SEVENTH AMENDED AND
RESTATED
REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT
Effective as of
March 19, 2007
Among
GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE,
INC.,
the Subsidiary
Borrowers Listed Herein,
THE LENDERS LISTED
HEREIN,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
N.A.
as Administrative
Agent,
COMERICA
BANK,
as Floor Plan
Agent,
and
BANK OF AMERICA,
N.A.
as Syndication
Agent
* * * * *
J. P. Morgan
Securities Inc.
Lead Arranger and
Sole Bookrunner
Andrews Kurth LLP
Counsel for Administrative Agent
1
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Page
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Article I CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS,
ACCOUNTING TERMS AND CONSTRUCTION
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Section 1.1
Section 1.2
Section 1.3
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Certain Defined Terms
Accounting Terms
Interpretation
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Article II THE FLOOR PLAN LOANS
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Section 2.1
Section 2.2
Section 2.3
Section 2.4
Section 2.5
Section 2.6
Section 2.7
Section 2.8
Section 2.9
Section 2.10
Section 2.11
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Floor Plan Loan Commitments
Floor Plan Loans.
Floor Plan Borrowing Procedure
Notice of Types of Floor Plan Loans and Interest Periods
Payments; Application of Payments
Title Documents
Power of Attorney
Issuance of Drafting Agreements
Conditions to Issuance
Drafts Under Manufacturers Drafting Letters
Obligations Absolute
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Article III ACQUISITION LOANS
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Section 3.1
Section 3.2
Section 3.3
Section 3.4
Article IV SWING LINE LOANS
Section 4.1
Section 4.2
Section 4.3
Section 4.4
Section 4.5
Section 4.6
Article V ALL LOANS
Section 5.1
Section 5.2
Section 5.3
Section 5.4
Section 5.5
Section 5.6
Section 5.7
Section 5.8
Section 5.9
Section 5.10
Section 5.11
Section 5.12
Section 5.13
Section 5.14
Section 5.15
Section 5.16
Section 5.17
Section 5.18
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Acquisition Loan Commitments
Acquisition Loans
Acquisition Loan Borrowing Procedure
Reserve Commitment; Reduction of Acquisition Loan Advance Limit
Swing Line Commitments
Accrual of Interest; Margin Adjustments
Requests for Swing Line Loans
Disbursement of Swing Line Loans
Refunding of or Participation Interest in Swing Line Loans
Swing Line Overdraft Loans
Notes; Advancement and Repayment of Loans
Interest on Loans
Interest on Overdue Amounts
Fees
Termination, Reduction or Conversion of Commitments
Alternate Rate of Interest
Prepayment of Loans; Mandatory Reduction of Indebtedness
Reserve Requirements; Change in Circumstances
Change in Legality
Breakage Costs and Related Matters
Pro Rata Treatment
Place of Payments
Sharing of Setoffs
Payments Free of Taxes
Applicable Interest Rate
Extension of Maturity Date
Replacement Lenders
Increase of Commitments
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Article VI LETTERS OF CREDIT
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Section 6.1
Section 6.2
Section 6.3
Section 6.4
Section 6.5
Section 6.6
Section 6.7
Section 6.8
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General
Issuance, Amendment and Renewal of Letters of Credit
Risk Participations, Drawings and Reimbursements
Repayment of Participation
Role of the Issuing Bank
Obligations Absolute
Letter of Credit Fees
Cash Collateralization
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Article VII REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES
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Section 7.1
Section 7.2
Section 7.3
Section 7.4
Section 7.5
Section 7.6
Section 7.7
Section 7.8
Section 7.9
Section 7.10
Section 7.11
Section 7.12
Section 7.13
Section 7.14
Section 7.15
Section 7.16
Section 7.17
Section 7.18
Section 7.19
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Organization; Corporate Powers
Authorization
Governmental Approval
Enforceability
Financial Statements
No Material Adverse Change
Title to Properties; Security Documents
Litigation; Compliance with Laws; Etc
Agreements; No Default
Federal Reserve Regulations
Taxes
Pension and Welfare Plans
No Material Misstatements
Investment Company Act
Maintenance of Insurance
Existing Liens
Environmental Matters
Subsidiaries
Engaged in Motor Vehicle Sales
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Section 7.20 Dealer Franchise Agreements
and Manufacturer Framework Agreements
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Section 7.21 Use of Proceeds
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Article VIII CONDITIONS OF LENDING
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Section 8.1
Section 8.2
Section 8.3
Section 8.4
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Conditions Precedent to Closing Date
Conditions Precedent to Initial Borrowings
Conditions Precedent to Each Borrowing
Conditions Precedent to Conversions and Continuations
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Article IX AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
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Section 9.1
Section 9.2
Section 9.3
Section 9.4
Section 9.5
Section 9.6
Section 9.7
Section 9.8
Section 9.9
Section 9.10
Section 9.11
Section 9.12
Section 9.13
Section 9.14
Section 9.15
Section 9.16
Section 9.17
Section 9.18
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Existence
Repair
Insurance
Obligations and Taxes
Financial Statements; Reports
Litigation and Other Notices
ERISA
Books, Records and Access
Use of Proceeds
Nature of Business
Compliance
Audits
Demonstrators and Rental Motor Vehicles
Disbursement Account
Further Assurances
Permitted Acquisitions
Ford Borrower and GM Borrower Dividends
Segregated Bank Accounts
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Article X NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Section 10.1
Section 10.2
Section 10.3
Section 10.4
Section 10.5
Section 10.6
Section 10.7
Section 10.8
Section 10.9
Section 10.10
Section 10.11
Section 10.12
Section 10.13
Section 10.14
Section 10.15
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Indebtedness
Liens
Consolidations and Mergers
Disposition of Assets
Investments
Transactions with Affiliates
Other Agreements
Fiscal Year; Accounting
Credit Standards
Pension Plans
Stockholder’s Equity
Restricted Payments
Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio
Senior Secured Leverage Ratio and Total Leverage Ratio
Current Ratio
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Article XI EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND
REMEDIES
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Section 11.1
Section 11.2
Section 11.3
Section 11.4
Section 11.5
Section 11.6
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Acquisition Events of Default
Acquisition Remedies
Floor Plan Events of Default
Floor Plan Remedies
Overdrawing of Floor Plan Loans
Application of Collateral
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Article XII THE AGENT, FLOOR PLAN AGENT
AND THE COLLATERAL
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Section 12.1 Authorization and Action of
the Agent; Rights and Duties Regarding Collateral, Priority of
Distributions
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Section 12.2
Section 12.3
Section 12.4
Section 12.5
Section 12.6
Section 12.7
Section 12.8
Section 12.9
Section 12.10
Section 12.11
Section 12.12
Section 12.13
Section 12.14
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Agent’s Reliance
Agent and Affiliates; JPMorgan Chase and Affiliates
Lenders’ Indemnity of Agent
Lender Credit Decision
Resignation of Agent; Successor Agent
Notice of Default
Authorization and Action of the Floor Plan Agent.
Floor Plan Agent’s Reliance
Floor Plan Agent and Affiliates; Comerica and Affiliates
Floor Plan Agent’s Indemnity
Lender Credit Decision
Resignation of Floor Plan Agent; Successor Floor Plan Agent
Notice of Default
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Article XIII MISCELLANEOUS
Section 13.1
Section 13.2
Section 13.3
Section 13.4
Section 13.5
Section 13.6
Section 13.7
Section 13.8
Section 13.9
Section 13.10
Section 13.11
Section 13.12
Section 13.13
Section 13.14
Section 13.15
Section 13.16
Section 13.17
Section 13.18
Section 13.19
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Notices, Etc
Survival of Agreement
Successors and Assigns; Participations
Expenses of the Agents and Lenders; Indemnity
Right of Setoff
Governing Law; Jurisdiction
Waivers; Amendments
Interest
Severability; Conflicts
Counterparts
Binding Effect
Further Assurances
Subsidiary Solvency Savings Clause
Joint and Several Liability and Related Matters
USA Patriot Act
Loans Under Prior Credit Agreement
FINAL AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES
Confidentiality
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
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2
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EXHIBIT 1.1A
EXHIBIT 1.1B
EXHIBIT 1.1C
EXHIBIT 1.1D
EXHIBIT 1.1E
EXHIBIT 1.1F
EXHIBIT 1.1G
EXHIBIT 5.18(b)
EXHIBIT 5.18(c)
EXHIBIT 8.1(g)
EXHIBIT 9.5(c)
EXHIBIT 13.3(b)
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FORM OF ADDENDUM AND JOINDER AGREEMENT TO
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT AND NOTE
FORM OF ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE
FORM OF FLOOR PLAN NOTE
FORM OF REQUEST FOR BORROWING (Floor Plan
Loans/Swing Line Loans)
FORM OF REQUEST FOR BORROWING (Acquisition Loans)
FORM OF ACQUISITION NOTE
FORM OF SWING LINE NOTE
FORM OF NEW LENDER AGREEMENT
FORM OF COMMITMENT INCREASE AGREEMENT
FORM OF LEGAL OPINION
FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ACCEPTANCE
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3
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SCHEDULE 1.1(a)
SCHEDULE 1.1(b)
SCHEDULE 1.1(c)
SCHEDULE 7.8(a)
SCHEDULE 7.12
SCHEDULE 7.16(g)
SCHEDULE 7.18
SCHEDULE 7.20
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENTS
SCHEDULE 10.1(b)
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LENDERS AND COMMITMENTS
FORD BORROWERS
GM BORROWERS
LITIGATION
ERISA DISCLOSURES
EXISTING LIENS
SUBSIDIARIES
DEALER FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS AND MANUFACTURER
EXISTING INDEBTEDNESS
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4
THIS SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED REVOLVING CREDIT
AGREEMENT dated effective as of March 19, 2007, is entered
into among GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE, INC. , a Delaware corporation
(the “ Company ”), each of the
Subsidiaries of the Company listed on the signature pages hereof
and such other Subsidiaries of the Company which hereafter shall
become parties this Agreement (the Company and the Restricted
Subsidiaries of the Company are sometimes referred to herein as,
individually, a “ Borrower ,” and
collectively, the “ Borrowers ”), the
lenders listed on the signature pages hereof or that become party
hereto pursuant to Section 5.18 or
Section 13.3 (the “ Lenders
”), JPMORGAN CHASE BANK , N.A. (as successor by
merger to The Chase Manhattan Bank and Chase Bank of Texas, N.A.
and formerly known as JPMorgan Chase Bank), as Administrative Agent
for the Lenders (in such capacity together with any successor in
such capacity pursuant to Section 12.6 , the “
Agent ”), COMERICA BANK , as Floor Plan
Agent for the Lenders (in such capacity together with any successor
in such capacity pursuant to Section 12.13 , the
“ Floor Plan Agent ”), and BANK OF
AMERICA , N.A. , as Syndication Agent.
R E C I T A L S
WHEREAS , on December 31,
1997, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto, the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent entered into the Revolving Credit Agreement (the
“ Initial Agreement ”), whereby, upon the
terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders agreed to make
loans to the Borrowers up to the aggregate amount of $125,000,000,
to be used by the Borrowers for the purposes set forth in
Section 9.9 of the Initial Agreement; and
WHEREAS , on June 19,
1998, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto, the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent amended the Initial Agreement and entered into an
Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement (hereinafter called
the “ Amended and Restated Agreement ”)
whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders
agreed to make loans to the Borrowers up to the aggregate amount of
$345,000,000 to be used by the Borrowers for the purposes set forth
in Section 9.9 of the Amended and Restated Agreement;
and
WHEREAS , on November 10,
1998, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto, the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent amended the Amended and Restated Agreement and
entered into the Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit
Agreement (hereinafter called the “ Second Amended and
Restated Agreement ”) whereby, upon the terms and
conditions therein stated, such lenders agreed to make loans to the
Borrowers up to the aggregate amount of $425,000,000 to be used by
the Borrowers for the purposes set forth in Section 9.9
of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement; and
WHEREAS , on May 12,
1999, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto, the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent amended the Second Amended and Restated Revolving
Credit Agreement and entered into the Third Amended and Restated
Revolving Credit Agreement (hereinafter called the “
Third Amended and Restated Agreement ”)
whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders
agreed to make loans to the Borrowers up to the aggregate amount of
$500,000,000 to be used by the Borrowers for the purposes set forth
in Section 9.9 of the Third Amended and Restated
Agreement; and
WHEREAS , on October 15,
1999 and effective as of November 1, 1999, the Borrowers, the
lenders party thereto, the Agent and the Floor Plan Agent amended
the Third Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement and
entered into the Fourth Amended and Restated Revolving Credit
Agreement (as subsequently amended, hereinafter called the “
Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement ”)
whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders
agreed to make loans to the Borrowers up to the aggregate amount of
$1,000,000,000 to be used by the Borrowers for the purposes set
forth in Section 9.9 of the Fourth Amended and Restated
Agreement; and
WHEREAS , on June 2,
2003, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto, the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent amended the Fourth Amended and Restated Revolving
Credit Agreement and entered into the Fifth Amended and Restated
Revolving Credit Agreement (as subsequently amended, hereinafter
called the “ Fifth Amended and Restated
Agreement ”) whereby, upon the terms and conditions
therein stated, such lenders agreed to make loans to the Borrowers
up to the aggregate amount of $775,000,000 to be used by the
Borrowers for the purposes set forth in Section 9.9 of
the Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement; and
WHEREAS , on December 16,
2005, the Borrowers, the lenders party thereto, the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent amended the Fifth Amended and Restated Revolving
Credit Agreement and entered into the Sixth Amended and Restated
Revolving Credit Agreement (as subsequently amended, hereinafter
called the “ Sixth Amended and Restated
Agreement ” and together with the Initial Agreement
and the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Amended and Restated
Agreements, the “ Prior Agreements ”)
whereby, upon the terms and conditions therein stated, such lenders
agreed to make loans to the Borrowers up to the aggregate amount of
$950,000,000 to be used by the Borrowers for the purposes set forth
in Section 9.9 of the Sixth Amended and Restated
Agreement; and
WHEREAS , the Borrowers, the
Lenders, the Agent and the Floor Plan Agent mutually desire to
amend certain aspects of the Sixth Amended and Restated
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE , in
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
CERTAIN DEFINED
TERMS, ACCOUNTING TERMS AND CONSTRUCTION
Section 1.1 Certain Defined
Terms . As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall
have the following meanings:
“ ABR Borrowing ”
means a Borrowing consisting of one or more Alternate Base Rate
Loans.
“ Account ” means
any “account” as such term is defined in the UCC, now
or hereafter owned by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries, including rights to payment for goods and services
sold or leased, whether now in existence or arising in the
future.
“ Acquisition”
means the acquisition by the Company or any of its Wholly Owned
Subsidiaries of (i) not less than one hundred percent (100%)
of the capital stock or other evidence of equity ownership (but
excluding director qualifying shares) of an Auto Dealer, or
(ii) all or substantially all of the assets of an Auto
Dealer.
“ Acquisition Event of
Default ” means the occurrence of one of the events
specified in Section 11.1 .
“ Acquisition Loan
” has the meaning specified in Section 3.1 .
“ Acquisition Loan Advance
Limit ” means, as of any Borrowing Date of an Acquisition
Loan, an amount equal to the Total Acquisition Loan Commitment (not
to exceed the percentage of the Total Floor Plan Loan Commitment in
effect as of the Closing Date), less any applicable Reserve
Commitment measured in Dollars.
“ Acquisition Loan
Commitment ” means for each Acquisition Loan Lender, its
obligation to make Acquisition Loans to the Company in the
designated currency up to the amount set forth opposite such
Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1(a) under the
caption “Acquisition Loan Commitments” (as the same may
be permanently terminated or reduced or increased from time to time
pursuant to the applicable provisions of
Section 2.3(d)(iii) , Section 3.4 ,
Section 5.5 , Section 5.18 or
Section 11.2 or as such amount may be increased or
decreased from time to time by an Assignment and Acceptance
pursuant to Section 5.17 or Section 13.3(b)
).
“ Acquisition Loan
Lender ” means any Lender specified in
Schedule 1.1(a) as having an Acquisition Loan
Commitment.
“ Acquisition Notes
” means each of the Notes substantially in the form of
Exhibit 1.1F , duly issued by the Company to
each Lender in the aggregate principal face amount of such
Lender’s Acquisition Loan Commitment.
“ Addendum ” means
the form of Addendum and Joinder Agreement substantially in the
form of Exhibit 1.1A .
“ Adjusted Senior
Indebtedness ” means, for any date of determination, for
the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis, Adjusted Total Indebtedness minus Subordinated
Indebtedness.
“ Adjusted Total
Indebtedness ” means, as of any date of determination,
for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated
basis, the difference between (a) Indebtedness and (b) the sum
of (i) Floor Plan Loans outstanding, (ii) Permitted New
Vehicle Floor Plan Indebtedness, (iii) Excluded Capital
Leases, and (iv) Retail Loan Guarantees not in excess of ten
percent (10%) of Stockholders’ Equity.
“ Administrative
Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in
the form of Exhibit 1.1B hereto, which each Lender
shall complete and provide to the Agent on or prior to the Closing
Date or which is delivered by any new Lenders after the Closing
Date pursuant to Section 13.3(b) .
“ Affiliate ” of
any Person means any other Person who directly or indirectly
beneficially owns or controls five percent (5%) or more of the
total voting power of shares of capital stock of such Person having
the right to vote for directors under ordinary circumstances, any
Person controlling, controlled by or under common control with any
such Person (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the
Securities Act of 1933), and any director or executive officer of
such Person.
“ Agency Fee(s) ”
has the meaning specified in Section 5.4(b) .
“ Agent ” has the
meaning specified in the introduction to this Agreement.
“ Agent’s Letter
” has the meaning specified in Section 5.4(b)
.
“ Agreement ”
means this Seventh Amended and Restated Revolving Credit
Agreement.
“ Alternate Base Rate
” means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum (rounded
upwards to the next highest one-eighth (?) of one percent (1%) if
not already an integral multiple of one-eighth (?) of one percent
(1%)) equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on
such day, and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on
such day plus one half ( 1/2 )
of one percent (1%). “ Prime Rate ” means, for
any day, the rate most recently announced by JPMorgan Chase Bank,
N.A., as its prime lending rate for commercial loans in the U.S.,
as in effect from time to time, automatically fluctuating upward
and downward with and, at the time specified in each such
announcement, without notice to any Borrower or any other Person,
which prime rate may not necessarily represent the lowest or best
rate actually charged to a customer. “ Federal Funds
Effective Rate ” means, for any day, an interest rate per
annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight
federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve
System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published
for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next
preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York,
or, if such rate is not so published for any day which is a
Business Day, the average of the quotations for such day on such
transactions received by the Agent from three federal funds brokers
of recognized standing selected by it. Any change in the Alternate
Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds
Effective Rate shall be effective on the effective date of such
change in the Prime Rate, or the Federal Funds Effective Rate,
respectively.
