EXHIBIT 10.2
[Execution Copy]
Loan and Security
Agreement
by and among
Spartan Stores,
Inc.
Spartan Stores Distribution, LLC
United Wholesale Grocery Company
Market Development Corporation
Spartan Stores Associates, LLC
Family Fare, LLC
MSFC, LLC
Seaway Food Town, Inc.
The Pharm of Michigan, Inc.
Valley Farm Distributing Co.
Gruber's Food Town, Inc.
Gruber's Real Estate, LLC
Prevo's Family Markets, Inc.
Custer Pharmacy, Inc.
Buckeye Real Estate Management Co.
as Borrowers
and
JFW Distributing
Company
LLJ Distributing Company
Spartan Stores Holding, Inc.
SI Insurance Agency, Inc.
as Guarantors
Congress Financial
Corporation (Central)
as Agent
and
The Lenders from Time
to Time Party Hereto
as Lenders
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page
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SECTION 1 DEFINITIONS
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2
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SECTION 2 CREDIT FACILITIES
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35
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2.1
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Loans
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35
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2.2
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Letter of Credit Accommodations
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35
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2.3
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Commitments
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40
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2.4
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Joint and Several Liability
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40
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SECTION 3 INTEREST AND FEES
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41
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3.1
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Interest
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41
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3.2
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Fees
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42
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3.3
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Changes in Laws and Increased Costs of Loans
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43
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SECTION 4 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
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46
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4.1
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Conditions Precedent to Initial Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations
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46
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4.2
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Conditions Precedent to All Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations
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49
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SECTION 5 GRANT AND PERFECTION OF SECURITY INTEREST
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49
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5.1
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Grant of Security Interest
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49
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5.2
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Perfection of Security Interests
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51
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SECTION 6 COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATION
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54
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6.1
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Borrowers' Loan Accounts
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54
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6.2
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Statements
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54
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6.3
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Collection of Accounts
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55
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6.4
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Payments
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57
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6.5
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Authorization to Make Loans
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58
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6.6
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Use of Proceeds.
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59
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6.7
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Appointment of Parent as Lead Borrower for Requesting Loans
and Receipts of Loans and Statements
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59
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6.8
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Pro Rata Treatment
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60
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6.9
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Sharing of Payments, Etc
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60
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6.10
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Settlement Procedures
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61
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6.11
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Obligations Several; Independent Nature of Lenders'
Rights
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64
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SECTION 7 COLLATERAL REPORTING AND COVENANTS
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64
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7.1
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Collateral Reporting
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64
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7.2
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Accounts Covenants
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66
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7.3
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Inventory Covenants
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67
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7.4
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Equipment and Real Property Covenants
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68
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(ii)
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7.5
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Prescription Files Covenants
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69
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7.6
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Power of Attorney
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69
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7.7
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Right to Cure
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70
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7.8
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Access to Premises
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71
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SECTION 8 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
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71
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8.1
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Corporate Existence, Power and Authority
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71
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8.2
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Name; State of Organization; Chief Executive Office;
Collateral Locations
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72
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8.3
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Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change
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72
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8.4
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Priority of Liens; Title to Properties
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72
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8.5
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Tax Returns
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73
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8.6
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Litigation
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73
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8.7
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Compliance with Other Agreements and Applicable Laws
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73
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8.8
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Environmental Compliance
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74
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8.9
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Employee Benefits
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74
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8.10
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Bank Accounts
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75
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8.11
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Intellectual Property
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75
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8.12
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Subsidiaries; Affiliates; Capitalization; Solvency
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76
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8.13
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Labor Disputes
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76
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8.14
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Restrictions on Subsidiaries
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77
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8.15
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Material Contracts
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77
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8.16
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Credit Card Agreements
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77
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8.17
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HIPPA Compliance
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78
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8.18
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Compliance with Health Care Laws
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78
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8.19
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Interrelated Businesses
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79
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8.20
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Notices from Farm Products Sellers, etc
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79
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8.21
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Accuracy and Completeness of Information
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80
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8.22
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Survival of Warranties; Cumulative
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80
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SECTION 9 AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE COVENANTS
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80
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9.1
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Maintenance of Existence
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80
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9.2
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New Collateral Locations
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81
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9.3
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Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Etc
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81
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9.4
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Payment of Taxes and Claims
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82
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9.5
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Insurance
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82
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9.6
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Financial Statements and Other Information
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83
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9.7
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Sale of Assets, Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution,
Etc
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85
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9.8
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Encumbrances
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94
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9.9
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Indebtedness
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96
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9.10
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Loans, Investments, Etc
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101
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9.11
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Dividends and Redemptions
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106
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9.12
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Transactions with Affiliates
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107
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9.13
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Compliance with ERISA
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108
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9.14
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End of Fiscal Years; Fiscal Quarters
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108
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9.15
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Credit Card Agreements
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108
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9.16
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Change in Business
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109
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(iii)
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9.17
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Limitation of Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries
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109
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9.18
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Minimum EBITDA
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109
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9.19
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Capital Expenditures
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109
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9.20
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Minimum Excess Availability
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110
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9.21
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License Agreements
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110
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9.22
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Agricultural Products
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111
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9.23
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After Acquired Real Property
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112
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9.24
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Costs and Expenses
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112
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9.25
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Further Assurances
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113
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SECTION 10 EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
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113
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10.1
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Events of Default
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113
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10.2
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Remedies
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116
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SECTION 11 JURY TRIAL WAIVER; OTHER WAIVERS AND CONSENTS;
GOVERNING LAW
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120
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11.1
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Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Service of Process; Jury
Trial Waiver
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120
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11.2
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Waiver of Notices
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121
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11.3
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Amendments and Waivers
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121
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11.4
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Waiver of Counterclaims
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123
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11.5
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Indemnification
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123
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SECTION 12 THE AGENT
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124
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12.1
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Appointment, Powers and Immunities
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124
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12.2
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Reliance by Agent
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124
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12.3
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Events of Default
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125
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12.4
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Congress in its Individual Capacity
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125
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12.5
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Indemnification
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125
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12.6
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Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders
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126
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12.7
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Failure to Act
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126
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12.8
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Additional Loans
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126
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12.9
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Concerning the Collateral and the Related Financing
Agreements
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127
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12.10
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Field Audit, Examination Reports and other Information;
Disclaimer by Lenders . By signing this Agreement, each
Lender:
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127
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12.11
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Collateral Matters
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127
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12.12
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Agency for Perfection
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129
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12.13
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Successor Agent
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129
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12.14
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Co-Agent
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130
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SECTION 13 TERM OF AGREEMENT; MISCELLANEOUS
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130
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13.1
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Term
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130
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13.2
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Interpretative Provisions
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132
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13.3
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Notices
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133
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13.4
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Partial Invalidity
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134
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13.5
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Confidentiality
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134
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(iv)
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13.6
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Successors
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136
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13.7
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Assignments; Participations
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136
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13.8
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Entire Agreement
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138
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13.9
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Counterparts, Etc
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138
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LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT
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2
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(v)
INDEX TO
EXHIBITS AND SCHEDULES
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Exhibit A
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Form of Assignment and Acceptance
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Exhibit B
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Form of Borrowing Base Certificate
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Exhibit C
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Information Certificate
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Exhibit D
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Form of Financial Statements
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Exhibit E
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Form of Compliance Certificate
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Schedule 1.52
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Existing Lenders
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Schedule 1.53
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Existing Letters of Credit
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Schedule 1.83
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Marion Real Property
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Schedule 1.92
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Mortgages
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Schedule 1.128
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Supplemental Loan Guarantors
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Schedule 1.131
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Supplemental Loan Lender Agreements
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Schedule 1.132
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Supplemental Loan Priority Collateral
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Schedule 1.136
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United Wholesale Division Assets
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Schedule 1.137
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United Wholesale Sale Agreements
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Schedule 8.9
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ERISA Matters
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Schedule 8.17
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Business Associate Agreements
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Schedule 8.18
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Participation Agreements
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Schedule 9.7
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Existing Subleases of Real Property and Minimum
Proceeds Amount for Owned Real Property
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Schedule 9.14
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Fiscal Year and Quarter Ends
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Schedule 9.18
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Minimum EBITDA
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Schedule 10.1
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Minimum Quarterly Consolidated Revenues
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(vi)
LOAN AND SECURITY
AGREEMENT
This Loan and Security
Agreement dated December 23, 2003 is entered into by and among
Spartan Stores, Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Parent"), Spartan
Stores Distribution, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company
("Stores Distribution"), United Wholesale Grocery Company, a
Michigan corporation ("United"), Market Development Corporation, a
Michigan corporation ("MDC"), Spartan Stores Associates, LLC, a
Michigan limited liability company ("Associates"), Family Fare,
LLC, a Michigan limited liability company ("Family Fare"), MSFC,
LLC, a Michigan limited liability company ("MSFC"), Seaway Food
Town, Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Seaway"), The Pharm of
Michigan, Inc. ("Pharm"), a Michigan corporation, Valley Farm
Distributing Co., an Ohio corporation ("Valley Farm"), Gruber's
Food Town, Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Gruber Food Town"),
Gruber's Real Estate, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company
("Gruber RE"), Prevo's Family Markets, Inc., a Michigan corporation
("Prevo"), Custer Pharmacy, Inc., a Michigan corporation
("Custer"), Buckeye Real Estate Management Co., an Ohio corporation
("Buckeye" and together with Parent, Stores Distribution, United,
MDC, Associates, Family Fare, MSFC, Seaway, Pharm, Valley Farm,
Gruber Food Town, Gruber RE, Prevo and Custer, each individually a
"Borrower" and collectively, "Borrowers"), Spartan Stores Holding,
Inc., a Michigan corporation ("Holding"), SI Insurance Agency,
Inc., a Michigan corporation ("SI"), , JFW Distributing Company, a
Michigan corporation ("JFW"), LLJ Distributing Company, a Michigan
corporation ("LLJ", and together with Holding, SI and JFW, each
individually a "Guarantor" and collectively, "Guarantors"), the
parties hereto from time to time as lenders, whether by execution
of this Agreement or an Assignment and Acceptance (each
individually, a "Lender" and collectively, "Lenders") and Congress
Financial Corporation (Central), an Illinois corporation, in its
capacity as agent for Lenders (in such capacity, "Agent").
W I
T N E S S E T
H :
WHEREAS, Borrowers and
Guarantors have requested that Agent and Lenders enter into
financing arrangements with Borrowers pursuant to which Lenders may
make loans and provide other financial accommodations to Borrowers;
and
WHEREAS, each Lender is
willing to agree (severally and not jointly) to make such loans and
provide such financial accommodations to Borrowers on a pro rata
basis according to its Commitment (as defined below) on the terms
and conditions set forth herein and Agent is willing to act as
agent for Lenders on the terms and conditions set forth herein and
the other Financing Agreements;
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual conditions and agreements set forth
herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt
and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
SECTION 1 DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective meanings
given to them below:
1.1 "Account Debtor" shall
mean a person obligated on an Account, and including, without
limitation, an account debtor as such term is defined in the UCC,
Credit Card Issuer, Credit Card Processor, Fiscal Intermediary or
other Third Party Payor.
1.2 "Accounts" shall mean, as
to each Borrower and Guarantor, all present and future rights of
such Borrower and Guarantor to payment of a monetary obligation,
whether or not earned by performance, which is not evidenced by
chattel paper or an instrument, (a) for property that has been or
is to be sold, leased, licensed, assigned, or otherwise disposed
of, (b) for services rendered or to be rendered, (c) for a
secondary obligation incurred or to be incurred, or (d) arising out
of the use of a credit or charge card or information contained on
or for use with the card. The term "Accounts" as used herein shall
include, without limitation, Credit Card Receivables.
1.3 "Adjusted Eurodollar
Rate" shall mean, with respect to each Interest Period for any
Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if
necessary, to the next one-sixteenth (1/16) of one (1%) percent)
determined by dividing (a) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest
Period by (b) a percentage equal to: (i) one (1) minus (ii) the
Reserve Percentage. For purposes hereof, "Reserve Percentage" shall
mean the reserve percentage, expressed as a decimal, prescribed by
any United States or foreign banking authority for determining the
reserve requirement which is or would be applicable to deposits of
United States dollars in a non-United States or an international
banking office of Reference Bank used to fund a Eurodollar Rate
Loan or any Eurodollar Rate Loan made with the proceeds of such
deposit, whether or not the Reference Bank actually holds or has
made any such deposits or loans. The Adjusted Eurodollar Rate shall
be adjusted on and as of the effective day of any change in the
Reserve Percentage.
1.4 "Affiliate" shall mean,
with respect to a specified Person, any other Person which directly
or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls or is
controlled by or is under common control with such Person, and
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes (a) any
Person which beneficially owns or holds ten (10%) percent or more
of any class of Voting Stock of such Person or other equity
interests in such Person, (b) any Person of which such Person
beneficially owns or holds ten (10%) percent or more of any class
of Voting Stock or in which such Person beneficially owns or holds
ten (10%) percent or more of the equity interests and (c) any
director or executive officer of such Person. For the purposes of
this definition, the term "control" (including with correlative
meanings, the terms "controlled by" and "under common control
with"), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession,
directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether
through the ownership of Voting Stock, by agreement or
otherwise.
2
1.5 "Agent" shall mean
Congress Financial Corporation (Central), in its capacity as agent
on behalf of Lenders pursuant to the terms hereof and any
replacement or successor agent hereunder.
1.6 "Agent Payment Account"
shall mean account no. 5000000030266 of Agent at Wachovia Bank,
National Association, or such other account of Agent as Agent may
from time to time designate to Lead Borrower as the Agent Payment
Account for purposes of this Agreement and the other Financing
Agreements.
1.7 "Applicable Margin"
means, at any time, as to the interest rate for Prime Rate Loans
and the interest rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans the applicable
percentage (on a per annum basis) set forth below if the Monthly
Average Excess Availability for the immediately preceding calendar
month is at or within the amounts indicated for such
percentage:
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Tier
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Monthly Average
Excess Availability
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Applicable
Prime
Rate Margin
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Applicable
Eurodollar
Rate Margin
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1
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$50,000,000 or more
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1/2%
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2 3/4 %
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2
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Greater than or equal
to $25,000,000 and
less than $50,000,000
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3/4%
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3%
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3
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Less than $25,000,000
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1%
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3 1/4 %
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provided, that, (a) the Applicable Margin shall be calculated
and established once each calendar month and shall remain in effect
until adjusted thereafter as of the first day of the next month and
(b) notwithstanding the amount of the Monthly Average Excess
Availability, for each month prior to the month commencing July 1,
2004, in no event shall the Applicable Margin be less than the
percentages set forth in Tier 2 of the schedule above for the
applicable category of Loans.
1.8 "Assignment and
Acceptance" shall mean an Assignment and Acceptance substantially
in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (with blanks appropriately
completed) delivered to Agent in connection with an assignment of a
Lender's interest hereunder in accordance with the provisions of
Section 13.7 hereof.
1.9 "Blocked Accounts" shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3 hereof.
1.10 "Borrowing Base" shall
mean, at any time, the amount equal to:
(a) the lesser of:
(i) the amount equal
to:
(A) eighty-five (85%) percent of Eligible Accounts,
plus
3
(B) eighty-five (85%) percent of Eligible Credit Card
Receivables, plus
(C) the lesser of: (1) sixty-five (65%) percent
multiplied by the Value of the Eligible Inventory of the Retail
Division or (2) eighty-five (85%) percent of the Net Recovery
Percentage for the Inventory of the Retail Division multiplied by
the Value of such Eligible Inventory; plus
(D) the lesser of: (1) seventy-five (75%) percent
multiplied by the Value of the Eligible Inventory of the
Distribution Division or (2) eighty-five (85%) percent of the Net
Recovery Percentage for the Inventory of the Distribution Division
multiplied by the Value of such Eligible Inventory, plus
(E) the lesser of: (1) seventy-five (75%) percent
multiplied by the Value of the Eligible Inventory of the United
Wholesale Division or (2) eighty-five (85%) percent of the Net
Recovery Percentage for the Inventory of the United Wholesale
Division multiplied by the Value of such Eligible Inventory,
plus
(F) the Prescription File Availability;
plus
(G) the Fixed Asset Availability; or
(ii) the Maximum
Credit,
minus
(b) Reserves.
The amounts of Eligible Inventory of any Borrower shall, at
Agent's option, be determined based on the lesser of the amount of
Inventory set forth in the general ledger of such Borrower, as
reconciled, or the perpetual inventory record or stock ledger
record, as applicable, maintained by such Borrower.
1.11 "Borrowing Base
Certificate" shall mean a certificate substantially in the form of
Exhibit B hereto, as such form may from time to time be modified by
Agent, which is duly completed (including all schedules thereto)
and executed by the chief financial officer, vice president of
finance, treasurer or controller of Parent and delivered to
Agent.
1.12 "Business Day" shall
mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which
commercial banks are authorized or required to close under the laws
of the State of Illinois, or the State of North Carolina, and a day
on which Agent is open for the transaction of business, except that
if a determination of a Business Day shall relate to any Eurodollar
Rate Loans, the term Business Day shall also exclude any day on
which banks are closed for dealings in dollar deposits in the
London interbank market or other applicable Eurodollar Rate
market.
1.13 "Capital Expenditures" shall mean with respect to any Person
for any period the aggregate of all expenditures by such Person and
its Subsidiaries during such period that in accordance with GAAP
are or should be included in "property, plant and equipment" or in
a
4
similar fixed asset account on
its balance sheet, whether such expenditures are paid in cash or
financed and including all obligations under Capital Leases paid or
payable during such period (but not including in the case of
Borrowers and Guarantors payments made pursuant to Section 9.10(i)
hereof).
1.14 "Capital Leases" shall
mean, as applied to any Person, any lease of (or any agreement
conveying the right to use) any property (whether real, personal or
mixed) by such Person as lessee which in accordance with GAAP, is
required to be reflected as a liability on the balance sheet of
such Person.
1.15 "Capital Stock" shall
mean, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests,
participations or other equivalents (however designated) of such
Person's capital stock or partnership, limited liability company or
other equity interests at any time outstanding, and any and all
rights, warrants or options exchangeable for or convertible into
such capital stock or other interests (but excluding any debt
security that is exchangeable for or convertible into such capital
stock).
1.16 "Cash Equivalents" shall
mean, at any time, (a) any evidence of Indebtedness with a maturity
date of ninety (90) days or less issued or directly and fully
guaranteed or insured by the United States of America or any agency
or instrumentality thereof; provided , that , the
full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged in
support thereof; (b) certificates of deposit or bankers'
acceptances with a maturity of ninety (90) days or less of any
financial institution that is a member of the Federal Reserve
System having combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of
not less than $250,000,000; (c) commercial paper (including
variable rate demand notes) with a maturity of ninety (90) days or
less issued by a corporation (except an Affiliate of any Borrower
or Guarantor) organized under the laws of any State of the United
States of America or the District of Columbia and rated at least
A-1 by Standard & Poor's Ratings Service, a division of The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or at least P-1 by Moody's Investors
Service, Inc.; (d) repurchase obligations with a term of not more
than thirty (30) days for underlying securities of the types
described in clause (a) above entered into with any financial
institution having combined capital and surplus and undivided
profits of not less than $250,000,000; (e) repurchase agreements
and reverse repurchase agreements relating to marketable direct
obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United
States of America or issued by any governmental agency thereof and
backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of
America, in each case maturing within ninety (90) days or less from
the date of acquisition; provided , that , the terms
of such agreements comply with the guidelines set forth in the
Federal Financial Agreements of Depository Institutions with
Securities Dealers and Others, as adopted by the Comptroller of the
Currency on October 31, 1985; and (f) investments in money market
funds and mutual funds which invest substantially all of their
assets in securities of the types described in clauses (a) through
(e) above.
1.17 "Change of Control" shall mean (a) the transfer (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially
all of the assets of any Borrower or Guarantor to any Person or
group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange
Act), other than as permitted in Section 9.7 hereof; (b) the
liquidation or dissolution of any Borrower or Guarantor or the
adoption of a plan by the stockholders of any Borrower or Guarantor
relating to the dissolution or liquidation of such Borrower or
Guarantor, other than as permitted in Section 9.7 hereof;
5
(c) the acquisition by any
Person or group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act), of beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of
more than thirty (30%) percent of the voting power of the total
outstanding Voting Stock of Parent; (d) during any period of two
(2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such
period constituted the Board of Directors of Parent (together with
any new directors whose nomination for election or election was
approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then
still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such
period or whose election or nomination for election was previously
so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the
Board of Directors of Parent then still in office; or (e) the
failure of Parent to own directly or indirectly one hundred (100%)
percent of the voting power of the total outstanding Voting Stock
of any other Borrower or Guarantor (except to the extent resulting
from mergers, consolidations, liquidations or dissolutions
permitted under Section 9.7 hereof).
1.18 "Code" shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same now exists or may from
time to time hereafter be amended, modified, recodified or
supplemented, together with all rules, regulations and
interpretations thereunder or related thereto.
1.19 "Collateral" shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 5 hereof.
1.20 "Collateral Access
Agreement" shall mean an agreement in writing, in form and
substance satisfactory to Agent, by any lessor of premises to any
Borrower or Guarantor, or any other person to whom any Collateral
is consigned or who has custody, control or possession of any such
Collateral or is otherwise the owner or operator of any premises on
which any of such Collateral is located, in favor of Agent with
respect to the collateral located at such premises or otherwise in
the custody, control or possession of such person.
1.21 "Commitment" shall mean,
at any time, as to each Lender, the principal amount set forth
below such Lender's signature on the signatures pages hereto
designated as the Commitment or on Schedule 1 to the Assignment and
Acceptance Agreement pursuant to which such Lender became a Lender
hereunder in accordance with the provisions of Section 13.7 hereof,
as the same may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with
the terms hereof; sometimes being collectively referred to herein
as "Commitments".
1.22 "Congress" shall mean
Congress Financial Corporation (Central), an Illinois corporation,
in its individual capacity, and its successors and assigns.
1.23 "Consolidated Net Income" shall mean, with respect to any
Person for any period, the aggregate of the net income (loss) of
such Person and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, for such
period (and as to Borrowers and Guarantors, excluding to the extent
included therein (i) any extraordinary, one-time or non-recurring
gains, (ii) extraordinary, one-time or non-recurring non-cash
losses or charges, (iii) operations that have been discontinued on
or before the date hereof, and (iv) the net income (loss) of United
on and after the date that the United Wholesale Division Assets are
sold in accordance with the terms hereof ) after deducting all
charges which should be deducted before arriving at the net income
(loss) for such period (but without regard to operations that have
been discontinued on or before the date hereof) and after deducting
the Provision for Taxes for such period, all as determined in
accordance with GAAP; provided , that , (a) the net
income of any Person that is not a wholly-owned Subsidiary or that
is
6
accounted for by the equity
method of accounting shall be included only to the extent of the
amount of dividends or distributions paid or payable to such Person
or a wholly-owned Subsidiary of such Person (except that up to
$750,000 of the net income of MDP L.L.C. may be included in the
calculation of the net income (loss) of Borrowers notwithstanding
that no such dividends or distributions are paid or payable); (b)
except to the extent included pursuant to the foregoing clause, the
net income of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a
wholly-owned Subsidiary of such Person or is merged into or
consolidated with such Person or any of its wholly-owned
Subsidiaries or that Person's assets are acquired by such Person or
by any of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries shall be excluded; (c) the
effect of any change in accounting principles adopted by such
Person or its Subsidiaries after the date hereof shall be excluded;
(d) net income shall exclude interest accruing, but not paid on
indebtedness owing to a Subsidiary or parent corporation of such
Person; and (e) the net income (if positive) of any wholly-owned
Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of
dividends or similar distributions by such wholly-owned Subsidiary
to such Person or to any other wholly-owned Subsidiary of such
Person is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of
its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order,
statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to such
wholly-owned Subsidiary shall be excluded (except that up to
$750,000 of the net income of MDP L.L.C. may be included in the
calculation of the net income (loss) of Borrowers notwithstanding
that no such dividends or distributions are paid or payable). For
the purposes of this definition, net income excludes any gain and
non-cash loss together with any related Provision for Taxes for
such gain and non-cash loss realized upon the sale or other
disposition of any assets that are not sold in the ordinary course
of business (including, without limitation, dispositions pursuant
to sale and leaseback transactions and for this purpose sales or
other dispositions of retail store locations shall not be deemed to
be in the ordinary course of the business of Borrowers and
Guarantors) or of any Capital Stock of such Person or a Subsidiary
of such Person and any net income or non-cash loss realized as a
result of changes in accounting principles or the application
thereof to such Person.
