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SECURITY AGREEMENT

Security Agreement

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Title: SECURITY AGREEMENT
Governing Law: Ohio     Date: 9/28/2006
Industry: Chemical Manufacturing     Law Firm: Baker Hostetler    

SECURITY AGREEMENT, Parties:
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Exhibit 10(a)

REVOLVING CREDIT

AND

SECURITY AGREEMENT

NATIONAL CITY BUSINESS CREDIT, INC.
(AS LENDER, ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND AS COLLATERAL AGENT)

and

NATIONAL CITY BANK
(AS ISSUER)

and

SUCH OTHER LENDERS WHICH ARE NOW OR HEREAFTER A PARTY HERETO

and

LESCO, INC.
(AS BORROWING AGENT AND AS A BORROWER)

and

THE OTHER BORROWERS PARTY HERETO
(AS BORROWERS)

Date September 27, 2006

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I.

 

 

 

DEFINITIONS

 

 

1

 

 

 

1.1

 

Accounting Terms

 

 

1

 

 

 

1.2

 

General Terms

 

 

1

 

 

 

1.3

 

Uniform Commercial Code Terms

 

 

21

 

 

 

1.4

 

Certain Matters of Construction

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II.

 

 

 

ADVANCES, PAYMENTS

 

 

22

 

 

 

2.1

 

Revolving Advances

 

 

22

 

 

 

2.2

 

Procedure for Borrowing Advances

 

 

23

 

 

 

2.3

 

Disbursement of Advance Proceeds

 

 

25

 

 

 

2.4

 

Maximum Advances

 

 

26

 

 

 

2.5

 

Repayment of Advances

 

 

26

 

 

 

2.6

 

Repayment of Excess Advances

 

 

27

 

 

 

2.7

 

Statement of Account

 

 

27

 

 

 

2.8

 

Letters of Credit

 

 

27

 

 

 

2.9

 

Issuance of Letters of Credit

 

 

28

 

 

 

2.10

 

Requirements For Issuance of Letters of Credit

 

 

29

 

 

 

2.11

 

Additional Payments

 

 

31

 

 

 

2.12

 

Manner of Borrowing and Payment

 

 

31

 

 

 

2.13

 

Reserved

 

 

33

 

 

 

2.14

 

Use of Proceeds

 

 

33

 

 

 

2.15

 

Defaulting Lender

 

 

33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III.

 

 

 

INTEREST AND FEES

 

 

34

 

 

 

3.1

 

Interest

 

 

34

 

 

 

3.2

 

Letter of Credit Fees

 

 

35

 

 

 

3.3

 

Facility Fee

 

 

36

 

 

 

3.4

 

Collateral Fees

 

 

36

 

 

 

3.5

 

Initial Fee

 

 

36

 

 

 

3.6

 

Computation of Interest and Fees

 

 

37

 

 

 

3.7

 

Maximum Charges

 

 

37

 

 

 

3.8

 

Increased Costs

 

 

37

 

 

 

3.9

 

Basis For Determining Interest Rate Inadequate or Unfair

 

 

38

 

 

 

3.10

 

Capital Adequacy

 

 

38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV.

 

 

 

COLLATERAL: GENERAL TERMS

 

 

39

 

 

 

4.1

 

Security Interest in the Collateral

 

 

39

 

 

 

4.2

 

Perfection of Security Interest

 

 

40

 

 

 

4.3

 

Disposition of Collateral

 

 

40

 

 

 

4.4

 

Preservation of Collateral

 

 

40

 

 

 

4.5

 

Ownership of Collateral

 

 

41

 

 

 

4.6

 

Defense of Agent’s and Lenders’ Interests

 

 

41

 

 

 

4.7

 

Books and Records

 

 

42

 

 

 

4.8

 

Financial Disclosure

 

 

42

 

 

 

4.9

 

Compliance with Laws

 

 

42

 

 

 

4.10

 

Inspection of Premises

 

 

43

 

 

 

4.11

 

Insurance

 

 

43

 

 

 

4.12

 

Failure to Pay Insurance

 

 

44

 

 

 

4.13

 

Payment of Taxes

 

 

44

 

 

 

4.14

 

Payment of Leasehold Obligations

 

 

45

 

 

 

4.15

 

Receivables

 

 

45

 

 

 

4.16

 

Maintenance of Equipment

 

 

48

 

 

 

4.17

 

Exculpation of Liability

 

 

48

 

i


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.18

 

Environmental Matters

 

 

49

 

 

 

4.19

 

Financial Statements

 

 

51

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V.

 

 

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

 

51

 

 

 

5.1

 

Authority

 

 

51

 

 

 

5.2

 

Formation and Qualification

 

 

52

 

 

 

5.3

 

Survival of Representations and Warranties

 

 

52

 

 

 

5.4

 

Tax Returns

 

 

52

 

 

 

5.5

 

Financial Statements

 

 

53

 

 

 

5.6

 

Corporate Name

 

 

54

 

 

 

5.7

 

O.S.H.A. and Environmental Compliance

 

 

54

 

 

 

5.8

 

Solvency; No Litigation, Violation, Indebtedness or Default

 

 

54

 

 

 

5.9

 

Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Licenses

 

 

56

 

 

 

5.10

 

Licenses and Permits

 

 

56

 

 

 

5.11

 

Default of Indebtedness

 

 

56

 

 

 

5.12

 

No Default

 

 

56

 

 

 

5.13

 

No Burdensome Restrictions

 

 

57

 

 

 

5.14

 

No Labor Disputes

 

 

57

 

 

 

5.15

 

Margin Regulations

 

 

57

 

 

 

5.16

 

Investment Company Act

 

 

57

 

 

 

5.17

 

Disclosure

 

 

57

 

 

 

5.18

 

Hedging Contracts

 

 

57

 

 

 

5.19

 

Conflicting Agreements

 

 

58

 

 

 

5.20

 

Application of Certain Laws and Regulations

 

 

58

 

 

 

5.21

 

Business and Property of the Loan Parties

 

 

58

 

 

 

5.22

 

Section 20 Subsidiaries

 

 

58

 

 

 

5.23

 

Anti-Terrorism Laws

 

 

58

 

 

 

5.24

 

Credit Card Agreements

 

 

59

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI.