“ Alternate Base Rate
Loan ” means any Acquisition Loan requested in Dollars
with respect to which the Company shall have selected an interest
rate based on the Alternate Base Rate in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement.
“ Alternative Currency
” means Euros or Pounds Sterling, at the option of the
Company.
“ Alternative Currency
Agent ” means J.P. Morgan Europe Limited in London, an
Affiliate of the Agent, acting at the request of the Agent.
“ Applicable Lending
Office ” means, with respect to a Lender, such
Lender’s Domestic Lending Office in the case of a Comerica
Prime Rate Loan and an Alternate Base Rate Loan, such
Lender’s Eurodollar Lending Office in the case of a
Eurodollar Loan and such Lender’s Facility Office in the case
of a Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan.
“ Applicable Margin
” means, on any date, with respect to Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency, Pounds Sterling Loans or Alternate Base Rate Loans,
the applicable percentages set forth below based upon the Total
Leverage Ratio determined as of such date.
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Eurodollar
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Eurocurrency
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Total LeveragePounds Sterling
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Alternate Base
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Commitment
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Margin
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Rate Margin
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Fee Rate
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x =
3.25
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2.25
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%
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.75
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%
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.375
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%
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2.00 =
x < 3.25
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2.00
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%
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.50
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%
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.35
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%
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1.50 =
x < 2.00
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1.75
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%
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.25
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%
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.30
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%
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x <
1.50
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1.50
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%
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.00
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%
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.25
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%
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Each change in the Applicable Margin
shall apply to all Eurodollar Loans that are outstanding at any
time during the period commencing on the effective date of such
change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective
date of the next such change, even if such effective date occurs in
the middle of an Interest Period.
“ Assignment and
Acceptance ” has the meaning specified in
Section 13.3(b) .
“ Auto Dealer ”
means a Person engaged in the sale of New and/or Used Motor
Vehicles pursuant to, in the case of New Motor Vehicles, a
franchise or licensing agreement with a Manufacturer and related
operations.
“ Board ” means
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United
States.
“ Book Value ”
means the net book value of an asset determined in accordance with
GAAP.
“ Borrower ” or
“ Borrowers ” has the meaning specified in the
introduction to this Agreement.
“ Borrowing ”
means a Loan or a group of Loans of a single Type made by the
Lenders on a single date and as to which a single Interest Period
is in effect.
“ Borrowing Date ”
means, with respect to each Borrowing, the Business Day upon which
the proceeds of such Borrowing are made available to any
Borrower.
“ Business Day ”
means (a) with respect to any borrowing, payment or rate
selection of ABR, LIBOR, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling
Borrowings, a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks
generally are open in Chicago, Houston, New York and London for the
conduct of substantially all of their commercial lending
activities, interbank wire transfers can be made on the Fedwire
system and dealings in Dollars and the other Alternative Currencies
are carried on in the London interbank market (and, if the Loans
which are the subject of such Borrowing, payment or rate selection
are denominated in Euros, a day which is a TARGET Day) and
(b) for all other purposes, a day (other than a Saturday or
Sunday) on which banks generally are open in Houston, Chicago, New
York and London for the conduct of substantially all of their
commercial lending activities and interbank wire transfers can be
made on the Fedwire system.
“ Capital Lease ”
means any lease required to be accounted for as a capital lease
under GAAP.
“ Cash Collateral
Account ” has the meaning specified in
Section 6.8(a) .
“ Change of
Control ” will be deemed to have occurred if either
(a) the shares of the Company cease to be publicly traded or
(b) at any time after the Closing Date, individuals who were
either directors of the Company on the Closing Date or directors
approved (by recommendation, nomination, election or otherwise) by
a majority of the directors cease to constitute a majority of the
members of the board of directors of the Company.
“ Closing Date ”
means the date hereof.
“ Code ” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
“ Collateral ”
means the collateral described in each of the Security
Documents.
“ Comerica Alternate Base
Rate ” means, for any day, an interest rate per annum
equal to the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day
plus one percent (1%).
“ Comerica Prime-based
Rate ” means, for any day, that rate of interest which is
equal to (a) the greater of (i) the Comerica Prime Rate and
(ii) the Comerica Alternate Base Rate minus (b) 0.50%.
“ Comerica Prime Rate
” means the per annum rate of interest announced by the Floor
Plan Agent, at its main office from time to time as its
“prime rate” (it being acknowledged that such announced
rate may not necessarily be the lowest rate charged by the Floor
Plan Agent to any of its customers), which rate shall change
simultaneously with any change in such announced rate.
“ Comerica Prime Rate
Loan ” or “ Comerica Prime Rate Borrowing
” means any Floor Plan or Swing Line Loan with respect to
which the Company shall have selected an interest rate based on the
Comerica Prime-based Rate in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement.
“ Commitment ”
means at any time (a) for each Lender, the sum of
(i) such Lender’s Acquisition Loan Commitment and
(ii) such Lender’s Floor Plan Loan Commitment, each as
in effect at such time; and (b) for the Swing Line Bank, its
obligation to make Swing Line Loans to the Floor Plan Borrowers up
to the amount of the Swing Line Commitment, as shown on
Schedule 1.1(a) and as the same may be increased
or decreased pursuant to the provisions of
Section 2.3(d)(iii) , Section 3.4 ,
Section 5.5 or Section 5.18 .
“ Commitment Fees
” means, collectively, the Floor Plan Loan Commitment Fees
and the Acquisition Loan Commitment Fees as such terms are defined
in Section 5.4(a) .
“ Commitment Increase
Agreement ” has the meaning specified in
Section 5.18(c) .
“ Commitment Increase
Notice ” has the meaning specified in
Section 5.18(a) .
“ Communications ”
has the meaning specified in Section 13.1 .
“ Company ” has
the meaning specified in the introduction to this Agreement.
“ Confidential Information
Memorandum ” means the Confidential Information
Memorandum dated February, 2007 furnished by J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc. as Arranger relating to the credit facilities evidenced by
this Agreement. -
“ Consolidated EBITDA
” means, for any period for which the amount thereof is to be
determined, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus, to the
extent deducted in the determination of Consolidated Net Income and
without duplication with items included in the adjustments to Net
Income under GAAP in the determination of Consolidated Net Income,
(a) provisions for income taxes, (b) Interest Expense,
(c) depreciation and amortization expense, and (d) other
non-cash income or charges.
“ Consolidated Net
Income ” means the Net Income (or net losses) of the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis.
“ Consolidated Pro Forma
EBITDA ” means the Pro Forma EBITDA of the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated
basis.
“ Current Ratio ”
means, as of any date of determination, for the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the ratio of
(a) current assets as of such date plus the amounts of the
Acquisition Loan Advance Limit then available to be drawn to
(b) the sum of current liabilities (but excluding any current
maturities of Acquisition Loans) plus (to the extent not otherwise
included in current liabilities) the then outstanding balance of
all Floor Plan Indebtedness as of such date.
“ Curtailment Date
” means (a) with respect to a New Motor Vehicle, one
year after the date it is Deemed Floored, (b) with respect to
a Fleet Motor Vehicle, thirty (30) days from the date it is
Deemed Floored, (c) with respect to a Demonstrator, two
hundred ten (210) days from the date it is Deemed Floored,
(d) with respect to a Used Motor Vehicle, one hundred twenty
(120) days from the date it is Deemed Floored, (e) with
respect to a Program Car, one hundred eighty (180) days from
the date it is Deemed Floored, and (f) with respect to a
Rental Motor Vehicle the first to occur of (y) two
(2) years from the date it is Deemed Floored or (z) the
introduction by the Manufacturer of the third model year for such
Motor Vehicle.
“ Dealer/Manufacturer
Agreement ” has the meaning specified in
Section 7.20 .
“ Dealership ”
means any physical site or group of related physical sites at which
any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company operates Motor Vehicle
dealerships. Such sites may include showrooms, storage lots and
repair and/or service facilities.
“ Deemed Floored ”
means with respect to a Motor Vehicle, the earlier of (a) the
date a Floor Plan Loan Borrowing is deemed by the Floor Plan Agent,
in its sole discretion, to be advanced by the Floor Plan Agent, or
(b) thirty (30) days after an advance is made on a Floor
Plan Loan with respect to such Motor Vehicle.
“ Default ” means
any event or condition which, with the lapse of time or giving of
notice or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
“ Demonstrator ”
means a New Motor Vehicle with mileage resulting from customer test
drives or use of such Motor Vehicle by dealership personnel and
that has not been previously titled.
“ Disposition ”
means the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of
property.
“ Dollars ” and
the symbol “ $ ” mean the lawful currency of the
United States of America.
“ Domestic Lending
Office ” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of
such Lender specified as its “Domestic Lending Office”
in its Administrative Questionnaire or such other office as such
Lender may hereafter designate from time to time as its
“Domestic Lending Office” by written notice to the
Company and the Agent.
“ Draft ” means a
draft on a Floor Plan Borrower’s account with the Floor Plan
Agent made by a Manufacturer in accordance with the terms of a
Drafting Agreement.
“ Drafting Agreement
” means an agreement (whether or not issued in the form of a
letter of credit) by and among the Floor Plan Agent and a
Manufacturer, entered into for the account of a Floor Plan Borrower
(and in some cases acknowledged or countersigned by a Floor Plan
Borrower) under which a Manufacturer is entitled to submit Drafts
to the Floor Plan Agent (via ACH electronic transfer or otherwise)
for payment of invoices identifying one or more Motor Vehicles
delivered or shipped to such Floor Plan Borrower, on terms and
conditions consistent with the usual customs and practices in
effect from time to time for the automobile industry.
“ Earnings Available for
Fixed Charges ” means, for any period of determination,
an amount equal to (a) Consolidated EBITDA plus (b) lease
expenses minus (c) cash income taxes in each case for the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a
consolidated basis as reported in the annual audited and the
quarterly unaudited financial statements of the Company provided in
accordance with Section 9.5(b) .
“ EBITDA ” means,
for any Person, for any period, Net Income for such period, plus,
to the extent deducted in the determination of Net Income and
without duplication with items included in the adjustments under
GAAP to Net Income in the determination of net income,
(a) provisions for income taxes, (b) Interest Expense,
(c) depreciation and amortization expense and (d) other
non cash income or charges.
“ Eligible Assignee
” means (a) any Lender or any Affiliate of such Lender
other than an Affiliate of a Lender engaged in the business of
automotive dealerships; (b) a commercial bank organized under
the laws of the United States, or any state thereof, and having
total assets in excess of one billion Dollars ($1,000,000,000) and
having deposits that are rated in either of the two highest generic
letter rating categories (without regard to subcategories) from
either Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, a division of
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”) or
Moody’s Investor’s Service, Inc.
(“Moody’s”) or a comparable nationally recognized
national or international rating agency if S&P and
Moody’s are not then rating such banks; (c) a commercial
bank organized under the laws of any other country which is a
member of the OECD, or a political subdivision of any such country,
having total assets in excess of one billion Dollars
($1,000,000,000) or its equivalent in any other currency, provided
that such bank is acting through a branch located in the country in
which it is organized or another country which is also a member of
the OECD; (d) the central bank of any country which is a
member of the OECD; (e) the finance subsidiary of a
Manufacturer; or (f) any other Person approved by the Agent
and the Company (if such consent is required pursuant to
Section 13.3 ), which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld.
“ EMU ” means the
economic and monetary union of the European Union provided for in
the Maastricht Treaty, effective January 1, 1993, among the
participating member states party thereto.
“ Equivalent Amount
” means as at any date the amount of Euros or Pounds Sterling
into which an amount of Dollars may be converted, or the amount of
Dollars into which an amount of Euros or Pounds Sterling may be
converted, in either case by the Agent at the mid-point noon spot
rate of exchange for such date in Brussels or London at
approximately 11:00 a.m., local time on such date.
“ ERISA ” means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, together with
the regulations thereunder, in each case as in effect from time to
time. References to sections of ERISA shall be construed to also
refer to any successor sections.
“ ERISA Affiliate
” means any corporation, trade or business that is, along
with the Company, a member of a controlled group of corporations or
a controlled group of trades or businesses, as described in
Sections 414(b) and 414(c), respectively, of the Code or
Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA.
“ Escrow and Security
Agreement ” means the Escrow and Security Agreements
executed in connection with any of the Prior Agreements by the
Company and certain other Borrowers in favor of the Agent for the
benefit of the Lenders with respect to all of the capital stock and
other equity interests of the Company’s direct and indirect
Subsidiaries with respect to which the Company or such other
Borrower is not prohibited by a Manufacturer from being a party
thereto.
“ Euro ”, “
Euros ” and “ € ” mean the currency of the
participating member states of the EMU.
“Eurocurrency
Borrowing” means a Borrowing comprised of one or more
Eurocurrency Loans.
“Eurocurrency
Loan” means an Acquisition Loan requested in Euros with
respect to which the Company shall have elected an interest rate
based on the Eurocurrency Rate.
“ Eurocurrency Rate
” means, with respect to a Eurocurrency Loan, the rate per
annum (rounded up to 1/16 of 1%, if necessary), the percentage rate
per annum determined by the Alternative Currency Agent to be the
current rate of the Banking Federation of the European Union for
the Reuters (Telerate) Screen — Page 248 as of
11:00 a.m., Continental European Time, two (2) Business
Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period. In the event
that such rate does not appear thereon (or otherwise on such
service), the “Eurocurrency Rate” for purposes of this
definition shall be determined by: (i) reference to such other
comparable publicly available service for displaying EURIBOR rates
as may be reasonably selected by the Alternative Currency Agent or
(ii) at its option, the rate at which Euros approximately
equal in principal amount to such Borrowing and for a maturity
equal to the applicable Interest Period are offered in immediately
available funds to the principal office of the Alternative Currency
Agent in London, England by leading banks in the European Market
for Euros at approximately 11:00 a.m., London, England time,
two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such
Interest Period.
“ Eurodollar Borrowing
” means a Borrowing comprised of one or more Eurodollar
Loans.
“ Eurodollar Lending
Office ” means, with respect to each Lender, the office
of such Lender which such Lender has designated as its
“Eurodollar Lending Office” in its Administrative
Questionnaire or such other office of such Lender as such Lender
may hereafter designate from time to time as its “Eurodollar
Lending Office” by written notice to the Company and the
Agent.
“ Eurodollar Loan
” means any Loan with respect to which the Company shall have
selected an interest rate based on the LIBO Rate in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement.
“ Event of Default
” means either a Floor Plan Event of Default or an
Acquisition Event of Default.
“ Excess/Payments in
Process ” means, as of any date of determination, the
funds transferred from any Floor Plan Borrower to the Floor Plan
Agent in payment of Floor Plan Loans which have at such time not
yet been applied on a VIN-specific basis.
“ Excluded Capital Lease
” means any lease originally recorded as an operating lease
and subsequently reclassified as a Capital Lease.
“Facility Office”
means the office of a Lender, or of the Affiliate of a Lender,
designated by such Lender as its lending office for Eurocurrency or
Pounds Sterling Loans.
“ Federal Funds Effective
Rate ” has the meaning specified in the definition of
“Alternate Base Rate.”
“ Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio ” means the ratio of (a) Earnings Available
for Fixed Charges to (b) Fixed Charges.
“ Fixed Charges ”
means, for any period of determination, without duplication, the
sum of (a) Interest Expense, (b) lease expense,
(c) scheduled principal payments, (d) cash dividends and
(e) Maintenance Capital Expenditures, in each case, for the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated
basis.
“ Fleet Motor Vehicle
” means one of a large group of New Motor Vehicles sold to a
Person (e.g., a rental car agency) which purchases in excess of ten
(10) vehicles per month for commercial use.
“ Floor Plan Adjustment
Date ” means each of (a) the last Business Day of
each calendar month or the first Business Day of each calendar
month, at the option of Floor Plan Agent, , and (b) the first
Business Day after two (2) Business Days prior written notice
from the Swing Line Bank to the Agent requesting therein a Floor
Plan Adjustment Date.
“ Floor Plan Advance
Limit ” means (a) with respect to New Motor
Vehicles, Rental Motor Vehicles and Demonstrators, the wholesale
purchase price invoiced by a Manufacturer to the Floor Plan
Borrower, and (b) with respect to Used Motor Vehicles and
Program Cars, the cost of such vehicles to the applicable Floor
Plan Borrower; provided that, (i) with respect to Used Motor
Vehicles and Program Cars, the aggregate amount of Floor Plan Loans
outstanding at any time may not exceed an amount equal to seventy
percent (70%) of the aggregate Book Value of all Used Motor
Vehicles and Program Cars owned by the Floor Plan Borrowers.
“ Floor Plan Agent
” has the meaning specified in the introduction to this
Agreement.
“ Floor Plan Agent’s
Letter ” has the meaning specified in
Section 5.4(c) .
“ Floor Plan Borrower
” means the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary of the
Company that is an Auto Dealer party to this Agreement, and has
granted a first priority Lien to the Agent for the benefit of the
Lenders on certain of its property that is Collateral in accordance
with the Security Documents, subject only to Permitted Liens.
“ Floor Plan Event of
Default ” means the occurrence of one of the events
specified in Section 11.3 .
“ Floor Plan
Indebtedness ” means all secured Indebtedness of the
Borrowers incurred to finance Motor Vehicles.
“ Floor Plan Interest
Expense ” means that component of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries’ aggregate Interest Expense,
determined on a consolidated basis, attributable to Floor Plan
Indebtedness.
“ Floor Plan Lenders
” means all Lenders having a Floor Plan Loan Commitment.
“ Floor Plan Loan
” has the meaning specified in Section 2.1 .
“ Floor Plan Loan
Commitment ” means for each Floor Plan Lender, its
obligation to make Floor Plan Loans to the Floor Plan Borrowers up
to the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on
Schedule 1.1(a) under the caption “Floor
Plan Loan Commitments” (as the same may be permanently
terminated, reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to the
applicable provisions of Section 2.3(d)(iii) ,
Section 3.4 , Section 5.5 ,
Section 5.18 or Section 11.4 and as such
amount may be increased or decreased from time to time by an
Assignment and Acceptance pursuant to Section 5.17 or
Section 13.3(b) ).