1.24 "Credit Card
Acknowledgments" shall mean, collectively, the agreements by Credit
Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors who are parties to Credit
Card Agreements in favor of Agent acknowledging Agent's first
priority security interest, in the monies due and to become due to
a Borrower or Guarantor (including, without limitation, credits and
reserves) under the Credit Card Agreements, and agreeing to
transfer all such amounts to the Blocked Accounts, as the same now
exist or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented,
extended, renewed, restated or replaced; sometimes being referred
to herein individually as a "Credit Card Acknowledgment".
1.25 "Credit Card Agreements"
shall mean all agreements now or hereafter entered into by any
Borrower or any Guarantor for the benefit of any Borrower, in each
case with any Credit Card Issuer or any Credit Card Processor, as
the same now exist or may hereafter be amended, modified,
supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced, including,
but not limited to, the agreements set forth on Schedule 8.16
hereto.
1.26 "Credit Card Issuer" shall mean any person (other than a
Borrower or Guarantor) who issues or whose members issue credit
cards, including, without limitation, MasterCard or VISA bank
credit or debit cards or other bank credit or debit cards issued
through MasterCard International, Inc., Visa, U.S.A., Inc. or Visa
International and American Express, Discover,
7
Diners Club, Carte Blanche and
other non-bank credit or debit cards, including, without
limitation, credit or debit cards issued by or through American
Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. or Discover Financial
Services, Inc.
1.27 "Credit Card Processor"
shall mean any servicing or processing agent or any factor or
financial intermediary who facilitates, services, processes or
manages the credit authorization, billing transfer and/or payment
procedures with respect to any Borrower's or Guarantor's sales
transactions involving credit card or debit card purchases by
customers using credit cards or debit cards issued by any Credit
Card Issuer.
1.28 "Credit Card
Receivables" shall mean, collectively, (a) all present and future
rights of any Borrower or Guarantor to payment from any Credit Card
Issuer, Credit Card Processor or other third party arising from
sales of goods or rendition of services to customers who have
purchased such goods or services using a credit card or debit card
and (b) all present and future rights of any Borrower or Guarantor
to payment from any Credit Card Issuer, Credit Card Processor or
other third party in connection with the sale or transfer of
Accounts arising pursuant to the sale of goods or rendition of
services to customers who have purchased such goods or services
using a credit card or a debit card, including, but not limited to,
all amounts at any time due or to become due from any Credit Card
Issuer or Credit Card Processor under the Credit Card Agreements or
otherwise.
1.29 "Credit Facility" shall
mean the Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations provided to or
for the benefit of any Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2
hereof.
1.30 "Default" shall mean an
act, condition or event which with notice or passage of time or
both would constitute an Event of Default.
1.31 "Defaulting Lender"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.10 hereof.
1.32 "Deposit Account Control
Agreement" shall mean an agreement in writing, in form and
substance satisfactory to Agent, by and among Agent, the Borrower
or Guarantor with a deposit account at any bank and the bank at
which such deposit account is at any time maintained which provides
that such bank will comply with instructions originated by Agent
directing disposition of the funds in the deposit account without
further consent by such Borrower or Guarantor and has such other
terms and conditions as Agent may require.
1.33 "Distribution Division"
shall mean, collectively, the following (together with their
respective successors and assigns): Parent, Associates, Stores
Distribution, Valley Farm and MDC.
1.34 "EBITDA" shall mean, as to any Person, with respect to any
period, an amount equal to: (a) the Consolidated Net Income of such
Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, plus (b) depreciation
and amortization and other non-cash charges including imputed
interest, deferred compensation and in the case of Borrowers and
Guarantors, non-cash costs associated with the closing of retail
store locations, in each case for such period (to the extent
deducted in the computation of Consolidated Net Income of such
Person), all in accordance with GAAP, plus (c) Interest Expense for
such period (to the extent deducted in the computation of
Consolidated Net Income of such Person), plus (d) the Provision for
Taxes for such period (to the extent
8
deducted in the computation of
Consolidated Net Income of such Person), plus (e) all charges with
respect to the Single Business Tax as levied by the Michigan
Department of Treasury for such period (to the extent deducted in
the computation of Consolidated Net Income for such Person).
1.35 "Eligible Accounts"
shall mean Accounts created by a Borrower which are and continue to
be acceptable to Agent in good faith based on the criteria set
forth below. In general, Accounts shall be Eligible Accounts
if:
(a) such Accounts arise from the actual and bona fide sale
and delivery of goods by such Borrower or rendition of services by
such Borrower in the ordinary course of its business which
transactions are completed in accordance with the terms and
provisions contained in any documents related thereto;
(b) such Accounts are not unpaid (i) for Accounts with
stated terms of fifteen (15) days or greater, more than sixty (60)
days after the original due date thereof or more than ninety (90)
days after the original invoice or statement date (as applicable)
or (ii) for Accounts with stated terms of less than fifteen (15)
days, more than thirty (30) days after the original due date
thereof or more than ninety (90) days after the original invoice or
statement date (as applicable) (it being understood that the
statement date is applicable to Accounts of the Distribution
Division);
(c) such Accounts comply with the terms and conditions
contained in Section 7.2(b) of this Agreement;
(d) such Accounts do not arise from sales on consignment,
guaranteed sale, sale and return, sale on approval, or other terms
under which payment by the Account Debtor may be conditional or
contingent;
(e) the chief executive office
of the Account Debtor with respect to such Accounts is located in
the United States of America or Canada ( provided ,
that , at any time promptly upon Agent's request, such
Borrower shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and
delivered, such other agreements, documents and instruments as may
be required by Agent to perfect the security interests of Agent in
those Accounts of an Account Debtor with its chief executive office
or principal place of business in Canada in accordance with the
applicable laws of the Province of Canada in which such chief
executive office or principal place of business is located and take
or cause to be taken such other and further actions as Agent may
request to enable Agent as secured party with respect thereto to
collect such Accounts under the applicable Federal or Provincial
laws of Canada) or, at Agent's option, if the chief executive
office and principal place of business of the Account Debtor with
respect to such Accounts is located other than in the United States
of America or Canada, then if either: (i) the Account Debtor has
delivered to such Borrower an irrevocable letter of credit issued
or confirmed by a bank satisfactory to Agent and payable only in
the United States of America and in U.S. dollars, sufficient to
cover such Account, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent and
if required by Agent, the original of such letter of credit has
been delivered to Agent or Agent's agent and the issuer thereof,
and such Borrower has complied with the terms of Section 5.2(f)
hereof with respect to the assignment of the proceeds of such
letter of credit to Agent or naming Agent as
9
transferee beneficiary
thereunder, as Agent may specify, or (ii) such Account is subject
to credit insurance payable to Agent issued by an insurer and on
terms and in an amount acceptable to Agent, or (iii) such Account
is otherwise acceptable in all respects to Agent (subject to such
lending formula with respect thereto as Agent may determine);
(f) such Accounts do not consist of progress billings (such
that the obligation of the Account Debtors with respect to such
Accounts is conditioned upon such Borrower's satisfactory
completion of any further performance under the agreement giving
rise thereto), bill and hold invoices or retainage invoices, except
as to bill and hold invoices, if Agent shall have received an
agreement in writing from the Account Debtor, in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent, confirming the unconditional obligation of
the Account Debtor to take the goods related thereto and pay such
invoice;
(g) the Account Debtor with respect to such Accounts has not
asserted a counterclaim, defense or dispute and is not owed any
amounts that may give rise to any right of setoff or recoupment
against such Accounts (but the portion of the Accounts of such
Account Debtor in excess of the amount at any time and from time to
time owed by such Borrower to such Account Debtor or claimed owed
by such Account Debtor may be deemed Eligible Accounts),
(h) there are no facts, events or occurrences which would
impair the validity, enforceability or collectability of such
Accounts;
(i) such Accounts are subject to the first priority, valid
and perfected security interest of Agent and any goods giving rise
thereto are not, and were not at the time of the sale thereof,
subject to any liens except those permitted in this Agreement that
are subject to an intercreditor agreement in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent between the holder of such security interest
or lien and Agent;
(j) neither the Account Debtor nor any officer or employee
of the Account Debtor with respect to such Accounts is an officer,
employee, agent or other Affiliate of any Borrower or
Guarantor;
(k) the Account Debtors with respect to such Accounts are
not any foreign government, the United States of America, any
State, political subdivision, department, agency or instrumentality
thereof, unless, if the Account Debtor is the United States of
America, any State, political subdivision, department, agency or
instrumentality thereof, upon Agent's request, the Federal
Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, as amended or any similar State
or local law, if applicable, has been complied with in a manner
satisfactory to Agent or except as to Medicaid Accounts, Medicare
Accounts and Accounts arising from WIC or food stamp programs, such
Accounts otherwise constitute Eligible Accounts hereunder;
(l) there are no proceedings or actions which are threatened
or pending against the Account Debtors with respect to such
Accounts which might result in any material adverse change in any
such Account Debtor's financial condition (including, without
limitation, any bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation,
reorganization or similar proceeding);
10
(m) the aggregate amount of such Accounts owing by a single
Account Debtor do not constitute more than fifteen (15%) percent of
the aggregate amount of all otherwise Eligible Accounts of
Borrowers (but the portion of the Accounts not in excess of the
applicable percentages may be deemed Eligible Accounts);
(n) such Accounts are not owed by an Account Debtor who has
Accounts unpaid (i) for Accounts with stated terms of fifteen (15)
days or greater, more than sixty (60) days after the original due
date thereof or more than ninety (90) days after the original
invoice or statement date (as applicable) or (ii) for Accounts with
stated terms of less than fifteen (15) days, more than thirty (30)
days after the original due date thereof or more than ninety (90)
days after the original invoice or statement date (as applicable),
in any case which constitute more than fifty (50%) percent of the
total Accounts of such Account Debtor (it being understood that the
statement date is applicable to Accounts of the Distribution
Division);
(o) the Account Debtor is not located in a state requiring
the filing of a Notice of Business Activities Report or similar
report in order to permit such Borrower to seek judicial
enforcement in such State of payment of such Account, unless such
Borrower has qualified to do business in such state or has filed a
Notice of Business Activities Report or equivalent report for the
then current year or such failure to file and inability to seek
judicial enforcement is capable of being remedied without any
material delay or material cost;
(p) such Accounts are owed by Account Debtors whose total
indebtedness to such Borrower does not exceed the credit limit with
respect to such Account Debtors as determined by such Borrower from
time to time, to the extent such credit limit as to any Account
Debtor is established consistent with the current practices of such
Borrower as of the date hereof and such credit limit is acceptable
to Agent (but the portion of the Accounts not in excess of such
credit limit may be deemed Eligible Accounts);
(q) such Accounts are owed by Account Debtors deemed
creditworthy at all times by Agent in good faith;
(r) as to Medicaid Accounts, (i)
the claim for reimbursement related to such Account has been
submitted to the appropriate Fiscal Intermediary in accordance with
the applicable regulations under Medicaid within thirty (30) days
from the date the claim arose, (ii) the person to whom the goods
were sold is an eligible Medicaid beneficiary at the time such
goods are sold and such eligibility has been verified by the
Borrower making such sale, (iii) such Account is owed to a Borrower
who is not under any investigation (other than the periodic audits
conducted by a Fiscal Intermediary in the ordinary course of
business) or subject to any action or proceeding concerning the
status of such Borrower as a Certified Medicaid Provider and/or the
payments under Medicaid to such Borrower have not been contested,
suspended, delayed, deferred or otherwise postponed due to any
investigation, action or proceeding by the U.S. Justice Department
or any other Governmental Authority, (iv) the amount of such
Account does not exceed the amounts to which the Borrower making
such sale is entitled to reimbursement for such eligible Medicaid
beneficiary under applicable Medicaid regulations (provided, that,
to the extent that the amount of any such excess is de minimis, the
portion of the Account not in excess of the reimbursable amount may
be deemed an Eligible Account), (v) all authorization and billing
procedures and documentation required in order for the Borrower
making such sale to be
11
reimbursed and paid on such
Account by the Fiscal Intermediary have been properly completed and
satisfied to the extent required in order for such Borrower to be
so reimbursed and paid and (vi) the terms of the sale giving rise
to such Accounts and all practices of such Borrower and Guarantors
with respect to such Accounts comply in all material respects with
applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations;
provided , that , in no event shall the aggregate
amount of Medicaid Accounts, Medicare Accounts and Accounts arising
from WIC or food stamp programs that are deemed to be Eligible
Accounts (but without limitation as to the amount of such Accounts)
exceed $2,500,000;
(s) as to Medicare Accounts, (i) the claim for reimbursement
related to such Account has been submitted to the appropriate
Fiscal Intermediary in accordance with the applicable regulations
under Medicare within thirty (30) days from the date the claim
arose, (ii) the person to whom the goods were sold is an eligible
Medicare beneficiary at the time such goods are sold and such
eligibility has been verified by the Borrower making such sale,
(iii) such Account is owed to a Borrower who is not under any
investigation (other than the periodic audits conducted by a Fiscal
Intermediary in the ordinary course of business) or subject to any
action or proceeding concerning the status of such Borrower as a
Certified Medicare Provider and/or the payments under Medicare to
such Borrower have not been contested, suspended, delayed, deferred
or otherwise postponed due to any investigation, action or
proceeding by the U.S. Justice Department or any other Governmental
Authority, (iv) the amount of such Account does not exceed the
amounts to which the Borrower making such sale is entitled to
reimbursement for such eligible Medicare beneficiary under
applicable Medicare regulations (provided, that, to the extent that
the amount of any such excess is de minimis, the portion of the
Account not in excess of the reimbursable amount may be deemed an
Eligible Account); (v) all authorization and billing procedures and
documentation required in order for the Borrower making such sale
to be reimbursed and paid on such Account by the Fiscal
Intermediary have been properly completed and satisfied to the
extent required for such Borrower to be so reimbursed and paid, and
(vi) the terms of the sale giving rise to such Accounts and all
practices of such Borrower and Guarantors with respect to such
Accounts comply in all material respects with applicable Federal,
State, and local laws and regulations; provided ,
that , in no event shall the aggregate amount of Medicaid
Accounts, Medicare Accounts and Accounts arising from WIC or food
stamp programs that are deemed to be Eligible Accounts (but without
limitation as to the amount of such Accounts) exceed
$2,500,000;
(t) as to Accounts where the
Account Debtor is a Third Party Payor (other than for Medicare
Accounts and Medicaid Accounts), (i) the Borrower making the sale
giving rise to such Account has a valid and enforceable agreement
with the Third Party Payor providing for payment to such Borrower
or such Borrower is otherwise entitled to payment under the terms
of its arrangements with the insurance company that is the Third
Party Payor, and such agreement and arrangements are in full force
and effect and there is no default thereunder that would be a basis
for such Third Party Payor to cease or suspend any payments to such
Borrower (including any deductions, setoffs or defenses), (ii) the
goods sold giving rise to such Account are of the type that are
covered under the agreement or arrangements with the Third Party
Payor and the party receiving such goods is entitled to coverage
under such agreement or arrangement, (iii) the Borrower making the
sale giving rise to such Account has contacted the Third Party
Payor or otherwise received confirmation from such Third Party
Payor that the party receiving the goods is entitled to coverage
under the terms of the agreement with such Third Party Payor and
the
12
Borrower is entitled to
reimbursement for such Account, (iv) the amount of such Account
does not exceed the amounts to which the Borrower making such sale
is entitled to reimbursement for the goods sold under the terms of
such agreements or arrangements (provided, that, to the extent that
the amount of any such excess is de minimis, the portion of the
Account not in excess of the reimbursable amount may be deemed an
Eligible Account), (v) there are no contractual or statutory
limitations or restrictions on the rights of the Borrower making
such sale to assign its rights to payment arising as a result
thereof or to grant any security interest therein, (vi) all
authorization and billing procedures and documentation required in
order for the Borrower making such sale to be reimbursed and paid
on such Account by the Third Party Payor have been properly
completed and satisfied to the extent required for such Borrower to
be so reimbursed and paid and (vii) the terms of the sale giving
rise to such Accounts and all practices of such Borrower and
Guarantors with respect to such Accounts comply in all material
respects with applicable Federal, State, and local laws and
regulations.
The criteria for Eligible Accounts set forth above may only be
changed and any new criteria for Eligible Accounts may only be
established by Agent in good faith based on either: (A) an event,
condition or other circumstance arising after the date hereof, or
(B) an event, condition or other circumstance existing on the date
hereof to the extent Agent has no written notice thereof from a
Borrower prior to the date hereof, in either case under clause (A)
or (B) which adversely affects or could reasonably be expected to
adversely affect the Accounts in the good faith determination of
Agent. Any Accounts that are not Eligible Accounts shall
nevertheless be part of the Collateral.
1.36 "Eligible Credit Card
Receivables" shall mean, as to each Borrower, Credit Card
Receivables of such Borrower which are and continue to be
acceptable to Agent in good faith based on the criteria set forth
below. Credit Card Receivables shall be Eligible Credit Card
Receivables if:
(a) such Credit Card Receivables arise from the actual and
bona fide sale and delivery of goods or rendition of services by
such Borrower in the ordinary course of the business of such
Borrower which transactions are completed in accordance with the
terms and provisions contained in any agreements binding on such
Borrower or the other party or parties related thereto;
(b) such Credit Card Receivables are not past due (beyond
any stated applicable grace period, if any, therefor) pursuant to
the terms set forth in the Credit Card Agreements with the Credit
Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor of the credit card or debit
card used in the purchase which give rise to such Credit Card
Receivables;
(c) such Credit Card Receivables are not unpaid more than
seven (7) days after the date of the sale of Inventory giving rise
to such Credit Card Receivables;
(d) all material procedures
required by the Credit Card Issuer or the Credit Card Processor of
the credit card or debit card used in the purchase which gave rise
to such Credit Card Receivables shall have been followed by such
Borrower (including, but not limited to, obtaining any required
authorization and approval by such Credit Card Issuer or Credit
Card Processor for the sale giving rise to such Credit Card
Receivables and submitting all materials
13
required by the Credit Card
Issuer or Credit Card Processor obligated in respect of such Credit
Card Receivables in order for such Borrower to be entitled to
payment in respect thereof) and all documents required for the
authorization and approval by such Credit Card Issuer or Credit
Card Processor shall have been obtained in connection with the sale
giving rise to such Credit Card Receivables;
(e) the Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor
obligated in respect of such Credit Card Receivable has not failed
to remit any monthly payment in respect of such Credit Card
Receivable;
(f) such Credit Card Receivables comply with the applicable
terms and conditions contained in Section 7.2 of this
Agreement;
(g) the Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor with
respect to such Credit Card Receivables has not asserted a
counterclaim, defense or dispute and does not have, and does not
engage in transactions which may give rise to, any right of setoff
against such Credit Card Receivables (other than setoffs to fees
and chargebacks consistent with the practices of such Credit Card
Issuer or Credit Card Processor with such Borrower as of the date
hereof or as such practices may change as a result of changes to
the policies of such Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor
applicable to its customers generally and unrelated to the
circumstance of such Borrower), but the portion of the Credit Card
Receivables owing by such Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card
Processor in excess of the amount owing by such Borrower to such
Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor pursuant to such fees
and chargebacks may be deemed Eligible Credit Card Receivables;
(h) the Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor with
respect to such Credit Card Receivables has not setoff against
amounts otherwise payable by such Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card
Processor to such Borrower for the purpose of establishing a
reserve or collateral for obligations of such Borrower to such
Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor (notwithstanding that
the Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor may have setoffs
for fees and chargebacks consistent with the practices of such
Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor with such Borrower as
of the date hereof or as such practices may hereafter change as a
result of changes to the policies of such Credit Card Issuer or
Credit Card Processor applicable to its customers generally and
unrelated to the circumstances of such Borrower);
(i) there are no facts, events or occurrences which would
impair the validity, enforceability or collectability of such
Credit Card Receivables;
(j) such Credit Card Receivables are subject to the first
priority, valid and perfected security interest and lien of Agent,
for and on behalf of itself and Lenders, as to such Credit Card
Receivables of such Borrower and any goods giving rise thereto are
not, and were not at the time of the sale thereof, subject to any
security interest or lien in favor of any person other than Agent
except as otherwise permitted in this Agreement, in each case
subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions
applicable hereunder to any such permitted security interest or
lien;
14
(k) there are no proceedings or actions which are pending
against the Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors with
respect to such Credit Card Receivables which would reasonably be
expected to result in any material adverse change in the financial
condition of any such Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card
Processor;
(l) such Credit Card Receivables are owed by Credit Card
Issuers or Credit Card Processors deemed creditworthy at all times
by Agent in good faith;
(m) no event of default has occurred under the Credit Card
Agreement of such Borrower with the Credit Card Issuer or Credit
Card Processor who has issued the credit card or debit card or
handles payments under the credit card or debit card used in the
sale which gave rise to such Credit Card Receivables which event of
default gives such Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor the
right to cease or suspend payments to such Borrower or any
Guarantor and no event shall have occurred which gives such Credit
Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor the right to setoff against
amounts otherwise payable to such Borrower, including on behalf of
a Guarantor (other than for then current fees and chargebacks
consistent with the current practices of such Credit Card Issuer or
Credit Card Processor as of the date hereof or as such practices
may hereafter change as a result of changes to the policies of such
Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor applicable to its
customers generally and unrelated to the circumstances of such
Borrower or any Guarantor), except as may have been waived in
writing on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to Agent
pursuant to the Credit Card Acknowledgment by such Credit Card
Issuer or Credit Card Processor) or the right to establish reserves
or establish or demand collateral, and the Credit Card Issuer or
Credit Card Processor has not sent any written notice of default
and/or notice of its intention to cease or suspend payments to such
Borrower in respect of such Credit Card Receivables or to establish
reserves or cash collateral for obligations of such Borrower to
such Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor, and such Credit
Card Agreements are otherwise in full force and effect and
constitute the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of
the parties thereto;
(n) the terms of the sale giving rise to such Credit Card
Receivables and all practices of such Borrower and Guarantors with
respect to such Credit Card Receivables comply in all material
respects with applicable Federal, State, and local laws and
regulations; and
(o) the customer using the credit card or debit card giving
rise to such Credit Card Receivable shall not have returned the
merchandise purchased giving rise to such Credit Card
Receivable.
Credit Card Receivables which would
otherwise constitute Eligible Credit Card Receivables pursuant to
this Section will not be deemed ineligible solely by virtue of the
Credit Card Agreements with respect thereto having been entered
into by any Guarantor, for the benefit of Borrowers. General
criteria for Eligible Credit Card Receivables may only be changed
and any new criteria for Eligible Credit Card Receivables may only
be established by Agent in good faith, upon notice to Borrower
Agent, based on either: (i) an event, condition or other
circumstance arising after the date hereof, or (ii) existing on the
date hereof to the extent Agent has no written notice thereof from
a Borrower prior to the date hereof, in either case under clause
(i) or (ii) which adversely affects or could reasonably be expected
to adversely affect the Credit
15
Card Receivables in the good
faith determination of Agent. Any Credit Card Receivables that are
not Eligible Credit Card Receivables shall nevertheless be part of
the Collateral.
1.37 "Eligible Equipment"
shall mean, as to each Borrower, Equipment owned by such Borrower
and included in an appraisal of Equipment received by Agent in
accordance with the requirements of Agent (including Equipment
acquired by such Borrower after the date hereof), which Equipment
is in good order, repair, running and marketable condition
(ordinary wear and tear excepted) and in each case acceptable to
Agent in good faith based on the criteria set forth below. In
general, Eligible Equipment shall not include: (a) Equipment at
premises other than those owned or leased and controlled by any
Borrower; (b) Equipment subject to a security interest or lien in
favor of any person other than Agent except those permitted
hereunder that are subject to an intercreditor agreement in form
and substance satisfactory to Agent between the holder of such
security interest or lien and Agent); (c) Equipment located outside
the United States of America; (d) Equipment that is not subject to
the first priority, valid and perfected security interest of Agent;
(e) damaged or defective Equipment or Equipment not used or usable
in the ordinary course of such Borrower's business as presently
conducted. Any Equipment that is not Eligible Equipment shall
nevertheless be part of the Collateral.
1.38 "Eligible Inventory"
shall mean, as to each Borrower, Inventory of such Borrower
consisting of finished goods held for resale in the ordinary course
of the business of such Borrower, in each case which are acceptable
to Agent in good faith based on the criteria set forth below. In
general, Eligible Inventory shall not include (a) spare parts for
equipment; (b) packaging and shipping materials; (c) supplies used
or consumed in such Borrower's business; (d) Inventory at premises
other than those owned or leased and controlled by any Borrower;
(e) Inventory subject to a security interest or lien in favor of
any Person other than Agent except those permitted in this
Agreement that are subject to an intercreditor agreement in form
and substance satisfactory to Agent between the holder of such
security interest or lien and Agent; (f) bill and hold goods; (g)
obsolete Inventory; (h) Inventory which is not subject to the first
priority, valid and perfected security interest of Agent; (i)
Inventory that is past the expiration date; (j) Inventory that is
held for return to vendors (other than undamaged overstock allowed
to be returned to a vendor under the return policy between a
Borrower and the vendor that is on terms and conditions acceptable
to Agent in good faith); (k) damaged and/or defective Inventory;
(l) Inventory purchased or sold on consignment and (m) Inventory
located outside the United States of America. The criteria for
Eligible Inventory set forth above may only be changed and any new
criteria for Eligible Inventory may only be established by Agent in
good faith based on either: (i) an event, condition or other
circumstance arising after the date hereof, or (ii) an event,
condition or other circumstance existing on the date hereof to the
extent Agent has no written notice thereof from a Borrower prior to
the date hereof, in either case under clause (i) or (ii) which
adversely affects or could reasonably be expected to adversely
affect the Inventory in the good faith determination of Agent. Any
Inventory that is not Eligible Inventory shall nevertheless be part
of the Collateral.