 

 

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

59

 

 

 

6.1

 

Payment of Fees

 

 

59

 

 

 

6.2

 

Conduct of Business and Maintenance of Existence and Assets

 

 

59

 

 

 

6.3

 

Violations

 

 

60

 

 

 

6.4

 

Government Receivables

 

 

60

 

 

 

6.5

 

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio

 

 

60

 

 

 

6.6

 

Threshold Availability

 

 

60

 

 

 

6.7

 

Execution of Supplemental Instruments

 

 

61

 

 

 

6.8

 

Payment of Indebtedness

 

 

61

 

 

 

6.9

 

Standards of Financial Statements

 

 

61

 

 

 

6.10

 

Anti-Terrorism Laws

 

 

61

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII.

 

 

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

 

61

 

 

 

7.1

 

Merger, Consolidation, Acquisition and Sale of Assets

 

 

62

 

 

 

7.2

 

Creation of Liens

 

 

62

 

 

 

7.3

 

Guarantees

 

 

62

 

 

 

7.4

 

Investments

 

 

62

 

 

 

7.5

 

Loans

 

 

62

 

 

 

7.6

 

Capital Expenditures

 

 

63

 

 

 

7.7

 

Dividends

 

 

63

 

 

 

7.8

 

Indebtedness

 

 

64

 

 

 

7.9

 

Nature of Business

 

 

64

 

 

 

7.10

 

Transactions with Affiliates

 

 

64

 

 

 

7.11

 

Leases

 

 

64

 

 

 

7.12

 

Subsidiaries

 

 

65

 

 

 

7.13

 

Fiscal Year and Accounting Changes

 

 

65

 

 

 

7.14

 

Pledge of Credit

 

 

65

 

ii


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.15

 

Amendment of Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, Etc.

 

 

65

 

 

 

7.16

 

Compliance with ERISA

 

 

65

 

 

 

7.17

 

Credit Card Agreements

 

 

66

 

 

 

7.18

 

Prepayment of Indebtedness

 

 

66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII.

 

 

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

 

66

 

 

 

8.1

 

Conditions to Initial Advances

 

 

66

 

 

 

8.2

 

Conditions to Each Advance

 

 

70

 

 

 

8.3

 

Post-Closing Conditions to Advances

 

 

71

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IX.

 

 

 

INFORMATION AS TO THE LOAN PARTIES

 

 

71

 

 

 

9.1

 

Disclosure of Material Matters

 

 

71

 

 

 

9.2

 

Schedules.

 

 

72

 

 

 

9.3

 

Environmental Reports

 

 

73

 

 

 

9.4

 

Litigation

 

 

73

 

 

 

9.5

 

Material Occurrences

 

 

73

 

 

 

9.6

 

Government Receivables

 

 

73

 

 

 

9.7

 

Annual Financial Statements

 

 

73

 

 

 

9.8

 

Quarterly and Monthly Financial Statements

 

 

74

 

 

 

9.9

 

Other Reports

 

 

74

 

 

 

9.10

 

Additional Information

 

 

74

 

 

 

9.11

 

Projected Operating Budget

 

 

75

 

 

 

9.12

 

Notice of Suits, Adverse Events

 

 

75

 

 

 

9.13

 

ERISA Notices and Requests

 

 

75

 

 

 

9.14

 

Credit Card Agreements

 

 

76

 

 

 

9.15

 

Additional Documents

 

 

76

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X.

 

 

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

 

76

 

 

 

10.1

 

Payment of Obligations

 

 

76

 

 

 

10.2

 

Misrepresentations

 

 

76

 

 

 

10.3

 

Failure to Furnish Information

 

 

77

 

 

 

10.4

 

Liens Against Assets

 

 

77

 

 

 

10.5

 

Breach of Covenants

 

 

77

 

 

 

10.6

 

Judgment

 

 

77

 

 

 

10.7

 

Insolvency and Related Proceedings of the Loan Parties

 

 

77

 

 

 

10.8

 

Insolvency; Cessation of Operations

 

 

77

 

 

 

10.9

 

Bankruptcy

 

 

78

 

 

 

10.10

 

Material Adverse Effect

 

 

78

 

 

 

10.11

 

Loss of Priority Lien

 

 

78

 

 

 

10.12

 

Breach of Material Agreements

 

 

78

 

 

 

10.13

 

Cross Default; Cross Acceleration

 

 

78

 

 

 

10.14

 

Termination of Guaranty

 

 

79

 

 

 

10.15

 

Change of Control

 

 

79

 

 

 

10.16

 

Invalidity of Credit Agreement

 

 

79

 

 

 

10.17

 

Loss of Material Intellectual Property

 

 

79

 

 

 

10.18

 

Destruction of Collateral

 

 

79

 

 

 

10.19

 

Business Interruption

 

 

79

 

 

 

10.20

 

ERISA Events

 

 

80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XI.

 

 

 

LENDERS’ RIGHTS AND REMEDIES AFTER DEFAULT

 

 

80

 

 

 

11.1

 

Rights and Remedies

 

 

80

 

 

 

11.2

 

Agent’s Discretion

 

 

81

 

 

 

11.3

 

Setoff

 

 

81

 

 

 

11.4

 

Rights and Remedies not Exclusive

 

 

81

 

 

 

11.5

 

Allocation of Payments After Event of Default

 

 

81

 

iii


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XII.

 

 

 

WAIVERS AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

 

 

82

 

 

 

12.1

 

Waiver of Notice

 

 

82

 

 

 

12.2

 

Delay

 

 

83

 

 

 

12.3

 

Jury Waiver

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII.

 

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERMINATION

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13.1

 

Term

 

 

83

 

 

 

13.2

 

Termination

 

 

83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV.

 

 

 

REGARDING AGENT

 

 

84

 

 

 

14.1

 

Appointment

 

 

84

 

 

 

14.2

 

Nature of Duties

 

 

84

 

 

 

14.3

 

Lack of Reliance on Agent and Resignation

 

 

85

 

 

 

14.4

 

Certain Rights of Agent

 

 

86

 

 

 

14.5

 

Reliance

 

 

86

 

 

 

14.6

 

Notice of Default

 

 

86

 

 

 

14.7

 

Indemnification

 

 

86

 

 

 

14.8

 

Agent in its Individual Capacity

 

 

87

 

 

 

14.9

 

Delivery of Documents

 

 

87

 

 

 

14.10

 

Borrowers’ Undertaking to Agent

 

 

87

 

 

 

14.11

 

No Reliance on Agent’s Customer Identification Program

 

 

87

 

 

 

14.12

 

Collateral Matters

 

 

87

 

 

 

14.13

 

Borrowing Agency Provisions

 

 

89

 

 

 

14.14

 

Waivers

 

 

90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XV.