“ Floor Plan Note
” means each of the Notes substantially in the form of
Exhibit 1.1C , duly issued by the Floor Plan
Borrowers to each Lender in the aggregate principal face amount of
such Lender’s Floor Plan Loan Commitment.
“ Ford Borrower ”
means the Borrowers set forth on Schedule 1.1(b)
and any other Restricted Subsidiary of the Company engaged in the
sale of New Motor Vehicles manufactured by any division of the Ford
Motor Company pursuant to a Dealer/Manufacturer Agreement with the
Ford Motor Company.
“ Ford Borrower Liability
Amount ” means, at any time, an amount equal to the
lesser of (a) all Obligations owed to the Lenders by the
Company and/or any of the Ford Borrowers or (b) the sum of
(i) an amount equal to all Floor Plan Loans outstanding to any
Ford Borrower, and (ii) an amount equal to the greater of (y)
$25,000,000 or (z) all cash consideration ever paid by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the
acquisition of the stock or other equity interest in, or assets of,
any Auto Dealer engaged in the sale of New Motor Vehicles
manufactured by Ford Motor Company, and (iii) an amount equal
to all reasonable costs and expenses associated with the collection
and enforcement of the obligations of any Ford Borrower arising
under the Loan Documents including attorneys’ fees, and
(iv) an amount equal to all capital contributions and
expenditures for capital or fixed assets, made by the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries on behalf of any Ford Borrower.
“ Fronting Fees ”
has the meaning specified in Section 6.7(b) .
“ GAAP ” means
generally accepted accounting principles as in effect, as of the
applicable date of determination thereof, from time to time as set
forth in the opinions, statements and pronouncements of the
Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants and the Financial Accounting Standards Board
applied on a consistent basis.
“ GM Borrowers ”
means the Borrowers set forth on Schedule 1.1(c)
and any other Subsidiary of the Company engaged in the sale of New
Motor Vehicles manufactured by any division of General Motors
Corporation pursuant to a Dealer/Manufacturer Agreement with
General Motors Corporation.
“ GM Borrower Guaranty
” means the Guaranty Agreement executed in connection with
the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement, by the GM Borrowers in
favor of the Agent for the benefit of the Lenders.
“ GM Borrower Liability
Amount ” means, at any time, the sum of (a) an
amount equal to the Floor Plan Borrowings of all GM Borrowers and
(b) an amount equal to all reasonable costs and expenses
associated with the collection and enforcement of the obligations
of any GM Borrower arising under the Loan Documents including
attorneys’ fees and expenses in connection with Floor Plan
Loans of any GM Borrower.
“ Governmental Authority
” means any nation or government, any state or other
political subdivision thereof, any central bank (or similar
monetary or regulatory authority) thereof, and any entity
exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or
administrative functions of, or pertaining to, government.
“ Guarantee ” by
any Person means all obligations (other than endorsements in the
ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit
or collection) of such Person guaranteeing, or in effect
guaranteeing, any Indebtedness, dividend or other obligation of any
other Person (the “ Primary Obligor ”) in
any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including all
obligations incurred through an agreement, contingent or otherwise,
by such Person:
(a) to
purchase such Indebtedness or obligation or any property or assets
constituting security therefor,
(b) (i) to
advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of such
Indebtedness or obligation or (ii) to maintain working capital
or other balance sheet condition or otherwise to maintain funds for
the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness or obligation,
(c) to lease
property under a Capital Lease or any other lease, the lessee under
which is a Person other than the Company or a Wholly Owned
Subsidiary or to purchase securities or other property or services
primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such
Indebtedness or obligation of the ability of the Primary Obligor to
make payment of such Indebtedness or perform such obligation,
or
(d) otherwise to assure the owner of such Indebtedness or such
obligation of the Primary Obligor against loss in respect
thereof.
“ Hedging Agreement
” means any interest rate or currency swap, rate cap, rate
floor, rate collar, forward agreement, or other exchange or rate
protection agreement with the Agent, any Lender, or any Affiliate
of the Agent or any Lender or any option with respect to any such
transaction that is entered into in the ordinary course of business
for risk management purposes and not for speculative purposes.
“ Highest Lawful Rate
” means, as to any Lender, the maximum non-usurious rate of
interest, if any, that at any time or from time to time may be
contracted for, taken, reserved, charged or received on the
aggregate principal amount of all Loans under the laws of the
United States of America and/or the laws of the State of Texas as
may be applicable thereto and as applied in accordance with
Section 13.6 and that are presently in effect or, to
the extent allowed under such applicable law, which may hereafter
be in effect and which allow a higher maximum non-usurious interest
rate than applicable law now allows.
“ Honor Date ” has
the meaning specified in Section 6.3(b) .
“ Indebtedness ”
of any Person means, without duplication:
(a) any
obligation of such Person for borrowed money, including any
obligation of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes,
letter of credit reimbursement agreements or other similar debt
instruments,
(b) all
obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title
retention agreements relating to property purchased by such Person,
regardless of whether any personal liability exists in respect
thereof,
(c) any
obligation of such Person for the deferred purchase price of any
property or services, regardless of whether any personal liability
exists in respect thereof, except accounts payable from time to
time incurred in the ordinary course of such Person’s
business and which are not in excess of ninety (90) days past
invoice or billing date,
(d) obligations in respect of Capital Leases of such
Person,
(e) all
Guarantees by such Person; provided, however, that a Guarantee will
not be considered Indebtedness if the underlying obligation secured
by such Guarantee would not constitute Indebtedness under this
Agreement,
(f) any
Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on any asset of
such first Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by
such first Person, and
(g) any
Indebtedness consisting of preferred stock of a Person having a
mandatory redemption date prior to the Maturity Date.
“ Indemnitee ” has
the meaning specified in Section 13.4(b) .
“ Insolvency Proceeding
” means (a) any case, action or proceeding relating to
bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, receivership,
dissolution, winding-up or relief of debtors, or (b) any
general assignment for the benefit of creditors, composition,
marshaling of assets for creditors, or other similar arrangements
in respect of its creditors generally or any substantial portion of
a Person’s creditors, undertaken under federal law.
“ Intercreditor
Agreements ” mean those certain intercreditor agreements,
reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, the Floor Plan Agent and the
Required Lenders, executed in connection herewith between the Agent
and certain parties providing Permitted New Vehicle Floor Plan
Indebtedness.
“ Interest Expense
” means, for any Person, determined on a consolidated basis,
the sum of all interest on Indebtedness paid or payable (including
the portion of rents payable under Capital Leases allocable to
interest, but excluding interest allowances from Manufacturers)
plus all original issue discount and other interest expense
associated with Indebtedness amortized or required to be amortized
in accordance with GAAP.
“ Interest Payment Date
” means, (a) with respect to Floor Plan Loans (other
than Swing Line Loans and Swing Line Overdraft Loans), the last day
of each month and the last day of the Interest Period applicable to
each such Loan (and, in addition, in the case of any Interest
Period more than thirty (30) days’ duration, the day
that would have been the Interest Payment Date of such Interest
Period if such Interest Period had been of one month or thirty
(30) days’ duration), (b) with respect to Acquisition
Loans which are Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans,
the last day of the Interest Period applicable to each such Loan
(and in addition, in the case of any Interest Period of six months,
the day that would have been the Interest Payment Date of such
Interest Period if such Interest Period had been three months), and
(c) with respect to Alternate Base Rate Loans, on the first
Business Day of each January, April, July and October of each year,
commencing January 1, 2006 and with respect to Swing Line
Loans, Swing Line Overdraft Loans and Comerica Prime Rate Loans, on
the fifth (5 th ) Business Day of each month.
“ Interest Period
” means: with respect to:
(a) Floor Plan Loans (other than
Swing Line Loans) that are Eurodollar Loans, the period commencing
on the date of such Eurodollar Loan and ending, at the option of
the Company, on either the 7 th , 14 th or 21
st day thereafter or on the numerically corresponding
day (or, if there is no numerically corresponding day, on the last
day) of the following month; provided, that (i) if any
Interest Period would end on a day that shall not be a Business
Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding
Business Day, (ii) no Interest Period shall end later than the
Maturity Date, and (iii) interest shall accrue from and
including the first day of an Interest Period to but excluding the
last day of such Interest Period; and
(b) Acquisition Loans that are
Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans, the period
commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Loan and ending on the
numerically corresponding day (or, if there is no numerically
corresponding day, on the last day) of the calendar month that is
one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Company may elect;
provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on
a day that shall not be a Business Day, such Interest Period shall
be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) no
Interest Period shall end later than the Maturity Date, and
(iii) interest shall accrue from and including the first day
of an Interest Period to but excluding the last day of such
Interest Period.
“ Inventory Detail
Report ” means a report delivered pursuant to by the
Company and the other Floor Plan Borrowers (on an individual and
consolidated basis) which breaks out in detail the New Motor
Vehicles, Rental Motor Vehicles, Used Motor Vehicles,
Demonstrators, and Program Vehicles held by such Floor Plan
Borrower as reflected in its Manufacturer/Dealer Statements.
“ Investment ”
means, as to any Person, any investment so classified under
GAAP.
“ Issue ” means,
with respect to any Letter of Credit, to issue or to extend the
expiration date of, or to renew or increase the amount of, such
Letter of Credit; and the terms “ Issued ,”
“ Issuing ” and “ Issuance ”
have corresponding meanings.
“ Issuing Bank ”
means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as issuer of one
or more Letters of Credit hereunder, together with any successor
letter of credit issuer and any replacement letter of credit
issuer.
“ Lenders ” has
the meaning specified in the introduction to this Agreement, and
Lender(s) shall include the Floor Plan Lenders, the Acquisition
Loan Lenders and the Swing Line Bank unless the context otherwise
requires.
“ Letter of Credit
” means any letter of credit issued by the Issuing Bank
pursuant to Article VI.
“ Letter of Credit
Advance ” means each Lender’s participation in any
Letter of Credit Borrowing in accordance with its Pro Rata Share of
Acquisition Loan Commitments.
“ Letter of Credit
Application ” and “ Letter of Credit Amendment
Application ” means an application form for Issuance of,
and for amendment of, Letters of Credit in the then standard form
promulgated by the Issuing Bank.
“ Letter of Credit
Commitment ” means the obligation of the Issuing Bank to
Issue, and the obligation of the Lenders severally to participate
in, Letters of Credit from time to time Issued or outstanding under
Article VI in an aggregate amount not to exceed on any
date Fifty Million and No/100 Dollars ($50,000,000.00);
provided, that the Letter of Credit Commitment of each
Lender is a part of its Acquisition Loan Commitment, rather than a
separate, independent commitment.
“ Letter of Credit Fees
” has the meaning specified in Section 6.7(a)
.
“ Letter of Credit
Obligations ” means at any time the sum of (a) the
aggregate undrawn amount of all Letters of Credit then outstanding,
plus (b) the amount of all unreimbursed drawings under all
Letters of Credit, including all outstanding Loans outstanding
under Section 6.3(b) or Section 6.3(c) .
“ Letter of Credit Related
Documents ” means the Letters of Credit, the Letter of
Credit Applications, the Letter of Credit Amendment Applications
and any other document relating to any Letter of Credit, including
any of the Issuing Bank’s standard documents for issuance of
Letters of Credit.
“ Letter of Credit
Termination Date ” has the meaning provided in
Section 6.1(a) .
“ LIBO Rate ”
means with respect to a Borrowing the rate (rounded to the nearest
one-sixteenth (1/16) of one percent (1%) or, if there is no nearest
one-sixteenth (1/16) of one percent (1%), the next higher
one-sixteenth (1/16) of one percent (1%)) at which dollar deposits
approximately equal in principal amount to such Borrowing and for a
maturity equal to the applicable Interest Period are offered in
immediately available funds to the principal office of the Agent or
the Alternative Currency Agent in London, England (or if neither of
said Agents, at the time any such determination is made, do not
maintain an office in London, England, the principal office of any
Affiliate of either Agent in London, England) by leading banks in
the London interbank market for Eurodollars at approximately
11:00 a.m., London, England time, two Business Days prior to
the commencement of such Interest Period.
“ Lien ” means any
mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, judgment lien or similar legal
process, conditional sale, title retention or other security
interest, or any lease in the nature thereof.
“ Loan ” means an
Alternate Base Rate Loan, a Eurodollar Loan, an Acquisition Loan, a
Pounds Sterling Loan, a Eurocurrency Loan, a Floor Plan Loan, a
Swing Line Loan or a Swing Line Overdraft Loan; and “
Loans ” means all such Loans made pursuant to this
Agreement.
“ Loan Documents ”
means this Agreement, the Notes, the Security Documents, the
Agent’s Letter, the Floor Plan Agent’s Letter, the GM
Borrower Guaranty, the Intercreditor Agreements and all other
documents and instruments executed by the Borrowers or any other
Person in connection with this Agreement and the Loans.
“ Maintenance Capital
Expenditures ” means an amount equal to $200,000 per year
per Dealership.
“Mandatory Costs”
means any additional costs to any Lender in connection with a
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan due to such Lender’s
compliance with the rules or requirements of the Bank of England,
the Financial Services Authority of the United Kingdom or the
European Central Bank as determined by such Lender, which
determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
“ Manufacturer ”
means the manufacturer or a manufacturer appointed wholesale
distributor of a Motor Vehicle.
“ Manufacturer/Dealer
Statement ” means a financial statement prepared by a
Floor Plan Borrower for a Manufacturer and delivered to the
Manufacturer on a periodic basis as required by the
Manufacturer.
“ Manufacturer’s
Certificate ” means any Manufacturer’s statement of
origin, certificate of origin or any other document evidencing the
ownership or transfer of ownership of a New Motor Vehicle from a
Manufacturer to a Borrower.
“ Margin Stock ”
has the meaning specified in Regulation U.
“ Material Adverse
Effect ” means, relative to any occurrence of whatever
nature (including any adverse determination in any litigation,
arbitration or governmental investigation or proceeding),
(i) a material adverse effect on the financial condition,
business, operations, assets or prospects of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, (ii) a
material impairment of the ability of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to perform their
Obligations under the Loan Documents or (iii) a material
impairment of the validity or enforceability of the Loan
Documents.
“ Maturity Date ”
means March 19, 2012 or the earlier termination of the
Commitments under Section 5.5 ,
Section 11.2 and Section 11.4 unless
extended pursuant to Section 5.16 .
“ Maximum Permissible
Rate ” has the meaning specified in
Section 13.8 .
“ Motor Vehicle ”
means any motorized vehicle approved for highway use by any State
of the United States.
“ Multiemployer
Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined
in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“ Net Income ”
means for any Person, for any period of determination, the net
income (or net losses) of such Person and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated basis as determined in accordance with GAAP after
deducting, to the extent included in computing said net income and
without duplication, (i) the income (or deficit) of any Person
(other than a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of such Person), in which
such Person or any of its Subsidiaries has any ownership interest,
except to the extent that any such income has been actually
received by such Person or such Subsidiary in the form of cash
dividends or similar cash distribution, (ii) any income (or
deficit) of any other Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a
Subsidiary of such Person or merges into or consolidates with such
entity, (iii) the gain or loss (net of any tax effect)
resulting from the sale of any capital assets, (iv) any gains
or losses or other income which are non-recurring or extraordinary,
and (v) any portion of the net income of any Subsidiaries
which is not available for distribution.
“ New Lender ” has
the meaning specified in Section 5.18(b) .
“ New Lender Agreement
” has the meaning specified in Section 5.18(b)
.
“ New Motor Vehicle
” means any Motor Vehicle not previously titled and which
Motor Vehicle is from the Manufacturer with which the Person owning
said Motor Vehicle has an executed Dealer/Manufacturer Agreement,
excluding Demonstrators, Rental Motor Vehicles and Program
Cars.
“ Note ” and
“ Notes ” mean each of the Acquisition Notes,
the Floor Plan Notes and the Swing Line Note.
“ Obligations ”
means all advances, debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and
duties, arising under any Loan Document or any Hedging Agreement
owing by any Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Borrower
to any Lender, the Agent, the Floor Plan Agent, the Swing Line Bank
or the Issuing Bank, whether direct or indirect (including those
acquired by assignment), absolute or contingent, due or to become
due, now existing or hereafter arising.
“ OECD ” means the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“ Other Activities
” has the meaning specified in Section 12.3 .
“ Other Financings
” has the meaning specified in Section 12.3 .
“ Other Taxes ”
has the meaning specified in Section 5.14(b) .
“ Out of Balance ”
means that (i) with respect to a Motor Vehicle, the
outstanding balance of the Floor Plan Loan pursuant to which such
Motor Vehicle was purchased exceeds the Floor Plan Advance Limit
and (ii) with respect to a Floor Plan Loan, the outstanding
balance thereof has not been paid in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement; provided , however, that so long as the
outstanding balance of (y) Motor Vehicles for which cash has
been received upon the sale thereof shall have been received within
five (5) days of the sale thereof and (z) Sale Dated
Motor Vehicles shall have been received within ten (10) days
of the sale thereof, such Loans shall not be considered Out of
Balance.
“ Overage Amount ”
has the meaning specified in Section 9.12(b) .
“ PBGC ” means the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any entity succeeding to
any or all of its functions under ERISA.
“ Permitted Acquisition
” has the meaning specified in Section 9.16(a)
.
“ Permitted Liens
” means those Liens described in Section 10.2
.
“ Permitted New Vehicle
Floor Plan Indebtedness ” has the meaning specified in
Section 10.1(q) .
“ Permitted Real Estate
Debt ” means (i) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary
existing as of the Closing Date or incurred in connection with a
Permitted Acquisition, provided that such Indebtedness is secured
solely by real estate, improvements, fixtures, leases, rents and
related real property rights of such Subsidiary used in the
day-to-day operations of its business and (ii) other
Indebtedness and related interest rate swap agreements of a
Subsidiary, provided that such Indebtedness is secured solely by
real estate, improvements, fixtures, leases, rents and related real
property rights of such Subsidiary and further provided that the
amount of such indebtedness does not exceed 95% of the fair market
value of the real estate collateral securing such Indebtedness.
“ Person ” means
any natural person, corporation, trust, business trust,
association, company, limited liability company, joint venture,
partnership or Governmental Authority.
“ Plan ” means a
“pension plan,” as such term is defined in
Section 3(2)(A) of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan),
established or maintained by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
or any ERISA Affiliate or as to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or is a member or
otherwise may have any liability.