1.39 "Eligible Prescription Files" shall mean, as to each Borrower,
Prescription Files of such Borrower arising and maintained in the
ordinary course of the business of such Borrower and included in an
appraisal of Prescription Files received by Agent in accordance
with the requirements of Agent (including Prescription Files
acquired by such Borrower after the date hereof), in each case
which are acceptable to Agent in good faith based on the criteria
set forth
16
below. In general, Eligible
Prescription Files shall not include (a) Prescription Files at
premises other than those owned or leased and controlled by any
Borrower; (b) Prescription Files subject to a security interest or
lien in favor of any Person other than Agent except those permitted
in this Agreement that are subject to an intercreditor agreement in
form and substance satisfactory to Agent between the holder of such
security interest or lien and Agent; (c) Prescription Files that
are not in a form that may be sold or otherwise transferred or are
subject to regulatory restrictions on the transfer thereof that are
not acceptable to Agent in good faith, provided that
, the existing limitations as of the date hereof applicable in the
States of Ohio and Michigan that the transferee have the licenses
required under applicable State law to operate a pharmacy and sell
products subject to a prescription shall be deemed acceptable to
Agent. The criteria for Eligible Prescription Files set forth above
may only be changed and any new criteria for Eligible Prescription
Files may only be established by Agent in good faith based on
either: (i) an event, condition or other circumstance arising after
the date hereof, or (ii) an event, condition or other circumstance
existing on the date hereof to the extent Agent has no written
notice thereof from a Borrower prior to the date hereof, in either
case under clause (i) or (ii) which adversely affects or could
reasonably be expected to adversely affect the value of the
Prescription Files or ability of Agent to sell or otherwise dispose
of them in the good faith determination of Agent. Any Prescription
Files that are not Eligible Prescription Files shall nevertheless
be part of the Collateral.
1.40 "Eligible Real Property"
shall mean, as to each Borrower, Real Property owned by such
Borrower in fee simple and included in an appraisal of such Real
Property received by Agent in accordance with the requirements of
Agent (including Real Property acquired by such Borrower after the
date hereof) and in each case acceptable to Agent in good faith
based on the criteria set forth below. In general, Eligible Real
Property shall not include: (a) Real Property which is not owned
and operated by a Borrower (and for this purpose vacant land or
Real Property, including any closed retail store location, that is
actively managed by a Borrower shall be deemed to be "operated" by
such Borrower); (b) Real Property subject to a security interest,
lien or mortgage or other encumbrance in favor of any person other
than Agent, except those permitted hereunder that are subject to an
intercreditor agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Agent
between the holder of such lien and Agent or are otherwise
acceptable to Agent); (c) Real Property that is not located in the
United States of America; (d) Real Property that is not subject to
the valid and enforceable, first priority, perfected security
interest, lien and mortgage of Agent; (e) Real Property where Agent
determines that issues relating to compliance with Environmental
Laws adversely affect in any material respect the value thereof or
the ability of Agent to sell or otherwise dispose thereof (but
subject to the right of Agent to establish Reserves after the date
hereof to reflect such adverse affect); and (f) Real Property
improved with residential housing. Any Real Property that is not
Eligible Real Property shall nevertheless be part of the
Collateral.
1.41 "Eligible Transferee" shall mean (a) any Lender; (b) the
parent company of any Lender and/or any Affiliate of such Lender
which is at least fifty (50%) percent owned by such Lender or its
parent company; (c) any person (whether a corporation, partnership,
trust or otherwise) that is engaged in the business of making,
purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in bank loans and
similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business
and is administered or managed by a Lender or with respect to any
Lender that is a fund which invests in bank loans and similar
extensions of credit, any other fund that invests in bank loans
and
17
similar extensions of credit
and is managed by the same investment advisor as such Lender or by
an Affiliate of such investment advisor, and in each case is
approved by Agent; and (A) any other commercial bank having a
combined capital and surplus of at least $250,000,000 or financial
institution having a net worth (or the equivalent thereof in the
case of an investment partnership, managed account, limited
liability company or similar entity) calculated in accordance with
applicable generally accepted accounting principles of not less
than $100,000,000, or "accredited investor" (as defined in
Regulation D under the Securities Act) that is engaged in the
business of making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in
bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course
of its business having a net worth (or the equivalent thereof in
the case of an investment partnership, managed account, limited
liability company or similar entity) calculated in accordance with
applicable generally accepted accounting principles of not less
than $100,000,000, and in each case, approved by Agent, provided,
that, (ii) neither any Borrower nor any Guarantor or any Affiliate
of any Borrower or Guarantor shall qualify as an Eligible
Transferee and (iii) no Person to whom any Indebtedness which is in
any way subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness
of any Borrower or Guarantor shall qualify as an Eligible
Transferee, except as Agent may otherwise specifically agree.
1.42 "Environmental Laws"
shall mean all foreign, Federal, State and local laws (including
common law), legislation, rules, codes, licenses, permits
(including any conditions imposed therein), authorizations,
judicial or administrative decisions, injunctions or agreements
between any Borrower or Guarantor and any Governmental Authority,
(a) relating to pollution and the protection, preservation or
restoration of the environment (including air, water vapor, surface
water, ground water, drinking water, drinking water supply, surface
land, subsurface land, plant and animal life or any other natural
resource), or to human health or safety, (b) relating to the
exposure to, or the use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation,
manufacture, processing, distribution, transportation, handling,
labeling, production, release or disposal, or threatened release,
of Hazardous Materials, or (c) relating to all laws with regard to
recordkeeping, notification, disclosure and reporting requirements
respecting Hazardous Materials. The term "Environmental Laws"
includes (i) the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the Federal Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act, the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act of 1972, the Federal Clean Water Act, the Federal Clean
Air Act, the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
(including the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments thereto), the
Federal Solid Waste Disposal and the Federal Toxic Substances
Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act, and the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, (ii)
applicable state counterparts to such laws and (iii) any common law
or equitable doctrine that may impose liability or obligations for
injuries or damages due to, or threatened as a result of, the
presence of or exposure to any Hazardous Materials.
1.43 "Equipment" shall mean,
as to each Borrower and Guarantor, all of such Borrower's and
Guarantor's now owned and hereafter acquired equipment, wherever
located, including machinery, data processing and computer
equipment (whether owned or licensed and including embedded
software), vehicles, tools, furniture, fixtures, all attachments,
accessions and property now or hereafter affixed thereto or used in
connection therewith, and substitutions and replacements thereof,
wherever located.
18
1.44 "ERISA" shall mean the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, together with all
rules, regulations and interpretations thereunder or related
thereto.
1.45 "ERISA Affiliate" shall
mean any person required to be aggregated with any Borrower, any
Guarantor or any of its or their respective Subsidiaries under
Sections 414(b), 414(c), 414(m) or 414(o) of the Code.
1.46 "ERISA Event" shall mean
(a) any "reportable event", as defined in Section 4043(c) of ERISA
or the regulations issued thereunder, with respect to a Plan; (b)
the adoption of any amendment to a Plan that would require the
provision of security pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Code or
Section 307 of ERISA; (c) the existence with respect to any Plan of
an "accumulated funding deficiency" (as defined in Section 412 of
the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (d) the
filing pursuant to Section 412 of the Code or Section 303(d) of
ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding
standard with respect to any Plan; (e) the occurrence of a
non-exempt "prohibited transaction" with respect to which any
Borrower, Guarantor or any of its or their respective Subsidiaries
is a "disqualified person" (within the meaning of Section 4975 of
the Code) or with respect to which any Borrower, Guarantor or any
of its or their respective Subsidiaries could otherwise be liable;
(f) a complete or partial withdrawal by any Borrower, Guarantor or
any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or a cessation of
operations which is treated as such a withdrawal or notification
that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (g) the filing of a
notice of intent to terminate a Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA,
the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Section
4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to terminate a Plan; (h) an
event or condition which might reasonably be expected to constitute
grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the
appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan; (i) the
imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums due but not
delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon any Borrower,
Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate in excess of $5,000,000 and (j)
any other event or condition with respect to a Plan including any
Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA maintained, or contributed to, by
any ERISA Affiliate that could reasonably be expected to result in
an increase of $5,000,000 or more in the amount required to be paid
by any Borrower in any year in excess of the amount such Borrower
would have been required but for such event or condition.
1.47 "Eurodollar Rate" shall
mean with respect to the Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate
Loan, the interest rate per annum equal to the arithmetic average
of the rates of interest per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary,
to the next one-sixteenth (1/16) of one (1%) percent) at which
Reference Bank is offered deposits of United States dollars in the
London interbank market (or other Eurodollar Rate market selected
by a Borrower and approved by Agent) on or about 9:00 a.m. (New
York time) two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such
Interest Period in amounts substantially equal to the principal
amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans requested by and available to
such Borrower in accordance with this Agreement, with a maturity of
comparable duration to the Interest Period selected by or on behalf
of a Borrower.
1.48 "Eurodollar Rate Loans"
shall mean any Loans or portion thereof on which interest is
payable based on the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate in accordance with
the terms hereof.
19
1.49 "Event of Default" shall
mean the occurrence or existence of any event or condition
described in Section 10.1 hereof.
1.50 "Excess Availability"
shall mean the amount, as determined by Agent, calculated at any
date, equal to:
(a) the lesser of: (i) the Borrowing Base and (ii) the
Maximum Credit (in each case under (i) or (ii) after giving effect
to any Reserves other than any Reserves in respect of Letter of
Credit Accommodations), minus
(b) the sum of: (i) the amount of all then outstanding and
unpaid Obligations of such Borrower (but not including for this
purpose Obligations of such Borrower arising pursuant to any
guarantees in favor of Agent and Lenders of the Obligations of the
other Borrowers or any outstanding Letter of Credit
Accommodations), plus (ii) the amount of all Reserves then
established in respect of Letter of Credit Accommodations, plus
(iii) the aggregate amount of all then outstanding and unpaid trade
payables and other obligations of such Borrower which are
outstanding more than thirty (30) days past due as of such time
(other than trade payables or other obligations being contested or
disputed by such Borrower in good faith), plus (iv) without
duplication, the amount of checks issued by such Borrower to pay
trade payables and other obligations which are more than thirty
(30) days past due as of such time (other than trade payables or
other obligations being contested or disputed by such Borrower in
good faith), but not yet sent.
1.51 "Exchange Act" shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, together with all rules,
regulations and interpretations thereunder or related thereto.
1.52 "Existing Lenders" shall
mean the lenders to Borrowers listed on Schedule 1.52 hereto (and
including Standard Federal Bank, formerly known as Michigan
National Bank in its capacity as agent acting for such lenders) and
their respective predecessors, successors and assigns.
1.53 "Existing Letters of
Credit" shall mean, collectively, the letters of credit issued for
the account of a Borrower or Guarantor or for which such Borrower
or Guarantor is otherwise liable listed on Schedule 1.53 hereto, as
the same now exist or may hereafter be amended, modified,
supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced.
1.54 "Farm Products" shall
mean crops, livestock, supplies used or produced in a farming
operation and products of crops or livestock and including farm
products as such term is defined in the Food Security Act and the
UCC.
1.55 "Farm Products Sellers"
shall mean, collectively, sellers or suppliers to any Borrower of
any farm product (as such term is defined in the Food Security Act
and the UCC) and including any perishable agricultural commodity
(as defined in PACA) or livestock (as defined in the PSA), meat,
meat food products or livestock products derived therefrom or any
poultry or poultry products derived therefrom; sometimes being
referred to herein individually as a "Farm Product Seller".
20
1.56 "Fee Letter" shall mean
the amended and restated letter agreement, dated of even date
herewith, by and among Borrowers, Guarantors and Agent, setting
forth certain fees payable by Borrowers to Agent for the benefit of
itself and Lenders, as the same now exists or may hereafter be
amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or
replaced.
1.57 "Financing Agreements"
shall mean, collectively, this Agreement and all notes, guarantees,
security agreements, deposit account control agreements, investment
property control agreements, intercreditor agreements and all other
agreements, documents and instruments now or at any time hereafter
executed and/or delivered by any Borrower or Obligor in connection
with this Agreement.
1.58 "Fiscal Intermediary"
shall mean any qualified insurance company or other financial
institution that has entered into an ongoing relationship with any
Governmental Authority to make payments to payees under Medicare,
Medicaid or any other Federal, State or local public health care or
medical assistance program pursuant to any of the Health Care
Laws.
1.59 "Fixed Asset
Availability" shall mean the amount equal to the lesser of:
(a) the Fixed Asset Availability Limit; or
(b) the sum of:
(i) sixty (60%) percent
of the fair market value of Eligible Real Property as set forth in
the most recent acceptable appraisal (or acceptable updates of
existing appraisals) of such Real Property received by Agent in
accordance with Section 7.4 hereof, plus
(ii) eighty-five (85%)
percent of the forced liquidation value of the Eligible Equipment
as set forth in the most recent acceptable appraisal (or acceptable
updates of existing appraisals) of such Equipment received by Agent
in accordance with Section 7.4 hereof, net of estimated liquidation
expenses, costs and commissions;
Provided, that, the Fixed Asset Availability shall be reduced as
of the first day of each month, commencing on the first day of the
month after the date hereof, by an amount equal to the initial
Fixed Asset Availability divided by eighty-four (84).
1.60 "Fixed Asset
Availability Limit" shall mean $40,000,000.
1.61 "Food Security Act"
shall mean the Food Security Act of 1984, 7 U.S.C. Section 1631 et.
seq., as the same now exists or may hereafter from time to time be
amended, modified, recodified or supplemented, together with all
rules and regulations thereunder.
1.62 "Food Security Act
Notices" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.21
hereof.
1.63 "GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in
the United States of America as in effect from time to time as set
forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting
Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and the statements and pronouncements of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board which are
21
applicable to the circumstances
as of the date of determination consistently applied, except that,
for purposes of Section 9.18 hereof, GAAP shall be determined on
the basis of such principles in effect on the date hereof and
consistent with those used in the preparation of the most recent
audited financial statements delivered to Agent prior to the date
hereof.
1.64 "Governmental Authority"
shall mean any nation or government, any state, province, 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.
1.65 "Guarantors" shall have
the meaning assigned thereto in the preamble to this Agreement.
1.66 "Hazardous Materials"
shall mean any hazardous, toxic or dangerous substances, materials
and wastes, including hydrocarbons (including naturally occurring
or man-made petroleum and hydrocarbons), flammable explosives,
asbestos, urea formaldehyde insulation, radioactive materials,
polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, herbicides, sewage, sludge,
industrial slag, solvents and/or any other similar substances,
materials, or wastes and including any other substances, materials
or wastes that are or become regulated under any Environmental Law
(including any that are or become classified as hazardous or toxic
under any Environmental Law).
1.67 "Health Care Laws" shall
mean all Federal, State and local laws, rules, regulations,
interpretations, guidelines, ordinances and decrees primarily
relating to patient healthcare, any health care provider, medical
assistance and cost reimbursement program, as now or at any time
hereafter in effect, applicable any Borrower or Guarantor,
including, but not limited to, the Social Security Act, the Social
Security Amendments of 1972, the Medicare-Medicaid Anti-Fraud and
Abuse Amendments of 1977, the Medicare and Medicaid Patient and
Program Protection Act of 1987 and HIPAA.
1.68 "HIPAA" shall mean the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as the
same now exists or may hereafter from time to time be amended,
modified, recodified or supplemented, together with all rules and
regulations thereunder.
1.69 "Indebtedness" shall mean, with respect to any Person, any
liability, whether or not contingent, (a) in respect of borrowed
money (whether or not the recourse of the lender is to the whole of
the assets of such Person or only to a portion thereof) or
evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments; (b)
representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price
of any property or services (except any such balance that
constitutes an account payable to a trade creditor (whether or not
an Affiliate) created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed by such
Person in the ordinary course of business of such Person in
connection with obtaining goods, materials or services that is not
overdue by more than ninety (90) days, unless the trade payable is
being contested in good faith); (c) all obligations as lessee under
leases which have been, or should be, in accordance with GAAP
recorded as Capital Leases; (d) any contractual obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person to pay or be liable for the
payment of any indebtedness described in this definition of another
Person, including, without limitation, any such indebtedness,
directly or indirectly guaranteed, or any agreement to purchase,
repurchase,
22
or otherwise acquire such
indebtedness, obligation or liability or any security therefor, or
to provide funds for the payment or discharge thereof, or to
maintain solvency, assets, level of income, or other financial
condition; (e) all obligations with respect to redeemable stock and
redemption or repurchase obligations under any Capital Stock or
other equity securities issued by such Person; (f) all
reimbursement obligations and other liabilities of such Person with
respect to surety bonds (whether bid, performance or otherwise),
letters of credit, banker's acceptances, drafts or similar
documents or instruments issued for such Person's account; (g) all
indebtedness of such Person in respect of indebtedness of another
Person for borrowed money or indebtedness of another Person
otherwise described in this definition which is secured by any
consensual lien, security interest, collateral assignment,
conditional sale, mortgage, deed of trust, or other encumbrance on
any asset of such Person, whether or not such obligations,
liabilities or indebtedness are assumed by or are a personal
liability of such Person, all as of such time; (h) all obligations,
liabilities and indebtedness of such Person (marked to market)
arising under swap agreements, cap agreements and collar agreements
and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such
person against fluctuations in interest rates or currency or
commodity values; (i) all obligations owed by such Person under
License Agreements with respect to non-refundable, advance or
minimum guarantee royalty payments; and (j) the principal and
interest portions of all rental obligations of such Person under
any synthetic lease or similar off-balance sheet financing where
such transaction is considered to be borrowed money for tax
purposes but is classified as an operating lease in accordance with
GAAP.
1.70 "Information
Certificate" shall mean, collectively, the Information Certificates
of Borrowers and Guarantors constituting Exhibit C hereto
containing material information with respect to Borrowers and
Guarantors, their respective businesses and assets provided by or
on behalf of Borrowers and Guarantors to Agent in connection with
the preparation of this Agreement and the other Financing
Agreements and the financing arrangements provided for herein.
1.71 "Intellectual Property"
shall mean, as to each Borrower and Guarantor, such Borrower's and
Guarantor's now owned and hereafter arising or acquired: patents,
patent rights, patent applications, copyrights, works which are the
subject matter of copyrights, copyright registrations, trademarks,
trade names, trade styles, trademark and service mark applications,
and licenses and rights to use any of the foregoing; all
extensions, renewals, reissues, divisions, continuations, and
continuations-in-part of any of the foregoing; all rights to sue
for past, present and future infringement of any of the foregoing;
inventions, trade secrets, formulae, processes, compounds,
drawings, designs, blueprints, surveys, reports, manuals, and
operating standards; goodwill (including any goodwill associated
with any trademark or the license of any trademark); customer and
other lists in whatever form maintained; trade secret rights,
copyright rights, rights in works of authorship, domain names and
domain name registration; software and contract rights relating to
computer software programs, in whatever form created or
maintained.
1.72 "Interest Expense" shall
mean, for any period, as to any Person, as determined in accordance
with GAAP, the total interest expense of such Person, whether paid
or accrued during such period (including the interest component of
Capital Leases for such period), including, without limitation,
discounts in connection with the sale of any Accounts, but
excluding interest paid in property other than cash and any other
interest expense not payable in cash.
23
1.73 "Interest Period" shall
mean for any Eurodollar Rate Loan, a period of approximately one
(1), two (2), three (3) or six (6) months duration as any Borrower
may elect, the exact duration to be determined in accordance with
the customary practice in the applicable Eurodollar Rate market;
provided , that , such Borrower may not elect an
Interest Period which will end after the last day of the
then-current term of this Agreement.
1.74 "Interest Rate" shall
mean,
(a) Subject to clauses (b) and (c) of this definition
below:
(i) as to Prime Rate
Loans, a rate equal to three-quarters (3/4%) percent per annum in
excess of the Prime Rate;
(ii) as to Eurodollar
Rate Loans, a rate equal to three (3%) percent per annum in excess
of the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate (in each case, based on the
Eurodollar Rate applicable for the relevant Interest Period,
whether such rate is higher or lower than any rate previously
quoted to a Borrower);
(b) Subject to clause (c) of this definition below,
effective as of the first (1st) day of the second calendar month
after the date hereof, the Interest Rate payable by each Borrower
shall be increased or decreased, as the case may be, (i) as to
Prime Rate Loans, to the rate equal to the Applicable Margin for
Prime Rate Loans on a per annum basis in excess of the Prime Rate,
and (ii) as to Eurodollar Rate Loans, to the rate equal to the
Applicable Margin for Eurodollar Rate Loans on a per annum basis in
excess of the Adjusted Eurodollar Rate.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
clauses (a) and (b) of this definition, the Applicable Margin
otherwise used to calculate the Interest Rate for Prime Rate Loans
and Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be the highest percentage set forth
in the definition of the term Applicable Margin for each category
of Loans (without regard to the amount of Monthly Average Excess
Availability) plus two (2%) percent per annum, at Agent's option,
(i) for the period (A) from and after the effective date of
termination or non-renewal hereof until Agent and Lenders have
received full and final payment of all outstanding and unpaid
Obligations which are not contingent and cash collateral or letter
of credit, as Agent may specify, in the amounts and on the terms
required under Section 13.1 hereof for contingent Obligations
(notwithstanding entry of a judgment against any Borrower or
Guarantor) and (B) from and after the date of the occurrence of an
Event of Default and for so long as such Event of Default is
continuing and (ii) on Loans to a Borrower at any time outstanding
in excess of the Borrowing Base of such Borrower (whether or not
such excess(es) arise or are made with or without the knowledge or
consent of Agent or any Lender and whether made before or after an
Event of Default).
1.75 "Interest Rate
Protection Agreements" shall mean, collectively, any interest rate
protection agreements and other types of interest rate hedging
agreements (including, without limitation, interest rate swaps,
caps, floors, collars and similar agreements) between an Obligor
and an Affiliate of Agent, or another financial institution
acceptable to Agent, designed to protect against or manage exposure
to fluctuations in interest rates; sometimes being referred to
herein individually as an "Interest Rate Protection Agreement".
24
1.76 "Inventory" shall mean,
as to each Borrower and Guarantor, all of such Borrower's and
Guarantor's now owned and hereafter existing or acquired goods,
wherever located, which (a) are leased by such Borrower or
Guarantor as lessor; (b) are held by such Borrower for sale or
lease or to be furnished under a contract of service; (c) are
furnished by such Borrower or Guarantor under a contract of
service; or (d) consist of raw materials, work in process, finished
goods or materials used or consumed in its business
1.77 "Investment Property
Control Agreement" shall mean an agreement in writing, in form and
substance satisfactory to Agent, by and among Agent, any Borrower
or Guarantor (as the case may be) and any securities intermediary,
commodity intermediary or other person who has custody, control or
possession of any investment property of such Borrower or Guarantor
agreeing that such securities intermediary, commodity intermediary
or other person will comply with entitlement orders originated by
Agent with respect to such investment property, or other
instructions of Agent and including such other terms and conditions
as Agent may require.
1.78 "Lead Borrower" shall
mean Spartan Stores, Inc., a Michigan corporation in its capacity
as Lead Borrower on behalf of itself and the other Borrowers
pursuant to Section 6.7 hereof and it successors and assigns in
such capacity.
1.79 "Lenders" shall mean the
financial institutions who are signatories hereto as Lenders and
other persons made a party to this Agreement as a Lender in
accordance with Section 13.7 hereof, and their respective
successors and assigns; each sometimes being referred to herein
individually as a "Lender".
1.80 "Letter of Credit
Accommodations" shall mean, collectively, the letters of credit,
merchandise purchase or other guaranties which are from time to
time either (a) issued or opened by Agent or any Lender for the
account of any Borrower or Obligor or (b) with respect to which
Agent or Lenders have agreed to indemnify the issuer or guaranteed
to the issuer the performance by any Borrower or Obligor of its
obligations to such issuer; sometimes being referred to herein
individually as "Letter of Credit Accommodation".
1.81 "License Agreements"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.11 hereof.
1.82 "Loans" shall mean the
loans now or hereafter made by or on behalf of any Lender or by
Agent for the account of any Lender on a revolving basis pursuant
to the Credit Facility (involving advances, repayments and
readvances) as set forth in Section 2.1 hereof.