 

 

 

[RESERVED]

 

 

90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVI.

 

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

90

 

 

 

16.1

 

Governing Law

 

 

90

 

 

 

16.2

 

Entire Understanding

 

 

91

 

 

 

16.3

 

Transfers and Assignments

 

 

93

 

 

 

16.4

 

Application of Payments

 

 

97

 

 

 

16.5

 

Indemnity

 

 

97

 

 

 

16.6

 

Notice

 

 

97

 

 

 

16.7

 

Survival

 

 

100

 

 

 

16.8

 

Severability

 

 

100

 

 

 

16.9

 

Expenses

 

 

100

 

 

 

16.10

 

Injunctive Relief

 

 

100

 

 

 

16.11

 

Consequential Damages

 

 

101

 

 

 

16.12

 

Captions

 

 

101

 

 

 

16.13

 

Counterparts; Telecopied Signatures

 

 

101

 

 

 

16.14

 

Construction

 

 

101

 

 

 

16.15

 

Confidentiality; Sharing Information

 

 

101

 

 

 

16.16

 

USA Patriot Act

 

 

102

 

 

 

16.17

 

Publicity

 

 

102

 

 

 

16.18

 

Posting of Approved Electronic Communications

 

 

102

 

 

 

16.19

 

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

 

 

103

 

 

 

16.20

 

CONFESSION OF JUDGMENT

 

 

103

 

iv


 

REVOLVING CREDIT AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

               This Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (this “Agreement”), has been executed and dated as of September 27, 2006 by and among the Borrowers (as hereinafter defined), the financial institutions which are now or which hereafter become a party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), National City Business Credit, Inc., an Ohio corporation (“NCBC”), as administrative agent and collateral agent for the Lenders and the Issuer (as hereinafter defined) (NCBC, in such capacity, the “Agent”), and National City Bank, a national banking association, as the lead arranger and Issuer.

                IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants and undertakings herein contained, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Borrowers, the Lenders, the Agent and the Issuer hereby agree as follows:

      I. DEFINITIONS .

      1.1 Accounting Terms .

               As used in this Agreement, the Notes, or any certificate, report or other document made or delivered pursuant to this Agreement, accounting terms not defined in Section 1.2 or elsewhere in this Agreement and accounting terms partly defined in Section 1.2 to the extent not defined shall have the respective meanings given to them under GAAP; provided, however, whenever such accounting terms are used for the purposes of determining compliance with financial covenants in this Agreement, such accounting terms shall be defined in accordance with GAAP. All financial computations to be made under this Agreement shall, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, be made in accordance with GAAP applied on a basis consistent in all material respects with the financial statements delivered to the Agent and the Lenders on or prior to the Closing Date.

      1.2 General Terms .

               For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

               “ Accountants ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9.7.

               “ Advances ” shall mean and include the Revolving Advances and Letters of Credit.

               “ Advance Rates ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) hereof.

               “ Affected Lender ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.3(h) hereof.

               “ Affiliate ” of any Person shall mean (a) any Person which, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person, or (b) any Person who is a director or officer (i) of such Person, (ii) of any Subsidiary of such Person or (iii) of any Person described in clause (a) above. For purposes of this definition, control of a Person shall mean the power, direct or indirect, (x) to vote five percent (5%) or more of the securities having

1


 

ordinary voting power for the election of directors of such Person, or (y) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.

               “ Agent ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement and shall include its successors and assigns.

               “ Alternate Base Rate ” shall mean, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the higher of: (a) the rate of interest which is established from time to time by National City Bank at its principal office in Cleveland, Ohio as its “prime rate” or “base rate” in effect, such rate to be adjusted automatically, without notice, as of the opening of business on the effective date of any change in such rate (it being agreed that: (i) such rate is not necessarily the lowest rate of interest then available from National City Bank on fluctuating rate loans and (ii) such rate may be established by National City Bank by public announcement or otherwise) and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus one half of one percent (.50%).

               “ Anti-Terrorism Laws ” shall mean any laws relating to terrorism or money laundering, including Executive Order No. 13224, the USA Patriot Act, the laws comprising or implementing the Bank Secrecy Act, and the laws administered by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (as any of the foregoing laws may from time to time be amended, renewed, extended, or replaced).

               “ Applicable Base Rate Margin ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b) hereof.

               “ Applicable Facility Fee Percentage ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.3 hereof.

               “ Applicable Letter of Credit Fee Percentage ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2(a) hereof.

               “ Applicable LIBOR Rate Margin ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b) hereof.

               “ Approved Electronic Communications ” shall mean each notice, demand, communication, information, document and other material that any party is obligated to, or otherwise chooses to, provide to the Agent and the Lenders by electronic transmission pursuant to this Agreement or any Other Document or the transactions contemplated therein, including, without limitation, any financial statement, financial and other report, notice, request, certificate and other information material; provided , however , that, “Approved Electronic Communication” shall exclude (a) any Advance request, Letter of Credit application, any request for conversion, and any other notice, demand, communication, information, document and other material relating to a request for a new, or a conversion of an existing borrowing, (b) any other notice relating to the payment of any principal or other amount due under this Agreement prior to the scheduled date therefore, (c) all notices of any Default or Event of Default and (d) any notice, demand, communication, information, document and other material required to be delivered to satisfy any of the conditions set forth in Article VIII or any other condition to any borrowing or other extension of credit hereunder or any condition precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement.

2


 

               “ Assignment and Assumption ” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 16.3), and accepted by the Agent, in form and substance acceptable to the Agent.

               “ Authority ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.18(d) hereof.

               “ Availability Block ” shall mean Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000); provided that the Availability Block shall be released at such time as the Loan Parties are in compliance with the financial standards contained in Section 6(d) of the TCS Supply Agreement for at least one fiscal quarter; and, provided further that, the Availability Block shall immediately be reinstated at such time as the Loan Parties are not in compliance with the financial standards contained in Section 6(d) of the TCS Supply Agreement.

               “ Blocked Account Agreements ” shall mean, collectively, each of the Blocked Account Agreements in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, entered into by the Borrowers, as applicable, the Agent and the applicable Lockbox Bank at which the applicable Collection Account is located, together with all amendments, supplements, modifications, substitutions and replacements thereto and thereof.

               “ Blocked Person ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.23(b) hereof.

