
(e)
Failure to Elect; Events of Default . If the Borrower
fails to deliver a timely and complete Interest Election Request
with respect to a Eurocurrency Borrowing prior to the end of the
Interest Period therefor, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as
provided herein, (i) if such Borrowing is denominated in
Dollars, at the end of such Interest Period such Borrowing shall be
converted to a Eurocurrency Borrowing having an Interest Period of
one month, and (ii) if such Borrowing is denominated in a
Foreign Currency, the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an
Interest Period of one month’s duration.
Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative
Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the
Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing no
outstanding Eurocurrency Borrowing may have an Interest Period of
more than one month’s duration.
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SECTION 2.07.
Termination, Reduction or Increase of the Commitments
.
(a)
Scheduled Termination . Unless previously terminated,
the Commitments shall terminate on the Commitment Termination
Date.
(b)
Voluntary Termination or Reduction . The Borrower may
at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the
Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the
Commitments shall be in an amount that is $25,000,000 or a larger
multiple of $5,000,000 in excess thereof the Borrower shall not
terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any
concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with
Section 2.09, the total Revolving Credit Exposures would
exceed the total Commitments and (ii) in no event may the
Commitments hereunder be reduced to an amount less than or equal to
the aggregate commitments in respect of Designated Indebtedness
under and as defined in the Guarantee and Security Agreement, and
any such requested reduction shall be ineffective.
(c)
Notice of Voluntary Termination or Reduction . The
Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to
terminate or reduce the Commitments under
paragraph (b) of this Section at least three
Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or
reduction, specifying such election and the effective date
thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the
Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents
thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to
this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a
notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower
may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of
other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked
by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior
to the specified effective date) if such condition is not
satisfied.
(d)
Effect of Termination or Reduction . Any termination
or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each
reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the
Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.
(e)
Increase of the Commitments .
(i)
Requests for Increase by Borrower . The Borrower may
at any time propose that the Commitments hereunder be increased
(each such proposed increase being a “ Commitment
Increase ”) by notice to the Administrative Agent,
specifying each existing Lender (each an “ Increasing
Lender ”) and/or each additional lender (each an “
Assuming Lender ”) that shall have agreed to an
additional Commitment and the date on which such increase is to be
effective (the “ Commitment Increase Date ”),
which shall be a Business Day at least three Business Days after
delivery of such notice and 30 days prior to the Commitment
Termination Date; provided that:
32
(A)
the minimum amount of such increase shall be $25,000,000 or a
larger multiple of $25,000,000 in excess thereof, and the maximum
amount of such increase shall not exceed $250,000,000;
(B)
the minimum amount of the Commitment of any Assuming Lender, and
the minimum amount of the increase of the Commitment of any
Increasing Lender, as part of such Commitment Increase shall be
$25,000,000 or a larger multiple of $5,000,000 in excess
thereof;
(C)
each Assuming Lender shall be consented to by the Administrative
Agent and the Issuing Bank;
(D)
no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such Commitment
Increase Date or shall result from the proposed Commitment
Increase; and
(E)
the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement
shall be true and correct on and as of the Commitment Increase Date
as if made on and as of such date (or, if any such representation
or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific
date, as of such specific date).
(ii)
Effectiveness of Commitment Increase by Borrower . The
Assuming Lender, if any, shall become a Lender hereunder as of such
Commitment Increase Date and the Commitment of any Increasing
Lender and such Assuming Lender shall be increased as of such
Commitment Increase Date; provided that:
(x)
the Administrative Agent shall have received on or prior to
11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Commitment Increase
Date a certificate of a duly authorized officer of the Borrower
stating that each of the applicable conditions to such Commitment
Increase set forth in the foregoing paragraph (i) has
been satisfied; and
(y)
each Assuming Lender or Increasing Lender shall have delivered to
the Administrative Agent, on or prior to 11:00 a.m., New York
City time, on such Commitment Increase Date, an agreement, in form
and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent, pursuant to which such Lender shall, effective as of such
Commitment Increase Date, undertake a Commitment or an increase of
Commitment, duly executed by such Assuming Lender and the Borrower
and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent.