1.83 "Marion Real Property"
shall mean the Real Property owned by Buckeye as of the date hereof
located in Marion, Ohio and the assets related thereto described on
Schedule 1.83 hereto.
1.84 "Material Adverse Effect" shall mean a material adverse effect
on (a) the financial condition, business, performance or operations
of Borrowers and Guarantors (taken as a whole) or the legality,
validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other
Financing Agreements; (b) the legality, validity, enforceability,
perfection or priority of the security interests and liens of Agent
upon the Collateral (taken as a whole); (c) the Collateral (taken
as a whole) or its value (taken as a whole), (d) the ability of
Borrowers (taken as a whole) to repay the Obligations or of
Borrowers (taken as a whole) to perform their obligations under
this
25
Agreement or any of the other
Financing Agreements as and when to be performed; or (e) the
ability of Agent or any Lender to enforce the Obligations or
realize upon the Collateral or otherwise with respect to the rights
and remedies of Agent and Lenders under this Agreement or any of
the other Financing Agreements (taken as a whole).
1.85 "Material Contract"
shall mean (a) any contract or other agreement (other than the
Financing Agreements or contracts relating to the purchase or sale
of Inventory in the ordinary course of business)), written or oral,
of any Borrower or Guarantor involving monetary liability of or to
any Person in an amount in excess of $5,000,000 in any fiscal year
and (b) any other contract or other agreement (other than the
Financing Agreements or contracts relating to the purchase or sale
of Inventory in the ordinary course of business), whether written
or oral, to which any Borrower or Guarantor is a party as to which
the breach, nonperformance, cancellation or failure to renew by any
party thereto would have a Material Adverse Effect.
1.86 "Maximum Credit" shall
mean the amount of $170,000,000.
1.87 "Medicaid" shall mean
the health care financial assistance program jointly financed and
administered by the Federal and State governments under Title XIX
of the Social Security Act.
1.88 "Medicaid Account" shall
mean any Accounts of Borrowers or Guarantors arising pursuant to
services rendered by Borrowers or Guarantors to eligible Medicaid
beneficiaries to be paid by a Fiscal Intermediary or by the United
States of America acting under the Medicaid program, any State or
the District of Columbia acting pursuant to a health plan adopted
pursuant to Title XIX of the Social Security Act or any other
Governmental Authority under Medicaid.
1.89 "Medicare" shall mean
the health care financial assistance program under Title XVIII of
the Social Security Act.
1.90 "Medicare Account" shall
mean any Accounts of Borrowers or Guarantors arising pursuant to
goods sold or services rendered by Borrowers or Guarantors to
eligible Medicare beneficiaries to be paid by a Fiscal Intermediary
or by the United States of America acting under the Medicare
program or any other Governmental Authority under Medicare.
1.91 "Monthly Average Excess
Availability" shall mean, at any time, the average of the aggregate
amount of the Excess Availability of Borrowers during the
immediately preceding calendar month as calculated by Agent in good
faith based on the date of the information received by Agent with
respect to the components of the Borrowing Base during such
month.
1.92 "Mortgages" shall mean,
collectively, the mortgages, deeds of trust and deeds to secure
debt with respect to Real Property of any Borrower or Guarantor in
favor of, or for the benefit of Agent, as set forth on Schedule
1.92 hereto, as the same now exist or may hereafter be amended,
modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or
replaced.
1.93 "Multiemployer Plan"
shall mean a "multi-employer plan" as defined in Section 4001(a)(3)
of ERISA which is or was at any time during the current year or the
immediately preceding six (6) years contributed to by any Borrower,
Guarantor or any ERISA Affiliate.
26
1.94 "Net Proceeds" shall
mean the aggregate cash proceeds payable to any Borrower or
Guarantor in respect of any sale, lease, transfer or other
disposition of any assets or properties, or interest in assets and
properties or as proceeds of any loans or other financial
accommodations provided to any Borrower or Guarantor or as proceeds
from the issuance and/or sale of any Capital Stock, in each case
net of the reasonable and customary direct costs relating to such
sale, lease, transfer or other disposition or loans or other
financial accommodation or issuance and/or sale (including, without
limitation, legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and
sales commissions) and taxes paid or payable as a result thereof
(after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions
and any tax sharing arrangements), and amounts applied to the
repayment of indebtedness secured by a valid and enforceable lien
on the asset or assets that are the subject of such sale or other
disposition required to be repaid in connection with such
transaction. Net Proceeds shall exclude any non-cash proceeds
received from any sale or other disposition or other transaction,
but shall include such proceeds when and as converted by any
Borrower or Guarantor to cash or other immediately available
funds.
1.95 "Net Recovery
Percentage" shall mean the fraction, expressed as a percentage, as
to Inventory, (a) the numerator of which is the amount equal to the
amount of the recovery in respect of the Inventory at such time, as
to Inventory of the Retail Division, on a "going-out-of-business
sale" basis, and as to Inventory of the Distribution Division and
the United Wholesale Division, on a "net orderly liquidation value"
basis as set forth in the most recent acceptable appraisal of
Inventory received by Agent in accordance with Section 7.3, in each
case, net of operating expenses, liquidation expenses and
commissions, and (b) the denominator of which is the applicable
original cost of the aggregate amount of the Inventory subject to
such appraisal.
1.96 "Obligations" shall mean (a) any and all Loans, Letter of
Credit Accommodations and all other obligations, liabilities and
indebtedness of every kind, nature and description owing by any or
all of Borrowers to Agent or any Lender and/or any of their
Affiliates, including principal, interest, charges, fees, costs and
expenses, however evidenced, whether as principal, surety,
endorser, guarantor or otherwise, arising under this Agreement or
any of the other Financing Agreements, whether now existing or
hereafter arising, whether arising before, during or after the
initial or any renewal term of this Agreement or after the
commencement of any case with respect to such Borrower under the
United States Bankruptcy Code or any similar statute (including the
payment of interest and other amounts which would accrue and become
due but for the commencement of such case, whether or not such
amounts are allowed or allowable in whole or in part in such case),
whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, joint or
several, due or not due, primary or secondary, liquidated or
unliquidated, or secured or unsecured and (b) for purposes only of
Section 5.1 hereof and subject to the priority in right of payment
set forth in Section 6.4 hereof, all obligations of Borrowers or
Guarantors to a Lender or an Affiliate of Lender, or another
financial institution acceptable to Agent, arising under or
pursuant to an Interest Rate Protection Agreement in each case
acceptable to Agent, provided, that, upon Agent's request, Agent
shall have entered into an agreement, in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent, with such Lender, Affiliate or other Person
that is a counterparty to such Interest Rate Protection Agreement,
as acknowledged and agreed to by Borrowers and Guarantors,
providing for the delivery to Agent by such counterparty of
information with respect to the amount of such obligations and
providing for the other rights of Agent and such Lender, Affiliate
or other Person, as the case may be, in connection with such
arrangements. In no event shall the party to such Interest Rate
Protection Agreement to whom such obligations are owed be deemed a
Lender
27
for purposes hereof to the
extent of and as to such obligations other than for purposes of
Section 5.1 hereof and other than for purposes of Sections 12.1,
12.2, 12.5, 12.6, 12.7 and 12.12 hereof.
1.97 "Obligor" shall mean any
guarantor, endorser, acceptor, surety or other person liable on or
with respect to the Obligations or who is the owner of any property
which is security for the Obligations (including, without
limitation, Guarantors), other than Borrowers.
1.98 "PACA" shall mean the
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930, as amended, 7 U.S.C.
Section 499a et. seq., as the same now exists or may hereafter from
time to time be amended, modified, recodified or supplemented,
together with all rules and regulations thereunder.
1.99 "PSA" shall mean the
Packers and Stockyard Act of 1921, 7 U.S.C. Section 181 et. seq.,
as the same now exists or may from time to time hereafter be
amended, modified, recodified or supplemented, together with all
rules, regulations and interpretations thereunder or related
thereto.
1.100 "Parent" shall mean
Spartan Stores, Inc., a Michigan corporation, and its successors
and assigns.
1.101 "Participant" shall
mean any financial institution that acquires and holds a
participation in the interest of any Lender in any of the Loans and
Letter of Credit Accommodations in conformity with the provisions
of Section 13.7 of this Agreement governing participations.
1.102 "Person" or "person"
shall mean any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership,
corporation (including any corporation which elects subchapter S
status under the Code), limited liability company, limited
liability partnership, business trust, unincorporated association,
joint stock corporation, trust, joint venture or other entity or
any government or any agency or instrumentality or political
subdivision thereof.
1.103 "Plan" means an
employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) which
any Borrower or Guarantor sponsors, maintains, or to which it
makes, is making, or is obligated to make contributions, or in the
case of a Multiemployer Plan has made contributions at any time
during the immediately preceding six (6) plan years.
1.104 "Prescription Files"
shall mean, as to each Borrower and Guarantor, all of such
Borrower's or Guarantor's now owned or hereafter existing or
acquired retail customer files, including prescriptions for retail
customers and other medical information related thereto, maintained
by the retail pharmacies of Borrowers and Guarantors, wherever
located.
1.105 "Prescription File
Availability" shall mean the lesser of: (a) seventy-five (75%)
percent of the "net orderly liquidation value" of the Eligible
Prescription Files based on the most recent acceptable appraisal
thereof received by Agent using the average of the average recovery
under each of the percent of script sales method, the dollars per
average number of scripts filled per week method and the percent of
past year script margin method (or such other methodology or
methodologies as may be acceptable to Agent), net of estimated
liquidation expenses, costs and commissions, or (b)
$10,000,000.
28
1.106 "Prime Rate" shall mean
the rate from time to time publicly announced by Wachovia Bank,
National Association, or its successors, as its prime rate, whether
or not such announced rate is the best rate available at such
bank.
1.107 "Prime Rate Loans"
shall mean any Loans or portion thereof on which interest is
payable based on the Prime Rate in accordance with the terms
thereof.
1.108 "Pro Rata Share" shall
mean as to any Lender, the fraction (expressed as a percentage) the
numerator of which is such Lender's Commitment and the denominator
of which is the aggregate amount of all of the Commitments of
Lenders, as adjusted from time to time in accordance with the
provisions of Section 13.7 hereof; provided , that ,
if the Commitments have been terminated, the numerator shall be the
unpaid amount of such Lender's Loans and its interest in the Letter
of Credit Accommodations and the denominator shall be the aggregate
amount of all unpaid Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations.
1.109 "Provision for Taxes"
shall mean an amount equal to all taxes imposed on or measured by
net income, whether Federal, State, Provincial, county or local,
and whether foreign or domestic, that are paid or payable by any
Person in respect of any period in accordance with GAAP.
1.110 "Real Property" shall
mean all now owned and hereafter acquired real property of each
Borrower and Guarantor, including leasehold interests, together
with all buildings, structures, and other improvements located
thereon and all licenses, easements and appurtenances relating
thereto, wherever located, including the real property and related
assets more particularly described in the Mortgages.
1.111 "Receivables" shall
mean all of the following now owned or hereafter arising or
acquired property of each Borrower and Guarantor: (a) all Accounts;
(b) all interest, fees, late charges, penalties, collection fees
and other amounts due or to become due or otherwise payable in
connection with any Account; (c) all payment intangibles of such
Borrower or Guarantor; (d) letters of credit, indemnities,
guarantees, security or other deposits and proceeds thereof issued
payable to any Borrower or Guarantor or otherwise in favor of or
delivered to any Borrower or Guarantor in connection with any
Account; or (e) all other accounts, contract rights, chattel paper,
instruments, notes, general intangibles and other forms of
obligations owing to any Borrower or Guarantor, whether from the
sale and lease of goods or other property, licensing of any
property (including Intellectual Property or other general
intangibles), rendition of services or from loans or advances by
any Borrower or Guarantor or to or for the benefit of any third
person (including loans or advances to any Affiliates or
Subsidiaries of any Borrower or Guarantor) or otherwise associated
with any Accounts, Inventory or general intangibles of any Borrower
or Guarantor (including, without limitation, choses in action,
causes of action, tax refunds, tax refund claims, any funds which
may become payable to any Borrower or Guarantor in connection with
the termination of any Plan or other employee benefit plan and any
other amounts payable to any Borrower or Guarantor from any Plan or
other employee benefit plan, rights and claims against carriers and
shippers, rights to indemnification, business interruption
insurance and proceeds thereof, casualty or any similar types of
insurance and any proceeds thereof and proceeds of insurance
covering the lives of employees on which any Borrower or Guarantor
is a beneficiary).
29
1.112 "Records" shall mean,
as to each Borrower and Guarantor, all of such Borrower's and
Guarantor's present and future books of account of every kind or
nature, purchase and sale agreements, invoices, ledger cards, bills
of lading and other shipping evidence, statements, correspondence,
memoranda, credit files and other data relating to the Collateral
or any Account Debtor, together with the tapes, disks, diskettes
and other data and software storage media and devices, file
cabinets or containers in or on which the foregoing are stored
(including any rights of any Borrower or Guarantor with respect to
the foregoing maintained with or by any other person).
1.113 "Reference Bank" shall
mean Wachovia Bank, National Association, or such other bank as
Agent may from time to time designate.
1.114 "Refinancing
Indebtedness" shall have meaning set forth in Section 9.9
hereof.
1.115 "Renewal Date" shall
the meaning set forth in Section 13.1 hereof.
1.116 "Register" shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 13.7 hereof.
1.117 "Required Lenders"
shall mean, at any time, those Lenders whose Pro Rata Shares
aggregate fifty-one (51%) percent or more of the aggregate of the
Commitments of all Lenders, or if the Commitments shall have been
terminated, Lenders to whom at least fifty-one (51%) percent of the
then outstanding Obligations are owing.
1.118 "Reserves" shall mean as of any date of determination, such
amounts as Agent may from time to time establish and revise in good
faith reducing the amount of Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations which would otherwise be available to any Borrower
under the lending formula(s) provided for herein: (a) to reflect
events, conditions, contingencies or risks which adversely affect,
or have a reasonable likelihood of adversely affecting (i) the
assets or business of Borrowers, including the Collateral or its
value or the amount that might be obtained upon the sale or other
disposition or realization on such Collateral or (ii) the security
interests and other rights of Agent or any Lender in the Collateral
(including the enforceability, perfection and priority thereof) or
(b) to reflect Agent's good faith belief that any collateral report
or financial information furnished by or on behalf of any Borrower
or Obligor to Agent is or was incomplete, inaccurate or misleading
in any material respect or (c) to reflect outstanding Letter of
Credit Accommodations as provided in Section 2.2 hereof or (d) in
respect of any state of facts which Agent determines in good faith
constitutes a Default or an Event of Default. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, Reserves may, at Agent's option in
good faith, be established to reflect: (i) chargebacks with respect
to Accounts, (ii) returns, discounts, claims, credits and
allowances of any nature that are not paid pursuant to the
reduction of Accounts, (iii) the sales, excise or similar taxes
included in the amount of any Accounts reported to Agent, (iv) a
change in the turnover, age or mix of the categories of Inventory
that adversely affects the aggregate value of all Inventory, (v)
variances between the perpetual inventory records of Borrowers (to
the extent such perpetual inventory records are maintained) and the
results of the test counts of the Inventory that is subject to such
perpetual inventory records conducted by Agent with respect thereto
in excess of the percentage acceptable to Agent, (vi) variances
between the inventory records of Borrowers and Guarantors and the
results of test counts or physical counts of inventory with respect
thereto, (vii) upon the establishment of reliable,
30
consistent and accurate stock
ledger inventory system at the Retail Division, variances between
the stock ledger inventory report for non-perishable items in the
Retail Division and the general ledger with respect thereto; (viii)
the failure of Borrowers and Guarantors to establish a reliable,
consistent and accurate stock ledger inventory system at the Retail
Division on or before March 31, 2004, and failure of Agent to
receive evidence, in form and substance satisfactory to it of the
establishment of such a system by such date, (ix) in the event that
the United Wholesale Division Assets are not sold pursuant to the
terms of the United Wholesale Sale Agreements on or before March
31, 2004, the variances, lack of detail and information and other
deficiencies in the inventory reporting systems of the United
Wholesale Division, (x) amounts owing by Borrowers to Credit Card
Issuers or Credit Card Processors in connection with the Credit
Card Agreements, (xi) amounts due or to become due in respect of
sales, excise, use and/or withholding taxes, (xii) liabilities of
any Borrower or Guarantor that are entitled to receive the benefit
of a security interest or trust pursuant to the PACA, the PSA or
any other similar state law ( provided , that , as of
the date hereof, Borrowers represent that there are no such
liabilities under the PSA since Borrowers have written agreements
providing for the extension of credit to them for all purchases of
meat, meat products and livestock products by Borrowers), (xiii)
inventory shrinkage, (xiv) the aggregate amount of merchandise gift
certificates and coupons, (xv) any rental payments, service charges
or other amounts to become due to lessors of real property to the
extent Inventory, Equipment or Records are located in or on such
property or such Records are needed to monitor or otherwise deal
with the Collateral (except for rents and amounts due for the lease
of Real Property by Borrowers where Agent has received a Collateral
Access Agreement in a form acceptable to Agent, provided, that, in
the event that Agent has not received a Collateral Access Agreement
or has received a Collateral Access Agreement that does not have
terms that are acceptable to Agent for any retail store location
that is leased by a Borrower, the Reserves established in respect
of such location pursuant to this clause (xvi) shall not exceed at
any time the lesser of (A) the aggregate of amounts payable to the
owners and lessors of such location for the next two (2) months
from any such time and including amounts if any, then outstanding
and unpaid owed by a Borrower to such owners and lessors or (B) the
value of the Eligible Equipment and Eligible Inventory at such
location to the extent included in the Borrowing Base, except that
such limitation on the amount of the Reserves shall not apply at
any time that a Default or Event of Default shall exist or have
occurred and be continuing, or a notice of any default or event of
default under the lease with respect to such location has been
received by or on behalf of any Borrower or Guarantor (except where
the existence of the default specified in such notice is being
disputed in good faith by such Borrower or Guarantor provided that
such Borrower or Guarantor is continuing to pay rent and all other
amounts payable under the lease with respect to such premises or if
not, then is paying such rent and other amounts into escrow so that
such funds will be available to the lessor in the event that such
Borrower or Guarantor does not succeed in such dispute) or a
Borrower has granted to the owner and lessor a security interest or
lien upon any assets of such Borrower, (xvii) reductions in the
number of repeat prescriptions, the average volume of prescriptions
being filled, or the change in the mix of the types of payors with
respect to sales of prescriptions, or any other changes to the
factors identified in any appraisal that adversely affect the
amount that may be recovered by Agent from the sale or other
disposition of the Prescription Files ( provided ,
that , Borrowers may at any time and from time to time
obtain appraisals that satisfy the requirements of Agent provided
for herein with respect to the Prescription Files, and to the
extent that the Borrowing Base has been adjusted to reflect the
then current value of the Eligible Prescription Files based on the
results of
31
such appraisal, such Reserves
shall not be established), (xviii) any statutory or regulatory
changes after the date hereof, or as to Ohio and Michigan laws are
not disclosed in the opinions of counsel to Borrowers addressed and
delivered to Agent on the date hereof, that adversely affect the
transferability of the Prescription Files, (xix) obligations
(contingent or otherwise) of Borrowers or Guarantors to any
Affiliate of Agent or a Lender or any other Person arising under or
in connection with any Interest Rate Protection Agreement of any
Borrower or Guarantor with such Affiliate or Person or as such
Affiliate or Person may otherwise require in connection therewith
to the extent that such obligations constitute Obligations as such
term is defined herein or otherwise receive the benefit of the
security interest of Agent in any Collateral, provided, that, the
amount of the Reserves in respect of such obligations shall be
based on the amount of the liability of Borrowers or Guarantors as
agreed by the other party or parties to the Interest Rate
Protection Agreements and reported by such other party or parties
to Agent in a form and substance satisfactory to Agent. To the
extent Agent may revise the lending formulas used to determine the
Borrowing Base or establish new criteria or revise existing
criteria for Eligible Accounts or Eligible Inventory so as to
address any circumstances, condition, event or contingency in a
manner satisfactory to Agent, Agent shall not establish a Reserve
for the same purpose. The amount of any Reserve established by
Agent shall have a reasonable relationship to the event, condition
or other matter which is the basis for such reserve as determined
by Agent in good faith.
1.119 "Retail Division" shall
mean, collectively (together with their respective successors and
assigns): Family Fare, Prevo, MSFC, Seaway, Custer, Pharm, Gruber
Food Town and Gruber RE.
1.120 "Social Security Act"
shall mean the Social Security Act, 92 U.S.C. $$1396, et seq, as
the same now exists or may from time to time hereafter be amended,
modified, recodified or supplemented, together with all rules,
regulations and interpretations thereunder or related thereto.
1.121 "Solvent" shall mean,
at any time with respect to any Person, that at such time such
Person (a) is able to pay its debts as they mature and has (and has
a reasonable basis to believe it will continue to have) sufficient
capital (and not unreasonably small capital) to carry on its
business consistent with its practices as of the date hereof, and
(b) the assets and properties of such Person at a fair valuation
(and including as assets for this purpose at a fair valuation all
rights of subrogation, contribution or indemnification arising
pursuant to any guarantees given by such Person) are greater than
the Indebtedness of such Person, and including subordinated and
contingent liabilities computed at the amount which, such person
has a reasonable basis to believe, represents an amount which can
reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability
(and including as to contingent liabilities arising pursuant to any
guarantee the face amount of such liability as reduced to reflect
the probability of it becoming a matured liability).
1.122 "Special Agent
Advances" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.11
hereof.
1.123 "Store Accounts" shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 6.3 hereof.
32
1.124 "Subsidiary" or
"subsidiary" shall mean, with respect to any Person, any
corporation, limited liability company, limited liability
partnership or other limited or general partnership, trust,
association or other business entity of which an aggregate of at
least a majority of the outstanding Capital Stock or other
interests entitled to vote in the election of the board of
directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the
time, Capital Stock of any other class or classes of such
corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of the
happening of any contingency), managers, trustees or other
controlling persons, or an equivalent controlling interest therein,
of such Person is, at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by
such Person and/or one or more subsidiaries of such Person.
1.125 "Supplemental Loan
Agent" shall mean Kimco Capital Spartan, L.L.C., in its capacity as
agent acting for and on behalf of the Supplemental Loan Lenders
pursuant to the Supplemental Loan Lender Agreements, and any
replacement or successor agent in such capacity, and their
respective successors and assigns.
1.126 "Supplemental Loan
Agreement" shall mean the Loan Agreement, dated of even date
herewith, by and among Supplemental Loan Agent, Supplemental Loan
Lenders, Parent as the borrower thereunder and the other Borrowers
and Guarantors as the guarantors thereunder, as the same now exists
or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended,
renewed, restated or replaced.
1.127 "Supplemental Loan
Debt" shall mean all obligations, liabilities and indebtedness of
every kind, nature and description owing by any Borrower or
Guarantor to Supplemental Loan Lenders, including principal,
interest, charges, fees, premiums, indemnities, costs and expenses,
however evidenced, whether as principal, surety, endorser,
guarantor or otherwise, arising under the Supplemental Loan Lender
Agreements.
1.128 "Supplemental Loan
Guarantors" shall mean, collectively, the Borrowers and Guarantors
listed on Schedule 1.128 hereto that have guaranteed the
Indebtedness of Parent to Supplemental Loan Lenders arising under
the Supplemental Loan Agreement.
1.129 "Supplemental Loan
Intercreditor Agreement" shall mean the Intercreditor and
Subordination Agreement, dated of even date herewith, by and
between Agent and Supplemental Loan Agent , as the same now exists
or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended,
renewed, restated or replaced.
1.130 "Supplemental Loan
Lenders" shall mean, collectively, (together with their respective
successors and assigns): (a) Kimco Capital Spartan L.L.C. and (b)
the other parties to the Supplemental Loan Agreement from time to
time as a lender; sometimes being referred to herein individually
as a "Supplemental Loan Lender".
1.131 "Supplemental Loan Lender Agreements" shall mean,
collectively, the following (as the same now exist or may hereafter
be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or
replaced): (a) the Supplemental Loan Agreement; (b) the agreements,
documents and instruments set forth on Schedule 1.131 hereto; and
(d) all other agreements, documents and instruments at any time
executed and/or delivered by any Borrower or Guarantor with, to or
in favor of Supplemental Loan Agent or any Supplemental Loan Lender
in connection
33
therewith or related thereto;
sometimes being referred to herein individually as a "Supplemental
Loan Lender Agreement".
1.132 "Supplemental Loan
Priority Collateral" shall mean the leasehold interests of
Borrowers and Guarantors in Real Property that are subject to the
valid and enforceable first priority security interests and
mortgages and liens of Supplemental Loan Agent and described on
Schedule 1.132 hereto.