“ Pounds Sterling
” and the symbol £ means pounds sterling, the official
currency of the United Kingdom.
“Pounds Sterling
Borrowing” means a Borrowing comprised of one or more
Pounds Sterling Loans.
“Pounds Sterling
Loan” means an Acquisition Loan requested in Pounds
Sterling with respect to which the Company shall have selected an
interest rate based on the Pounds Sterling Rate.
“ Pounds Sterling Rate
” means, with respect of a Pounds Sterling Loan, the rate per
annum (rounded up to 1/16 of 1%, if necessary), at which Pounds
Sterling approximately equal in principal amount to the requested
Borrowing and for a maturity equal to the applicable Interest
Period, appear on the applicable page of the Reuters Screen as of
11:00 a.m., London Time, on the first day of such Interest
Period. In the event that such rate does not appear thereon (or
otherwise on such service), the “Pounds Sterling Rate”
for purposes of this definition shall be determined by: (i)
reference to such other comparable publicly available service for
displaying Pounds Sterling rates as may be reasonably selected by
the Alternative Currency Agent, or (ii) at the option of the
Alternative Currency Agent the rate at which Pounds Sterling
approximately equal in principal amount to such Borrowing and for a
maturity equal to the applicable Interest Period are offered in
immediately available funds to the principal office of the
Alternative Currency Agent in London, England.
“ Prime Rate ” has
the meaning specified in the definition of the term
“Alternate Base Rate.”
“ Pro Forma EBITDA
” means, for any Person, for any period of determination,
EBITDA of such Person for the immediately preceding four fiscal
quarters plus (or minus), without duplication, the EBITDA for such
four quarter period of any Person acquired during such period as if
such acquisition had occurred on the first day of such four quarter
period, provided, if a calculation of Pro Forma EBITDA results in
an increase in the Company’s Consolidated EBITDA by 10% or
more from the most recent date of determination, no such increase
above 10% shall be considered a part of any computation hereunder
unless the applicable calculations of Pro Forma EBITDA are based on
supporting calculations and such other information as the Agent may
reasonably request to determine the accuracy of such
calculation.
“ Pro Forma Floor Plan
Interest Expense ” means, for any Person, as of any
period of determination, Floor Plan Interest Expense of such Person
for the immediately preceding four fiscal quarters plus, without
duplication, the Floor Plan Interest Expense for such period of any
Person acquired during such period, as if acquired on the first day
of such period.
“ Pro Rata Share of
Acquisition Loan Commitments ” means, at any time, with
respect to any Acquisition Loan Lender, the percentage
corresponding to a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the
amount of the Acquisition Loan Commitment of such Lender and the
denominator of which shall be the Total Acquisition Loan
Commitments.
“ Pro Rata Share of Floor
Plan Loan Commitments ” means, at any time, with respect
to any Floor Plan Lender, the percentage corresponding to a
fraction, the numerator of which shall be the amount of the Floor
Plan Loan Commitment of such Lender and the denominator of which
shall be the Total Floor Plan Loan Commitments.
“ Pro Rata Share of Total
Commitments ” means, at any time, with respect to any
Lender, the percentage corresponding to a fraction, the numerator
of which is such Lender’s Commitment and the denominator of
which shall be the aggregate amount of the Total Commitment.
“ Program Car ”
means any Motor Vehicle in the current or immediately preceding
model year in readily saleable condition, previously used by a car
rental company as a part of its rental fleet or previously driven
by an executive of a Manufacturer before being offered for sale to
the Company or any other Floor Plan Borrower at a Manufacturer
sponsored auction.
“ Qualified Sale/Leaseback
Transaction ” means a sale by any of the Borrowers of
real property and related fixtures and accessories used in the
ordinary course of business, which property is, in a concurrent
transaction, leased by such Borrower from the purchaser thereof
under a lease agreement, the terms of which, as of the date of such
transaction, based upon the immediately preceding four fiscal
quarters of the Company, would not cause the Company to be in
Default under any of the provisions of this Agreement.
“ Quoted Rate ”
means the lesser of (i) rate of interest per annum offered by
Swing Line Bank in its sole discretion with respect to a Swing Line
Loan or a Swing Line Overdraft Loan, such rate to be derived from
the LIBO Rate (or other cost of funds, as selected by Swing Line
Bank) on the applicable date of determination, plus (x) .875%
if such Loan is to finance New Motor Vehicles, Demonstrators or
Rental Motor Vehicles or (y) .975% if such Loan is to finance
Used Motor Vehicles or Program Cars, and (ii) the Highest
Lawful Rate.
“ Ratification
Agreements ” means those documents executed of even date
herewith that ratify the security documents and guaranties executed
in connection with the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement.
“ Re-Allocation Date
” has the meaning specified in Section 5.18(e)
.
“ Refunded Swing Line
Loans ” has the meaning specified in
Section 4.5(a) .
“ Register ” has
the meaning specified in Section 13.3(d) .
“ Regulation D
” means Regulation D of the Board, as the same is from
time to time in effect, and all official rulings and
interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“ Regulation T
” means Regulation T of the Board, as the same is from
time to time in effect, and all official rulings and
interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“ Regulation U
” means Regulation U of the Board, as the same is from
time to time in effect, and all official rulings and
interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“ Regulation X
” means Regulation X of the Board, as the same is from
time to time in effect, and all official rulings and
interpretations thereunder or thereof.
“ Rental Motor Vehicle
” means a Motor Vehicle less than two years old owned by a
Floor Plan Borrower and purchased directly from a Manufacturer as a
New Motor Vehicle and used as a service loaner vehicle or is
periodically subject to a rental contract with customers of the
Floor Plan Borrower for loaner or rental periods of up to thirty
(30) consecutive days or is used by dealership personnel in
connection with parts and service operations.
“ Reportable Event
” means a Reportable Event as referenced in
Section 4043(b)(3) of ERISA, other than an event for which the
30-day notice requirement under ERISA has been waived in
regulations issued by the PBGC.
“ Request for Borrowing
” means, in connection with a Floor Plan Loan or a Swing Line
Loan, under the Floor Plan Commitment, a Request for Borrowing
substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit 1.1D , and in the case of an Acquisition
Loan or a Swing Line Loan under the Acquisition Commitment, a
Request for Borrowing substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit 1.1E .
“ Required Lenders
” means, at any time, Lenders holding more than fifty percent
(50%) of the Total Commitments in Dollars as shown on
Schedule 1.1a or, after all of the Commitments have
terminated, more than fifty percent (50%) of the Indebtedness
outstanding under the Loan Documents, provided that any Swing Line
Loans shall be allocated among the Lenders pro rata.
“ Requirement of Law
” means, as to any Person, any law (statutory or common),
treaty, rule or regulation or determination of any arbitrator or of
a Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding
upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or
any of its property is subject.
“ Reserve Commitment
” has the meaning specified in Section 3.4 .
“ Restricted Payment
” means, as to any Person, any dividend or other distribution
of assets, properties, cash, rights, obligations or securities made
by such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person on account of
shares of such Person’s capital stock, or any partnership
interest or similar ownership interest in such Person, or any
purchase, retirement, redemption or other acquisition made by such
Person or any Subsidiary of such Person of any of such
Person’s capital stock, partnership interest or similar
ownership interest or warrants, rights or options evidencing a
right to acquire such shares or interests.
“ Restricted Subsidiary
” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company
organized under the laws of the United States or any state,
territory or other political subdivision thereof and is directly
owned by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary.
“ Retail Loan Guarantees
” means any Guarantee by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries in favor of any Person of retail installment contracts
or other retail payment obligations in respect of Motor Vehicles
sold to a customer.
“ Sale Dated ”
means, in connection with the sale of a Motor Vehicle, that closing
of the sale of such Motor Vehicle is pending financing or other
contingencies.
“ Security Agreement
” means the Security Agreements executed in connection with
any of the Prior Agreements, executed by each of the Borrowers in
favor of the Agent for the benefit of the Lenders covering the
assets of the Borrowers described therein.
“ Security Documents
” means this Agreement, the Escrow and Security Agreement,
the Security Agreements, the Ratification Agreements, the
agreements or instruments described or referred to in
Section 8.1(b) and any and all other agreements or
instruments now or hereafter executed and delivered by any Borrower
or any other Person in connection with, or as security for, the
payments or performance of any of the Obligations.
“ Senior Secured Leverage
Ratio ” means as of any date of determination, for the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the ratio of
(a) Adjusted Senior Indebtedness that is secured by any assets
of the Company or any of its direct or indirect Restricted
Subsidiaries or is Guaranteed by the Company or any direct or
indirect Restricted Subsidiary as of such date to (b)
(y) Consolidated Pro Forma EBITDA as of such date, minus
(z) Pro Forma Floor Plan Interest Expense of the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis and
after having given effect to any proposed Acquisition, as of such
date.
“ Stockholders’
Equity ” means, as of any date of determination, the
consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries determined in accordance with GAAP, after
eliminating all intercompany items and after deducting from
stockholders’ equity such portion thereof as is properly
attributable to minority interests in Subsidiaries as reflected in
the financial statements most recently delivered.
“ Subordinated
Indebtedness ” means (i) Indebtedness of any
Restricted Subsidiary having maturities and terms, and which is
subordinated to payment of the Notes, and approved (with respect to
the maturity and subordination terms only, but approval of the
Agent and Floor Plan Agent shall not be required for the incurrence
of such Indebtedness generally) in writing by the Agent and the
Floor Plan Agent and which, in the aggregate, is less than ten
percent (10%) of Stockholders’ Equity and (ii) unsecured
subordinated Indebtedness of the Company (which may be Guaranteed
by the Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company on an unsecured
basis) provided that such Indebtedness (x) is subordinated to
payment of the Notes as approved in writing by the Agent, (which
approval of subordination terms (including any description of
“senior” debt) shall be required for any such
Indebtedness, including, without limitation, any Indebtedness
issued pursuant to supplemental indentures entered into under the
Subordinated Indenture dated August 13, 2003 among the
Company, the subsidiary guarantors named therein and Wells Fargo
Bank, N.A. as Trustee), (y) does not have a maturity before
August 15, 2013, and (z) has terms that are no more
restrictive than the terms of the Loan Documents (taken as a whole
in each case) and further provided that, after giving effect to the
issuance of such Indebtedness, no Default or Event of Default shall
have occurred or be continuing or would occur as a result
thereof.
“ Subsidiary ”
means any Person of which or in which any other Person (the “
Parent ”) or any other Subsidiary of the Parent
owns directly or indirectly fifty percent (50%) or more of:
(a) the
combined voting power of all classes of stock having general voting
power under ordinary circumstances to elect a majority of the board
of directors of such Person, if it is a corporation;
(b) the
capital interest or profits interest of such Person, if it is a
partnership, joint venture or similar entity; or
(c) the
beneficial interest of such Person, if it is a trust, association
or other unincorporated organization.
“ Swing Line Bank
” means Comerica Bank and its successors and assignees as
provided in this Agreement.
“ Swing Line Commitment
” means, for the Swing Line Bank, its obligation to make
Swing Line Loans to the Floor Plan Borrowers up to $100,000,000;
provided that, subject to the provisions of Article IV
, the Swing Line Commitment is a part of the Floor Plan Loan
Commitment rather than a separate, independent commitment.
“ Swing Line Loan
” has the meaning specified in Section 4.1(a)
.
“ Swing Line Minimum
Amount ” means the amount of Swing Line Loans which in
the mutual determination of the Borrowers and the Floor Plan Agent
shall remain outstanding as of each Floor Plan Adjustment Date,
which amount may change from time to time as the Borrowers and the
Floor Plan Agent shall mutually agree; provided, however, the Swing
Line Minimum Amount shall in any event not be in excess of Twenty
Million Dollars ($20,000,000).
“ Swing Line Note
” means the Note substantially in the form of
Exhibit 1.1G , duly executed by all of the Floor
Plan Borrowers and payable to and delivered to the Swing Line Bank,
in the principal face amount of the Swing Line Commitment.
“ Swing Line Overdraft
Borrowing Request ” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.3(d)(iii)(4) .
“ Swing Line Overdraft
Loan ” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.3(d)(iii)(4) .
“ TARGET Day ”
means any day on which the TARGET payment system is open for the
settlement of payments in Euros.
“ Taxes ” has the
meaning specified in Section 5.14(a) .
“ Total Acquisition Loan
Commitment ” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of
the Acquisition Loan Commitments of all Lenders, as in effect at
such time in accordance with this Agreement, which Commitments, as
of the Closing Date, equal the Dollar equivalent of $350,000,000,
whether designated partly in Dollars and partly in one or more
Alternative Currencies.
“ Total Commitment
” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Commitments
of all Lenders, as in effect at such time in accordance with this
Agreement, which Commitments, as of the Closing Date, equal the
Dollar equivalent of $1,350,000,000, whether designated all in
Dollars or partly in Dollars and partly in one or more Alternative
Currencies.
“ Total Floor Plan Loan
Commitments ” means at any time, the aggregate amount of
the Floor Plan Loan Commitments of all Lenders, as in effect at
such time in accordance with this Agreement, which Commitments, as
of the Closing Date, equal $1,000,000,000.
“ Total Leverage Ratio
” means, as of any date of determination, for the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the ratio on
such date of (a) Adjusted Total Indebtedness to (b) the
difference between (i) Consolidated Pro Forma EBITDA and
(ii) Pro Forma Floor Plan Interest Expense of the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis and
after having given effect to any proposed Acquisition, as of such
date.
“ Transferee ” has
the meaning specified in Section 5.14(a) .
“ Type ” means any
type of Loan determined with respect to the currency and/or the
interest rate option applicable thereto.
“ UCC ” means the
Uniform Commercial Code as adopted and in effect in the State of
Texas from time to time.
“ Unrestricted
Subsidiary ” means any direct or indirect Subsidiary of
the Company that is not a Restricted Subsidiary and any Subsidiary
of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“ Used Motor Vehicle
” means a Motor Vehicle that is in the current or preceding
four (4) model years and that is not a New Motor Vehicle, a
Demonstrator or a Rental Motor Vehicle and has been previously
titled.
“ Wholly Owned
Subsidiary ” means any Person of which the Company or its
other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries own directly or indirectly one
hundred percent (100%) of:
(a) the
issued and outstanding shares of stock (except shares required as
directors’ qualifying shares and shares constituting less
than two percent (2%) of the issued and outstanding shares);
(b) the
capital interest or profits interest of such Person, if it is a
partnership, joint venture or similar entity;
(c) the
beneficial interest of such Person, if it is a trust, association
or other unincorporated organization; or
(d) any
Foreign Subsidiary that is required by the applicable laws and
regulations of such foreign jurisdiction to be partially owned by
the government of such foreign jurisdiction or individual or
corporate citizens of such foreign jurisdiction, provided that the
Company, directly or indirectly, owns the remaining equity
interests in such Subsidiary and, by contract or otherwise,
controls the management and business of such Subsidiary and derives
economic benefits of ownership of such Subsidiary to substantially
the same extent as if such Subsidiary were a Wholly-Owned
Subsidiary.
Section 1.2 Accounting
Terms . Except as otherwise herein specifically provided, each
accounting term used herein shall have the meaning given it under
GAAP.
Section 1.3
Interpretation .
(a) In this Agreement, unless a
clear contrary intention appears:
(i) the
singular number includes the plural number and vice versa;
(ii) reference to any gender includes the other gender;
(iii) the
words “herein,” “hereof” and
“hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article,
Section or other subdivision;
(iv) reference to any Person includes such Person’s
successors and assigns but, if applicable, only if such successors
and assigns are permitted by this Agreement, and reference to a
Person in a particular capacity excludes such Person in any other
capacity or individually, provided that nothing in this clause
(iv) is intended to authorize any assignment not otherwise
permitted by this Agreement;
(v) reference to any agreement (including this Agreement),
document or instrument means such agreement, document or instrument
as amended, supplemented or modified and in effect from time to
time in accordance with the terms thereof and, if applicable, the
terms hereof, and reference to any Note includes any note issued
pursuant hereto in extension or renewal thereof and in substitution
or replacement therefor;
(vi) unless
the context indicates otherwise, reference to any Article, Section,
Schedule or Exhibit means such Article or Section hereof or such
Schedule or Exhibit hereto;
(vii) the
word “including” (and with correlative meaning
“include”) means including, without limiting the
generality of any description preceding such term;
(viii) with
respect to the determination of any period of time, the word
“from” means “from and including” and the
word “to” means “to but excluding”; and
(ix) reference to any law means such law as amended, modified,
codified or reenacted, in whole or in part, and in effect from time
to time.
(b) The Article and Section
headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only
and shall not affect the construction hereof.
(c) No provision of this
Agreement shall be interpreted or construed against any Person
solely because that Person or its legal representative drafted such
provision.
ARTICLE II
THE FLOOR PLAN
LOANS
Section 2.1 Floor Plan Loan
Commitments .
Subject to the terms and conditions
and relying upon the representations and warranties of the
Borrowers herein set forth, each Floor Plan Lender severally and
not jointly agrees to make revolving credit loans (each such loan,
a “ Floor Plan Loan ”) to any Floor Plan
Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period
from the Closing Date to the Maturity Date in an aggregate amount
not to exceed at any time such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of
Floor Plan Loan Commitments; provided, however, that, subject to
Section 2.3(d)(iii) , after giving effect to all Floor
Plan Loans and Swing Line Loans requested on any date, the
aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Floor Plan Loans and
Swing Line Loans shall not at any time exceed the aggregate Floor
Plan Loan Commitments and, further provided that the aggregate
principal amount of all outstanding Floor Plan Loans, Swing Line
Loans, Acquisition Loans and Letter of Credit Obligations shall not
at any time exceed the Total Commitment. Subject to the other terms
and conditions hereof, any Floor Plan Borrower may borrow, prepay
and reborrow Floor Plan Loans under this Section 2.1
.
Section 2.2 Floor Plan
Loans.
(a) Each Floor Plan Loan
Borrowing shall be in the minimum aggregate principal amount of One
Million Dollars ($1,000,000) and in integral multiples of One
Million Dollars ($1,000,000); provided that a Swing Line Loan,
Swing Line Overdraft Loan, Comerica Prime Rate Loan or a Floor Plan
Loan resulting from a Draft may be in any amount and shall consist
of Floor Plan Loans of the same Type made ratably by the Floor Plan
Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Share of Floor
Plan Loan Commitments; provided, however, that the failure of any
Floor Plan Lender to make any Floor Plan Loan shall not relieve any
other Floor Plan Lender of its obligation to lend hereunder.