               “ Borrower ” shall mean LESCO, Inc., its wholly-owned Subsidiaries and any other Person who may hereafter become a party hereto and “ Borrowers ” shall collectively mean all such Persons.

               “ Borrowing Agent ” shall mean LESCO, Inc.

               “ Borrowing Base Certificate ” shall mean a certificate duly executed by an officer of the Borrowing Agent appropriately completed and in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto.

               “ Business Day ” shall mean any day other than Saturday or Sunday or a legal holiday on which commercial banks are authorized or required by law to be closed for business in Cleveland, Ohio and, if the applicable Business Day relates to any Libor Rate Loans, such day must also be a day on which dealings are carried on in the London interbank market.

               “ Capital Expenditures ” shall mean any expenditure made or liability incurred which is, determined in accordance with GAAP, treated as a capital expenditure and not as an expense item for the year in which it was made or incurred, as the case may be.

               “ Cash Concentration Account ” shall mean, with respect to the Borrowers, that certain commercial deposit account at National City Bank, in the name of NCBC, designated as “National City Business Credit, Inc. (as Agent for the benefit of the Lenders and the Issuer) LESCO, Inc. Cash Concentration Account”, which shall be: (a) maintained by the Agent with National City Bank pursuant to a Deposit Account Agreement, without liability by the Agent or National City Bank to pay interest thereon, (b) the funds within which shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Agent for the pro rata benefit of the Lenders and (c) from which

3


 

account the Agent shall have the irrevocable and exclusive right to withdraw funds until all of the Obligations are paid, performed, satisfied and enforced in full and the commitments of the Lenders to make Advances hereunder and all Letters of Credit have terminated.

               “ CERCLA ” shall mean the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. Sections 9601 et seq.

               “ Change of Control ” shall mean (a) the occurrence of any event (whether in one or more transactions) which results in a transfer of control of any Loan Party other than LESCO, Inc. or (b) any merger or consolidation of or with any Loan Party in which the Loan Party is not the surviving party or sale of all or substantially all of the property or assets of any Loan Party. For purposes of this definition, “control of Loan Party” shall mean the power, direct or indirect (x) to vote fifty percent (50%) or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors of any Loan Party or (y) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of any Loan Party by contract or otherwise.

               “ Charges ” shall mean all taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies or other assessments, including, without limitation, all net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, value added, transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock, license, withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation and property taxes, custom duties, fees, assessments, liens, claims and charges, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts, imposed by any taxing or other similar governmental authority, domestic or foreign (including, without limitation, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any environmental agency or superfund), upon the Collateral, any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates.

               “ CIP Regulations ” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.11 hereof.

               “ Closing Date ” shall mean September 27, 2006 or such other date as may be agreed to by the parties hereto.

               “ Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

               “ Collateral ” shall mean all property owned by each Borrower, whether now owned or existing, or hereafter arising or acquired or received by a Borrower, wherever located, including without limitation:

               (a) all Receivables;

               (b) all Equipment;

               (c) all General Intangibles;

               (d) all Inventory;

               (e) all Investment Property;

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               (f) all of each Loan Party’s right, title and interest in and to (i) its respective goods and other personal property including, but not limited to, all merchandise returned or rejected by Customers, relating to or securing any of the Receivables; (ii) all of each Loan Party’s rights as a consignor, a consignee, an unpaid vendor, mechanic, artisan, or other lien or, including stoppage in transit, setoff, detinue, replevin, reclamation and repurchase; (iii) all additional amounts due to any Loan Party from any Customer relating to the Receivables; (iv) other property, including warranty claims, relating to any goods securing this Agreement; (v) all of each Loan Party’s contract rights, rights of payment which have been earned under a contract right, instruments (including promissory notes), documents, chattel paper (including electronic chattel paper), warehouse receipts, deposit accounts including, but not limited to, the Blocked Accounts, letters of credit, and money; (vi) all commercial tort claims (whether now existing or hereafter arising); (vii) if and when obtained by any Loan Party, all real and personal property of third parties in which such Loan Party has been granted a lien or security interest as security for the payment or enforcement of Receivables; and (viii) any other goods or personal property, if any, in which any Loan Party may hereafter in writing grant a security interest to the Agent hereunder, or in any amendment or supplement hereto or thereto, or under any other agreement between the Agent and any Loan Party;

               (g) all of each Loan Party’s ledger sheets, ledger cards, files, correspondence, records, books of account, business papers, computer software (owned by any Loan Party or in which it has an interest), computer programs, tapes, disks and documents relating to (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f) of this Paragraph; and

               (h) all proceeds and products of (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) in whatever form, including, but not limited to: cash, deposit accounts (whether or not comprised solely of proceeds), certificates of deposit, insurance proceeds (including hazard, flood and credit insurance), negotiable instruments and other instruments for the payment of money, chattel paper, security agreements, documents, eminent domain proceeds, condemnation proceeds and tort claim proceeds.

               “ Collection Accounts ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(g) hereof.

               “ Commitment Percentage ” of any Lender shall mean the percentage set forth below such Lender’s name on the signature page hereof as same may be adjusted upon any assignment by a Lender pursuant to Section 16.3 hereof.

               “ Consents ” shall mean all filings and all licenses, permits, consents, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders of governmental authorities and other third parties, domestic or foreign, necessary to carry on any Loan Party’s business, including, without limitation, any Consents required under all applicable federal, state or other applicable law.

               “ Contract Rate ” shall mean, as of the date of determination, an interest rate per annum equal to (a) the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Base Rate Margin with respect to Domestic Rate Loans and (b) the sum of the Libor Rate plus the Applicable LIBOR Rate Margin with respect to Libor Rate Loans.

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               “ Controlled Group ” shall mean all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together with any Loan Party, are treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

               “ Customer ” shall mean and include the account debtor with respect to any Receivable and/or the prospective purchaser of goods, services or both with respect to any contract or contract right, and/or any party who enters into or proposes to enter into any contract or other arrangement with any Loan Party, pursuant to which such Loan Party is to deliver any personal property or perform any services.

               “ Customs ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.10(c) hereof.

               “ Default ” shall mean an event which, with the giving of notice or passage of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.

               “ Default Rate ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(d) hereof.

               “ Defaulting Lender ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(a) hereof.

               “ Deposit Account Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(g) hereof.

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

               “ Domestic Rate Loan ” shall mean any Advance that bears interest based upon the Alternate Base Rate.