1.133 "Third Party Payor"
shall mean any Person, such as, a Fiscal Intermediary, Blue
Cross/Blue Shield, or private health insurance company, which is
obligated to reimburse or otherwise make payments to health care
providers who provide medical care or medical assistance or other
goods or services for eligible patients under Medicare, Medicaid or
any private insurance contract.
1.134 "UCC" shall mean the
Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of Illinois, and
any successor statute, as in effect from time to time (except that
terms used herein which are defined in the Uniform Commercial Code
as in effect in the State of Illinois on the date hereof shall
continue to have the same meaning notwithstanding any replacement
or amendment of such statute except as Agent may otherwise
determine).
1.135 "United Wholesale
Division" shall mean United.
1.136 "United Wholesale
Division Assets" shall mean the assets and properties of the United
Wholesale Division as described on Schedule 1.136 hereto.
1.137 "United Wholesale Sale
Agreements" shall mean, collectively, the agreements, documents and
instruments listed on Schedule 1.137 hereto, as the same now exist
or may hereafter be amended, modified, supplemented, extended,
renewed, restated or replaced.
1.138 "Value" shall mean, as
determined by Agent in good faith, with respect to Inventory, the
lower of (A) cost computed on a first-in first-out basis in
accordance with GAAP or (b) market value, provided ,
that , for purposes of the calculation of the Borrowing
Base, (i) the Value of the Inventory shall not include: (A) the
portion of the value of Inventory equal to the profit earned by any
Affiliate on the sale thereof to any Borrower (other than the
profit of the Distribution Division for sales of Inventory to the
Retail Division in the ordinary course of business consistent with
current practices and for sales at prices no more than the Retail
Division could purchase such Inventory from a person that is not an
Affiliate), (B) the amount of cigarette taxes that are capitalized
in inventory, or (C) write-ups or write-downs in value with respect
to currency exchange rates and (ii) notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, the cost of the Inventory shall be
computed in the same manner and consistent with the most recent
appraisal of the Inventory received and accepted by Agent prior to
the date hereof, if any (except to the extent that the method of
calculation of the cost may be affected by the establishment of a
reliable, consistent and accurate stock ledger inventory system at
the Retail Division in accordance with the terms hereof).
1.139 "Voting Stock" shall mean with respect to any Person, (a) one
(1) or more classes of Capital Stock of such Person having general
voting powers to elect at least a majority of the board of
directors, managers or trustees of such Person, irrespective of
whether at the time
34
Capital Stock of any other
class or classes have or might have voting power by reason of the
happening of any contingency, and (b) any Capital Stock of such
Person convertible or exchangeable without restriction at the
option of the holder thereof into Capital Stock of such Person
described in clause (a) of this definition.
1.140 "Weighted Average Life
to Maturity" shall mean, when applied to any Indebtedness at any
date, the number of years obtained by dividing (a) the then
outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness into (b) the
total of the product obtained by multiplying (A) the amount of each
then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other
required payments of principal, including payment at final
maturity, in respect thereof, by (B) the number of years
(calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between
such date and the making of such payment.
SECTION 2 CREDIT FACILITIES
2.1 Loans .
(a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained
herein, each Lender severally (and not jointly) agrees to make its
Pro Rata Share of Loans to Borrowers from time to time in amounts
requested by a Borrower up to the amount outstanding at any time
equal to the lesser of: (i) the Borrowing Base at such time or (ii)
the Maximum Credit.
(b) Except in Agent's discretion, with the consent of all
Lenders, or as otherwise provided herein, (i) the aggregate amount
of the Loans and the Letter of Credit Accommodations outstanding at
any time shall not exceed the Maximum Credit and (ii) the aggregate
principal amount of the Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations
outstanding at any time shall not exceed the Borrowing Base.
(c) In the event that the aggregate principal amount of the
Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations outstanding exceed the
Borrowing Base, or the aggregate amount of the outstanding Letter
of Credit Accommodations exceed the sublimit for Letter of Credit
Accommodations set forth in Section 2.2(e), or the aggregate amount
of the Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations exceed the Maximum
Credit, such event shall not limit, waive or otherwise affect any
rights of Agent or Lenders in such circumstances or on any future
occasions and Borrowers shall, upon demand by Agent, which may be
made at any time or from time to time, immediately repay to Agent
the entire amount of any such excess(es) for which payment is
demanded.
2.2 Letter of Credit
Accommodations .
(a) Subject to and upon the
terms and conditions contained herein, at the request of a
Borrower, Agent agrees, for the ratable risk of each Lender
according to its Pro Rata Share, to provide or arrange for Letter
of Credit Accommodations for the account of such Borrower
containing terms and conditions acceptable to Agent and the issuer
thereof (which issuer shall be Wachovia Bank, National Association,
a Lender or such other institution reasonably acceptable to Agent
and Parent). Any payments made by or on behalf of Agent or any
Lender to any issuer thereof and/or related parties in connection
with the Letter of Credit Accommodations provided
35
to or for the benefit of a
Borrower shall constitute additional Loans to such Borrower
pursuant to this Section 2 (or Special Agent Advances as the case
may be).
(b) In addition to any charges, fees or expenses charged by
any bank or issuer in connection with the Letter of Credit
Accommodations, Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the benefit of
Lenders, monthly a letter of credit fee at a rate equal to two and
one-quarter (2 1/4%) percent per annum on the daily outstanding
balance of the Letter of Credit Accommodations during the
immediately preceding month (or part thereof), payable in arrears
as of the first day of each succeeding month, provided, that,
effective as of the first (1st) day of the second calendar month
after the date hereof, such percentage shall be increased or
decreased, as the case may be, to the percentage (on a per annum
basis) set forth below if the Monthly Average Excess Availability
for the immediately preceding calendar month is at or within the
amounts indicated for such percentages:
|
|
Tier
|
|
Monthly Average
Excess Availability
|
|
Applicable Letter
of
Credit Fee Margin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
$50,000,000 or more
|
|
2%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
Greater than or equal to
$25,000,000 and less than
$50,000,000
|
|
2 1/4%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
Less than $25,000,000
|
|
2 1/2%
|
|
Provided , that , (i) the applicable percentage
shall be calculated and established once each calendar month and
shall remain in effect until adjusted thereafter after the end of
the next calendar month, (ii) notwithstanding the amount of the
Monthly Average Excess Availability, for each month prior to the
month commencing July 1, 2004, in no event shall the Applicable
Letter of Credit Fee Margin be less than the percentage set forth
in Tier 2 of the schedule above and (iii) notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained herein, Agent may, and upon the written
direction of Required Lenders shall, require Borrowers to pay to
Agent for the benefit of Lenders, such letter of credit fee at a
rate equal to four and one-half (4 1/2%) percent per annum on such
daily outstanding balance (A) for the period (1) from and after the
effective date of termination or non-renewal hereof until Agent and
Lenders have received full and final payment of all outstanding and
unpaid Obligations which are not contingent and cash collateral or
letter of credit, as Agent may specify, in the amounts and on the
terms required under Section 13.1 hereof for contingent Obligations
(notwithstanding entry of a judgment against any Borrower or
Guarantor) and (2) from and after the date of the occurrence of an
Event of Default and for so long as such Event of Default is
continuing. Such letter of credit fee shall be calculated on the
basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days
elapsed and the obligation of Borrowers to pay such fee shall
survive the termination of this Agreement.
(c) The Borrower requesting such
Letter of Credit Accommodation shall give Agent two (2) Business
Days' prior written notice of such Borrower's request for the
issuance of a Letter of Credit Accommodation. Such notice shall be
irrevocable and shall specify the original face amount of the
Letter of Credit Accommodation requested, the effective date
(which
36
date shall be a Business Day
and in no event shall be a date less than ten (10) days prior to
the end of the then current term of this Agreement) of issuance of
such requested Letter of Credit Accommodation, whether such Letter
of Credit Accommodations may be drawn in a single or in partial
draws, the date on which such requested Letter of Credit
Accommodation is to expire (which date shall be a Business Day),
the purpose for which such Letter of Credit Accommodation is to be
issued, and the beneficiary of the requested Letter of Credit
Accommodation. The Borrower requesting the Letter of Credit
Accommodation shall attach to such notice the proposed terms of the
Letter of Credit Accommodation.
(d) In addition to being subject to the satisfaction of the
applicable conditions precedent contained in Section 4 hereof and
the other terms and conditions contained herein, no Letter of
Credit Accommodations shall be available unless each of the
following conditions precedent have been satisfied in a manner
satisfactory to Agent: (i) the Borrower requesting such Letter of
Credit Accommodation shall have delivered to the proposed issuer of
such Letter of Credit Accommodation at such times and in such
manner as such proposed issuer may require, an application, in form
and substance satisfactory to such proposed issuer and Agent, for
the issuance of the Letter of Credit Accommodation and such other
documents as may be required pursuant to the terms thereof, and the
form and terms of the proposed Letter of Credit Accommodation shall
be satisfactory to Agent and such proposed issuer, (ii) as of the
date of issuance, no order of any court, arbitrator or other
Governmental Authority shall purport by its terms to enjoin or
restrain money center banks generally from issuing letters of
credit of the type and in the amount of the proposed Letter of
Credit Accommodation, and no law, rule or regulation applicable to
money center banks generally and no request or directive (whether
or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority
with jurisdiction over money center banks generally shall prohibit,
or request that the proposed issuer of such Letter of Credit
Accommodation refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit
generally or the issuance of such Letters of Credit Accommodation;
and (iii) the Excess Availability of the Borrower requesting such
Letter of Credit Accommodation, prior to giving effect to any
Reserves with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodations, on
the date of the proposed issuance of any Letter of Credit
Accommodations, shall be equal to or greater than: (A) if the
proposed Letter of Credit Accommodation is for the purpose of
purchasing Eligible Inventory and the documents of title with
respect thereto are consigned to the issuer, the sum of (1) the
percentage equal to one hundred (100%) percent minus the then
applicable percentage with respect to Eligible Inventory set forth
in the definition of the term Borrowing Base multiplied by the
Value of such Eligible Inventory, plus (2) freight, taxes, duty and
other amounts which Agent estimates must be paid in connection with
such Inventory upon arrival and for delivery to one of such
Borrower's locations for Eligible Inventory within the United
States of America and (B) if the proposed Letter of Credit
Accommodation is for any other purpose or the documents of title
are not consigned to the issuer in connection with a Letter of
Credit Accommodation for the purpose of purchasing Inventory, an
amount equal to one hundred (100%) percent of the face amount
thereof and all other commitments and obligations made or incurred
by Agent with respect thereto. Effective on the issuance of each
Letter of Credit Accommodation, a Reserve shall be established in
the applicable amount set forth in Section 2.2(d)(iii)(A) or
Section 2.2(d)(iii)(B).
(e) Except in Agent's
discretion, with the consent of all Lenders, the amount of all
outstanding Letter of Credit Accommodations and all other
commitments and obligations
37
made or incurred by Agent or
any Lender in connection therewith shall not at any time exceed
$30,000,000.
(f) Borrowers and Guarantors shall indemnify and hold Agent
and Lenders harmless from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, costs and expenses which Agent or any Lender
may suffer or incur in connection with any Letter of Credit
Accommodations and any documents, drafts or acceptances relating
thereto, including any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs
and expenses due to any action taken by any issuer or correspondent
with respect to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, except to the
extent of losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses
resulting from the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of Agent
or any Lender as determined pursuant to a final non-appealable
order of a court of competent jurisdiction. As between Agent and
Lenders, on the one hand, and Borrowers and Guarantors, on the
other hand, and without limitation of any rights of any Borrower or
Guarantor as against any issuer of a Letter of Credit
Accommodation, each Borrower and Guarantor assumes all risks with
respect to the acts or omissions of the drawer under or beneficiary
of any Letter of Credit Accommodation and for such purposes the
drawer or beneficiary shall be deemed such Borrower's agent. Each
Borrower and Guarantor assumes all risks for, and agrees to pay,
all foreign, Federal, State and local taxes, duties and levies
relating to any goods subject to any Letter of Credit
Accommodations or any documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder.
Each Borrower and Guarantor hereby releases and holds Agent and
Lenders harmless from and against any acts, waivers, errors, delays
or omissions, whether caused by any Borrower, Guarantor, by any
issuer or correspondent or otherwise with respect to or relating to
any Letter of Credit Accommodation, except to the extent resulting
from the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of Agent or any
Lender as determined pursuant to a final, non-appealable order of a
court of competent jurisdiction. The provisions of this Section
2.2(f) shall survive the payment of Obligations and the termination
of this Agreement.
(g) In connection with Inventory purchased pursuant to
Letter of Credit Accommodations, Borrowers and Guarantors shall, at
Agent's request, instruct all suppliers, carriers, forwarders,
customs brokers, warehouses or others receiving or holding cash,
checks, Inventory, documents or instruments in which Agent holds a
security interest to, at such time as Agent may request, deliver
them to Agent and/or subject to Agent's order, and if they shall
come into such Borrower's or Guarantor's possession, to deliver
them, upon Agent's request, to Agent in their original form,
provided , that , Agent shall not exercise its rights
under this clause (g) to have such persons deliver any cash, checks
or Inventory to Agent unless a Default or Event of Default shall
exist or have occurred and be continuing.. Borrowers and Guarantors
shall also, at Agent's request, designate Agent as the consignee on
all bills of lading and other negotiable and non-negotiable
documents.
(h) Each Borrower and Guarantor
hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs any issuer of a Letter of
Credit Accommodation to name such Borrower or Guarantor as the
account party therein and to deliver to Agent all instruments,
documents and other writings and property received by issuer
pursuant to the Letter of Credit Accommodations and to accept and
rely upon Agent's instructions and agreements with respect to all
matters arising in connection with the Letter of Credit
Accommodations or the applications therefor. Nothing contained
herein shall be deemed or construed to grant any Borrower or
Guarantor any right or authority to pledge the credit of Agent or
any Lender in any manner. Agent and Lenders shall have no liability
of any
38
kind with respect to any Letter
of Credit Accommodation provided by an issuer other than Agent or
any Lender unless Agent has duly executed and delivered to such
issuer the application or a guarantee or indemnification in writing
with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodation. Borrowers and
Guarantors shall be bound by any reasonable interpretation made in
good faith by Agent, or any other issuer or correspondent under or
in connection with any Letter of Credit Accommodation or any
documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder, notwithstanding that
such interpretation may be inconsistent with any instructions of
any Borrower or Guarantor, except as to any issuer without limiting
the rights of any Borrower or Guarantor as against any issuer to
the extent provided in clause (m) below.
(i) So long as no Event of Default exists or has occurred
and is continuing, a Borrower may (i) approve or resolve any
questions of non-compliance of documents, (ii) give any
instructions as to acceptance or rejection of any documents or
goods, (iii) execute any and all applications for steamship or
airway guaranties, indemnities or delivery orders, and (iv) with
Agent's consent, grant any extensions of the maturity of, time of
payment for, or time of presentation of, any drafts, acceptances,
or documents, and agree to any amendments, renewals, extensions,
modifications, changes or cancellations of any of the terms or
conditions of any of the applications, Letter of Credit
Accommodations, or documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder or
any letters of credit included in the Collateral.
(j) At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred
and is continuing, Agent shall have the right and authority to, and
Borrowers shall not, without the prior written consent of Agent,
(i) approve or resolve any questions of non-compliance of
documents, (ii) give any instructions as to acceptance or rejection
of any documents or goods, (iii) execute any and all applications
for steamship or airway guaranties, indemnities or delivery orders,
(iv) grant any extensions of the maturity of, time of payments for,
or time of presentation of, any drafts, acceptances, or documents,
and (v) agree to any amendments, renewals, extensions,
modifications, changes or cancellations of any of the terms or
conditions of any of the applications, Letter of Credit
Accommodations, or documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder or
any letters of credit included in the Collateral. Agent may take
such actions either in its own name or in any Borrower's name.
(k) Any rights, remedies, duties or obligations granted or
undertaken by any Borrower or Guarantor to any issuer or
correspondent in any application for any Letter of Credit
Accommodation, or any other agreement in favor of any issuer or
correspondent relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, shall
be deemed to have been granted or undertaken by such Borrower or
Guarantor to Agent for the ratable benefit of Lenders. Any duties
or obligations undertaken by Agent to any issuer or correspondent
in any application for any Letter of Credit Accommodation, or any
other agreement by Agent in favor of any issuer or correspondent to
the extent relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, shall be
deemed to have been undertaken by Borrowers and Guarantors to Agent
for the ratable benefit of Lenders and to apply in all respects to
Borrowers and Guarantors.
(l) Immediately upon the
issuance or amendment of any Letter of Credit Accommodation, each
Lender shall be deemed to have irrevocably and unconditionally
purchased and received, without recourse or warranty, an undivided
interest and participation to
39
the extent of such Lender's Pro
Rata Share of the liability with respect to such Letter of Credit
Accommodation (including, without limitation, all Obligations with
respect thereto).
(m) Each Borrower is irrevocably and unconditionally
obligated, without presentment, demand or protest, to pay to Agent
any amounts paid by an issuer of a Letter of Credit Accommodation
with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodation (whether
through the borrowing of Loans in accordance with Section 2.2(a) or
otherwise); provided, that, nothing contained herein shall be
construed to limit or waive any right of any Borrower to assert
against an issuer of a Letter of Credit Accommodation any claim for
direct damages suffered by such Borrower to the extent caused by
the gross negligence or wilful misconduct of the issuer in
determining whether a request presented under any Letter of Credit
Accommodation issued by it complied with the terms of such Letter
of Credit Accommodation. In the event that any Borrower fails to
pay Agent on the date of any payment under a Letter of Credit
Accommodation in an amount equal to the amount of such payment,
Agent (to the extent it has actual notice thereof) shall promptly
notify each Lender of the unreimbursed amount of such payment and
each Lender agrees, upon one (1) Business Day's notice, to fund to
Agent the purchase of its participation in such Letter of Credit
Accommodation in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the
unpaid amount. The obligation of each Lender to deliver to Agent an
amount equal to its respective participation pursuant to the
foregoing sentence is absolute and unconditional and such
remittance shall be made notwithstanding the occurrence or
continuance of any Event of Default, the failure to satisfy any
other condition set forth in Section 4 or any other event or
circumstance. If such amount is not made available by a Lender when
due, Agent shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand from
such Lender with interest thereon, for each day from the date such
amount was due until the date such amount is paid to Agent at the
interest rate then payable by any Borrower in respect of Loans that
are Prime Rate Loans as set forth in Section 3.1(a) hereof.
2.3 Commitments . The
aggregate amount of each Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Loans and
Letter of Credit Accommodations shall not exceed the amount of such
Lender's Commitment, as the same may from time to time be amended
in accordance with the provisions hereof.
2.4 Joint and Several Liability . All Borrowers shall be
jointly and severally liable for all amounts due to Agent and
Lenders under this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements,
regardless of which Borrower actually receives the Loans or Letter
of Credit Accommodations hereunder or the amount of such Loans
received or the manner in which Agent or any Lender accounts for
such Loans, Letter of Credit Accommodations or other extensions of
credit on its books and records. All references herein or in any of
the other Financing Agreements to any of the obligation of
Borrowers to make any payment hereunder or thereunder shall
constitute joint and several obligations of Borrowers. The
Obligations with respect to Loans made to a Borrower, and the
Obligations arising as a result of the joint and several liability
of a Borrower hereunder, with respect to Loans made to the other
Borrowers, shall be separate and distinct obligations, but all such
other Obligations shall be primary obligations of all Borrowers.
The Obligations arising as a result of the joint and several
liability of a Borrower hereunder with respect to Loans, Letter of
Credit Accommodations or other extensions of credit made to the
other Borrowers shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be
unconditional irrespective of (a) the validity or enforceability,
avoidance or subordination of the Obligations of the other
40
Borrowers or of any promissory
note or other document evidencing all or any part of the
Obligations of the other Borrowers, (b) the absence of any attempt
to collect the Obligations from the other Borrowers, any Guarantor
or any other security therefor, or the absence of any other action
to enforce the same, (c) the waiver, consent, extension,
forbearance or granting of any indulgence by Agent or any Lender
with respect to any provisions of any instrument evidencing the
Obligations of the other Borrowers, or any part thereof, or any
other agreement now or hereafter executed by the other Borrowers
and delivered to Agent or any Lender, (d) the failure by Agent or
any Lender to take any steps to perfect and maintain its security
interest in, or to preserve its rights and maintain its security or
collateral for the Obligations of the other Borrowers, (e) the
election of Agent and Lenders in any proceeding instituted under
the Bankruptcy Code, of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of
the Bankruptcy Code, (f) the disallowance of all or any portion of
the claim(s) of Agent or any Lender for the repayment of the
Obligations of the other Borrowers under Section 502 of the
Bankruptcy Code, or (g) any other circumstances which might
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor
or of the other Borrowers other than to the extent of the gross
negligence or wilful misconduct of Agent or a Lender as determined
pursuant to a final non-appealable order of a court of competent
jurisdiction. With respect to the Obligations arising as a result
of the joint and several liability of a Borrower hereunder with
respect to Loans, Letter of Credit Accommodations or other
extensions of credit made to the other Borrowers hereunder, each
Borrower waives, until the Obligations shall have been paid in full
and this Agreement shall have been terminated, any right to enforce
any right of subrogation or any remedy which Agent or any Lender
now has or may hereafter have against any Borrower or Guarantor and
any benefit of, and any right to participate in, any security or
collateral given to Agent or any Lender. Upon any Event of Default,
and for so long as such Event of Default is continuing, Agent may
proceed directly and at once, without notice, against any Borrower
to collect and recover the full amount, or any portion of the
Obligations, without first proceeding against the other Borrowers
or any other Person, or against any security or collateral for the
Obligations. Each Borrower consents and agrees that Agent and
Lenders shall be under no obligation to marshall any assets in
favor of Borrower(s) or against or in payment of any or all of the
Obligations.
SECTION 3 INTEREST AND FEES
3.1 Interest .
(a) Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the benefit of
Lenders, interest on the outstanding principal amount of the Loans
at the Interest Rate. All interest accruing hereunder on and after
the date of any Event of Default or termination hereof shall be
payable on demand.
(b) Each Borrower may from time
to time request Eurodollar Rate Loans or may request that Prime
Rate Loans be converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or that any
existing Eurodollar Rate Loans continue for an additional Interest
Period. Such request from a Borrower shall specify the amount of
the Eurodollar Rate Loans or the amount of the Prime Rate Loans to
be converted to Eurodollar Rate Loans or the amount of the
Eurodollar Rate Loans to be continued (subject to the limits set
forth below) and the Interest Period to be applicable to such
Eurodollar Rate Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions
contained herein, three (3) Business Days after receipt by Agent of
such a request from a Borrower, such Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be
made or Prime Rate Loans shall be converted to Eurodollar Rate
Loans or such Eurodollar
41
Rate Loans shall continue, as
the case may be, provided , that , (i) no Default or
Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing,
(ii) no party hereto shall have sent any notice of termination of
this Agreement, such Borrower shall have complied with such
customary procedures as are established by Agent and specified by
Agent to Lead Borrower from time to time for requests by Borrowers
for Eurodollar Rate Loans, (iii) no more than eight (8) Interest
Periods may be in effect at any one time, (iv) the amount of any
Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be not less than $1,000,000 and the
aggregate amount of the Eurodollar Rate Loans outstanding at any
time must be in an amount not less than $5,000,000, and (v) Agent
and each Lender shall have determined that the Interest Period or
Adjusted Eurodollar Rate is available to Agent and such Lender and
can be readily determined as of the date of the request for such
Eurodollar Rate Loan by such Borrower. Any request by or on behalf
of a Borrower for Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Prime Rate
Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans or to continue any existing
Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be irrevocable. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, Agent and Lenders shall
not be required to purchase United States Dollar deposits in the
London interbank market or other applicable Eurodollar Rate market
to fund any Eurodollar Rate Loans, but the provisions hereof shall
be deemed to apply as if Agent and Lenders had purchased such
deposits to fund the Eurodollar Rate Loans.
(c) Any Eurodollar Rate Loans shall automatically convert to
Prime Rate Loans upon the last day of the applicable Interest
Period, unless Agent has received and approved a request to
continue such Eurodollar Rate Loan at least three (3) Business Days
prior to such last day in accordance with the terms hereof. Any
Eurodollar Rate Loans shall, at Agent's option, upon notice by
Agent to Parent, be subsequently converted to Prime Rate Loans in
the event that this Agreement shall terminate or not be renewed.
Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the benefit of Lenders, upon
demand by Agent (or Agent may, at its option, charge any loan
account of any Borrower) any amounts required to compensate any
Lender or Participant for any loss (including loss of anticipated
profits), cost or expense incurred by such person, as a result of
the conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Prime Rate Loans
pursuant to any of the foregoing.