(b) Each Floor Plan Loan
Borrowing shall be a Comerica Prime Rate Borrowing or a Eurodollar
Borrowing (other than those resulting from a Draft, which shall be
initially borrowed as Swing Line Loans bearing interest at the
Quoted Rate) as any of the Floor Plan Borrowers may request
pursuant to Section 2.3 . Each Floor Plan Lender may
fulfill its obligation to make Floor Plan Loans with respect to any
Eurodollar Loan by causing, at its option, any domestic or foreign
branch or Affiliate of such Floor Plan Lender to make such Loan,
provided that the exercise of such option shall not affect the
obligation of the applicable Floor Plan Borrower to repay such Loan
in accordance with the terms of the applicable Note.
(c) A Floor Plan Borrower shall
not be entitled to request a Floor Plan Borrowing hereunder until
it (i) has executed and delivered to the Floor Plan Lenders,
as aforesaid, the Notes, and to the Swing Line Bank, a Swing Line
Note, or has joined such Notes by execution and delivery of an
Addendum (ii) has become a party to this Agreement by
execution and delivery of this Agreement or an Addendum, and
(iii) has become a party to the Security Documents,
accompanied in each case by authority documents, legal opinions and
other supporting documents as required by Agent, Floor Plan Agent
and the Required Lenders hereunder and has otherwise complied with
the provisions of Section 9.16(b) .
Section 2.3 Floor Plan
Borrowing Procedure . Any Floor Plan Borrower may request a
Floor Plan Loan, (i) in the case of Floor Plan Loans, subject
to Section 2.8 through Section 2.11 ,
pursuant to a Draft, by delivery of such Draft in accordance with
the express terms of a Drafting Agreement or (ii) by delivery
to the Floor Plan Agent of a written Request for Borrowing. Floor
Plan Loan Borrowings are subject to the following and to the
remaining provisions hereof:
(a) each such Request for
Borrowing shall set forth the following information:
(i) the
proposed date of such Borrowing, which must be a Business Day;
(ii) the
aggregate amount of such requested Borrowing;
(iii) whether such Floor Plan Borrowing is to be a Comerica
Prime Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Loan, or in the case of a Swing
Line Loan, a Loan at the Quoted Rate (provided, however, that all
Drafts shall be deemed to be requested as Swing Line Loans at the
Quoted Rate) and the Interest Period applicable thereto;
(iv) a
description of the Motor Vehicle(s) purchased or to be purchased
with the proceeds of such Borrowing, including for each Motor
Vehicle, its vehicle identification number, make, model and
purchase price, and whether such Motor Vehicle is a New Motor
Vehicle, Used Motor Vehicle, Rental Motor Vehicle, Program Car or
Demonstrator;
(v) if
requested by the Floor Plan Agent, in the case of a Request for
Borrowing requested directly by a Floor Plan Borrower to fund the
purchase of Used Motor Vehicles, such Borrower shall deliver a
current Manufacturer/Dealer Statement with appropriate inventory
breakout as required by the Floor Plan Agent with the first such
Request for Borrowing in any month; and
(vi) certify that the conditions precedent set forth in have
been satisfied as of such proposed Borrowing Date.
(b) each such Request for
Borrowing shall be delivered to the Floor Plan Agent (i) in
the case of a Draft by a Manufacturer, by 11:00 a.m., Houston,
Texas time one (1) Business Day prior to a proposed Borrowing
Date, (ii) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later
than 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time, three (3) Business
Days prior to the Borrowing Date of a proposed Borrowing, and
(iii) in the case of a Comerica Prime Rate Borrowing, not
later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time on the proposed
Borrowing Date.
(c) the aggregate principal
amount of each such Borrowing shall not exceed the aggregate Floor
Plan Advance Limit for the Motor Vehicles described in such Request
for Borrowing.
(d) Notwithstanding the
foregoing,
(i) if the
Floor Plan Agent has, at the request of the Required Lenders or
acting in its discretion according to the terms hereof, taken
action to suspend or terminate Drafts pursuant to one or more
Drafting Agreements and such Drafting Agreements have in fact been
suspended or terminated in accordance with their respective terms,
then the Floor Plan Agent shall not fund the amount of such Draft;
and
(ii) if on
any day the conditions precedent set forth in
Section 8.3 have been satisfied and (A) the
aggregate principal amount of a Request for Borrowing of a Floor
Plan Loan, plus (B) the aggregate principal amount of all
other Floor Plan Loans then outstanding plus (C) the aggregate
principal amount of all Swing Line Loans (but minus the amount of
any Swing Line Loans to be refunded with the proceeds of such
Borrowing) then outstanding exceeds the aggregate principal amount
of such Loans outstanding as of the immediately preceding Floor
Plan Adjustment Date and such Request for Borrowing is less than
the available Swing Line Commitment then such Borrowing shall
constitute a Swing Line Loan and shall be disbursed in accordance
with the provisions of Article IV hereof; and
(iii) if on
any day the conditions precedent set forth in
Section 8.3 have been satisfied and a Draft is
presented for payment, the payment of which would cause
(A) the aggregate principal amount of all Floor Plan Loans
then outstanding, plus (B) the aggregate principal amount of
all Swing Line Loans then outstanding, plus (C) the aggregate
principal amount of all Requests for Borrowings of Floor Plan Loans
outstanding as of such day to exceed the aggregate Floor Plan Loan
Commitments as of such day, then, in such event:
(1) the
Company may either immediately reduce any pending Request for
Borrowing of a Floor Plan Loan which does not consist of a Draft or
make a payment of principal on Floor Plan Loans and/or Swing Line
Loans in an amount which would prevent the aggregate amounts
described in (A), (B) and (C) above from exceeding the
aggregate Floor Plan Loan Commitments; or
(2) the
Company may request an increase in the aggregate Floor Plan Loan
Commitments by converting a portion of the Acquisition Loan
Commitment pursuant to Section 5.5(b) , and such
Request for Borrowing shall be funded to the extent of such
increase; or
(3) if the
Company does not elect to act under clause (1) or
(2) above and if there is a Reserve Commitment available under
Section 3.4 , then the aggregate Floor Plan Loan
Commitments shall be increased by the amount of such Reserve
Commitment, and such Draft shall be funded to the extent of such
increase; or
(4) if
there is no Reserve Commitment available, such Draft shall be
deemed for all purposes a Swing Line Overdraft Loan Borrowing
Request (each a “ Swing Line Overdraft Borrowing
Request ”) and such Borrowing shall constitute a
Swing Line Overdraft Loan (each, a “ Swing Line
Overdraft Loan ”) to be disbursed and subject to the
provisions of Section 4.6 .
(e) Each Request for Borrowing
may be in writing (including via facsimile) or telephonic (if
promptly confirmed in writing). Each Request for Borrowing, once
given, shall be irrevocable. Each of the Floor Plan Borrowers
hereby authorizes the Floor Plan Agent to disburse Floor Plan Loans
under this Section 2.3 pursuant to the telephone
instructions of any Person purporting to be a Person identified by
name on a written list of Persons authorized by each such Floor
Plan Borrower to make a Request for Borrowing for Floor Plan Loans
on behalf of such Borrower(s). Notwithstanding the foregoing, each
of the Floor Plan Borrowers acknowledges and agrees that the
applicable Floor Plan Borrower shall bear all risk of loss
resulting from disbursements made upon any telephone request.
(f) If at any time between
Floor Plan Adjustment Dates, the payment of all of a Swing Line
Loan would cause the outstanding balance of all Swing Line Loans to
be less than the Swing Line Minimum Amount, the Company may elect
to cause such funds to be invested in overnight funds or other
securities held by Comerica Securities, Inc. and acceptable to the
Floor Plan Agent and the Lenders, which investments shall be
subject to the first priority security interest of the Floor Plan
Agent for the benefit of the Lenders to secure the outstanding
balance of the Obligations. The Floor Plan Agent and any of the
Floor Plan Borrowers may enter into an agreement from time to time
to facilitate the investment of such funds.
(g) The Floor Plan Agent may
notify each Floor Plan Lender of any Request for Borrowing in
connection with Borrowings with respect to which the Floor Plan
Lenders will make advances pursuant to Section 2.4(c)
.
Section 2.4 Notice of Types
of Floor Plan Loans and Interest Periods .
(a) On or before
10:00 a.m. Houston, Texas time, three (3) Business Days
prior to the last Business Day of each calendar month, the Company
shall provide a written (including via facsimile) Request for
Borrowing to the Floor Plan Agent designating the Type of Floor
Plan Loans which will be outstanding commencing on the Floor Plan
Adjustment Date immediately following such notice until the next
succeeding Floor Plan Adjustment Date. If, for any reason, the
Company does not deliver the Request for Borrowing as herein
provided, including, without limitation providing for three (3)
Business Days’ notice, the Company shall be deemed to have
requested that on such Floor Plan Adjustment Date all Floor Plan
Loans be Eurodollar Borrowings.
(b) On or before
11:00 a.m. Houston, Texas time on each Floor Plan Adjustment
Date, the Floor Plan Agent shall provide written (including via
facsimile) notice to the Agent of the amount of (i) Floor Plan
Loans outstanding, plus (ii) Swing Line Loans (plus Swing Line
Overdraft Loans, if any) outstanding in excess of the Swing Line
Minimum Amount, plus (iii) the amount of Floor Plan Loans
being requested pursuant to any Request for Borrowing of Floor Plan
Loans, as of 10:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time on such date.
Upon receipt of such notice, the Agent shall provide prompt written
(including via fax) notice to the Floor Plan Lenders advising them
(A) that the amount of Floor Plan Loans required pursuant to
(i), (ii) and (iii) above is greater than the amount
required as of the immediately preceding Floor Plan Adjustment Date
and, with respect to each Floor Plan Lender, the amount of
additional Floor Plan Loans to be advanced by such Floor Plan
Lender, (B) that the amount of Floor Plan Loans required pursuant
to (i), (ii) and (iii) above, has decreased since the
immediately preceding Floor Plan Adjustment Date and, with respect
to each Floor Plan Lender, the amount of such repayment to be made
to such Floor Plan Lender, or (C) that there is no change in
the amount of Floor Plan Loans required pursuant to (i),
(ii) and (iii) above since the immediately preceding
Floor Plan Adjustment Date. Such notice shall also advise the Floor
Plan Lenders of the Type of Floor Plan Loans the Floor Plan
Borrowers have selected, subject to Section 5.15(b) ,
for the period of time from the next Floor Plan Adjustment Date to
the next succeeding Floor Plan Adjustment Date.
(c) Each Floor Plan Lender
shall, upon request from the Agent, from time to time as herein
provided, advance the amount required in connection with each such
Floor Plan Loan Borrowing by paying to the Agent in U.S. Dollars
and in immediately available funds on the same day as the proposed
date for Borrowings (that is not a Floor Plan Adjustment Date)
pursuant to a Request for Borrowing that has been delivered to the
Floor Plan Lenders or on each Floor Plan Adjustment Date, as
applicable not later than 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, and,
subject to satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Article VIII , and the terms, provisions and conditions
set forth in Section 2.3 and Section 4.3 ,
the Agent shall promptly and in any event on the same day, credit
the amounts so received to the account of the Floor Plan Agent, or,
if a Floor Plan Loan Borrowing shall not occur on such date because
any condition precedent herein specified shall not have been met,
return the amounts so received to the respective Floor Plan
Lenders. Upon receipt of such funds the Floor Plan Agent shall
promptly and in any event on the same day, credit the amount so
received to the account of the applicable Borrower.
(d) On each Floor Plan
Adjustment Date if (i) Swing Line Loans (plus Swing Line
Overdraft Loans, if any) outstanding are greater than the Swing
Line Minimum Amount, the Swing Line Overdraft Loans shall be repaid
and the Swing Line Loans shall be reduced to the Swing Line Minimum
Amount with proceeds advanced by the Floor Plan Lenders pursuant to
notices from the Floor Plan Agent given to the Agent as provided in
Section 2.4(b) and the Agent shall remit the proceeds
of such Floor Plan Loans to the Floor Plan Agent for application to
the Swing Line Loans (and to the Swing Line Overdraft Loans, if
any) outstanding in excess of the Swing Line Minimum Amount, or
(ii) Swing Line Loans are less than the Swing Line Minimum Amount,
the Swing Line Bank shall make a Swing Line Loan to the Floor Plan
Borrowers in an amount required to cause the total amount of Swing
Line Loans outstanding to equal the Swing Line Minimum Amount and
the Floor Plan Agent shall remit the proceeds of such Swing Line
Loan to the Floor Plan Borrowers.
Section 2.5 Payments;
Application of Payments .
(a) Each Floor Plan Borrower
shall, on the Curtailment Date of a Motor Vehicle financed
hereunder, pay in full the Floor Plan Advance Limit with respect to
such Motor Vehicle.
(b) Upon the sale of any Motor
Vehicle by a Floor Plan Borrower, such Floor Plan Borrower shall
pay in full the Floor Plan Advance Limit with respect to such Motor
Vehicle immediately upon the earliest to occur of: (i) with
respect to Motor Vehicles for which cash has been received upon the
sale thereof, upon receipt of payment, (ii) with respect to
Sale Dated Motor Vehicles, within ten (10) days of the date of
such Motor Vehicle was sold and (iii) with respect to Fleet
Motor Vehicles, within thirty (30) days of the date of
sale.
(c) Subject to the provisions
of Section 2.3(e) , payments required to be made by any
Floor Plan Borrower as set forth in Section 2.5(a) and
Section 2.5(b) shall be applied in the following order:
(i) first, to the outstanding principal balance of Swing Line
Overdraft Loans, (ii) second, to the outstanding principal
balance of Swing Line Loans (iii) third, only if no Swing Line
Overdraft Loans or Swing Line Loans are then outstanding, to the
outstanding principal balance of Floor Plan Loans that was funded
from the Reserve Commitment, and (iv) finally, only if no
Swing Line Overdraft Loans or Swing Line Loans and then outstanding
and none of the outstanding principal balance of the Floor Plan
Loans has been funded from the Reserve Commitment, to the remaining
outstanding principal balance of the Floor Plan Loans.
(d) Each Floor Plan Borrower
shall cause all proceeds from the sale of Motor Vehicles financed
hereunder to be deposited directly into an account of the
applicable Borrower with its local financial institution which
proceeds shall be transferred to the Floor Plan Agent as
Excess/Payments in Process for payment of the Loans as provided in
Section 2.5(b) .
(e) An amount equal to two
percent (2%) of the original principal amount of Floor Plan Loans
(or any portion thereof) attributable to each Rental Motor Vehicle
shall be payable on the fifteenth (15 th ) day of each
month after the date such Motor Vehicle is Deemed Floored.
Section 2.6 Title
Documents . All original Manufacturer’s invoices and
title documents evidencing the Floor Plan Borrowers’
ownership of all of their Motor Vehicles financed hereunder,
including, without limitation, the Manufacturer’s
Certificate, shall be maintained in safekeeping by the Floor Plan
Borrowers in a manner acceptable to the Floor Plan Agent, unless
and until a Floor Plan Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing. After the occurrence and during the continuance of a
Floor Plan Event of Default, Floor Plan Agent may request and the
Floor Plan Borrowers shall deliver or cause to be delivered within
three (3) Business Days of such request, all such original
Manufacturer’s invoices and title documents being maintained
by the Floor Plan Borrowers at the time of such request and,
immediately, all such original Manufacturer’s invoices and
title documents that later come into the possession of the Floor
Plan Borrowers, to the Floor Plan Agent, and the Floor Plan Agent
shall retain or hold all such original Manufacturer’s
invoices and title documents so received. Thereafter, for so long
as such Floor Plan Event of Default shall be continuing, all such
original Manufacturer’s Certificates and title documents
shall remain in the Floor Plan Agent’s possession until the
Floor Plan Loan Borrowing in connection therewith or such ratable
portion thereof in respect of a Motor Vehicle sold by any Floor
Plan Borrower has been paid in full; provided that, upon the
occurrence of a Floor Plan Event of Default and during the
continuance thereof, the Floor Plan Agent may transfer, as
applicable, title documents delivered to it pursuant to this
Section 2.6 in connection with the sale of Motor
Vehicles in accordance with its rights provided for in this
Agreement or the other Loan Documents.
Section 2.7 Power of
Attorney . For the purpose of expediting the financing of Motor
Vehicles under the terms of this Agreement and for other purposes
relating to such financing transaction, each of the Floor Plan
Borrowers irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Floor Plan Agent
and any of its officers, and each of them, severally, as its true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact or attorney-in-fact with full
authority to act on behalf of, and in the name of, place, and stead
of, each such Floor Plan Borrower, regardless of whether or not an
Event of Default shall have occurred hereunder, to prepare,
execute, and deliver any and all instruments, documents, and
agreements required to be executed and delivered by each such Floor
Plan Borrower necessary to evidence Floor Plan Loan Borrowings (and
if outstanding, Swing Line Overdraft Loans) hereunder and/or after
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default,
to evidence, perfect, or realize upon the security interest granted
by this Agreement, and/or any of the Loan Documents, including,
without limitation, the Notes evidencing the Floor Plan Loans,
requests for advances, security agreements, financing statements,
other instruments for the payment of money, receipts,
manufacturer’s certificates of origin, certificates of
origin, certificates of title, applications for certificates of
title, other basic evidences of ownership, dealer reassignments of
any of the foregoing, affidavits, and acknowledgments. The
foregoing power of attorney shall be coupled with an interest, and
shall be irrevocable so long as this Agreement remains in effect,
any Drafting Agreement remains in effect or any Obligations remain
outstanding under this Agreement or any of the Notes evidencing the
Floor Plan Loans. Each of said attorneys-in-fact shall have the
power to act hereunder with or without the other. The Floor Plan
Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, notify the Floor Plan
Borrowers of any such instruments or documents the Floor Plan Agent
has executed on any Borrower’s behalf prior to such
execution.
Section 2.8 Issuance of
Drafting Agreements . Subject to the terms and conditions of
this Agreement, Floor Plan Agent shall, at any time and from time
to time from and after the Closing Date until thirty
(30) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date, upon the
written request of the Company or the applicable Floor Plan
Borrower, countersigned by the Company, accompanied by
applications, letter of credit agreements and/or such other
documentation related thereto as the Floor Plan Agent may require,
issue Drafting Agreements for the account of the applicable Floor
Plan Borrower.