               “ Earnings Before Interest and Taxes ” shall mean for any fiscal period the sum of (i) net income (or loss) of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis for such period (excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary non-cash losses) in accordance with GAAP, (ii) plus all interest expense of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP and (iii) plus all charges against or minus credits to income of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries for federal, state and local taxes determined on a consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP.

               “ EBITDA ” shall mean for any fiscal period the sum of (i) Earnings Before Interest and Taxes for such period, (ii) plus depreciation expenses of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis for such period, and (iii) plus amortization expenses of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis for such period in accordance with GAAP.

               “ Eligible Assignee ” shall mean any of the following Persons: (a) a Lender; (b) an Affiliate of a Lender; and (c) any other Person (other than a natural person) approved by (i) so long as no default or Event of Default has occurred, the Borrowing Agent, the approval of which shall not be unreasonably withheld, (ii) the Agent, and (iii) in the case of any assignment of a commitment to make Advances hereunder, the Issuer, provided , that, notwithstanding the

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foregoing, a Person shall only be an “Eligible Assignee” if (i) such Person shall have complied with the requirements of Section 16.17, and (ii) the assignment to or participation of such Person shall not constitute a “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code).

               “ Eligible Credit Card Receivables ” means, at any time, Receivables (other than Eligible Receivables) due to the Borrowers (net of standard chargebacks and standard fees due to the credit card issuer or processor and without reference to any rights of customers to return goods) from (a) General Electric Financial Corporation, Visa, MasterCard, American Express Co., Discover, to the extent processed by a major credit card processor, and (b) other major credit card issuers and/or processors acceptable to the Agent, that (i) arise in the ordinary course of business for the purchase of merchandise which has been earned by performance and (ii) are deemed by the Agent to be eligible as the basis for Advances hereunder. Without limiting the Agent’s discretion provided herein, Eligible Credit Card Receivables shall not include Receivables:

 

(a)

 

that are not subject to a first priority perfected Lien in favor of the Agent;

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

that are subject to any Lien other than (i) a Lien in favor of the Agent and (ii) a Permitted Encumbrance;

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

that are past due or have been outstanding for more than 5 Business Days since the date of the corresponding sale;

 

 

 

 

 

(d)

 

with respect to which one or more of the Borrowers does not have good, valid and marketable title thereto, free and clear of any Lien (other than Liens in favor of the Agent or a Permitted Encumbrance);

 

 

 

 

 

(e)

 

with respect to which the related sale is not in accordance with the terms and conditions of all purchase orders, contracts, or other documents relating thereto and forming a part of a contract between one or more of the Borrowers and the account debtor, and, in the case of goods, title to the goods has passed from a Borrower to the purchaser;

 

 

 

 

 

(f)

 

that are disputed; subject, in the case of General Electric Financial Corporation, to recourse against the Borrowers (unless such recourse requires at least 120 days of mitigation efforts prior to any required payment by a Borrower); or with respect to which a claim, counterclaim, offset, judgment, defense, dispute, deduction, or chargeback has been asserted but only to the extent of such dispute, recourse, claim, counterclaim, offset, judgement, defense, dispute, deduction or chargeback; or

 

 

 

 

 

(g)

 

which the Agent determines may not be paid by reason of the account debtor’s inability to pay or which the Agent otherwise determines is unacceptable.

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               “ Eligible Inventory ” shall mean and include with respect to each Borrower, Inventory, excluding work-in-process and raw materials (unless otherwise deemed eligible by the Agent), of each Borrower, valued at the lower of cost or market value, determined on a first-in-first-out basis, which is not, in the Agent’s reasonable opinion, obsolete, slow moving or unmerchantable and which the Agent, in its sole and reasonable discretion, shall not deem ineligible Inventory, based on such considerations as the Agent may from time to time reasonably deem appropriate including, without limitation, whether the Inventory is subject to a perfected, first priority security interest in favor of the Agent and whether the Inventory conforms to all standards imposed by any governmental agency, division or department thereof which has regulatory authority over such goods or the use or sale thereof.

In addition, no Inventory of any Borrower shall be Eligible Inventory if it:

               (a) is not owned by such Borrower free and clear of all Liens and rights of any other Person (including the rights of a purchaser that has made progress payments and the rights of a surety that has issued a bond to assure such Borrower’s performance with respect to that Inventory), except the Liens in favor of the Agent, on behalf of itself and the Lenders, and other Permitted Encumbrances (notwithstanding the foregoing no seed inventory subject to any Lien other than Liens of the Agent or the Lenders shall be included as Eligible Inventory);

               (b) (i) is not located on one of Borrowers’ Stores-on-Wheels ® vehicles or on premises owned, leased or rented by such Borrower and located in the continental United States and set forth in Schedule 4.5 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time), or (ii) is stored at a leased location, unless it is located in the continental United States and a reasonably satisfactory landlord waiver has been delivered to the Agent, or a Reserve equal to three (3) months’ rent thereat has been established by the Agent with respect thereto or (iii) is stored with a bailee or warehouseman unless it is located in the continental United States and a reasonably satisfactory warehouseman waiver or a reasonably satisfactory, acknowledged bailee letter has been received by the Agent or, except in the case where Turf Care Supply Corp. shall act as the bailee or warehouseman, in which case Section 8.3 shall apply, a Reserve equal to three (3) months’ rent thereat has been established by the Agent with respect thereto, or (iv) is located at a location owned by a Borrower that is subject to a mortgage in favor of a lender other than the Agent unless it is located in the continental United States and a reasonably satisfactory mortgagee waiver has been delivered to the Agent, or a Reserve equal to three (3) months’ mortgage payment thereat has been established by the Agent with respect thereto;

               (c) is in transit unless such otherwise Eligible Inventory is (i) in transit from a domestic location owned by a Borrower (or leased and subject to a waiver, bailee letter or Reserve as specified in subparagraph (b) immediately above) or a domestic location identified on Schedule 8.1 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time) to a domestic location owned by a Borrower (or leased and subject to a waiver, bailee letter or Reserve as specified in subparagraph (b) immediately above) or a location identified on Schedule 8.1 (as such Schedule may be updated from time to time) or (ii) inventory for which title has passed to such Borrower, which is insured to the full value thereof and with respect to which (A) all negotiable bills of lading shall be properly endorsed and in the Agent’s possession and (B) all non-negotiable bills of lading shall be issued in the Agent’s name;