(d) Interest shall be payable by Borrowers to Agent, for the
account of Lenders, monthly in arrears not later than the first day
of each calendar month and shall be calculated on the basis of a
three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days elapsed. The
interest rate on non-contingent Obligations (other than Eurodollar
Rate Loans) shall increase or decrease by an amount equal to each
increase or decrease in the Prime Rate effective on the first day
of the month after any change in such Prime Rate is announced based
on the Prime Rate in effect on the last day of the month in which
any such change occurs. In no event shall charges constituting
interest payable by Borrowers to Agent and Lenders exceed the
maximum amount or the rate permitted under any applicable law or
regulation, and if any such part or provision of this Agreement is
in contravention of any such law or regulation, such part or
provision shall be deemed amended to conform thereto.
3.2 Fees .
(a) Borrowers shall pay to
Agent, for the account of Lenders, monthly an unused line fee at a
rate equal to one-quarter (1/4%) percent per annum calculated upon
the amount by which the Maximum Credit (less any reduction in the
Fixed Asset Availability effected in accordance with the proviso to
the definition thereof) exceeds the average daily principal
balance
42
of the outstanding Loans and
Letter of Credit Accommodations during the immediately preceding
month (or part thereof) while this Agreement is in effect and for
so long thereafter as any of the Obligations are outstanding, which
fee shall be payable on the first day of each month in arrears.
(b) Borrowers agree to pay to Agent the other fees and
amounts set forth in the Fee Letter in the amounts and at the times
specified therein.
3.3 Changes in Laws and
Increased Costs of Loans .
(a) If after the date hereof, either (i) any change in, or
in the interpretation of, any law or regulation is introduced,
including, without limitation, with respect to reserve
requirements, applicable to Lender or any banking or financial
institution from whom any Lender borrows funds or obtains credit
necessary to fund the Loans hereunder (a "Funding Bank"), or (ii) a
Funding Bank or any Lender complies with any future guideline or
request from any central bank or other Governmental Authority or
(iii) a Funding Bank or any Lender determines that the adoption of
any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy,
or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or
administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank
or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or
administration thereof has or would have the effect described
below, or a Funding Bank or any Lender complies 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, and in the case of any event set forth in this clause
(iii), such adoption, change or compliance has or would have the
direct or indirect effect of reducing the rate of return on any
Lender's capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder to a
level below that which Lender could have achieved but for such
adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration the
Funding Bank's or Lender's policies with respect to capital
adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender to be material, and
the result of any of the foregoing events described in clauses (i),
(ii) or (iii) is or results in an increase in the cost to any
Lender of funding or maintaining the Loans, the Letter of Credit
Accommodations or its Commitment, then Borrowers and Guarantors
shall from time to time upon demand by Agent pay to Agent
additional amounts sufficient to indemnify Lenders against such
increased cost on an after-tax basis (after taking into account
applicable deductions and credits in respect of the amount
indemnified). A certificate as to the amount of such increased cost
shall be submitted to Lead Borrower by Agent and shall be
conclusive, absent manifest error.
(b) If prior to the first day of
any Interest Period, (i) Agent shall have determined in good faith
(which determination shall be conclusive and binding upon Borrowers
and Guarantors) that, by reason of circumstances affecting the
relevant market, adequate and reasonable means do not exist for
ascertaining the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period, (ii)
Agent has received notice from the Required Lenders that the
Eurodollar Rate determined or to be determined for such Interest
Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to Lenders
of making or maintaining Eurodollar Rate Loans during such Interest
Period, or (iii) Dollar deposits in the principal amounts of the
Eurodollar Rate Loans to which such Interest Period is to be
applicable are not generally available in the London interbank
market, Agent shall give telecopy or telephonic notice thereof to
Lead Borrower as soon as practicable thereafter, and will also give
prompt written notice to Lead Borrower when such conditions no
longer exist. If such
43
notice is given (A) any
Eurodollar Rate Loans requested to be made on the first day of such
Interest Period shall be made as Prime Rate Loans, (B) any Loans
that were to have been converted on the first day of such Interest
Period to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be converted
to or continued as Prime Rate Loans and (C) each outstanding
Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be converted, on the last day of the
then-current Interest Period thereof, to Prime Rate Loans. Until
such notice has been withdrawn by Agent, no further Eurodollar Rate
Loans shall be made or continued as such, nor shall any Borrower
have the right to convert Prime Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate
Loans.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision herein, if the
adoption of or any change in any law, treaty, rule or regulation or
final, non-appealable determination of an arbitrator or a court or
other Governmental Authority or in the interpretation or
application thereof occurring after the date hereof shall make it
unlawful for Agent or any Lender to make or maintain Eurodollar
Rate Loans as contemplated by this Agreement, (i) Agent or such
Lender shall promptly give written notice of such circumstances to
Lead Borrower (which notice shall be withdrawn whenever such
circumstances no longer exist), (ii) the commitment of such Lender
hereunder to make Eurodollar Rate Loans, continue Eurodollar Rate
Loans as such and convert Prime Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans
shall forthwith be canceled and, until such time as it shall no
longer be unlawful for such Lender to make or maintain Eurodollar
Rate Loans, such Lender shall then have a commitment only to make a
Prime Rate Loan when a Eurodollar Rate Loan is requested and (iii)
such Lender's Loans then outstanding as Eurodollar Rate Loans, if
any, shall be converted automatically to Prime Rate Loans on the
respective last days of the then current Interest Periods with
respect to such Loans or within such earlier period as required by
law. If any such conversion of a Eurodollar Rate Loan occurs on a
day which is not the last day of the then current Interest Period
with respect thereto, Borrowers and Guarantors shall pay to such
Lender such amounts, if any, as may be required pursuant to Section
3.3(d) below.
(d) Borrowers and Guarantors shall indemnify Agent and each
Lender and to hold Agent and each Lender harmless from any loss or
expense which Agent or such Lender may sustain or incur as a
consequence of (i) default by a Borrower in making a borrowing of,
conversion into or extension of Eurodollar Rate Loans after such
Borrower has given a notice requesting the same in accordance with
the provisions of this Loan Agreement, (ii) default by any Borrower
in making any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan after such
Borrower has given a notice thereof in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement, and (iii) the making of a prepayment
of Eurodollar Rate Loans on a day which is not the last day of an
Interest Period with respect thereto. With respect to Eurodollar
Rate Loans, such indemnification may include an amount equal to the
excess, if any, of (A) the amount of interest which would have
accrued on the amount so prepaid, or not so borrowed, converted or
extended, for the period from the date of such prepayment or of
such failure to borrow, convert or extend to the last day of the
applicable Interest Period (or, in the case of a failure to borrow,
convert or extend, the Interest Period that would have commenced on
the date of such failure) in each case at the applicable rate of
interest for such Eurodollar Rate Loans provided for herein
over (B) the amount of interest (as determined by such Agent
or such Lender) which would have accrued to Agent or such Lender on
such amount by placing such amount on deposit for a comparable
period with leading banks in the interbank Eurodollar market. This
covenant shall survive the termination or non-renewal of this Loan
Agreement and the payment of the Obligations.
44
(e) Borrowers and Guarantors shall be liable for any tax or
penalties imposed on Agent or any Lender as a result of the
financing arrangements provided for herein and each Borrower and
Guarantor agrees to indemnify and hold Agent harmless with respect
to the foregoing, and to repay to Agent, for the benefit of
Lenders, on demand the amount thereof, and until paid by such
Borrower or Guarantor such amount shall be added and deemed part of
the Loans, provided , that , nothing contained herein
shall be construed to require any Borrower or Guarantor to pay any
income, franchise or similar taxes imposed upon Lenders and
attributable to any amounts charged or paid hereunder to Lenders.
The foregoing indemnity shall survive the payment of the
Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(f) Each Lender requiring compensation pursuant to Section
3.3(a), 3.3(d) or 3.3(e) shall notify Borrowers and Agent in
writing of any event or circumstance giving rise to such demand for
compensation no later than ninety (90) days following the date upon
which the Lender has actual knowledge of such event or
circumstance. Any demand for compensation pursuant to this Section
3.3 shall be in writing and shall state the amount due, if any,
under Section 3.3(d) or 3.3(e) and shall set forth in reasonable
detail the calculations upon which such Lender determined such
amount. Such written demand shall be conclusive, absent manifest
error.
(g) If a Borrower is required to
pay additional amounts to any Lender pursuant to Section 3.3(a) or
Section 3.3(e) that increase the effective lending rate of such
Lender with respect to its share of the Loans to greater than
one-eighth (1/8%) percent in excess of the percentage of the
effective lending rate of the other Lenders, then such Lender shall
use reasonable efforts (consistent with legal and regulatory
restrictions) to change the jurisdiction of its lending office with
respect to making Eurodollar Rate Loans so as to eliminate any such
additional payment by Borrowers which may thereafter accrue, if
such change in the judgment of such Lender is not otherwise
disadvantageous to such Lender. In the event that any one or more
Lenders, pursuant to Section 3.3(a) or Section 3.3(e) hereof, incur
any increased costs or taxes (other than increased costs to the
extent such increased costs are not a recurring cost) for which any
such Lender demands compensation pursuant to Section 3.3(a) or
Section 3.3(e) hereof which increases the effective lending rate of
such Lender with respect to its share of the Loans to greater than
one-eighth (1/8%) percent in excess of the percentage of the
effective lending rate of the other US Lenders and such Lender has
not mitigated such costs within sixty (60) days after receipt by
such Lender from Lead Borrower of a written notice that such
Lender's effective lending rate has so exceeded the effective
lending rate of the other Lenders, then and in any such event, Lead
Borrower may substitute another financial institution which is an
Eligible Transferee acceptable to Agent for such Lender to assume
the Commitment of such Lender and to purchase the Loans of such
Lender hereunder, without recourse to or warranty by, or expense
to, such Lender for a purchase price equal to the outstanding
principal amount of the Loans owing to such Lender plus any accrued
but unpaid interest on such Loans and accrued but unpaid fees and
other amounts in respect of such Lender's Commitment and share of
the Loans (other than any early termination fee). Upon such
purchase such Lender shall no longer be a party hereto or have any
rights or benefits hereunder (except for rights or benefits that
such Lender would retain hereunder and under the other Financing
Agreements upon payment in full of all of the Obligations other
than as to any early termination fee) and the replacement Lender
shall succeed to the rights and benefits, and shall assume the
obligations, of such Lender hereunder and
45
thereunder. In no event may
Lead Borrower replace a Lender that is also Agent or an issuer of a
Letter of Credit Accommodation.
SECTION 4 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
4.1 Conditions Precedent
to Initial Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations . Each of
the following is a condition precedent to Agent and Lenders making
the initial Loans and providing the initial Letter of Credit
Accommodations hereunder:
(a) Agent shall have received, in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent in good faith, all releases, terminations and
such other documents as Agent may request to evidence and
effectuate the termination by the Existing Lenders of their
respective financing arrangements with Borrowers and Guarantors and
the termination and release by it or them, as the case may be, of
any interest in and to any assets and properties of each Borrower
and Guarantor, duly authorized, executed and delivered by it or
each of them, including, but not limited to, (i) UCC termination
statements for all UCC financing statements previously filed by it
or any of them or their predecessors, as secured party and any
Borrower or Guarantor, as debtor; and (ii) satisfactions and
discharges of any mortgages, deeds of trust or deeds to secure debt
by any Borrower or Guarantor in favor of it or any of them, in form
acceptable for recording with the appropriate Governmental
Authority;
(b) all requisite corporate or limited liability company
action and proceedings in connection with this Agreement and the
other Financing Agreements shall be satisfactory in form and
substance to Agent in good faith, and Agent shall have received all
information and copies of all documents, including records of
requisite corporate or limited liability company action and
proceedings which Agent may have requested in connection therewith,
such documents where requested by Agent or its counsel to be
certified by appropriate officers or Governmental Authority (and
including a copy of the articles or certificate of incorporation or
comparable organizational documents of each Borrower and Guarantor
certified by the Secretary of State (or equivalent Governmental
Authority) which shall set forth the same complete corporate or
limited liability company name of such Borrower or Guarantor as is
set forth herein and such document as shall set forth the
organizational identification number of each Borrower or Guarantor,
if one is issued in its jurisdiction of organization);
(c) no material adverse change shall have occurred in the
assets, business or prospects of Borrowers and Guarantors (taken as
a whole) since the date of Agent's latest field examination (not
including for this purpose the field review referred to in clause
(d) below, it being understood that macroeconomic adverse changes
within the same industry of Borrowers and Guarantors that do not
affect Borrowers and Guarantors shall not be deemed a material
adverse change for purposes of this clause (c);
(d) Agent shall have completed a
field review of the Records and such other information with respect
to the Collateral as Agent may require to determine the amount of
Loans available to Borrowers (including, without limitation,
current perpetual inventory records and/or roll-forwards of
Accounts and Inventory through the Borrowers' fiscal period ended
December 6, 2003 and test counts of the Inventory of the
Distribution Division in a manner satisfactory to Agent, together
with such supporting documentation as may be necessary or
46
appropriate, and other
documents and information that will enable Agent to accurately
identify and verify the Collateral), the results of which in each
case shall be satisfactory to Agent, not more than seven (7)
Business Days prior to the date hereof or such longer period not
more than thirty (30) days prior to the date hereof if Agent shall
have been receiving such reports with respect to the Collateral as
are provided for herein and are otherwise acceptable to Agent at
all times during such period;
(e) Agent shall have received, in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent in good faith, all consents, waivers,
acknowledgments and other agreements from third persons which Agent
may deem necessary or desirable in order to permit, protect and
perfect its security interests in and liens upon the Collateral or
to effectuate the provisions or purposes of this Agreement and the
other Financing Agreements, including, without limitation, Credit
Card Acknowledgments (except as to American Express, Agent shall
only require a letter from Borrowers and Guarantors to American
Express in form and substance satisfactory to Agent) and Collateral
Access Agreements by owners and lessors of leased premises of each
Borrower and by processors and warehouses at which Collateral is
located; provided, that, so long as Borrowers have delivered up to
sixty (60) Collateral Access Agreements for the leased locations of
Borrowers such condition as to such Collateral Access Agreements
shall be deemed satisfied, so long as all other conditions are met
after giving effect to any Reserves established by Agent in respect
of amounts due or to become due to the owners or lessors of leased
locations for which such Collateral Access Agreements have not been
delivered;
(f) Agent shall have received the Supplemental Loan
Intercreditor Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to
Agent, as duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Supplemental Loan Agent , Borrowers and Guarantors;
(g) Agent shall have received true, correct and complete
copies of the Supplemental Loan Lender Agreements and all related
agreements, documents and instruments, which shall each be in form
and substance satisfactory to Agent, as duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the parties thereto;
(h) Agent shall have received evidence, in form and
substance satisfactory to Agent, that Borrowers and Guarantors have
received not less than $15,000,000 (less fees and expenses of
Supplemental Loan Agent in amounts reasonably acceptable to Agent)
in cash or other immediately available funds constituting proceeds
of the initial loans from the Supplemental Loan Lenders;
(i) the Excess Availability as determined by Agent, as of
the date hereof, shall be not less than $20,000,000 after giving
effect to the initial Loans made or to be made and Letter of Credit
Accommodations issued or to be issued in connection with the
initial transactions hereunder;
(j) Agent shall have received,
in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, Deposit Account
Control Agreements by and among Agent, each Borrower and Guarantor,
as the case may be and each bank where such Borrower (or Guarantor)
has a deposit account other than banks where such Borrower (or
Guarantor) maintains a Store Account for which no Deposit
47
Account Control Agreement is
required pursuant to Section 6.3 hereof, in each case, duly
authorized, executed and delivered by such bank and Borrower or
Guarantor, as the case may be;
(k) Agent shall have received evidence, in form and
substance satisfactory to Agent, that (i) Agent has a valid
perfected first priority security interest in all of the Collateral
(other than the Supplemental Loan Priority Collateral) and (ii)
Agent has a valid and enforceable second priority security interest
in the Supplemental Loan Priority Collateral subordinate only to
the first priority security interest of Supplemental Loan Agent
pursuant to the terms of the Supplemental Loan Intercreditor
Agreement;
(l) Agent shall have received a Borrowing Base Certificate
setting forth the Loans available to Borrowers as completed in a
manner satisfactory to Agent and duly authorized, executed and
delivered on behalf of Parent;
(m) Agent shall have received and reviewed lien and
judgement search results for the jurisdiction of organization of
each Borrower and Guarantor, the jurisdiction of the chief
executive office of each Borrower and Guarantor and all
jurisdictions in which assets of Borrowers and Guarantors are
located, which search results shall be in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent;
(n) Agent shall have received environmental audits of the
Real Property to be subject to the Mortgages conducted by an
independent environmental engineering firm acceptable to Agent, and
in form, scope and methodology satisfactory to Agent in good faith,
confirming that (i) each Borrower and Guarantor is in compliance
with all material applicable Environmental Laws in all material
respects and (ii) the absence of any material environmental
problems;
(o) Agent shall have received, in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent, a valid and effective title insurance policy
issued by a company and agent acceptable to Agent: (i) insuring the
priority, amount and sufficiency of the Mortgages, (ii) insuring
against matters that would be disclosed by surveys and (iii)
containing any legally available endorsements, assurances or
affirmative coverage reasonably requested by Agent in accordance
with its customary practices for protection of its interests;
(p) Agent shall have received originals of the shares of the
stock certificates representing all of the issued and outstanding
shares of the Capital Stock of each Borrower and Guarantor (other
than Parent) and owned by any Borrower or Guarantor (other than the
shares of Capital Stock of MDP L.L.C., Port Clinton Realty Co. and
Spartan Insurance Company Ltd.), in each case together with stock
powers duly executed in blank with respect thereto;
(q) Agent shall have received evidence of insurance and loss
payee endorsements required hereunder and under the other Financing
Agreements, in form and substance satisfactory to Agent, and
certificates of insurance policies and/or endorsements naming Agent
as loss payee;
(r) Agent shall have received, in form and substance
satisfactory to Agent, such opinion letters of counsel to Borrowers
and Guarantors with respect to the Financing Agreements and such
other matters as Agent may reasonably request; and
48
(s) the other Financing Agreements and all instruments and
documents hereunder and thereunder shall have been duly executed
and delivered to Agent, in form and substance satisfactory to
Agent.
4.2 Conditions Precedent
to All Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations . Each of the
following is an additional condition precedent to the Loans and/or
providing Letter of Credit Accommodations to Borrowers, including
the initial Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations and any
future Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations:
(a) all representations and warranties contained herein and
in the other Financing Agreements shall be true and correct with
the same effect as though such representations and warranties had
been made on and as of the date of the making of each such Loan or
providing each such Letter of Credit Accommodation and after giving
effect thereto, except to the extent that such representations and
warranties expressly relate solely to an earlier date (in which
case such representations and warranties shall have been true and
accurate on and as of such earlier date);
(b) no law, regulation, order, judgment or decree of any
Governmental Authority shall exist, and no action, suit,
investigation, litigation or proceeding shall be pending or
threatened in any court or before any arbitrator or Governmental
Authority, which purports to enjoin, prohibit, restrain or
otherwise affect (i) the making of the Loans or providing the
Letter of Credit Accommodations, or (ii) the consummation of the
transactions contemplated pursuant to the terms hereof or the other
Financing Agreements; and
(c) no Default or Event of Default shall exist or have
occurred and be continuing on and as of the date of the making of
such Loan or providing each such Letter of Credit Accommodation and
after giving effect thereto.
SECTION 5 GRANT AND PERFECTION OF SECURITY
INTEREST
5.1 Grant of Security
Interest .
(a) To secure payment and performance of all Obligations,
each Borrower and Guarantor hereby grants to Agent, for itself and
the benefit of Lenders, a continuing security interest in, a lien
upon, and a right of set off against, and hereby assigns to Agent,
for itself and the benefit of Lenders, as security, all personal
and real property and fixtures, and interests in property and
fixtures, of each Borrower and Guarantor, whether now owned or
hereafter acquired or existing, and wherever located (together with
all other collateral security for the Obligations at any time
granted to or held or acquired by Agent or any Lender,
collectively, the "Collateral"), including:
(i) all Accounts;
(ii) all general
intangibles, including, without limitation, all Intellectual
Property;
(iii) all goods,
including, without limitation, Inventory and Equipment;
49
(iv) all Real Property
and fixtures;
(v) all chattel paper,
including, without limitation, all tangible and electronic chattel
paper;
(vi) all instruments,
including, without limitation, all promissory notes;
(vii) all documents;
(viii) all deposit
accounts;
(ix) all letters of
credit, banker's acceptances and similar instruments and including
all letter-of-credit rights;
(x) all supporting
obligations and all present and future liens, security interests,
rights, remedies, title and interest in, to and in respect of
Receivables and other Collateral, including (A) rights and remedies
under or relating to guaranties, contracts of suretyship, letters
of credit and credit and other insurance related to the Collateral,
(B) rights of stoppage in transit, replevin, repossession,
reclamation and other rights and remedies of an unpaid vendor,
lienor or secured party, (C) goods described in invoices,
documents, contracts or instruments with respect to, or otherwise
representing or evidencing, Receivables or other Collateral,
including returned, repossessed and reclaimed goods, and (D)
deposits by and property of Account Debtors or other persons
securing the obligations of Account Debtors;
(xi) all (A) investment
property (including securities, whether certificated or
uncertificated, securities accounts, security entitlements,
commodity contracts or commodity accounts) and (B) monies, credit
balances, deposits and other property of any Borrower or Guarantor
now or hereafter held or received by or in transit to Agent, any
Lender or its Affiliates or at any other depository or other
institution from or for the account of any Borrower or Guarantor,
whether for safekeeping, pledge, custody, transmission, collection
or otherwise;
(xii) all commercial tort
claims, including, without limitation, those identified in the
Information Certificate;
(xiii) to the extent not
otherwise described above, all Receivables;
(xiv) all Prescription
Files and other Records; and
(xv) all products and
proceeds of the foregoing, in any form, including insurance
proceeds and all claims against third parties for loss or damage to
or destruction of or other involuntary conversion of any kind or
nature of any or all of the other Collateral.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in
Section 5.1(a) above, the types or items of Collateral described in
such Section shall not include the Capital Stock of MDP L.L.C.,
Port Clinton Realty Co. and Spartan Insurance Company Ltd.
50
5.2 Perfection of Security
Interests .
(a) Each Borrower and Guarantor irrevocably and
unconditionally authorizes Agent (or its agent) to file at any time
and from time to time such financing statements with respect to the
Collateral naming Agent or its designee as the secured party and
such Borrower or Guarantor as debtor, as Agent may require, and
including any other information with respect to such Borrower or
Guarantor or otherwise required by part 5 of Article 9 of the
Uniform Commercial Code of such jurisdiction as Agent may
determine, together with any amendment and continuations with
respect thereto, which authorization shall apply to all financing
statements filed on, prior to or after the date hereof. Each
Borrower and Guarantor hereby ratifies and approves all financing
statements naming Agent or its designee as secured party and such
Borrower or Guarantor, as the case may be, as debtor with respect
to the Collateral (and any amendments with respect to such
financing statements) filed by or on behalf of Agent prior to the
date hereof and ratifies and confirms the authorization of Agent to
file such financing statements (and amendments, if any). Each
Borrower and Guarantor hereby authorizes Agent to adopt on behalf
of such Borrower and Guarantor any symbol required for
authenticating any electronic filing. In the event that the
description of the collateral in any financing statement naming
Agent or its designee as the secured party and any Borrower or
Guarantor as debtor includes assets and properties of such Borrower
or Guarantor that do not at any time constitute Collateral, whether
hereunder, under any of the other Financing Agreements or
otherwise, the filing of such financing statement shall nonetheless
be deemed authorized by such Borrower or Guarantor to the extent of
the Collateral included in such description and it shall not render
the financing statement ineffective as to any of the Collateral or
otherwise affect the financing statement as it applies to any of
the Collateral. In no event shall any Borrower or Guarantor at any
time file, or permit or cause to be filed, any correction statement
or termination statement with respect to any financing statement
(or amendment or continuation with respect thereto) naming Agent or
its designee as secured party and such Borrower or Guarantor as
debtor.
(b) Each Borrower and Guarantor does not have any chattel
paper (whether tangible or electronic) or instruments as of the
date hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate. In
the event that any Borrower or Guarantor shall be entitled to or
shall receive any chattel paper or instrument after the date
hereof, Borrowers and Guarantors shall promptly notify Agent
thereof in writing. Promptly upon the receipt thereof by or on
behalf of any Borrower or Guarantor (including by any agent or
representative), such Borrower or Guarantor shall deliver, or cause
to be delivered to Agent, all tangible chattel paper and
instruments that such Borrower or Guarantor has or may at any time
acquire, accompanied by such instruments of transfer or assignment
duly executed in blank as Agent may from time to time specify, in
each case except as Agent may otherwise agree. At Agent's option,
each Borrower and Guarantor shall, or Agent may at any time on
behalf of any Borrower or Guarantor, cause the original of any such
instrument or chattel paper to be conspicuously marked in a form
and manner acceptable to Agent with the following legend referring
to chattel paper or instruments as applicable: "This [chattel
paper][instrument] is subject to the security interest of Congress
Financial Corporation and any sale, transfer, assignment or
encumbrance of this [chattel paper][instrument] violates the rights
of such secured party."