Section 2.9 Conditions to
Issuance . The Floor Plan Agent shall not be obligated to enter
into or issue a Drafting Agreement unless, as of the date of
issuance of such Drafting Agreement:
(a) the Company or the
applicable Floor Plan Borrower requesting the Drafting Agreement
shall have delivered to the Floor Plan Agent not less than ten
(10) Business Days prior to the requested date for issuance
(or such shorter time as the Floor Plan Agent in its sole
discretion may permit), a written application and such other
documentation (including without limitation a letter of credit
agreement if the Drafting Agreement is to be issued in the form of
a letter of credit) and the terms of such documents and of the
proposed Drafting Agreement shall satisfy the terms hereof and
otherwise be satisfactory to Floor Plan Agent;
(b) the conditions precedent
set forth in Section 8.3 are satisfied;
(c) no order, judgment or
decree of any Governmental Authority shall by its terms purport to
enjoin or restrain the Floor Plan Agent from entering into or
issuing such Drafting Agreement; no Requirement of Law applicable
to the Floor Plan Agent and no request or directive (whether or not
having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with
jurisdiction over the Floor Plan Agent shall prohibit the Floor
Plan Agent, or request that the Floor Plan Agent refrain, from
issuing or entering into Drafting Agreements generally or such
Drafting Agreement in particular or shall impose upon the Floor
Plan Agent with respect to such Drafting Agreement any restriction,
reserve or capital requirement (for which the Floor Plan Agent is
not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing
Date, or shall impose upon the Floor Plan Agent any unreimbursed
loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date
and which the Floor Plan Agent in good faith deems material to it
(relating to Drafts and Drafting Agreements); and
(d) the Floor Plan Agent does
not receive written notice from any Lender, the Agent or any Floor
Plan Borrower, on or prior to the Business Day prior to the
requested date of issuance or entry into such Drafting Agreement
that one or more of the applicable conditions contained in
Article VIII (or in this Section 2.9 ) has
not been satisfied or that a Default (relating to a Floor Plan
Event of Default) or Floor Plan Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing.
Each application for a Drafting
Agreement issued by a Floor Plan Borrower hereunder shall
constitute certification by each of the Company and the applicable
Floor Plan Borrower of the matters set forth in
Section 2.9(a) and (b) , and Floor Plan Agent
shall be entitled to rely on such certification without any duty of
inquiry. Immediately upon the issuance or entering into by the
Floor Plan Agent of each Drafting Agreement (except in respect of
any Drafting Agreement issued or entered into by the Floor Plan
Agent after it has obtained actual knowledge that a Floor Plan
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), each Floor Plan
Lender, subject to Section 4.6 (relating to a Swing
Line Overdraft Loan), hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees
to, and does hereby, purchase from the Floor Plan Agent a
participation in such Drafting Agreement and each Draft thereunder
in an amount equal to the product of (i) the Pro Rata Share of
Floor Plan Loan Commitments of such Floor Plan Lender and (ii) the
amount of each Draft presented by a Manufacturer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Floor Plan Agent shall take
such action as necessary to terminate and suspend all Drafting
Agreements effective ten (10) days prior to the Maturity Date,
and none of the Borrowers shall be entitled to borrow under any
Drafting Agreement after the date that is ten (10) days prior
to the Maturity Date. Provided, however, the immediately foregoing
sentence is intended only as a limitation to the Borrowers’
ability to borrow under Drafting Agreements and not as an
enlargement of the Floor Plan Agent’s obligations
hereunder.
Section 2.10 Drafts Under
Manufacturers Drafting Letters .
(a) Each Draft submitted by a
Manufacturer pursuant to a Drafting Agreement shall constitute a
Request for Borrowing of a Floor Plan Loan, a Swing Line Loan, or a
Swing Line Overdraft Loan, as the case may be. Upon its submission
to the Floor Plan Agent, the Floor Plan Agent shall pay such Draft,
unless it has been terminated or suspended. If the conditions
precedent set forth in Section 8.3 have been satisfied,
then such payment shall constitute a Floor Plan Loan in
satisfaction of the Floor Plan Borrower’s reimbursement
obligations in respect of such payment. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, subject to the terms and conditions of
Article XII hereof, the Floor Plan Agent may take all
actions reasonably necessary to suspend and/or terminate Drafts in
accordance with Section 11.4 and following the
occurrence of any Default (relating to a Floor Plan Event of
Default) or Floor Plan Event of Default.
(b) Notwithstanding the
obligation (if any) of the Floor Plan Agent to fund a Draft,
(i) if at any time any of the Floor Plan Borrowers has failed
to satisfy the conditions precedent for the Floor Plan Agent to
make a Floor Plan Loan or the Swing Line Bank to make a Swing Line
Loan or a Swing Line Overdraft Loan, (ii) subject to
Section 2.3(d)(iii) if at any time the amount of such
Draft would cause the aggregate amount of Floor Plan Loans to
exceed the aggregate Floor Plan Loan Commitments, or
(iii) after a Default (relating to a Floor Plan Event of
Default) or a Floor Plan Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, then in any such event, the funding of such Draft shall
not constitute a waiver of any such condition, Default or Event of
Default or otherwise in any manner whatsoever affect the rights and
remedies available to the Floor Plan Agent, the Agent, the Swing
Line Bank or any of the Floor Plan Lenders or the Lenders
hereunder. In any such event, the Floor Plan Borrowers shall remain
obligated to pay the amount of any Draft forthwith as set forth
herein and shall have all other duties and obligations applicable
to the Floor Plan Borrowers under this Agreement. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, each of the Floor Plan
Borrowers shall bear all risk of loss resulting from the payment of
any Draft, or any resulting disbursements of the Floor Plan Loans,
Swing Line Loans or Swing Line Overdraft Loans, as the case may be,
whether or not due to the gross negligence, willful misconduct or
fraud of any Manufacturer.
(c) Subject to
Section 11.4 hereof, each Floor Plan Lender shall be
obligated to fund Floor Plan Loans resulting from the presentation
of Drafts, by making available their respective Pro Rata Share of
Floor Plan Loan Commitments of the amounts so advanced, all in
accordance with Section 2.2 hereof; provided, however,
that if for any reason the Floor Plan Agent is prohibited from
making a Floor Plan Loan in respect of any such Draft, each such
Floor Plan Lender shall be deemed to and unconditionally agrees to
purchase from the Floor Plan Agent a participation interest in the
amount of such Draft (in the amount of its Pro Rata Share of Floor
Plan Loan Commitments). Notwithstanding the amount of the aggregate
Floor Plan Loan Commitments in effect from time to time, except
with respect to the notices terminating or suspending drafting
privileges to be given pursuant Section 11.1 or
Section 11.4 hereof or any other notices given by the
Floor Plan Agent in response to the written direction of the
Required Lenders, the Floor Plan Agent shall not be obligated to
terminate or suspend the drafting privileges of any Manufacturer
under the Drafting Agreements even though the aggregate amount of
Drafts which may be presented by Manufacturers under the Drafting
Agreements may exceed the amount of the aggregate Floor Plan Loan
Commitments in effect from time to time. Furthermore, (i) any
limitations contained in any of the Drafting Agreements (whether in
respect of daily Drafts to be presented or otherwise) are for
informational purposes only and Floor Plan Agent shall not be
obligated to monitor or limit the amount of Drafts presented or
honored on the basis of any such limitations and (ii) any
right of the Floor Plan Agent, acting in its discretion and not at
the direction or with the concurrence of the Required Lenders, to
terminate or suspend drafting privileges of any Manufacturer or
otherwise exercise any right or remedy shall be for the sole
benefit and protection of the Floor Plan Agent, and Floor Plan
Agent shall not owe any duty to any of the other Lenders with
respect to such rights or remedies or be required to exercise such
rights or remedies to protect any of the other Lenders.
Section 2.11 Obligations
Absolute . The Obligations of the Floor Plan Borrowers under
this Agreement and any of the other Loan Documents to reimburse the
Floor Plan Agent for Drafts presented by a Manufacturer under a
Drafting Agreement and to repay any Swing Line Loans, the Floor
Plan Loans or the Swing Line Overdraft Loans, as the case may be,
funded to pay a Draft shall be unconditional and irrevocable. Such
obligation shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement and each such other Loan Document under all
circumstances, including the following: (a) any lack of
validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other
Loan Documents; (b) any change in the time, manner or place of
payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations
of any Borrower in respect of any Draft or any Drafting Agreement
or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure
from all or any of the applicable/related Loan Documents;
(c) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other
right that any Floor Plan Borrower may have at any time against any
Manufacturer or any other beneficiary or transferee of any Drafting
Agreement (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or such
transferee may be acting), the Floor Plan Agent or any other
Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions
contemplated hereby or by the related Loan Documents or any
unrelated transaction other than the defense of payment or claims
arising out of the gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct of the Floor Plan Agent or the Swing Line Bank;
(d) any Draft, demand, certificate or other document presented
under a Drafting Agreement proving to be forged, fraudulent,
invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein
being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; (e) any loss or
delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in
order to make a Draft under any Drafting Agreement; (f) any
payment by the Floor Plan Agent under any Drafting Agreement
against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not
strictly comply with the terms of any Drafting Agreement;
(g) any payment made by the Floor Plan Agent under any
Drafting Agreement to any trustee in bankruptcy, debtor in
possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator,
receiver or other representative of a successor to any beneficiary
or any transferee of any Drafting Agreement, including any arising
in connection with any Insolvency Proceeding; (h) any
exchange, release or non-perfection of any Collateral, or any
release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from all
or any of the Obligations of any Borrower in respect of any
Drafting Agreement; or (i) any other circumstance that might
otherwise constitute a defense available to, or discharge of, any
Borrower other than the defense of payment or claims arising out of
the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Floor
Plan Agent or the Swing Line Bank.
ARTICLE III
ACQUISITION
LOANS
Section 3.1 Acquisition Loan
Commitments . (a) Subject to the terms and
conditions and relying upon the representations and warranties of
the Company herein set forth each Acquisition Loan Lender severally
and not jointly agrees to make revolving credit loans to the
Company, (each such loan, an “ Acquisition Loan
”) from time to time on any Business Day during the period
from the Closing Date to the Maturity Date in an aggregate amount
not to exceed at any time outstanding such Lender’s pro rata
share of the lesser of (a) the Acquisition Loan Advance Limit
or (b) the aggregate amount of the Acquisition Loan
Commitments of all the Acquisition Loan Lenders; provided, however,
that, after giving effect to any Acquisition Loan Borrowing, the
aggregate amount of all outstanding Acquisition Loans and all
outstanding Letter of Credit Obligations shall not at any time
exceed the aggregate Acquisition Loan Commitments. Subject to the
other terms and conditions hereof, the Company may borrow, prepay
and reborrow Acquisition Loans under this
Section 3.1(a) .
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph
(a) above, Acquisition Loans, may, at the option of the
Company, be requested in or converted into one of the Alternative
Currencies rather than Dollars in an amount up to the Equivalent
Amount of not more than $175,000,000 calculated as of the date such
Loans are requested. If so requested, only those Acquisition Loan
Lenders designated on Schedule 1.1(a) as having
Acquisition Loan Commitments in an Alternative Currency shall
participate in making such Loans, notwithstanding that this results
in such Lenders having amounts owing by the Company on a non pro
rata basis. Following the advance of an Acquisition Loan in an
Alternative Currency, the provisions of
Section 3.2(c)(ii) ) shall apply to subsequent
Borrowings requested under the Acquisition Loan.
Section 3.2 Acquisition
Loans .
(a) Each Acquisition Loan
Borrowing shall be in the minimum aggregate principal amount of One
Million Dollars ($1,000,000) or Equivalent Amount in an Alternative
Currency (or the amount of a Letter of Credit Borrowing or the
remaining balance of the aggregate Acquisition Loan Commitments, if
less) and an integral multiple thereof, and shall consist of
Acquisition Loans of the same Type made by the applicable
Acquisition Loan Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro
Rata Share of Acquisition Loan Commitments except as otherwise set
forth in Section 3.1(b) , above; provided, however,
that the failure of any Lender to make any Acquisition Loan shall
not relieve any other Lender of its obligation to lend
hereunder.
(b) Each Acquisition Loan
Borrowing requested in Dollars shall be an ABR Borrowing or a
Eurodollar Borrowing, and each Acquisition Loan Borrowing requested
in Euros or Pounds Sterling shall be a Eurocurrency Borrowing or
Pounds Sterling Borrowing, respectively, as the Company may
request, in a Request for Borrowing delivered to the Agent in
accordance with Section 3.3 . Each Acquisition Loan
Lender may fulfill its Acquisition Loan Commitment with respect to
any Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan by causing, at
its option, any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such
Lender to make such Loan, provided that the exercise of such option
shall not affect the obligation of the Company to repay such Loan
in accordance with the terms hereof. Subject to the provisions of
Section 3.3(b) and Section 5.9 ,
Acquisition Loan Borrowings of more than one Type may be
outstanding at the same time.
(c) (i) Each
applicable Acquisition Loan Lender shall make Acquisition Loans
equal to its then Pro Rata Share of the Acquisition Loan
Commitments, if any, by paying the amount required to the Agent in
at its office in Chicago, Illinois in U.S. Dollars or, if in an
Alternative Currency, to the Alternative Currency Agent in London
and in immediately available funds not later than 1:00 p.m.,
Houston, Texas time, or London time, as applicable, on the proposed
Borrowing Date and, subject to satisfaction of the conditions set
forth in Article VIII , the Agent or the Alternative
Currency Agent shall promptly and in any event on the same day,
credit the amounts so received to the general deposit account of
the Company, with said Agent, or such other depository account as
shall be designated by the Company or, if a Borrowing shall not
occur on such date because any condition precedent herein specified
shall not have been met, return the amounts so received to the
respective Lenders.
(ii) If a
Borrowing under the Acquisition Loan is made in an Alternative
Currency, subsequent Acquisition Borrowings requested in, or
converted into Dollars shall be advanced first by Acquisition Loan
Lenders that do not have Acquisition Loan Commitments in an
Alternative Currency until such time as the amount owing to each of
the Acquisition Loan Lenders under the Acquisition Loan is equal to
its Pro Rata Share of Acquisition Loan Commitments.
Section 3.3 Acquisition Loan
Borrowing Procedure .
(a) In order to obtain an
Acquisition Loan, the Company shall make an irrevocable written
request therefor (or irrevocable telephone notice thereof,
confirmed as soon as practicable by written request) in the form of
a Request for Borrowing (i) in the case of an ABR Borrowing,
to the Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston, Texas time,
on the Borrowing Date, (ii) in the case of a Eurodollar
Borrowing, to the Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., Houston,
Texas time, three (3) Business Days before the Borrowing Date, and
(iii) in the case of any Alternative Currency Borrowing, to
the Alternative Currency Agent not later than 11:00 a.m.,
London time, three (3) Business Days before the Borrowing Date.
Each Request for Loan Borrowing shall be irrevocable and specify
(1) whether the Loan then being requested is to be an ABR,
Eurocurrency, Pounds Sterling or a Eurodollar Borrowing,
(2) the Borrowing Date (which shall be a Business Day),
(3) the aggregate amount thereof, and (4) if a
Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan is being
requested, the Interest Period or Interest Periods with respect
thereto. If no election as to the Type of Acquisition Loan
Borrowing is specified for Dollar denominated Loans, such Borrowing
shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified, the
Company shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one
(1) month’s duration. The Agent shall promptly advise
the Lenders of any Request for Borrowing given by the Company
pursuant to this Section 3.3 and of each Lender’s
portion of the requested Acquisition Loan Borrowing.
(b) No more than eight
(8) Acquisition Loans may be outstanding at any time. For
purposes of the foregoing, Borrowings comprised of Acquisition
Loans having different Interest Periods, regardless of whether they
commence on the same date, shall be considered separate
Borrowings.
Section 3.4 Reserve
Commitment; Reduction of Acquisition Loan Advance Limit .
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this
Article III , in the event that on any day the
aggregate outstanding principal amount of all (a) Floor Plan
Loans, plus (b) Swing Line Loans, plus (c) Requests for
Floor Plan Loan Borrowings exceeds ninety-seven and one-half
percent (97.5%) of the Total Floor Plan Loan Commitments as of such
date, then (i) a portion of the Total Acquisition Loan
Commitment (the “ Reserve Commitment ”)
in an amount equal to the lesser of (y) Five Million Dollars
($5,000,000) or (z) the entire remaining unused portion of the
Acquisition Loan Commitment as of such date, shall be reserved and
shall no longer be available for funding Acquisition Loans, and
(ii) the Acquisition Loan Advance Limit shall be reduced by
the amount by which the (x) Floor Plan Loans, plus
(y) Swing Line Loans plus (z) Requests for Floor Plan
Loan Borrowings exceeds ninety-seven and one-half percent (97.5%)
of the Total Floor Plan Loan Commitments until the next Business
Day on which such condition no longer exists.
ARTICLE IV
SWING LINE
LOANS
Section 4.1 Swing Line
Commitments .
(a) The Swing Line Bank shall,
on the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth
(including Section 4.3 ), make one or more advances
(each such advance being a “ Swing Line Loan
”) to any Floor Plan Borrower from time to time on any
Business Day during the period from the Closing Date to the
Maturity Date in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any
time (not including Swing Line Overdraft Loans) the aggregate
amount of the Swing Line Commitment as such amount may change from
time to time.
(b) The Swing Line Bank may on
the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth
(including Section 4.3 ) make one or more Swing Line
Loans to any Floor Plan Borrower from time to time on any Business
Day during the period from the Closing Date to the Maturity Date in
an aggregate principal amount greater than the Swing Line
Commitment but not to exceed at any time (not including Swing Line
Overdraft Loans) the aggregate amount of the Floor Plan Loan
Commitments of all the Lenders; provided, however, that after
giving effect to all Borrowings of Swing Line Loans, Floor Plan
Loans and all Floor Plan Loans requested on any date, the sum of
the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Floor Plan Loans
and Swing Line Loans (but excluding Swing Line Overdraft Loans)
shall not exceed the aggregate amount of the then applicable
aggregate Floor Plan Loan Commitments.
(c) Unless otherwise refinanced
pursuant to Section 4.5 , all Swing Line Loans
(including the Swing Line Overdraft Loans) shall be evidenced by
the Swing Line Note, under which advances, repayments and
readvances may be made, subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement and all other Swing Line Loans shall be due and payable
on each Floor Plan Adjustment Date. Each Swing Line Loan that is a
Eurodollar Loan shall mature and the principal amount thereof shall
be due and payable by the applicable Floor Plan Borrower, as the
case may be, on the last day of the Interest Period applicable
thereto. In no event whatsoever shall any outstanding Swing Line
Loan be deemed to reduce, modify or affect any Lender’s
obligation to make Floor Plan Loans based upon its Pro Rata Share
of Floor Plan Loan Commitments.