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               (d) is covered by a negotiable document of title, unless such document has been delivered to the Agent with all necessary endorsements, free and clear of all Liens except Permitted Encumbrances;

               (e) is placed on consignment (or is being held pursuant to a consignment agreement);

               (f) is purged (i.e., excess or obsolete), unsalable, shopworn, seconds, damaged or unfit for sale;

               (g) consists of goods which have been returned by the Customer, excluding goods that are salable or returned for reprocessing in the ordinary course of business;

               (h) consists of display items or packing or shipping materials, manufacturing supplies or replacement parts for a Borrower’s consumption (and not, for example, stocking parts for sale (e.g., replacement parts for mower decks);

               (i) is not of a type held for sale in the ordinary course of such Borrower’s business;

               (j) breaches any of the representations or warranties pertaining to Inventory of such Borrower set forth in this Agreement or in any of the Other Documents;

               (k) consists of any costs associated with “freight-in” charges to the extent of any costs associated with freight-in charges;

               (l) consists of any gross profit mark-up in connection with the sale and distribution thereof to any division of any Borrower or to any Affiliate of such Borrower;

               (m) consists of Hazardous Substances or goods that can be transported or sold only with licenses that are not held by a Borrower;

               (n) is not covered by casualty insurance as required by terms of this Agreement reasonably acceptable to the Agent;

               (o) was produced in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and subject to the “hot goods” provision contained in Title 29 U.S.C. Section 215(a)(1); or

               (p) is not otherwise satisfactory to the Agent as determined in good faith by the Agent in the exercise of its discretion in a reasonable manner.

               “ Eligible Receivables ” shall mean and include with respect to each Borrower, each Receivable consisting solely of accounts of such Borrower arising in the ordinary course of such Borrower’s business and which the Agent, in its sole and reasonable credit judgment, shall deem to be an Eligible Receivable, based on such considerations as the Agent may from time to time deem appropriate. A Receivable shall not be deemed eligible unless such Receivable is subject to the Agent’s first priority perfected security interest and no other Lien (other than Permitted Encumbrances), and is evidenced by an invoice or other documentary evidence

9


 

reasonably satisfactory to the Agent. In addition, no Receivable of a Borrower shall be an Eligible Receivable if:

               (a) it arises out of a sale made by any Borrower to an Affiliate of any Borrower or to a Person controlled by an Affiliate of any Borrower;

               (b) it is unpaid more than ninety (90) days after the original invoice date;

               (c) fifty percent (50%) or more of the Receivables from such Customer are not deemed Eligible Receivables hereunder;

               (d) any covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement with respect to such Receivable has been breached;

               (e) the Customer shall (i) apply for, suffer, or consent to the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee or liquidator of itself or of all or a substantial part of its property or call a meeting of its creditors, (ii) admit in writing its inability, or be generally unable, to pay its debts as they become due or cease operations of its present business, (iii) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, (iv) commence a voluntary case under any state or federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect), (v) be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, (vi) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any other law providing for the relief of debtors, (vii) acquiesce to, or fail to have dismissed, any petition which is filed against it in any involuntary case under such bankruptcy laws, or (viii) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing unless and until any of the foregoing actions or events are withdrawn or otherwise terminated within sixty (60) days of the commencement or occurrence thereof;

               (f) the sale is to a Customer outside the United States of America or Canada, unless the sale is on letter of credit, guaranty or acceptance terms, in each case reasonably acceptable to the Agent;

               (g) the sale to the Customer is on a bill-and-hold, guaranteed sale, sale-and-return, sale on approval, consignment or any other repurchase or return basis or is evidenced by chattel paper;

               (h) the Agent believes, in its sole reasonable judgment, that collection of such Receivable is insecure or that such Receivable may not be paid by reason of the Customer’s financial inability to pay;

               (i) the Customer is the United States of America, or any department, agency or instrumentality thereto, unless the applicable Borrower assigns its right to payment of such Receivable to the Agent pursuant to the Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, as amended (31 U.S.C. Sub-Section 3727 et seq. and 41 U.S.C. Sub-Section 15 et seq.) or has otherwise complied with other applicable laws and has complied with Section 6.4 hereof;

               (j) the goods giving rise to such Receivable have not been shipped to the Customer or the services giving rise to such Receivable have not been performed by the applicable Borrower or the Receivable otherwise does not represent a final sale;

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               (k) the Receivables of a Customer exceed a credit limit determined by the Agent, in its reasonable commercial judgment, to the extent such Receivables exceed such limit;

               (l) the Receivable is subject to any offset (unless such Borrower has received a letter from the Customer in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent indicating that such Customer shall not exercise its right of offset), deduction, defense, dispute, or counterclaim, or is owed by a Customer that is also a creditor or supplier of a Borrower (but only to the extent of such Borrower’s obligations to such Customer from time to time) or the Receivable is contingent in any respect or for any reason (but only to the extent of such offset, deduction, defense, dispute or counterclaim);

               (m) the applicable Borrower has made any agreement with any Customer for any deduction therefrom, except for discounts or allowances made in the ordinary course of business for prompt payment or volume purchase, all of which discounts or allowances are reflected in the calculation of the face value of each respective invoice related thereto;

               (n) any return, rejection or repossession of the merchandise has occurred or the rendition of services has been disputed (but only to the extent of such dispute);

               (o) such Receivable is not payable to a Borrower; or

               (p) such Receivable is not otherwise satisfactory to the Agent as determined in good faith by the Agent in the exercise of its discretion in a reasonable manner.

               “ Environmental Complaint ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.18(d) hereof.

               “ Environmental Laws ” shall mean all federal, state and local environmental, land use, zoning, health, chemical use, safety and sanitation laws, statutes, ordinances and codes relating to the protection of the environment and/or governing the use, storage, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, handling, production or disposal of Hazardous Substances and the rules, regulations, policies, guidelines, interpretations, decisions, orders and directives of federal, state and local governmental agencies and authorities with respect thereto.

               “ Equipment ” shall mean and include as to each Loan Party all of such Loan Party’s goods (other than Inventory) whether now owned or hereafter acquired and wherever located including, without limitation, all equipment, machinery, apparatus, vehicles, fittings, furniture, furnishings, fixtures, parts, accessories and all replacements and substitutions therefor or accessions thereto.