(c) In the event that any
Borrower or Guarantor shall at any time hold or acquire an interest
in any electronic chattel paper or any "transferable record" (as
such term is defined in
51
Section 201 of the Federal
Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act or in
Section 16 of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act as in effect
in any relevant jurisdiction), such Borrower or Guarantor shall
promptly notify Agent thereof in writing. Promptly upon Agent's
request, such Borrower or Guarantor shall take, or cause to be
taken, such actions as Agent may request to give Agent control of
such electronic chattel paper under Section 9-105 of the UCC and
control of such transferable record under Section 201 of the
Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act
or, as the case may be, Section 16 of the Uniform Electronic
Transactions Act, as in effect in such jurisdiction.
(d) Each Borrower and Guarantor does not have any deposit
accounts as of the date hereof, except as set forth in the
Information Certificate. Borrowers and Guarantors shall not,
directly or indirectly, after the date hereof open, establish or
maintain any deposit account unless each of the following
conditions is satisfied: (i) Agent shall have received not less
than five (5) Business Days prior written notice of the intention
of any Borrower or Guarantor to open or establish such account
which notice shall specify in reasonable detail and specificity
acceptable to Agent the name of the account, the owner of the
account, the name and address of the bank at which such account is
to be opened or established, the individual at such bank with whom
such Borrower or Guarantor is dealing and the purpose of the
account, (ii) the bank where such account is opened or maintained
shall be acceptable to Agent, and (iii) on or before the opening of
such deposit account, such Borrower or Guarantor shall as Agent may
specify either (A) deliver to Agent a Deposit Account Control
Agreement with respect to such deposit account duly authorized,
executed and delivered by such Borrower or Guarantor and the bank
at which such deposit account is opened and maintained The terms of
this subsection (d) shall not apply to deposit accounts
specifically and exclusively used for payroll, payroll taxes and
other employee wage and benefit payments to or for the benefit of
any Borrower's or Guarantor's salaried employees or deposit
accounts for which a Deposit Account Control Agreement is not
required pursuant to Section 6.3.
(e) No Borrower or Guarantor owns or holds, directly or
indirectly, beneficially or as record owner or both, any investment
property, as of the date hereof, or have any investment account,
securities account, commodity account or other similar account with
any bank or other financial institution or other securities
intermediary or commodity intermediary as of the date hereof, in
each case except as set forth in the Information Certificate.
(i) In the event that any
Borrower or Guarantor shall be entitled to or shall at any time
after the date hereof hold or acquire any certificated securities,
such Borrower or Guarantor shall promptly endorse, assign and
deliver the same to Agent, accompanied by such instruments of
transfer or assignment duly executed in blank as Agent may from
time to time specify. If any securities, now or hereafter acquired
by any Borrower or Guarantor are uncertificated and are issued to
such Borrower or Guarantor or its nominee directly by the issuer
thereof, such Borrower or Guarantor shall immediately notify Agent
thereof and cause the issuer to agree to comply with instructions
from Agent as to such securities, without further consent of any
Borrower or Guarantor or such nominee.
(ii) Borrowers and Guarantors shall not, directly or
indirectly, after the date hereof open, establish or maintain any
investment account, securities account, commodity account or any
other similar account (other than a deposit account) with any
securities
52
intermediary or commodity
intermediary unless each of the following conditions is satisfied:
(A) Agent shall have received not less than five (5) Business Days
prior written notice of the intention of such Borrower or Guarantor
to open or establish such account which notice shall specify in
reasonable detail and specificity acceptable to Agent the name of
the account, the owner of the account, the name and address of the
securities intermediary or commodity intermediary at which such
account is to be opened or established, the individual at such
intermediary with whom such Borrower or Guarantor is dealing and
the purpose of the account, (B) the securities intermediary or
commodity intermediary (as the case may be) where such account is
opened or maintained shall be acceptable to Agent, and (C) on or
before the opening of such investment account, securities account
or other similar account with a securities intermediary or
commodity intermediary, such Borrower or Guarantor shall execute
and deliver, and cause to be executed and delivered to Agent, an
Investment Property Control Agreement with respect thereto duly
authorized, executed and delivered by such Borrower or Guarantor
and such securities intermediary or commodity intermediary.
(f) Borrowers and Guarantors are not the beneficiary or
otherwise entitled to any right to payment under any letter of
credit, banker's acceptance or similar instrument as of the date
hereof, except as set forth in the Information Certificate. In the
event that any Borrower or Guarantor shall be entitled to or shall
receive any right to payment under any letter of credit, banker's
acceptance or any similar instrument, whether as beneficiary
thereof or otherwise after the date hereof, such Borrower or
Guarantor shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing. Such
Borrower or Guarantor shall immediately, as Agent may specify,
either (i) deliver, or cause to be delivered to Agent, with respect
to any such letter of credit, banker's acceptance or similar
instrument, the written agreement of the issuer and any other
nominated person obligated to make any payment in respect thereof
(including any confirming or negotiating bank), in form and
substance satisfactory to Agent, consenting to the assignment of
the proceeds of the letter of credit to Agent by such Borrower or
Guarantor and agreeing to make all payments thereon directly to
Agent or as Agent may otherwise direct or (ii) cause Agent to
become, at Borrowers' expense, the transferee beneficiary of the
letter of credit, banker's acceptance or similar instrument (as the
case may be).
(g) Borrowers and Guarantors do
not have any commercial tort claims as of the date hereof, except
as set forth in the Information Certificate. In the event that any
Borrower or Guarantor shall at any time after the date hereof have
any commercial tort claims, such Borrower or Guarantor shall
promptly notify Agent thereof in writing, which notice shall (i)
set forth in reasonable detail the basis for and nature of such
commercial tort claim and (ii) include the express grant by such
Borrower or Guarantor to Agent of a security interest in such
commercial tort claim (and the proceeds thereof). In the event that
such notice does not include such grant of a security interest, the
sending thereof by such Borrower or Guarantor to Agent shall be
deemed to constitute such grant to Agent. Upon the sending of such
notice, any commercial tort claim described therein shall
constitute part of the Collateral and shall be deemed included
therein. Without limiting the authorization of Agent provided in
Section 5.2(a) hereof or otherwise arising by the execution by such
Borrower or Guarantor of this Agreement or any of the other
Financing Agreements, Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized from
time to time and at any time to file such financing statements
naming Agent or its designee as secured party and such Borrower or
Guarantor as debtor, or any amendments to any financing statements,
covering any such commercial tort claim as Collateral. In addition,
each Borrower and Guarantor shall
53
promptly upon Agent's request,
execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to
Agent such other agreements, documents and instruments as Agent may
require in connection with such commercial tort claim.
(h) Borrowers and Guarantors do not have any goods,
documents of title or other Collateral in the custody, control or
possession of a third party as of the date hereof, except as set
forth in the Information Certificate and except for goods located
in the United States in transit to a location of a Borrower or
Guarantor permitted herein in the ordinary course of business of
such Borrower or Guarantor in the possession of the carrier
transporting such goods. In the event that any goods, documents of
title or other Collateral are at any time after the date hereof in
the custody, control or possession of any other person not referred
to in the Information Certificate or such carriers, Borrowers and
Guarantors shall promptly notify Agent thereof in writing. Promptly
upon Agent's request, Borrowers and Guarantors shall deliver to
Agent a Collateral Access Agreement duly authorized, executed and
delivered by such person and the Borrower or Guarantor that is the
owner of such Collateral.
(i) Borrowers and Guarantors shall take any other actions
reasonably requested by Agent from time to time to cause the
attachment, perfection and first priority of, and the ability of
Agent to enforce, the security interest of Agent in any and all of
the Collateral, including, without limitation, (i) executing,
delivering and, where appropriate, filing financing statements and
amendments relating thereto under the UCC or other applicable law,
to the extent, if any, that any Borrower's or Guarantor's signature
thereon is required therefor, (ii) causing Agent's name to be noted
as secured party on any certificate of title for a titled good if
such notation is a condition to attachment, perfection or priority
of, or ability of Agent to enforce, the security interest of Agent
in such Collateral, (iii) complying with any provision of any
statute, regulation or treaty of the United States as to any
Collateral if compliance with such provision is a condition to
attachment, perfection or priority of, or ability of Agent to
enforce, the security interest of Agent in such Collateral, (iv)
obtaining the consents and approvals of any Governmental Authority
or third party, including, without limitation, any consent of any
licensor, lessor or other person obligated on Collateral, and
taking all actions required by any earlier versions of the UCC or
by other law, as applicable in any relevant jurisdiction.
SECTION 6 COLLECTION AND ADMINISTRATION
6.1 Borrowers' Loan
Accounts . Agent shall maintain one or more loan account(s) on
its books in which shall be recorded (a) all Loans, Letter of
Credit Accommodations and other Obligations and the Collateral, (b)
all payments made by or on behalf of any Borrower or Guarantor and
(c) all other appropriate debits and credits as provided in this
Agreement, including fees, charges, costs, expenses and interest.
All entries in the loan account(s) shall be made in accordance with
Agent's customary practices as in effect from time to time.
6.2 Statements . Agent shall render to Lead Borrower each
month a statement setting forth the balance in the Borrowers' loan
account(s) maintained by Agent for Borrowers pursuant to the
provisions of this Agreement, including principal, interest, fees,
costs and expenses. Each such statement shall be subject to
subsequent adjustment by Agent but shall, absent manifest errors or
omissions, be considered correct and deemed accepted by Borrowers
and Guarantors and conclusively binding upon Borrowers and
Guarantors as an account stated except to the
54
extent that Agent receives a
written notice from Lead Borrower of any specific exceptions of
Lead Borrower thereto within forty-five (45) days after the date
such statement has been received by Parent. Until such time as
Agent shall have rendered to Lead Borrower a written statement as
provided above, the balance in any Borrower's loan account(s) shall
be presumptive evidence of the amounts due and owing to Agent and
Lenders by Borrowers and Guarantors.
6.3 Collection of
Accounts .
(a) Each Borrower and Guarantor shall establish and
maintain, at its expense, deposit account arrangements and merchant
payment arrangements with the banks set forth on Schedule 8.10 to
the Information Certificate and subject to Section 5.2(d) hereof
such other banks as such Borrower or Guarantor may hereafter
select. The banks set forth on Schedule 8.10 to the Information
Certificate constitute all of the banks with which Borrowers and
Guarantors have deposit account arrangements and merchant payment
arrangements as of the date hereof and identifies each of the
deposit accounts at such banks that are used solely for receiving
store receipts from a retail store location of a Borrower (together
with any other deposit accounts at any time established or used by
any Borrower for receiving such store receipts from any retail
store location, collectively, the "Store Accounts" and each
individually, a "Store Account") or otherwise describes the nature
of the use of such deposit account by such Borrower.
(i) Each Borrower shall
deposit all proceeds from sales of Inventory in every form,
including, without limitation, cash, checks, credit card sales
drafts, credit card sales or charge slips or receipts and other
forms of daily store receipts, from each retail store location of
such Borrower (other than Medicare Accounts and Medicaid Accounts)
into the Store Account of such Borrower used solely for such
purpose in accordance with the current practices of such Borrower
as of the date hereof, but in any event no less frequently than
once every three (3) Business Days; provided , that ,
each retail store of a Borrower may retain in such store funds of
up to $15,000 immediately after each deposit of funds from such
store into the applicable Store Account. All such funds deposited
into the Store Accounts shall be sent by wire transfer or other
electronic funds transfer on each Business Day to the Blocked
Accounts as provided in Section 6.3(a)(ii) below, except nominal
amounts which are required to be maintained in such Store Accounts
under the terms of such Borrower's arrangements with the bank at
which such Store Accounts are maintained (which amounts, together
with all amounts held at the retail store locations and not yet
deposited in the Store Accounts, shall not in the aggregate exceed
$5,000,000 at any one time, except to the extent from time
to time additional amounts may be held in the retail stores or the
Store Accounts on Saturday, Sunday or other days where the
applicable depository bank is closed, which additional amounts are
to be, and shall be, transferred on the next Business Day to the
Blocked Accounts) and except as Agent may otherwise agree.
(ii) Within thirty (30) days after the date hereof, each
Borrower shall establish and maintain a separate lockbox and
related deposit account into which such Borrower shall promptly
deposit, and shall direct each Fiscal Intermediary or other Third
Party Payor in accordance with the applicable Medicare and Medicaid
regulations to directly remit, all payments in respect of any
Medicare Accounts or Medicaid Accounts. Such separate lockboxes and
related deposit accounts shall only be used for purposes of
receiving payments in respect of Medicare Accounts and Medicaid
Accounts and shall be under the sole control of the applicable
55
Borrower; provided ,
that , (A) Borrowers shall authorize, direct and instruct
the depository banks at which such separate lockboxes and deposit
accounts are maintained to remit by federal funds wire transfer all
funds received or deposited into such lockboxes and related deposit
accounts amounts on deposit in such accounts on a daily basis to
one of the Blocked Accounts or such bank account of Agent as Agent
may from time to time designate for such purpose, which
instructions by Borrowers to such banks may only be changed after
not less than three (3) Business Days' prior written notice to such
banks and Agent and (B) any change in such instructions without the
prior written consent of Agent shall be an Event of Default
hereunder.
(iii) Each Borrower shall
establish and maintain, at its expense, deposit accounts with such
banks as are reasonably acceptable to Agent (the "Blocked
Accounts") into which each Borrower shall promptly either cause all
amounts on deposit in the Store Accounts of such Borrower to be
sent as provided in Section 6.3(a)(i) above or shall itself deposit
or cause to be deposited all proceeds of Receivables or other
Collateral, including all proceeds from sales of Inventory, all
amounts payable to each Borrower from Credit Card Issuers and
Credit Card Processors and all other proceeds of Collateral (but
not including payments of Medicare Accounts or Medicaid Accounts
that are sent to the separate lockbox and related deposit accounts
established pursuant to clause (ii) above).
(iv) Borrowers and Guarantors shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered to Agent a Deposit Account Control Agreement duly
authorized, executed and delivered by each bank where a Blocked
Account is maintained as provided in Section 5.2 hereof. At any
time a Default or an Event of Default shall exist or have occurred
and be continuing, promptly upon Agent's request, Borrowers and
Guarantors shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Agent a
Deposit Account Control Agreement duly authorized, executed and
delivered by such banks where a Store Account is maintained as
Agent shall specify. Without limiting any other rights or remedies
of Agent or Lenders, Agent may, at its option, instruct the
depository banks at which the Blocked Accounts are maintained to
transfer all available funds received or deposited into the Blocked
Accounts to the Agent Payment Account at any time that either: (A)
an Event of Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing,
or (B) at any time prior to December 31, 2004, Excess Availability
is less than $20,000,000 or at any time on and after December 31,
2004, Excess Availability is less than $30,000,000. Without
limiting any other rights or remedies of Agent or Lenders, in the
event that a Deposit Account Control Agreement is in effect for a
Store Account, then Agent may, at its option, instruct the
depository bank at which the Store Account is maintained to
transfer all available funds received or deposited into the Store
Account to the Agent Payment Account at any time that an Event of
Default shall exist or have occurred and be continuing. As to the
Blocked Accounts or the Store Accounts, as the case may be, Agent
shall send to Lead Borrower a copy of any such written instruction
sent by Agent to the depository bank promptly thereafter. In the
event that at any time ninety (90) days after Agent has instructed
such depository banks to transfer such funds to the Agent Payment
Account, the Monthly Average Excess Availability for any calendar
month commencing after the end of such ninety (90) day period is
greater than $20,000,000 for any month ending on or before December
31, 2004 or $30,000,000 for any month ending thereafter and so long
as no Event of Default exist or have occurred, upon Lead Borrower's
written request received by Agent within five (5) Business Days
after the satisfaction of such conditions, Agent shall rescind its
prior instructions and give new instructions to such depository
banks to transfer the funds on deposit in such accounts to such
operating deposit account of Borrowers and Guarantors as Lead
Borrower may
56
specify in writing to Agent
until such time as Agent is entitled to notify and shall notify the
depository bank otherwise as provided above. At all times that
Agent shall have notified any depository bank to transfer funds
from a Blocked Account or Store Account to the Agent Payment
Account, all payments made to such Blocked Accounts or Store
Accounts, whether in respect of the Receivables, as proceeds of
Inventory or other Collateral or otherwise shall be treated as
payments to Agent in respect of the Obligations and therefore shall
constitute the property of Agent and Lenders to the extent of the
then outstanding Obligations.
(b) For purposes of calculating the amount of the Loans
available to each Borrower, such payments will be applied
(conditional upon final collection) to the Obligations on the
Business Day of receipt by Agent of immediately available funds in
the Agent Payment Account provided such payments and notice thereof
are received in accordance with Agent's usual and customary
practices as in effect from time to time and within sufficient time
to credit the applicable loan account on such day, and if not, then
on the next Business Day. For the purposes of calculating interest
on the Obligations, such payments or other funds received will be
applied (conditional upon final collection) to the Obligations one
(1) Business Day following the date of receipt of immediately
available funds by Agent in the Agent Payment Account provided such
payments or other funds and notice thereof are received in
accordance with Agent's usual and customary practices as in effect
from time to time and within sufficient time to credit the
applicable loan account on such day, and if not, then on the next
Business Day. In the event that at any time or from time to time
there are no Loans outstanding or the amounts on deposit in the
Blocked Accounts are not being remitted to the Agent Payment
Account, Agent shall be entitled to an administrative fee in an
amount calculated based on the Interest Rate for Eurodollar Rate
Loans (on a per annum basis) then in effect multiplied by the
amount of the funds received in the Blocked Account for such day in
accordance with the customary practice of Agent. The economic
benefit of the timing in the application of payments (and the
administrative fee with respect thereto, if applicable) shall be
for the sole benefit of Agent.
(c) Each Borrower and Guarantor and their respective
employees, agents and Subsidiaries shall, acting as trustee for
Agent, receive, as the property of Agent, any monies, checks,
notes, drafts or any other payment relating to and/or proceeds of
Accounts or other Collateral which come into their possession or
under their control and promptly upon receipt thereof, shall
deposit or cause the same to be deposited in the Blocked Accounts,
or remit the same or cause the same to be remitted, in kind, to
Agent. In no event shall the same be commingled with any Borrower's
or Guarantor's own funds. Borrowers agree to reimburse Agent on
demand for any amounts owed or paid to any bank or other financial
institution at which a Blocked Account or any other deposit account
or investment account is established or any other bank, financial
institution or other person involved in the transfer of funds to or
from the Blocked Accounts arising out of Agent's payments to or
indemnification of such bank, financial institution or other
person. The obligations of Borrowers to reimburse Agent for such
amounts pursuant to this Section 6.3 shall survive the termination
of this Agreement.
6.4 Payments .
(a) All Obligations shall be
payable to the Agent Payment Account as provided in Section 6.3 or
such other place as Agent may designate from time to time. Agent
shall apply payments received or collected from any Borrower or
Guarantor or for the account of any
57
Borrower or Guarantor
(including the monetary proceeds of collections or of realization
upon any Collateral) as follows: first , to pay any fees,
indemnities or expense reimbursements then due to Agent and Lenders
from any Borrower or Guarantor; second , to pay interest due
in respect of any Loans (and including any Special Agent Advances);
third , to pay principal in respect of Special Agent
Advances; fourth , to pay principal in respect of the Loans
and to pay or prepay Obligations arising under or pursuant to any
Interest Rate Protection Agreements of a Borrower or Guarantor with
an Affiliate of Agent (up to the amount of any then effective
Reserve established in respect of such Obligations), on a
pro rata basis; fifth , to pay or prepay any
other Obligations whether or not then due, in such order and manner
as Agent determines or to be held as cash collateral in connection
with any Letter of Credit Accommodations or other contingent
Obligations (but not including for this purpose any Obligations
arising under or pursuant to any Interest Rate Protection
Agreements) and sixth , to pay or prepay any Obligations
arising under or pursuant to Interest Rate Protection Agreements
(other than to the extent provided for above) on a pro
rata basis. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Agreement, (i) unless so directed by Lead
Borrower, or unless a Default or an Event of Default shall exist or
have occurred and be continuing, Agent shall not apply any payments
which it receives to any Eurodollar Rate Loans, except (A) on the
expiration date of the Interest Period applicable to any such
Eurodollar Rate Loans or (B) in the event that there are no
outstanding Prime Rate Loans and (ii) to the extent any Borrower
uses any proceeds of the Loans or Letter of Credit Accommodations
to acquire rights in or the use of any Collateral or to repay any
Indebtedness used to acquire rights in or the use of any
Collateral, payments in respect of the Obligations shall be deemed
applied first to the Obligations arising from Loans and Letter of
Credit Accommodations that were not used for such purposes and
second to the Obligations arising from Loans and Letter of Credit
Accommodations the proceeds of which were used to acquire rights in
or the use of any Collateral in the chronological order in which
such Borrower acquired such rights in or the use of such
Collateral.
(b) At Agent's option, all principal, interest, fees, costs,
expenses and other charges provided for in this Agreement or the
other Financing Agreements may be charged directly to the loan
account(s) of any Borrower maintained by Agent. Borrowers and
Guarantors shall make all payments to Agent and Lenders on the
Obligations free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding
for or on account of, any setoff, counterclaim, defense, duties,
taxes, levies, imposts, fees, deductions, withholding, restrictions
or conditions of any kind. If after receipt of any payment of, or
proceeds of Collateral applied to the payment of, any of the
Obligations, Agent or any Lender is required to surrender or return
such payment or proceeds to any Person for any reason, then the
Obligations intended to be satisfied by such payment or proceeds
shall be reinstated and continue and this Agreement shall continue
in full force and effect as if such payment or proceeds had not
been received by Agent or such Lender. Borrowers and Guarantors
shall be liable to pay to Agent, and do hereby indemnify and hold
Agent and Lenders harmless for the amount of any payments or
proceeds surrendered or returned. This Section 6.4(b) shall remain
effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may be taken by
Agent or any Lender in reliance upon such payment or proceeds. This
Section 6.4 shall survive the payment of the Obligations and the
termination of this Agreement.
6.5 Authorization to Make Loans . Agent and Lenders are
authorized to make the Loans and provide the Letter of Credit
Accommodations based upon telephonic or other instructions received
from anyone purporting to be the chief financial officer, vice
president of finance,
58
treasurer, assistant treasurer,
director of finance, controller of Parent or other authorized
person designated by any of such persons from time to time to Agent
or, at the discretion of Agent, if such Loans are necessary to
satisfy any Obligations. All requests for Loans or Letter of Credit
Accommodations hereunder shall specify the date on which the
requested advance is to be made or Letter of Credit Accommodations
established (which day shall be a Business Day) and the amount of
the requested Loan. Requests received after 11:00 a.m. Chicago time
on any day shall be deemed to have been made as of the opening of
business on the immediately following Business Day. All Loans and
Letter of Credit Accommodations under this Agreement shall be
conclusively presumed to have been made to, and at the request of
and for the benefit of, any Borrower or Guarantor when deposited to
the credit of any Borrower or Guarantor or otherwise disbursed or
established in accordance with the instructions of any Borrower or
Guarantor or in accordance with the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
6.6 Use of Proceeds .
Borrowers shall use the initial proceeds of the Loans provided by
Agent to Borrowers hereunder only for: (a) payments to each of the
persons listed in the disbursement direction letter furnished by
Borrowers to Agent on or about the date hereof and (b) costs,
expenses and fees in connection with the preparation, negotiation,
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Financing
Agreements. All other Loans made or Letter of Credit Accommodations
provided to or for the benefit of any Borrower pursuant to the
provisions hereof shall be used by such Borrower only for general
operating, working capital and other proper corporate purposes of
such Borrower not otherwise prohibited by the terms hereof. None of
the proceeds will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose
of purchasing or carrying any margin security or for the purposes
of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally
incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other
purpose which might cause any of the Loans to be considered a
"purpose credit" within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as amended.
6.7 Appointment of Parent
as Lead Borrower for Requesting Loans and Receipts of Loans and
Statements .
(a) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints and
constitutes Lead Borrower to request and receive Loans and Letter
of Credit Accommodations pursuant to this Agreement and the other
Financing Agreements from Agent or any Lender in the name or on
behalf of such Borrower, to select the applicable Interest Rate for
any such Loans or to take other actions contemplated as being taken
by any Borrower under this Agreement or any of the other Financing
Agreements. Agent and Lenders may disburse the Loans to such bank
account of Lead Borrower or a Borrower or otherwise make such Loans
to a Borrower and provide such Letter of Credit Accommodations to a
Borrower as Lead Borrower may designate or direct, without notice
to any other Borrower or Obligor. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, Agent and Lead Borrower may at any time
and from time to time require that Loans to or for the account of
any Borrower be disbursed directly to an operating account of such
Borrower.