Section 4.2 Accrual of
Interest; Margin Adjustments . Each Swing Line Loan and each
Swing Line Overdraft Loan shall, from time to time after the date
of such Loan, bear interest at the Quoted Rate. The amount and date
of each such Swing Line Loan and each such Swing Line Overdraft
Loan, the Quoted Rate, its Interest Period, and the amount and date
of any repayment shall be noted on the Swing Line Bank’s
records, which records will be conclusive evidence thereof, absent
manifest error; provided, however, that any failure by the Swing
Line Bank to record any such information shall not affect the
obligations of the applicable Floor Plan Borrower with respect
thereto in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Loan
Documents, and, further provided, that, upon the occurrence and
during the continuance of a Floor Plan Event of Default and
commencing on the last day of any applicable Interest Period, each
Swing Line Loan shall bear interest at the Comerica Prime-based
Rate.
Section 4.3 Requests for
Swing Line Loans .
(a) On the Closing Date,
subject to the terms and conditions hereunder set forth, the Swing
Line Bank shall make a Swing Line Loan to one or more of the Floor
Plan Borrowers pursuant to a Request for Borrowing in an amount
equal to the Swing Line Minimum Amount.
(b) On any day that a Request
for Borrowing constitutes a Request for Borrowing of a Swing Line
Loan pursuant to Section 2.3(d)(ii) , the applicable
Floor Plan Borrower shall be deemed to have delivered to Swing Line
Bank a Request for Borrowing in connection therewith, subject to
the following and to the remaining provisions of this
Section 4.3 :
(i) the
aggregate principal amount of such requested Swing Line Loan
Borrowing, plus the aggregate principal amount of all other Swing
Line Loans then outstanding shall not exceed the Swing Line
Commitment;
(ii) such
Request for Borrowing shall be irrevocable and shall constitute a
certification by the Company of the provisions of
Section 8.3 ; and
(iii) such
Request for Borrowing may be in writing (including via facsimile)
or telephonic (if promptly confirmed in writing). Each of the Floor
Plan Borrowers hereby authorizes the Swing Line Bank to disburse
Swing Line Loans pursuant to the telephone instructions of any
Person purporting to be a Person identified by name on a written
list of Persons authorized by each such Floor Plan Borrower to make
Requests for Borrowings of Swing Line Loans on behalf of such Floor
Plan Borrowers. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each of the Floor
Plan Borrowers acknowledges and agrees that such Floor Plan
Borrower shall bear all risk of loss resulting from disbursements
made upon any telephone request.
Section 4.4 Disbursement of
Swing Line Loans . Subject to receipt of a Request for
Borrowing of a Swing Line Loan and to the other terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the Swing Line Bank shall make
available to any Floor Plan Borrower the amount so requested, in
same day funds, not later than 1:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time on
the Borrowing Date of such Swing Line Loan, by credit to an account
of the applicable Floor Plan Borrower maintained with the Swing
Line Bank or to such other account or third party as such Floor
Plan Borrower may reasonably direct. The Swing Line Bank shall
promptly notify the Floor Plan Agent of any Swing Line Loan by
telephone or telecopier.
Section 4.5 Refunding of or
Participation Interest in Swing Line Loans .
(a) On any Floor Plan
Adjustment Date and upon the occurrence and during the continuance
of an Event of Default other than those described in paragraph
(b) below, the Swing Line Bank in its sole and absolute
discretion (subject, and in addition to, ordinary course
settlements as set forth in Section 2.4(d) ) may, on
behalf of any Floor Plan Borrower (each of whom hereby irrevocably
directs the Swing Line Bank to act on its behalf), make a written
(including via fax) request to the Floor Plan Agent, requesting the
Floor Plan Lenders (including the Swing Line Bank in its capacity
as a Floor Plan Lender) to make Floor Plan Loans in an amount equal
to the outstanding principal amount of the Swing Line Loans in
accordance with each Floor Plan Lender’s respective Pro Rata
Share of Floor Plan Loan Commitments (including the portion thereof
which constitutes the Swing Line Minimum Amount but excluding Swing
Line Overdraft Loans). Such loans (the “ Refunded Swing
Line Loans ”), shall accrue interest at (i) the
Comerica Prime-based Rate, if requested upon the occurrence of an
Event of Default, or (ii) the LIBO Rate plus the Applicable
Margin or the Comerica Prime-based Rate, at the Borrowers’
option, if requested on any Floor Plan Adjustment Date. The
Refunded Swing Line Loans shall be made immediately in respect of
Swing Line Loans as of the day following the last day of the
Applicable Interest Period in respect of Swing Line Loans accruing
interest at the Quoted Rate; provided that no such request
shall require any Floor Plan Lender to make Floor Plan Loans in
excess of such Floor Plan Lender’s Floor Plan Loan Commitment
on the date such request is made. Unless an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing, Refunded Swing Line Loans shall not be
subject to the indemnification provisions of Section 5.10 ,
and no losses, costs or expenses may be assessed by the Swing Line
Bank against the applicable Floor Plan Borrower or the other Floor
Plan Lenders as a consequence thereof. Unless an Event of Default
described in Section 11.1(f) ,
Section 11.1(g) , Section 11.3(d) ,
Section 11.3(e) , Section 11.3(f) , or
Section 11.3(g) shall have occurred (in which event the
procedures of Section 4.5(b) shall apply) and
regardless of whether the conditions precedent set forth in this
Agreement to the making of a Floor Plan Loan are then satisfied,
each Floor Plan Lender shall upon request by the Agent in the
manner specified in Section 2.4 make the proceeds of
its Floor Plan Loan available to the Floor Plan Agent for the
benefit of the Swing Line Bank.
(b) If, prior to making of a
Refunded Swing Line Loan pursuant to Section 4.5(a) ,
an Event of Default described in Section 11.1(f) ,
Section 11.1(g) , Section 11.3(d) ,
Section 11.3(e) , Section 11.3(f) , or
Section 11.3(g) shall have occurred, each Floor Plan
Lender shall, in the manner provided in Section 2.10(a)
and Section 2.10(c) , on the date such Floor Plan Loan
was to have been made, purchase from the Swing Line Bank
participation interests in the Refunded Swing Line Loan equal to
such Floor Plan Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the Floor Plan
Loan Commitments; provided, however, except for any Borrowing which
occurs as a result of a Draft made prior to the effective
suspension or termination of the Drafting Agreement pursuant to
which such Borrowing occurred which Borrowing is subject to
Section 2.10 , no Floor Plan Lender shall be obligated
to purchase a participation interest in a Refunded Swing Line Loan
to the extent such Loan was made by the Swing Line Bank when the
conditions precedent in Section 8.3 were not
satisfied.
(c) Subject to
Section 4.5(b) , above, each Floor Plan Lender’s
obligation to make Floor Plan Loans and to purchase participation
interests in accordance with Section 4.5(a) and
Section 4.5(b) shall be absolute and unconditional and
shall not be affected by any circumstance, including, without
limitation, (i) any setoff counterclaim, recoupment, defense
or other right which such Floor Plan Lender may have against the
Swing Line Bank, any Floor Plan Borrower or any other Person for
any reason whatsoever; (ii) the occurrence or continuance of
any Default or Event of Default; (iii) any adverse change in
the condition (financial or otherwise) of any Floor Plan Borrower
or any other Person; (iv) any breach of this Agreement by any
Floor Plan Borrower or any other Person; (v) any inability of
any Floor Plan Borrower to satisfy the conditions precedent to a
Borrowing set forth in this Agreement on the date upon which such
Floor Plan Loan is required to be made or such participating
interest is to be purchased; or (vi) any other circumstance,
happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the
foregoing. If any Floor Plan Lender does not make available to the
Floor Plan Agent the amount required pursuant to
Section 4.5(a) or Section 4.5(b) , as the
case may be, the Swing Line Bank shall be entitled to recover such
amount on demand from such Floor Plan Lender, together with
interest thereon for each day from the date of non-payment until
such amount is paid in full at the Federal Funds Effective
Rate.
(d) Refunded Swing Line Loans
which are funded by the Floor Plan Lenders after two (2) Business
Days’ notice as provided in Section 4.5(a) shall
thereafter become Floor Plan Loans and, subject to any right of
acceleration herein provided, shall remain outstanding until the
next succeeding Floor Plan Adjustment Date. Such Loans shall accrue
interest in favor of the Floor Plan Lenders in accordance with each
Floor Plan Lender’s respective Pro Rata Share of Floor Plan
Loan Commitments at the Comerica Prime-based Rate. On the next
succeeding Floor Plan Adjustment Date such Loans shall be treated
as all other Floor Plan Loans outstanding in accordance with the
provisions of Section 2.4(b) .
Section 4.6 Swing Line
Overdraft Loans .
(a) On any day that a Request
for Borrowing of a Floor Plan Loan constitutes a Swing Line
Overdraft Borrowing Request pursuant to
Section 2.3(d)(iii) , the applicable Floor Plan
Borrower shall be deemed to have delivered a Swing Line Overdraft
Borrowing Request. Such Swing Line Overdraft Borrowing Request
shall be irrevocable and shall constitute a certification by the
Company of the provisions of Section 8.3 .
(b) Swing Line Overdraft Loans
shall be made only by the Swing Line Bank, solely for its own
account and shall not be subject to the provisions of
Section 4.5 ; provided, however, at any time a Swing
Line Overdraft Loan is outstanding, all funds received from any
source (other than deposits already in the Cash Collateral Account)
in respect of this Agreement shall be applied first to the payment
in full of the Swing Line Overdraft Loans; and the Floor Plan
Agent, the Agent and the Lenders, as the case may be, shall remit
to the Swing Line Bank, and the Swing Line Bank shall have the
right to receive, all payments (including any prepayments) of
principal and interest made by any Borrower in respect of any Loan
and all other proceeds of Collateral securing the Loans for
application and reduction of the aggregate principal amount of
outstanding Swing Line Overdraft Loans.
ARTICLE V
ALL LOANS
Section 5.1 Notes;
Advancement and Repayment of Loans .
(a) All Loans made hereunder
may be advanced by each Lender, at its option, from its primary
place of business or its Applicable Lending Office, which locations
may change from time to time (subject to the provisions of
Section 5.14 ) during the term hereof, and shall be
evidenced by the Notes or the Swing Line Note, as the case may be
and payable as therein provided, which Notes shall be dated the
Closing Date, and shall be in an aggregate principal amount equal
to the Total Commitments on such date. The outstanding principal
balance of such Loans and all interest thereon and all the
Obligations, as evidenced by the Notes, shall be due and payable in
the currency in which said Loan was made in accordance with the
terms and provisions of this Agreement and on the Maturity Date.
Each Note shall bear interest from its date on the outstanding
principal balance thereof as provided in Section 5.2
.
(b) Each Lender or the Agent,
on its behalf, and the Swing Line Bank is hereby authorized by each
Borrower to endorse on a schedule attached to the Notes delivered
to it (or a computer generated supplement thereto, which supplement
shall be deemed to be a part thereof), or otherwise record in such
Lender’s or Agent’s, as the case may be, internal
records, an appropriate notation evidencing the date and amount of
each Loan, as well as the date and amount of each payment and
prepayment with respect thereto; provided, that the failure of any
Lender or the Agent or the Swing Line Bank to make such a notation
or any error in such a notation shall not affect the Obligations of
any Borrower hereunder, under the Notes or under the Swing Line
Note.
Section 5.2 Interest on
Loans .
(a) Subject to the provisions
of Section 5.3 , each Alternate Base Rate Loan shall
bear interest at a rate per annum, equal to the lesser of
(i) the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin for
Alternate Base Rate Loans and (ii) the Highest Lawful Rate (if
the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate, computed on the
basis of the actual number of days elapsed over a year of 365 or
366 days, as the case may be; or if the Alternate Base Rate is
based on the Federal Funds Effective Rate, computed on the basis of
the actual number of days elapsed over a year of
360 days).
(b) Subject to the provisions
of Section 5.3 , each Comerica Prime Rate Loan shall
bear interest at a rate per annum (computed on the basis of the
actual number of days elapsed over a year of 365 or 366 days,
as the case may be) equal to the lesser of (i) the Comerica
Prime-based Rate in effect from time to time and (ii) the
Highest Lawful Rate.
(c) Subject to the provisions
of Section 5.3 , (i) each Eurodollar, Eurocurrency
or Pounds Sterling Loan which is an Acquisition Loan shall bear
interest at a rate per annum (computed on the basis of the actual
number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days for
Eurocurrency and Eurodollar Loans and 365 days for Pounds
Sterling Loans) equal to the lesser of (1) the LIBO Rate,
Eurocurrency Rate or Pounds Sterling Rate for the Interest Period
in effect for such Loan plus the Applicable Margin for such Loans,
and each change in the Applicable Margin shall apply to all such
Loans that are outstanding during the period commencing on the
effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately
preceding the effective date of the next such change, even if the
effective date occurs in the middle of an Interest Period and
(2) the Highest Lawful Rate; and (ii) each Eurodollar Loan
which is a Floor Plan Loan (excluding Swing Line Loans) shall bear
interest at a rate per annum (computed on the basis of the actual
number of days elapsed over a year of 360 days) equal to the lesser
of (1) LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such
Loan plus: (A) .875% if such Loan is to finance New Motor
Vehicles, Demonstrators or Rental Motor Vehicles or (B) .975%
if such Loan is to finance Used Motor Vehicles or Program Cars and
(2) the Highest Lawful Rate.
(d) Interest on each Swing Line
Loan to which the Quoted Rate applies at Borrower’s option
and Swing Line Overdraft Loan and Drafts shall bear interest at a
rate per annum (computed on the basis of the actual number of days
elapsed over a year of 360 days) equal to the lesser of
(i) the Quoted Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such
Loan and (ii) the Highest Lawful Rate.
(e) Interest on each
Acquisition Loan, each Swing Line Loan and each Floor Plan Loan
shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date
applicable to such Loan except as otherwise provided in this
Agreement. The applicable LIBO Rate, Eurocurrency Rate or Pounds
Sterling Rate, and the Alternate Base Rate shall be determined by
the Agent, the Comerica Prime-based Rate shall be determined by the
Floor Plan Agent, and the Quoted Rate shall be determined by the
Swing Line Bank, and such determinations shall be conclusive absent
manifest error. The Agent or Floor Plan Agent, as applicable shall
promptly advise the Borrowers and each Lender of each such
determination.
Section 5.3 Interest on
Overdue Amounts . If any Borrower shall default in the payment
of the principal of or interest on any Loan or any other amount due
hereunder, by acceleration or otherwise, such Borrower shall on
demand from time to time pay interest, to the extent permitted by
law, on such defaulted amount up to (but not including) the date of
actual payment (after as well as before judgment) at a rate per
annum (computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed
over a period of 365/366 days) equal to the lesser of
(a) the Highest Lawful Rate and (b) (i) the Alternate
Base Rate plus two percent (2%) per annum in the case of any Loans
denominated in Dollars, and (ii) the then applicable rate plus
3% per annum in the case of any Loans denominated in Euros or
Pounds Sterling.
Section 5.4 Fees .
(a) The Company shall pay to
the Agent, on the last day of each March, June, September and
December and on the Maturity Date, in immediately available funds,
(i) for the pro rata benefit of the Floor Plan Lenders, a
Floor Plan Loan Commitment fee (the “ Floor Plan Loan
Commitment Fee ”) equal to twenty one-hundredths of
one percent (0.20%) per annum times the average unused amount of
the Floor Plan Loan Commitments during the immediately preceding
fiscal quarter (or shorter portion thereof) just ended (including
any unused portion of the Acquisition Loan Commitments that has
been reallocated or converted to the Floor Plan Loan Commitment in
accordance with the terms hereof); (ii) for the benefit of the
Acquisition Loan Lenders, ratably in accordance with the actual
amount of such Lender’s available Acquisition Loan Commitment
(after giving effect to all outstanding Loans thereunder) an
Acquisition Loan Commitment fee (the “ Acquisition Loan
Commitment Fee ”) equal to the sum of (x) the
average unused amount of the Acquisition Loan Commitments times the
Commitment Fee Rate set forth in the table contained in the
definition of Applicable Margin and (y) to the extent that the
average Acquisition Loan Commitments, after giving effect to any
reallocation of Acquisition Loan Commitments to the Floor Plan Loan
Commitments in accordance with the terms hereof, is less than
$200,000,000, an amount equal to the unused portion of the
Acquisition Loan Commitments that has been reallocated or converted
to the Floor Plan Loan Commitment in accordance with the terms
hereof and that reduces the Acquisition Loan Commitments below
$200,000,000 times the difference between the Commitment Fee Rate
set forth in the table contained in the definition of Applicable
Margin and twenty one-hundredths of one percent (0.20%) per annum
in each such case during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter
(or shorter period thereof) just ended. All Commitment Fees under
this Section 5.4(a) shall be computed on the basis of
the actual number of days elapsed in a year of 365 or
366 days, as the case may be. The Commitment of a Lender shall
be deemed “unused” to the extent and in the amount such
Lender is obligated to fund future Loans or Letter of Credit
Obligations of any Borrower regardless of whether or not any
amounts are outstanding under any Swing Line Loan. For purposes of
calculating the “unused” amount of the Acquisition
Commitments, Acquisitions Loans made in Alternate Currencies shall
be deemed to be outstanding in the Equivalent Amount, calculated as
of the date each Acquisition Loan was made. The Floor Plan Loan
Commitment Fees and the Acquisition Loan Commitment Fees due to
each Lender shall commence to accrue on the Closing Date and cease
to accrue on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the termination
of the Commitments of such Lender pursuant to
Section 5.5 or Section 13.3(b) .
(b) The Company shall pay the
Agent and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. the fees (the “
Agency Fees ”) in such amount and on such dates
as may be agreed among the Company, the Agent and J.P. Morgan
Securities Inc., for their account, as applicable, as set forth in
that certain letter agreement dated March 2, 2007 among said
parties (the “ Agent’s Letter
”).
(c) The Company shall pay the
Floor Plan Agent the floor plan agency fees (“ Floor
Plan Agency Fees ”) in such amount and on such dates
as may be agreed among the Company and the Floor Plan Agent
pursuant to that certain letter agreement between said parties
dated January 31, 2007 between said parties (the “
Floor Plan Agent’s Letter ”).