33
(iii)
Recordation into Register . Upon its receipt of an
agreement referred to in clause (ii)(y) above executed by an
Assuming Lender or any Increasing Lender, together with the
certificate referred to in clause (ii)(x) above, the
Administrative Agent shall, if such agreement has been completed,
(x) accept such agreement, (y) record the information
contained therein in the Register and (z) give prompt notice
thereof to the Borrower.
(iv)
Adjustments of Borrowings upon Effectiveness of Increase
. In the event that the Administrative Agent shall have
received notice from the Borrower as to any agreement with respect
to a Commitment Increase on or prior to the relevant Commitment
Increase Date and the actions provided for in clauses (ii)(x)
and (ii)(y) above shall have occurred by 9:00 a.m., New York
City time, on such Commitment Increase Date, the Administrative
Agent shall notify the Lenders (including any Assuming Lenders) of
the occurrence of such Commitment Increase Date promptly on such
date by facsimile transmission or electronic messaging
system. If on the Commitment Increase Date any Loans shall be
outstanding, the Borrower will borrow from each of the Increasing
Lenders, and the Increasing Lenders will make Loans to the Borrower
(in the case of Eurocurrency Loans, with Interest Period(s) ending
on the date(s) of any then outstanding Interest Period(s)), and
(notwithstanding the provisions in this Agreement requiring that
borrowings and prepayments be made ratably in accordance with the
principal amounts of the Loans held by the Lenders) the Borrower
shall prepay the Loans held by the other Lenders (other than the
Increasing Lenders) in such amounts as may be necessary, together
with any amounts payable under Section 2.14 as a result of
such prepayment, so that after giving effect to such Loans and
prepayments, the Loans (and Interest Period(s) of Eurocurrency
Loan(s)) shall be held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with
the respective amounts of their Commitments (as modified
hereby). Concurrently therewith, the Lenders shall be deemed
to have adjusted their participation interests in any outstanding
Letters of Credit so that such interests are held ratably in
accordance with their Commitments as so increased.
SECTION 2.08.
Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt .
(a)
Repayment . The Borrower hereby unconditionally
promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for account of the
Lenders the outstanding principal amount of the Loans on the
Commitment Termination Date.
In addition, on the Commitment
Termination Date, the Borrower shall deposit into the Letter of
Credit Collateral Account Cash in an amount equal to 102% of the
undrawn face amount of all Letters of Credit outstanding on the
close of business on the Commitment Termination Date, such deposit
to be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral security for
the LC Exposure under this Agreement in respect of the undrawn
portion of such Letters of Credit.
(b)
Manner of Payment . Prior to any repayment or
prepayment of any Borrowings hereunder, the Borrower shall select
the Borrowing or Borrowings to be paid and shall notify the
Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of
such
34
selection not later than
11:00 a.m., New York City time, three Business Days before the
scheduled date of such repayment; provided that each
repayment of Borrowings shall be applied to repay any outstanding
ABR Borrowings before any other Borrowings. If the
Borrower fails to make a timely selection of the Borrowing or
Borrowings to be repaid or prepaid, such payment shall be applied,
first, to pay any outstanding ABR Borrowings and, second, to
other Borrowings in the order of the remaining duration of their
respective Interest Periods (the Borrowing with the shortest
remaining Interest Period to be repaid first). Each payment
of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in
such Borrowing.
(c)
Maintenance of Records by Lenders . Each Lender shall
maintain in accordance with its usual practice records evidencing
the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each
Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts and Currency of
principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to
time hereunder.
(d)
Maintenance of Records by the Administrative Agent .
The Administrative Agent shall maintain records in which it shall
record (i) the amount and Currency of each Loan made
hereunder, the Type thereof and each Interest Period therefor,
(ii) the amount and Currency of any principal or interest due
and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each
Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount and Currency of any sum
received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for account of the
Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(e)
Effect of Entries . The entries made in the records
maintained pursuant to paragraph (c) or (d) of
this Section shall be prima facie evidence,
absent obvious error, of the existence and amounts of the
obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of
any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such records or
any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of
the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement.