(b) Lead Borrower hereby accepts
the appointment by Borrowers to act for and on behalf of the other
Borrowers pursuant to this Section 6.7. Lead Borrower shall ensure
that the disbursement of any Loans to each Borrower requested by or
paid to or for the account of Parent,
59
or the issuance of any Letter
of Credit Accommodations for a Borrower hereunder, shall be paid to
or for the account of such Borrower.
(c) Each other Borrower and Guarantor hereby irrevocably
appoints and constitutes Lead Borrower to receive statements on
account and all other notices from Agent and Lenders with respect
to the Obligations or otherwise under or in connection with this
Agreement and the other Financing Agreements and any statements or
notices sent to or received by Lead Borrower shall be deemed
received by each of the other Borrowers and Guarantors.
(d) Any notice, election, representation, warranty,
agreement or undertaking by or on behalf of any other Borrower or
any Guarantor by Lead Borrower shall be deemed for all purposes to
have been made by such Borrower or Guarantor, as the case may be,
and shall be binding upon and enforceable against such Borrower or
Guarantor to the same extent as if made directly by such Borrower
of Guarantor.
(e) No purported termination of the appointment of Lead
Borrower as agent as aforesaid shall be effective, except after ten
(10) days' prior written notice to Agent.
6.8 Pro Rata Treatment
. Except to the extent otherwise provided in this Agreement: (a)
the making and conversion of Loans shall be made among the Lenders
based on their respective Pro Rata Shares as to the Loans and (b)
each payment on account of any Obligations to or for the account of
one or more of Lenders in respect of any Obligations due on a
particular day shall be allocated among the Lenders entitled to
such payments based on their respective Pro Rata Shares and shall
be distributed accordingly.
6.9 Sharing of Payments,
Etc .
(a) Each Borrower and Guarantor agrees that, in addition to
(and without limitation of) any right of setoff, banker's lien or
counterclaim Agent or any Lender may otherwise have, each Lender
shall be entitled, at its option (but subject, as among Agent and
Lenders, to the provisions of Section 12.3(b) hereof), to offset
balances held by it for the account of such Borrower or Guarantor
at any of its offices, in dollars or in any other currency, against
any principal of or interest on any Loans owed to such Lender or
any other amount payable to such Lender hereunder, that is not paid
when due (regardless of whether such balances are then due to such
Borrower or Guarantor), in which case it shall promptly notify Lead
Borrower and Agent thereof; provided , that , such
Lender's failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity
thereof.
(b) If any Lender (including
Agent) shall obtain from any Borrower or Guarantor payment of any
principal of or interest on any Loan owing to it or payment of any
other amount under this Agreement or any of the other Financing
Agreements through the exercise of any right of setoff, banker's
lien or counterclaim or similar right or otherwise (other than from
Agent as provided herein), and, as a result of such payment, such
Lender shall have received more than its Pro Rata Share of the
principal of the Loans or more than its share of such other amounts
then due hereunder or thereunder by any Borrower or Guarantor to
such Lender than the percentage thereof received by any other
Lender, it shall promptly pay to Agent, for the benefit of Lenders,
the amount of such excess and simultaneously purchase from such
other Lenders a participation
60
in the Loans or such other
amounts, respectively, owing to such other Lenders (or such
interest due thereon, as the case may be) in such amounts, and make
such other adjustments from time to time as shall be equitable, to
the end that all Lenders shall share the benefit of such excess
payment (net of any expenses that may be incurred by such Lender in
obtaining or preserving such excess payment) in accordance with
their respective Pro Rata Shares or as otherwise agreed by Lenders.
To such end all Lenders shall make appropriate adjustments among
themselves (by the resale of participation sold or otherwise) if
such payment is rescinded or must otherwise be restored.
(c) Each Borrower and Guarantor agrees that any Lender
purchasing a participation (or direct interest) as provided in this
Section may exercise, in a manner consistent with this Section, all
rights of setoff, banker's lien, counterclaim or similar rights
with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were
a direct holder of Loans or other amounts (as the case may be)
owing to such Lender in the amount of such participation.
(d) Nothing contained herein shall require any Lender to
exercise any right of setoff, banker's lien, counterclaims or
similar rights or shall affect the right of any Lender to exercise,
and retain the benefits of exercising, any such right with respect
to any other Indebtedness or obligation of any Borrower or
Guarantor. If, under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar law, any Lender receives a secured claim in lieu of a
setoff to which this Section applies, such Lender shall, to the
extent practicable, assign such rights to Agent for the benefit of
Lenders and, in any event, exercise its rights in respect of such
secured claim in a manner consistent with the rights of Lenders
entitled under this Section to share in the benefits of any
recovery on such secured claim.
6.10 Settlement
Procedures .
(a) In order to administer the Credit Facility in an
efficient manner and to minimize the transfer of funds between
Agent and Lenders, Agent may, at its option, subject to the terms
of this Section, make available, on behalf of Lenders, the full
amount of the Loans requested or charged to any Borrower's loan
account(s) or otherwise to be advanced by Lenders pursuant to the
terms hereof, without requirement of prior notice to Lenders of the
proposed Loans.
(b) With respect to all Loans
made by Agent on behalf of Lenders as provided in this Section, the
amount of each Lender's Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans
shall be computed weekly, and shall be adjusted upward or downward
on the basis of the amount of the outstanding Loans as of 5:00 p.m.
Chicago time on the Business Day immediately preceding the date of
each settlement computation; provided , that , Agent
retains the absolute right at any time or from time to time to make
the above described adjustments at intervals more frequent than
weekly, but in no event more than twice in any week. Agent shall
deliver to each of the Lenders after the end of each week, or at
such lesser period or periods as Agent shall determine, a summary
statement of the amount of outstanding Loans for such period (such
week or lesser period or periods being hereinafter referred to as a
"Settlement Period"). If the summary statement is sent by Agent and
received by a Lender prior to 12:00 p.m. Chicago time, then such
Lender shall make the settlement transfer described in this Section
by no later than 3:00 p.m. Chicago time on the same Business Day
and if received by a Lender after 12:00 p.m. Chicago
61
time, then such Lender shall
make the settlement transfer by not later than 3:00 p.m. Chicago
time on the next Business Day following the date of receipt. If, as
of the end of any Settlement Period, the amount of a Lender's Pro
Rata Share of the outstanding Loans is more than such Lender's Pro
Rata Share of the outstanding Loans as of the end of the previous
Settlement Period, then such Lender shall forthwith (but in no
event later than the time set forth in the preceding sentence)
transfer to Agent by wire transfer in immediately available funds
the amount of the increase. Alternatively, if the amount of a
Lender's Pro Rata Share of the outstanding Loans in any Settlement
Period is less than the amount of such Lender's Pro Rata Share of
the outstanding Loans for the previous Settlement Period, Agent
shall forthwith transfer to such Lender by wire transfer in
immediately available funds the amount of the decrease. The
obligation of each of the Lenders to transfer such funds and effect
such settlement shall be irrevocable and unconditional and without
recourse to or warranty by Agent. Agent and each Lender agrees to
mark its books and records at the end of each Settlement Period to
show at all times the dollar amount of its Pro Rata Share of the
outstanding Loans and Letter of Credit Accommodations. Each Lender
shall only be entitled to receive interest on its Pro Rata Share of
the Loans to the extent such Loans have been funded by such Lender.
Because the Agent on behalf of Lenders may be advancing and/or may
be repaid Loans prior to the time when Lenders will actually
advance and/or be repaid such Loans, interest with respect to Loans
shall be allocated by Agent in accordance with the amount of Loans
actually advanced by and repaid to each Lender and the Agent and
shall accrue from and including the date such Loans are so advanced
to but excluding the date such Loans are either repaid by Borrowers
or actually settled with the applicable Lender as described in this
Section.
(c) To the extent that Agent has made any such amounts
available and the settlement described above shall not yet have
occurred, upon repayment of any Loans by a Borrower, Agent may
apply such amounts repaid directly to any amounts made available by
Agent pursuant to this Section. In lieu of weekly or more frequent
settlements, Agent may, at its option, at any time require each
Lender to provide Agent with immediately available funds
representing its Pro Rata Share of each Loan, prior to Agent's
disbursement of such Loan to Borrower. In such event, all Loans
under this Agreement shall be made by the Lenders simultaneously
and proportionately to their Pro Rata Shares. No Lender shall be
responsible for any default by any other Lender in the other
Lender's obligation to make a Loan requested hereunder nor shall
the Commitment of any Lender be increased or decreased as a result
of the default by any other Lender in the other Lender's obligation
to make a Loan hereunder.
(d) If Agent is not funding a
particular Loan to or for the benefit of a Borrower pursuant to
Sections 6.10(a) and 6.10(b) on any day, but is requiring each
Lender to provide Agent with immediately available funds on the
date of such Loan, Agent may assume that each Lender will make
available to Agent such Lender's Pro Rata Share of the Loan
requested or otherwise made on such day and Agent may, in its
discretion, but shall not be obligated to, cause a corresponding
amount to be made available to or for the benefit of such Borrower
on such day. If Agent makes such corresponding amount available to
a Borrower and such corresponding amount is not in fact made
available to Agent by such Lender, Agent shall be entitled to
recover such corresponding amount on demand from such Lender
together with interest thereon for each day from the date such
payment was due until the date such amount is paid to Agent at the
Federal Funds Rate for each day during such period (as published by
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or at Agent's option based on
the arithmetic mean determined by Agent of the rates
62
for the last transaction in
overnight Federal funds arranged prior to 9:00 a.m. (New York City
time) on that day by each of the three leading brokers of Federal
funds transactions in New York City selected by Agent) and if such
amounts are not paid within three (3) days of Agent's demand, at
the highest Interest Rate provided for in Section 3.1 hereof
applicable to Prime Rate Loans. During the period in which such
Lender has not paid such corresponding amount to Agent,
notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement or any of the other Financing Agreements, the amount so
advanced by Agent to or for the benefit of any Borrower shall, for
all purposes hereof, be a Loan made by Agent for its own account.
Upon any such failure by a Lender to pay Agent, Agent shall
promptly thereafter notify Lead Borrower of such failure and
Borrowers shall pay such corresponding amount to Agent for its own
account within five (5) Business Days of Lead Borrower's receipt of
such notice. A Lender who fails to pay Agent its Pro Rata Share of
any Loans made available by the Agent on such Lender's behalf, or
any Lender who fails to pay any other amount owing by it to Agent,
is a "Defaulting Lender". Agent shall not be obligated to transfer
to a Defaulting Lender any payments received by Agent for the
Defaulting Lender's benefit, nor shall a Defaulting Lender be
entitled to the sharing of any payments hereunder (including any
principal, interest or fees). Amounts payable to a Defaulting
Lender shall instead be paid to or retained by Agent. Agent may
hold and, in its discretion, relend to a Borrower the amount of all
such payments received or retained by it for the account of such
Defaulting Lender. For purposes of voting or consenting to matters
with respect to this Agreement and the other Financing Agreements
and determining Pro Rata Shares, such Defaulting Lender shall be
deemed not to be a "Lender" and such Lender's Commitment shall be
deemed to be zero (0). This Section shall remain effective with
respect to a Defaulting Lender until such default is cured. The
operation of this Section shall not be construed to increase or
otherwise affect the Commitment of any Lender, or relieve or excuse
the performance by any Borrower or Obligor of their duties and
obligations hereunder.
(e) Lead Borrower and Agent
shall have the right, but not the obligation, at any time that
there is a Defaulting Lender, and upon the exercise by either Lead
Borrower or Agent of such right, such Defaulting Lender shall have
the obligation, to sell, assign and transfer to an Eligible
Transferee designated by Lead Borrower and approved by Agent or
designated by Agent, the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender and
all rights and interests of such Defaulting Lender pursuant
thereto. Lead Borrower or Agent, as the case may be, shall provide
the Defaulting Lender (and the Lead Borrower or the Agent as the
case may be) with prior written notice of its intent to exercise
its right under this Section, which notice shall specify the date
on which such purchase and sale shall occur. Such purchase and sale
shall be pursuant to the terms of an Assignment and Acceptance
(whether or not executed by the Defaulting Lender), except that on
the date of such purchase and sale, the Eligible Transferee
specified by Lead Borrower and approved by Agent or Agent, shall
pay to the Defaulting Lender (except as Agent and such Defaulting
Lender may otherwise agree) the amount equal to: (i) the principal
balance of the Loans held by the Defaulting Lender outstanding as
of the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding
the effective date of such purchase and sale, plus (ii) amounts
accrued and unpaid in respect of interest and fees payable to the
Defaulting Lender to the effective date of the purchase (but in no
event shall the Defaulting Lender be deemed entitled to any early
termination fee), minus (iii) the amount of the closing fee
received by the Defaulting Lender pursuant to the terms hereof or
of any of the other Financing Agreements multiplied by the
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months remaining
in the then current term of the Credit Facility and the denominator
of which is the number of months in the then current
63
term thereof. Such purchase and
sale shall be effective on the date of the payment of such amount
to the Defaulting Lender and the Commitment of the Defaulting
Lender shall terminate on such date.
(f) Nothing in this Section or elsewhere in this Agreement
or the other Financing Agreements shall be deemed to require Agent
to advance funds on behalf of any Lender or to relieve any Lender
from its obligation to fulfill its Commitment hereunder or to
prejudice any rights that any Borrower may have against any Lender
as a result of any default by any Lender hereunder in fulfilling
its Commitment.
6.11 Obligations Several;
Independent Nature of Lenders' Rights . The obligation of each
Lender hereunder is several, and no Lender shall be responsible for
the obligation or commitment of any other Lender hereunder. Nothing
contained in this Agreement or any of the other Financing
Agreements and no action taken by the Lenders pursuant hereto or
thereto shall be deemed to constitute the Lenders to be a
partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of
entity. The amounts payable at any time hereunder to each Lender
shall be a separate and independent debt, and subject to Section
12.3 hereof, each Lender shall be entitled to protect and enforce
its rights arising out of this Agreement and it shall not be
necessary for any other Lender to be joined as an additional party
in any proceeding for such purpose.
SECTION 7 COLLATERAL REPORTING AND COVENANTS
7.1 Collateral
Reporting .
(a) Borrowers shall provide Agent with the following
documents in a form reasonably satisfactory to Agent:
(i) as soon as possible
after the end of each calendar week (but in any event within three
(3) Business Days after the end thereof), or more frequently as
Agent may request at any time Excess Availability is less than
$30,000,000 or a Default or Event of Default shall exist or have
occurred, (A) an aging of accounts receivable for each of the
Retail Division, the Distribution Division and the United Wholesale
Division and (B) an inventory summary report for each of the Retail
Division, the Distribution Division and the United Wholesale
Division (provided, that, the summary report for the United
Wholesale Division shall be only at the level of the division using
the beginning of month amounts, sales and purchases for the entire
division as the basis for the calculation thereof and prior to
March 31, 2004, the summary report for the Retail Division shall be
only at the level of the division using the beginning of month
amounts, sales and purchases for the entire division as the basis
for the calculation thereof);
(ii) as soon as possible after the end of each fiscal four
(4) week period of Borrowers and Guarantors determined in
accordance with the current accounting practices of Borrowers and
Guarantors as of the date hereof (but in any event within ten (10)
Business Days after the end thereof), or more frequently as Agent
may request at any time that Excess Availability is less than
$30,000,000 or a Default or Event of Default shall exist or have
occurred, (A) a Borrowing Base Certificate setting forth the
calculation of the Borrowing Base as of the last Business Day of
the immediately preceding period as to the Accounts and Inventory,
duly completed and executed by the chief financial officer, vice
president of finance, treasurer or
64
controller of Parent, together
with all schedules required pursuant to the terms of the Borrowing
Base Certificate duly completed (including a recap of all Accounts
created, collections received and credit memos issued for the
immediately preceding period); (B) perpetual inventory reports for
the Distribution Division, (C) agings of accounts receivable, (D)
list of outstanding accounts payable, (E) reports on sales and use
tax collections, deposits and payments, including a statement
confirming the payment of monthly sales and use taxes, and (F) the
number of prescriptions filled in the immediately preceding month,
the average dollar amount of such prescriptions during such period,
and the dollar amount of sales of prescriptions in the preceding
period;
(iii) as soon as possible
after the end of each fiscal four (4) week period of Borrowers and
Guarantors determined in accordance with the current accounting
practices of Borrowers and Guarantors as of the date hereof (but in
any event ten (10) Business Days after the end thereof), in each
case certified by the chief financial officer, vice president of
finance, treasurer or controller of Borrowers or Lead Borrower as
true and correct: (A) a statement confirming the payment of the
aggregate amount of rent and other amounts due to owners and
lessors of real property used by Borrowers (other than amounts
being contested or disputed in good faith), subject to year-end or
monthly percentage rent payment adjustments, (B) the addresses of
all new retail store locations of Borrowers and Guarantors opened
and existing retail store locations closed or sold, in each case
since the date of the most recent certificate delivered to Agent
containing the information required under this clause, and (C) a
report of any new deposit account established or used by any
Borrower or Guarantor with any bank or other financial institution,
including the Borrower or Guarantor in whose name the account is
maintained, the account number, the name and address of the
financial institution at which such account is maintained, the
purpose of such account and, if any, the amount held in such
account on or about the date of such report;
(iv) upon Agent's request
at any time Excess Availability is less than $30,000,000 or a
Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred, (A)
reports of sales for each category of Inventory, (B) reports of
aggregate Inventory purchases and identifying items of Inventory in
transit to any Borrower or Guarantor related to the applicable
documentary letter of credit and/or bill of lading number, (C)
copies of remittance advices and reports, and copies of deposit
slips and bank statements, (D) copies of shipping and delivery
documents, (E) electronic summaries of purchase orders or journals,
invoices and delivery documents for Inventory and Equipment
acquired by Borrowers and Guarantor, and (F) reports by retail
store location of sales and four wall cash flows for each such
retail store location;
(v) upon Agent's request
at any time Excess Availability is less than $30,000,000 or a
Default or Event of Default shall exist or have occurred, the
monthly statements received by any Borrower or any of its
Affiliates from any Credit Card Issuers or Credit Card Processors,
together with such additional information with respect thereto as
shall be sufficient to enable Agent to monitor the transactions
pursuant to the Credit Card Agreements;
(vi) such other reports
as to the Collateral as Agent shall reasonably request from time to
time.
65
(b) Nothing contained in any Borrowing Base Certificate
shall be deemed to limit, impair or otherwise affect the rights of
Agent contained herein and in the event of any conflict or
inconsistency between the calculation of the Borrowing Base as set
forth in any Borrowing Base Certificate and as determined by Agent
in good faith, the determination of Agent shall govern and be
conclusive and binding upon Borrowers and Guarantors. Without
limiting the foregoing, Borrowers shall furnish to Agent any
information which Agent may reasonably request regarding the
determination and calculation of any of the amounts set forth in
any Borrowing Base Certificate. The Borrowing Base may be adjusted
based on the information set forth in the reports received by Agent
under Section 7.1(a)(i) above. If any Borrower's or Guarantor's
records or reports of the Collateral are prepared or maintained by
an accounting service, contractor, shipper or other agent, such
Borrower and Guarantor hereby irrevocably authorizes such service,
contractor, shipper or agent to deliver such records, reports, and
related documents to Agent and to follow Agent's instructions with
respect to further services at any time that an Event of Default
exists or has occurred and is continuing.
7.2 Accounts Covenants
.
(a) Borrowers shall notify Agent promptly of: (i) any
material delay in any Borrower's or performance of any of its
material obligations to any Account Debtor or the assertion of any
material claims, offsets, defenses or counterclaims by any Account
Debtor, or any material disputes with Account Debtors, or any
settlement, adjustment or compromise thereof, (ii) all material
adverse information known to any Borrower or Guarantor relating to
the financial condition of any Account Debtor reasonably likely to
adversely impact the collectability or enforceability of an
Account, (iii) any event or circumstance which, to the best of any
Borrower's or Guarantor's knowledge, would cause Agent to consider
any then existing Accounts as no longer constituting Eligible
Accounts, (iv) any notice of a material default by any Borrower
under any of the Credit Card Agreements or of any default which
might result in the Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor
ceasing to make payments or suspending payments to any Borrower,
(v) any notice from any Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor
that such person is ceasing or suspending, or will cease or
suspend, any present or future payments due or to become due to any
Borrower from such person, or that such person is terminating or
will terminate any of the Credit Card Agreements, and (vi) the
failure of any Borrower to comply with any material terms of the
Credit Card Agreements or any terms thereof which might result in
the Credit Card Issuer or Credit Card Processor ceasing or
suspending payments to any Borrower. No credit, discount, allowance
or extension or agreement for any of the foregoing shall be granted
to any Account Debtor without Agent's consent, except in the
ordinary course of a Borrower's or Guarantor's business in
accordance with its practices and policies previously disclosed in
writing to Agent and except as set forth in the schedules delivered
to Agent pursuant to Section 7.1(a) above. So long as no Event of
Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Borrowers and
Guarantors shall settle, adjust or compromise any claim, offset,
counterclaim or dispute with any Account Debtor. At any time that
an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent
shall, at its option, have the exclusive right to settle, adjust or
compromise any claim, offset, counterclaim or dispute with Account
Debtors or grant any credits, discounts or allowances.
(b) With respect to each
Account: (i) the amounts shown on any invoice delivered to Agent or
schedule thereof delivered to Agent shall be true and complete,
(ii) no payments
66
shall be made thereon except
payments immediately delivered to Blocked Accounts (or other
deposit accounts in the case of Medicare Accounts and Medicaid
Accounts identified to Agent that are used exclusively for handling
payments or other remittances in respect of such Accounts), in each
case, maintained in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
(iii) no credit, discount, allowance or extension or agreement for
any of the foregoing shall be granted to any Account Debtor except
as reported to Agent in accordance with this Agreement and except
for credits, discounts, allowances or extensions made or given in
the ordinary course of each Borrower's business in accordance with
practices and policies previously disclosed to Agent, (iv) there
shall be no setoffs, deductions, contras, defenses, counterclaims
or disputes existing or asserted with respect thereto except as
reported to Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement,
(v) none of the transactions giving rise thereto will violate any
applicable foreign, Federal, State or local laws or regulations,
all documentation relating thereto will be legally sufficient under
such laws and regulations and all such documentation will be
legally enforceable in accordance with its terms.
(c) Agent shall have the right at any time or times, in
Agent's name or in the name of a nominee of Agent, to verify the
validity, amount or any other matter relating to any Receivables or
other Collateral, by mail, telephone, facsimile transmission or
otherwise.
7.3 Inventory Covenants . With respect to the Inventory: (a)
each Borrower and Guarantor shall at all times maintain correct and
accurate inventory records in a manner consistent with its current
practices as of the date hereof (except to the extent of changes in
such practices as a result of the establishment of a reliable,
consistent and accurate stock ledger inventory system at the Retail
Division), (b) Borrowers and Guarantors shall, or a third party
inventory counting service on behalf of Borrowers and Guarantors
shall, conduct a physical count of the Inventory at least once each
fiscal quarter as to non-perishable Inventory of the Retail
Division (or on and after the establishment of a stock ledger
inventory system at the Retail Division that is satisfactory to
Borrowers and Agent, two (2) times each year) and once each fiscal
four (4) week period of Borrowers and Guarantors (determined in
accordance with the current accounting practices of Borrowers and
Guarantors as of the date hereof) as to the perishable Inventory of
the Retail Division, three (3) times each year as to Inventory of
the United Wholesale Division (provided, that, in the event that
the United Wholesale Division Assets are not sold pursuant to the
United Wholesale Sale Agreements on or before March 31, 2004, Agent
may require that such physical counts be conducted more frequently)
and at least once each year, whether through periodic cycle counts
or otherwise, as to the Inventory of the Distribution Division, but
in each case at any time or times as Agent may request on or after
an Event of Default, and promptly following any such physical
inventory shall supply Agent with a report in the form and with
such specificity as may be reasonably satisfactory to Agent
concerning such physical count; (c) Borrowers and Guarantors shall
not remove any Inventory from the locations set forth or permitted
herein, without the prior written consent of Agent, except for
sales, returns or transfers of Inventory in the ordinary course of
its business that are reported to Agent in accordance with the
terms hereof and except to move Inventory directly from one
location set forth or permitted herein to another such location and
except for Inventory shipped from the manufacturer thereof to such
Borrower or Guarantor which is in transit to the locations set
forth or permitted herein; (d) upon Agent's request, Borrowers
shall, at their expense, no more than one (1) time in any twelve
(12) month period, but at any time or times as Agent may request on
or after an Event of Default, deliver or cause to be delivered to
Agent
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