               “ ERISA ” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

               “ Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage ” means, for any Interest Period in respect of any Libor Rate Loan, as of any date of determination, the aggregate of the then stated maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves), expressed as a decimal, applicable to such Interest Period (if more than one such percentage is applicable, the daily average of such percentages for those days in such Interest Period during

11


 

which any such percentages shall be so applicable) by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, any successor thereto, or any other banking authority, domestic or foreign, to which the Agent or any Lender may be subject in respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board) or in respect of any other category of liabilities including deposits by reference to which the interest rate on Libor Rate Loans is determined or any category of extension of credit or other assets that include the Libor Rate Loans. For purposes hereof, such reserve requirements shall include, without limitation, those imposed under Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board and the Libor Rate Loans shall be deemed to constitute Eurocurrency Liabilities subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of credits for proration, exceptions or offsets which may be available from time to time to the Agent under said Regulation D.

               “ Event of Default ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the events set forth in Article X hereof.

               “ Executive Order No. 13224 ” shall mean the Executive Order No. 13224 on Terrorist Financing, effective September 24, 2001, as the same has been, or shall hereafter be, renewed, extended, amended or replaced.

               “ Facility Termination Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1 hereof.

               “ Federal Funds Effective Rate ” means, for any day, the rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest one hundredth of one percent (1/100th of 1%) equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided , however , that: (a) if the day for which such rate is to be determined is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such a rate on such transactions on the immediately preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day and (b) if such rate is not so published for any Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such Business Day shall be the average of quotations for such day on such transactions received by the Agent from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Agent.

               “ Fee Letter ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.5.

               “ Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ” shall mean and include, with respect to any fiscal period, the ratio of (a) EBITDA minus Capital Expenditures that were not specifically funded by Indebtedness (other than a Revolving Advance) of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to such period, minus cash taxes paid by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to such period minus cash dividends and cash distributions of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to such period as permitted by Section 7.7 hereof to (b) Fixed Charges.

               “ Fixed Charges ” shall mean, with respect to any fiscal period, the sum of (a) cash interest expense of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis with respect to such period in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) scheduled principal payments on

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Indebtedness of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis with respect to such period (for avoidance of doubt, Fixed Charges shall not include any payment on Revolving Advances hereunder).

               “ Formula Amount ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

               “ Fund ” shall mean any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

               “ GAAP ” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America in effect from time to time.

               “ General Intangibles ” shall mean and include as to each Loan Party all of such Loan Party’s general intangibles, whether now owned or hereafter acquired including, without limitation, all payment intangibles, choses in action, causes of action, corporate or other business records, inventions, designs, patents, patent applications, equipment formulations, manufacturing procedures, quality control procedures, trademarks, service marks, trade secrets, goodwill, copyrights, design rights, software, computer information, source codes, codes, records and dates, registration, licenses, franchises, customer lists, tax refunds, tax refund claims, computer programs, all claims under guaranties, security interests or other security, held by or granted to such Loan Party to secure payment of any of the Receivables by a Customer (other than to the extent covered by Receivables), all rights of indemnification and all other intangible property of every kind and nature (other than Receivables).

               “ Governmental Body ” shall mean any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof or any entity exercising the legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to a government.

               “ Guarantor ” shall mean any other Person who may hereafter guarantee payment or performance of the whole or any part of the Obligations and “ Guarantors ” means collectively all such Persons.

               “ Guaranty ” shall mean any guaranty of the obligations of the Borrowers executed by a Guarantor in favor of the Agent for its benefit, the benefit of the Issuer and for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, together with all amendments, supplements, modifications, substitutions and replacements thereto and thereof.

               “ Hazardous Discharge ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.18(d) hereof.

               “ Hazardous Substance ” shall mean, without limitation, any flammable explosives, radon, radioactive materials, asbestos, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum and petroleum products, methane, hazardous materials, Hazardous Wastes, hazardous or Toxic Substances or related materials as defined in CERCLA, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended (49 U.S.C. Sections 1801, et seq.), RCRA or any other applicable Environmental Law and in the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

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               “ Hazardous Wastes ” shall mean all waste materials subject to regulation under CERCLA, RCRA or applicable state law, and any other applicable Federal and state laws now in force or hereafter enacted relating to hazardous waste disposal.

               “ Hedging Contracts ” shall mean foreign exchange contracts, currency swap agreements, futures contracts, interest rate protection agreements, interest rate future agreements, interest rate swap agreements, interest rate cap agreements, interest rate collar agreements, option agreements or any other similar hedging agreements or arrangements entered into by a Loan Party in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes.

               “ Hedging Obligations ” shall mean all liabilities of a Loan Party under Hedging Contracts.

               “ Incentive Pricing Effective Date ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b) hereof.

               “ Indebtedness ” of a Person at a particular date shall mean all obligations of such Person which in accordance with GAAP would be classified upon a balance sheet as liabilities (except capital stock and surplus earned or otherwise) and in any event, without limitation by reason of enumeration, shall include all Hedging Obligations, indebtedness, debt and other similar monetary obligations of such Person whether direct or guaranteed, and all premiums, if any, due at the required prepayment dates of such indebtedness, and all indebtedness secured by a Lien on assets owned by such Person, whether or not such indebtedness actually shall have been created, assumed or incurred by such Person. Any indebtedness of such Person resulting from the acquisition by such Person of any assets subject to any Lien shall be deemed, for the purposes hereof, to be the equivalent of the creation, assumption and incurring of the indebtedness secured thereby, whether or not actually so created, assumed or incurred.

               “ Ineligible Security ” shall mean any security which may not be underwritten or dealt in by member banks of the Federal Reserve System under Section 16 of the Banking Act of 1933 (12 U.S.C. Section 24, Seventh), as amended.

               “ Intercreditor Agreement ” shall mean, collectively, the Intercreditor Agreements dated of even date herewith by and among (a) Turf Care Supply Corp., LESCO, Inc. and the Agent and (b) GE Capital Financial Inc., LESCO, Inc. and the Agent, and any other Intercreditor Agreement among LESCO, Inc., the Agent and such other Person, as may be entered into hereafter from time to time, which shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, all of the foregoing together with all amendments, supplements, modifications, substitutions and replacements thereto and thereof.

               “ Interest Period ” shall mean the period provided for any Libor Rate Loan pursuant to Section 2.2(b) hereof.

               “ Inventory ” shall mean and include as to each Loan Party all of such Loan Party’s now owned or hereafter acquired goods, merchandise and other personal property, wherever located, to be furnished under any consignment arrangement, contract of service or held for sale or lease, all raw materials, work in process, finished goods and materials and supplies of any kind, nature or description which are or might be used or consumed in such Loan Party’s

14


 

business or used in selling or furnishing such goods, merchandise and other personal property, and all documents of title or other documents representing them.