(f)
Promissory Notes . Any Lender may request that Loans
made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event,
the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a
promissory note payable to such Lender (or, if requested by such
Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form
approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans
evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all
times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 9.04) be
represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to
the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a
registered note, to such payee and its registered
assigns).
SECTION 2.09.
Prepayment of Loans .
(a)
Optional Prepayments . The Borrower shall have the
right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in
whole or in part, without
35
premium or penalty except for
payments under Section 2.14, subject to the requirements of
this Section.
(b)
Mandatory Prepayments due to Changes in Exchange Rates
.
(i)
Determination of Amount Outstanding . On each
Quarterly Date and, in addition, promptly upon the receipt by the
Administrative Agent of a Currency Valuation Notice (as defined
below), the Administrative Agent shall determine the aggregate
Revolving Credit Exposure. For the purpose of this
determination, the outstanding principal amount of any Loan that is
denominated in any Foreign Currency shall be deemed to be the
Dollar Equivalent of the amount in the Foreign Currency of such
Loan, determined as of such Quarterly Date or, in the case of a
Currency Valuation Notice received by the Administrative Agent
prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on a Business Day, on
such Business Day or, in the case of a Currency Valuation Notice
otherwise received, on the first Business Day after such Currency
Valuation Notice is received. Upon making such determination,
the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the
Borrower thereof.
(ii)
Prepayment . If, on the date of such determination the
aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure exceeds 105% of the aggregate
amount of the Commitments as then in effect, the Borrower shall, if
requested by the Required Lenders (through the Administrative
Agent), prepay the Loans (and/or provide cover for LC Exposure
as specified in Section 2.04(k)) within 15 Business Days
following the Borrower’s receipt of such request in such
amounts as shall be necessary so that after giving effect thereto
the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure does not exceed the
Commitments.
For purposes hereof, “
Currency Valuation Notice ” means a notice given by
the Required Lenders to the Administrative Agent stating that such
notice is a “Currency Valuation Notice” and requesting
that the Administrative Agent determine the aggregate Revolving
Credit Exposure. The Administrative Agent shall not be
required to make more than one valuation determination pursuant to
Currency Valuation Notices within any rolling three month
period.
Any prepayment pursuant to this
paragraph shall be applied, first , to Loans outstanding and
second , as cover for LC Exposure.
(c)
Mandatory Prepayments due to Borrowing Base Deficiency
. In the event that at any time any Borrowing Base Deficiency
shall exist, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans (or provide cover
for Letters of Credit as contemplated by Section 2.04(k)), or
reduce Permitted Indebtedness or Indebtedness incurred pursuant to
Section 6.01(f), in such amounts as shall be necessary so that
such Borrowing Base Deficiency is immediately cured,
provided that (i) the aggregate amount of such
prepayment of Loans (and cover for Letters of Credit) shall be at
least equal to the Revolving Credit Exposure’s ratable share
of the aggregate prepayment and reduction of
36
Permitted Indebtedness and of
Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 6.01(f) and
(ii) if, within five Business Days after delivery of a
Borrowing Base Certificate demonstrating such Borrowing Base
Deficiency (and/or at such other times as the Borrower has
knowledge of such Borrowing Base Deficiency), the Borrower shall
present the Administrative Agent a reasonably feasible plan to
enable such Borrowing Base Deficiency to be cured within 30
Business Days (which 30-Business Day period shall include the five
Business Days permitted for delivery of such plan), then such
prepayment or reduction shall not be required to be effected
immediately but may be effected in accordance with such plan (with
such modifications as the Borrower may reasonably determine), so
long as such Borrowing Base Deficiency is cured within such
30-Business Day period.
(d)
Notices, Etc. The Borrower shall notify the
Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any
prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a
Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York
City time (or, in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign
Currency, 11:00 a.m., London time), three Business Days before
the date of prepayment or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an
ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City
time, on the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be
irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date, the principal
amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid and, in
the case of a mandatory prepayment, a reasonably detailed
calculation of the amount of such prepayment; provided that,
if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional
notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by
Section 2.07, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if
such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with
Section 2.07. Promptly following receipt of any such
notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall
advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial
prepayme