(d) The Company shall pay the
Agent for the benefit of the Floor Plan Lenders, according to their
Pro Rata Share of Floor Plan Loan Commitments, a fee in the amount
of $750.00 for each day any Swing Line Overdraft Loan is
outstanding; and such amount (if any) shall be payable on the last
Business Day of each month.
(e) The Company shall pay to
the Agent for the benefit of the Lenders on the Closing Date the
fees payable to the Lenders as provided in the Agent’s
Letter.
Section 5.5 Termination,
Reduction or Conversion of Commitments .
(a) Upon at least three
(3) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Agent,
the Company may at any time, in whole, permanently terminate or
permanently reduce the Total Commitments, among the Lenders in
accordance with (i) their respective Pro Rata Share of Floor
Plan Loan Commitments, and (ii) their respective Pro Rata
Share of Acquisition Loan Commitments; provided (x) any
such partial reduction of the Total Commitments shall be in minimum
aggregate increments of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000);
(y) any such partial reduction shall be made ratably between
the Total Floor Plan Loan Commitment and the Total Acquisition Loan
Commitment respectively, and pro rata among the Lenders within each
type of Commitment, and (z) no reduction shall reduce the
amount of the Total Acquisition Loan Commitment to an amount which
is less than the Letter of Credit Obligations outstanding at such
time. In connection with any such reduction, the Floor Plan Agent
in its sole discretion may, or at the direction of the Required
Lenders, shall suspend and/or terminate all or any portion of the
then outstanding Drafting Agreements. In addition, (i) no such
reduction shall cause the Total Acquisition Loan Commitment to
exceed its percentage of the Total Commitments in effect on the
Closing Date and (ii) the ratio of such Lender’s Floor
Plan Loan Commitment to such Lender’s Acquisition Loan
Commitment shall never be less than such ratio on the Closing
Date.
(b) Subject to
Section 5.5(a) above and the provisions contained in
this paragraph (b), at any time there exists any unused portion of
the Acquisition Loan Commitments, the Company may request in
writing the Agent to convert all or a part of such unused portion
of the Acquisition Loan Commitments into Floor Plan Loan
Commitments, provided , following such conversion, the total
of the Acquisition Loan Commitments shall never be less than an
amount equal to (i) the sum of all Acquisition Loans then
outstanding, plus (ii) all Letter of Credit Obligations then
outstanding, plus (iii) any Reserve Commitment; and in such
event and following five (5) days prior written notice from
the Company to the Agent, the Floor Plan Loan Commitments shall,
upon such request, be increased by the amount so requested by the
Company, such amount together with the Acquisition Loan Commitments
not to exceed the Total Commitment. At any time there exists any
unused amount of a converted portion of the Floor Plan Loan
Commitments, the Company may request the Agent to reverse any such
portion thereof, in whole or in part, and in such event the Floor
Plan Loan Commitments and the Acquisition Loan Commitments shall be
restored, as applicable, in the respective amounts so requested by
the Company.
(c) Upon any such conversion of
Acquisition Loan Commitments into Floor Plan Loan Commitments or
vice versa, the Floor Plan Loan Commitments shall be increased or
decreased, as the case may be, pro rata among the Floor Plan
Lenders, and the Acquisition Loan Commitments shall be increased or
decreased, as the case may be, in an aggregate amount of the
corresponding increase or decrease in the Floor Plan Loan
Commitments, which increase or decrease in the Acquisition Loan
Commitments shall be allocated among the Acquisition Loan Lenders
based on their Pro Rata Share of Acquisition Loan Commitments.
(d) At the time the Commitments
of any Lender are terminated or reduced pursuant to
Section 5.5(a) , the Company shall pay to the Agent for
the account of each such Lender, the Floor Plan Loan Commitment
Fees and the Acquisition Loan Commitment Fees on the amount of such
terminated or reduced Commitments owed to the date of such
termination or reduction.
(e) Each of the Commitments
shall automatically and permanently terminate on the Maturity
Date.
Section 5.6 Alternate Rate of
Interest . If on the day two (2) Business Days prior to
the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Borrowing, the Agent shall have
determined that: (a) deposits in the requested currency in the
amount set forth in the such Request for Borrowing are not
generally available in the London interbank market or that the rate
at which such deposits are being offered will not adequately and
fairly reflect the cost to any Lender or the Swing Line Bank of
making or maintaining the principal amount of such Loan comprising
such Borrowing during such Interest Period, or (b) reasonable
means do not exist for ascertaining the LIBO Rate, Eurocurrency
Rate or Pounds Sterling Rate, as applicable, then the Agent shall
as soon as practicable thereafter give written notice of such
determination to the Company, the Lenders and/or the Swing Line
Bank; and any request by a Borrower for the making of any such
Borrowing denominated in Dollars shall, until the circumstances
giving rise to such notice no longer exist, be deemed to be a
request for a Borrowing to be comprised of (i) if such
Borrowing is a Floor Plan Loan Borrowing, Comerica Prime Rate Loans
or (ii) if such Borrowing is an Acquisition Loan Borrowing
funded in Dollars, Alternate Base Rate Loans. If such Borrowing is
a Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Borrowing, such request shall be
deemed to be withdrawn. Each determination of the Agent hereunder
shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
Section 5.7 Prepayment of
Loans; Mandatory Reduction of Indebtedness .
(a) So long as no Swing Line
Overdraft Loans are outstanding, each Acquisition Loan Borrowing,
each Floor Plan Loan Borrowing and each Swing Line Loan may be
prepaid at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part,
subject to the requirements of Section 5.10 , but
otherwise without premium or penalty, upon at least three
(3) Business Days’ prior written or facsimile notice to
the Agent. Each Swing Line Overdraft Loan Borrowing may be prepaid
at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, subject to
the requirements of Section 5.10 , but otherwise
without premium or penalty. Any prepayments of Acquisition Loans
shall be made in the currency in which the Acquisition Loan being
repaid was made.
(b) On the date of any
termination or reduction of the Total Commitments pursuant to
Section 5.5(a) , each of the Borrowers shall prepay the
Loans in an amount equal to the amount by which the Commitments are
being so terminated or reduced, as shall be necessary in order that
the aggregate principal amount of the Loans and Letter of Credit
Obligations outstanding will not exceed the Total Commitments
following such termination or reduction. All prepayments under this
paragraph shall be subject to Section 5.10 .
(c) Each notice of prepayment
shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the
principal amount of each Loan (or portion thereof) and the Type of
Loan to be prepaid. All prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued
interest on the principal amount being prepaid to the date of
prepayment.
(d) Subject to the provisions
of Section 2.3(d)(iii) , if at any time and for any
reason:
(i) the
aggregate principal amount of all (y) Floor Plan Loans
outstanding, plus (z) Swing Line Loans outstanding shall exceed the
Total Floor Plan Loan Commitments at such time, or
(ii) the
aggregate principal amount of all (x) Acquisition Loans, plus
(y) Letter of Credit Obligations shall exceed the amount of
the Acquisition Loan Advance Limit, or
(iii) the
aggregate principal amount of all (w) Floor Plan Loans
outstanding, plus (x) Swing Line Loans outstanding, plus
(y) Acquisition Loans outstanding, plus (z) Letter of
Credit Obligations outstanding shall exceed the Total
Commitments,
the Borrowers shall immediately, upon demand, pay to the Agent
an amount of such Obligations equal to such excess, provided
, Borrowers shall have the right to direct such repayment first to
prepay such portion of the Indebtedness not subject to the
provisions of Section 5.10 .
Section 5.8 Reserve
Requirements; Change in Circumstances .
(a) It is understood that the
cost to each Lender of making or maintaining any of the Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans may fluctuate as a result of
the applicability of reserve requirements imposed by the Board at
the ratios provided for in Regulation D on the date hereof, or
because of any Mandatory Costs now existing or hereafter imposed.
The Borrowers agree to pay to such Lender from time to time such
amounts as shall be necessary to compensate such Lender for the
portion of the cost of making or maintaining Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans resulting from any increase
in such reserve requirements provided for in Regulation D (or any
successor regulation or ruling issued in respect thereof) from
those as in effect on the date hereof, or because of any Mandatory
Costs now existing or hereafter imposed it being understood that
the rates of interest applicable to such Loans have been determined
on the assumption that no such reserve requirements or Mandatory
Costs exist or will exist and that such rates do not reflect costs
imposed on the Lenders in connection with such reserve
requirements.
(b) Notwithstanding any other
provision herein, if after the date of this Agreement any change in
applicable law or regulation or in the interpretation or
administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with
the interpretation or administration thereof (whether or not having
the force of law) shall change the basis of taxation of payments to
any Lender of the principal of or interest on any Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan made by such Lender or any
other fees or amounts payable hereunder (other than taxes imposed
on the overall net income or profits of such Lender by the
jurisdiction in which such Lender or its Applicable Lending Office
has its principal office or is located or by any political
subdivision or taxing authority therein), or shall impose, modify
or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar
requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of,
or credit extended by, such Lender or shall impose on such Lender
or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this
Agreement or Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans made
by such Lender and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to
increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any
Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan or to reduce the
amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder
(whether of principal, interest or otherwise) in respect thereof,
by an amount deemed by such Lender in its sole discretion to be
material, then the Borrowers shall pay as required in
Section 5.8(d) such additional amount or amounts as
will compensate such Lender for such additional costs or an amount
equal to such reduction will be paid to such Lender with respect to
the Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans, as
applicable.
(c) If any Lender shall have
determined that the applicability of any law, rule, regulation or
guideline regarding capital adequacy, or any change in any of the
foregoing or in the interpretation or administration of any of the
foregoing by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable
agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof,
or compliance by any Lender (or any Applicable Lending Office of
such Lender) or such Lender’s holding company with any
request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not
having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or
comparable agency, has or would have the effect of reducing the
rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of
such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of
this Agreement or the Loans made by such Lender or such
Lender’s holding company pursuant hereto to a level below
that which such Lender could have achieved but for such adoption,
change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender’s
policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company
with respect to capital adequacy or Mandatory Costs) by an amount
deemed by such Lender to be material, then the Borrowers shall pay
as required to Section 5.8(d) to such Lender such additional
amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for any such
reduction.
(d) A certificate of each
Lender setting forth in reasonable detail calculations (together
with the basis and assumptions therefor) to establish such amount
or amounts as shall be necessary to compensate without duplication
such Lender (or participating banks or other entities pursuant to
Section 13.3 subject to the limitations set forth
therein) under Section 5.8(a) ,
Section 5.8(b) or Section 5.8(c) shall be
delivered to the Agent which shall promptly deliver the same to the
Company and such certificate shall be rebuttably presumptive
evidence of the amount or amounts which such Lender is entitled to
receive. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender the amount shown as
due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after its
receipt of the same.
(e) Any demand for compensation
pursuant to this Section 5.8 must be made on or before
one (1) year after the Lender incurs the expense, cost or
economic loss referred to or such Lender shall be deemed to have
waived the right to such compensation. The protection of this
Section 5.8 shall be available to each Lender regardless of
any possible contention of the invalidity or inapplicability of any
law, regulation or other condition which shall give rise to any
demand by such Lender for compensation.
(f) Nothing in this
Section 5.8 shall entitle any Lender to receive
interest at a rate per annum in excess of the Highest Lawful
Rate.
Section 5.9 Change in
Legality .
(a) Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary herein contained, if any change in any law or
regulation or in the interpretation thereof by any Governmental
Authority charged with the administration or interpretation thereof
shall make it unlawful for any Lender to make or maintain any
Eurodollar Loan, then, by written notice to the Agent, such Lender
may:
(i) declare
that Eurodollar, Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans will not
thereafter be made by such Lender hereunder, whereupon any request
by any Borrower for a Eurodollar Borrowing in such unlawful
currency shall, as to such Lender only, not be available, unless
such declaration shall be subsequently withdrawn; and
(ii) require that all outstanding Eurodollar Loans made by it
be converted to Alternate Base Rate Loans or Comerica Prime Rate
Loans, in which event all such Eurodollar Loans shall be
automatically converted to Alternate Base Rate Loans if Acquisition
Loans and to Comerica Prime Rate Loans if Floor Plan Loans or, if
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loans, repaid, in each case, as of
the effective date of such notice as provided in
Section 5.9(b) .
In the event any Lender shall exercise its rights under
(i) or (ii) above, all payments and prepayments of
principal which would otherwise have been applied to repay the
Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or the converted Eurodollar
Loans of such Lender shall instead be applied to repay the
Alternate Base Rate Loans or Comerica Prime Rate Loans, as
applicable, made by such Lender in lieu of, or resulting from the
conversion of, such Eurodollar Loans.
(b) For purposes of
Section 5.9(a) , a notice to the Agent by any Lender
shall be effective as to each Eurodollar Loan on the last day of
each applicable Interest Period.
Section 5.10 Breakage Costs
and Related Matters .
(a) The Borrowers shall
indemnify each Lender against any loss or expense which such Lender
may sustain or incur as a consequence of (i) any failure by
any Borrower to fulfill on the date of any Borrowing hereunder the
applicable conditions set forth in Article VIII ,
(ii) any failure by any Borrower to borrow, convert or
continue hereunder after delivery of a Request for Borrowing,
including a Request for Borrowing pursuant to a Draft as described
in Section 2.10 or a notice of conversion or continuation
has been given pursuant to Section 2.4 ,
Section 3.3 or Section 5.15 ,
(iii) any payment, prepayment or conversion of a Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan required by any other
provision of this Agreement or otherwise made on a date other than
the last day of the applicable Interest Period, (iv) any
default in payment or prepayment of the principal amount of any
Loan or any part thereof or interest accrued thereon, as and when
due and payable (at the due date thereof, by irrevocable notice of
prepayment or otherwise), or (v) the occurrence of any Event
of Default, including, but not limited to, any loss or reasonable
expense sustained or incurred or to be sustained or incurred in
liquidating or employing deposits from third parties acquired to
effect or maintain such Loan or any part thereof as a Eurodollar,
Eurocurrency or Pounds Sterling Loan. Such loss or reasonable
expense shall include an amount equal to the excess, if any, as
reasonably determined by each Lender of (A) its cost of
obtaining the funds for the Loan being paid, prepaid or converted
or not borrowed (based on the LIBO, Eurodollar or Eurocurrency Rate
applicable thereto) for the period from the date of such payment,
prepayment or conversion or failure to borrow to the last day of
the Interest Period for such Loan (or, in the case of a failure to
borrow, the Interest Period for such Loan which would have
commenced on the date of such failure to borrow) over (B) the
amount of interest (as reasonably determined by such Lender) that
could be realized by such Lender in reemploying during such period
the funds so paid, prepaid or converted or not borrowed. A
certificate of each Lender setting forth in reasonable detail
calculations (together with the basis and assumptions therefore) to
establish any amount or amounts which such Lender is entitled to
receive pursuant to this Section 5.10 shall be
delivered to the Agent which shall promptly deliver the same to the
Company and such certificate shall be rebuttably presumptive
evidence of the amount or amounts which such Lender is entitled to
receive. Nothing in this Section 5.10 shall entitle any
Lender to receive interest in excess of the Highest Lawful
Rate.
(b) The provisions of this
Section 5.10 shall remain operative and in full force
and effect regardless of the expiration of the term of this
Agreement, the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, the repayment of any of the Loans, the invalidity or
unenforceability of any term or provision of this Agreement or any
Note, or any investigation made by or on behalf of any Lender;
provided demand for compensation pursuant to
Section 5.8 must be made on or before one (1) year
after the Lender incurs the expense, cost or economic loss referred
to or such Lender shall be deemed to have waived the right to such
compensation. All amounts due under this Section 5.10
shall be payable within ten (10) days after receipt of demand
therefor.
Section 5.11 Pro Rata
Treatment . Except for (i) Borrowings advanced under the
Acquisition Loan in Alternative Currencies, (ii) the repayment
of such Borrowings (which shall be pro rata for the benefit of the
Lenders advancing same), (iii) subsequent Borrowings under the
Acquisition Loan in Dollars to bring each Lender thereunder back
into compliance with such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of
Acquisition Loan Commitments, or (iv) as otherwise provided
herein, each Borrowing, each payment or prepayment of principal of
the Notes, each payment of interest on such Notes, each other
reduction of the principal or interest outstanding under such
Notes, however achieved, each payment of the Commitment Fees and
each reduction of the Commitments shall be made, as applicable, in
accordance with each Lender’s respective (i) Pro Rata
Share of Floor Plan Loan Commitments and (ii) Pro Rata Share
of Acquisition Loan Commitments.
Section 5.12 Place of
Payments .
(a) The Borrowers shall make
all payments of principal and interest on any Floor Plan Loan,
Swing Line Loan and any Swing Line Overdraft Loan or of the
proceeds of the sale of any Motor Vehicle, on the date when due in
Dollars to the Floor Plan Agent at the office specified by the
Floor Plan Agent. The Borrowers shall make all payments of
principal and interest on any Acquisition Loan denominated in
Dollars on the date when due in Dollars to the Agent at JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A., 712 Main Street, Lobby, Houston, Texas 77002, or
by wire transfer to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., ABA#021000021, for
credit to account #304-259-322, reference: Group 1 Automotive,
Inc., Attn: Leslie Opeyemi. The Borrowers shall make all payments
of principal and interest on any Acquisition Loans denominated in
an Alternative Currency to the Alternative Currency Agent at the
place designated by said Agent in its notice therefor. Except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Borrowers shall make all
payments (including principal of or interest on any Borrowing, the
Agency Fee, or any other fees or other amounts) payable hereunder
and under any other Loan Document not later than 1:00 p.m.,
Houston, Texas time if being paid to the Agent or the Floor Plan
Agent, and London time if being paid to the Alternative Currency
Agent and, in each case, in immediately available funds, without
setoff or counterclaim.
(b) Whenever any payment
(including principal of or interest on any Borrowing or any fees or
other amounts) hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall
become due, or otherwise would occur, on a day that is not a
Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding
Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be
included in the computation of interest and fees, if applicable;
provided , all payments must be made on or before the
Maturity Date.
(c) Unless the Agent shall have
received notice from a Lender prior to the date of a Borrowing that
such Lender will not make available to the Agent its portion of
such Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Lender has made such
portion available to the Agent on the date of such Borrowing. The
Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the
appropriate Person on such date a corresponding amount. If, and to
the extent that a Lender shall not have made i