               “ Inventory Advance Rate ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a) hereof.

               “ Investment Property ” shall mean and include as to each Loan Party, all of such Loan Party’s now owned or hereafter acquired securities (whether certificated or uncertificated), securities entitlements, securities accounts, commodities contracts and commodities accounts.

               “ ISP ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(b).

               “ Issuer ” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuer of such Letter of Credit and shall be, with respect to any Letter of Credit hereunder, National City Bank, or each other Lender that is requested by the Agent with the approval of the Borrowing Agent, and agrees to act as an Issuer, and each of their successors and assigns (and which may be replaced at the sole discretion of the Agent).

               “ Lender ” and “ Lenders ” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the preamble to this Agreement and shall include each Person which becomes a transferee, successor or assign of any Lender.

               “ Letter of Credit Application ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(a) hereof.

               “ Letter of Credit Fees ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

               “ Letters of Credit ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.8 hereof.

               “ Libor Rate ” means, for any Interest Period with respect to a Libor Rate Loan, the quotient (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest one sixteenth of one percent (1/16th of 1%) of: (x) the per annum rate of interest, determined by the Agent in accordance with its usual procedures (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) as of approximately 12:00 noon (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period pertaining to such Libor Rate Loan, as provided by Bloomberg’s or Reuters (or any other similar company or service that provides rate quotations comparable to those currently provided by such companies as the rate in the London interbank market), as determined by the Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in Dollars or in the London interbank market) as the rate in the London interbank market for deposits in Dollars in immediately available funds with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period divided by (y) a number equal to 1.00 minus the Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage. In the event that such rate quotation is not available for any reason, then the rate (for purposes of clause (x) hereof) shall be the rate, determined by the Agent as of approximately 12:00 noon (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period pertaining to such Libor Rate Loan, to be the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest one sixteenth of one percent (1/16th of 1%)) of the per annum rates at which deposits in Dollars in immediately available funds in an amount comparable to such Libor borrowing and with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered to the prime banks by leading banks in the London interbank market.

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The Libor Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in the Eurocurrency Reserve Percentage.

               “ Libor Rate Loan ” shall mean an Advance at any time that bears interest based on the Libor Rate.

               “ Lien ” shall mean any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, security interest, lien (whether statutory or otherwise), Charge, claim or encumbrance, or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement held or asserted in respect of any asset of any kind or nature whatsoever including, without limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing, and the filing of, or agreement to give, any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code or comparable law of any jurisdiction.

               “ Loan Account ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.7 hereof.

                “Loan Party or Loan Parties” shall mean singularly or collectively, as the context may require, each Borrower and each Guarantor, if any,

               “ Lockbox ” shall mean a post office box rented by and in the name of the Borrowing Agent (or any other Borrower acceptable to the Agent) as required by this Agreement and as to which only the applicable Lockbox Bank and the Agent have access pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement and which can not be closed by the applicable Lockbox Bank without the consent of the Agent pursuant to the applicable Blocked Account Agreement.

               “ Lockbox Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15(g) hereof.

               “ Lockbox Bank ” shall mean National City Bank and, for such period as is acceptable to the Agent, any other financial institution acceptable to the Agent.

               “ Material Adverse Effect ” shall mean a material adverse effect on (a) the financial condition, results of operations, or business of the applicable Person or Persons, (b) any Loan Party’s ability to pay the Obligations in accordance with the terms thereof, (c) the value of the Collateral, or the Agent’s Liens on the Collateral or, subject to Permitted Encumbrances, the priority of any such Lien or (d) the practical realization of the benefits of the Agent’s and each Lender’s rights and remedies under this Agreement and the Other Documents.

               “ Maximum Revolving Advance Amount ” shall mean Fifty-Five Million Dollars ($55,000,000).

               “ Monthly Advances ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a) hereof.

               “ Multiemployer Plan ” shall mean a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Sections 3(37) and 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

               “ National City Bank ” shall mean National City Bank, a national banking association, and its successors and assigns.

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               “ NCBC ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement and shall include its successors and assigns.

               “ Net Orderly Liquidation Value ” means with respect to Inventory or equipment of any Person, the orderly liquidation value thereof as determined in a manner acceptable to the Agent by an appraiser acceptable to the Agent net of all costs of liquidation thereof.

               “ Note ” shall mean each Revolving Credit Note and “ Notes ” shall collectively mean all of the Revolving Credit Notes.

               “ Obligations ” shall mean and include any and all loans, advances, debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties (absolute, contingent, matured or unmatured) owing by the Loan Parties to the Lenders, the Issuer or the Agent or to any other direct or indirect subsidiary or affiliate of the Agent, the Issuer or any Lender of any kind or nature, present or future (including, without limitation, any interest accruing thereon after maturity, or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding relating to any Loan Party, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), whether or not evidenced by any note, guaranty or other instrument, whether arising under any agreement, instrument or document, (including, without limitation, this Agreement and the Other Documents) whether or not for the payment of money, whether arising by reason of an extension of credit, opening of a letter of credit, loan, equipment lease or guarantee, under any Hedging Contract or in connection with any cash management or treasury administration services or in any other manner, whether arising out of overdrafts or deposit or other accounts or electronic funds transfers (whether through automated clearing houses or otherwise) or out of the Agent’s, the Issuers or any Lenders non-receipt of or inability to collect funds or otherwise not being made whole in connection with depository transfer check or other similar arrangements, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assignment or participation), absolute or contingent, joint or several, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising, contractual or tortious, liquidated or unliquidated, regardless of how such indebtedness or liabilities arise or by what agreement or instrument they may be evidenced or whether evidenced by any agreement or instrument, including, but not limited to, any and all of any Loan Party’s Indebtedness and/or liabilities under this Agreement, the Other Documents or under any other agreement between the Agent, the Issuer or the Lenders and any Loan Party and any amendments, extensions, renewals or increases and all costs and expenses of the Agent, the Issuer and any Lender incurred in the documentation, negotiation, modification, enforcement, collection or otherwise in connection with any of the foregoing, including but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and all obligations of any Loan Party to the Agent, the Issuer or the Lenders to perform acts or refrain from taking any action.

               “ Other Documents ” shall mean, individually or collectively, as the context may require, the Revolving Credit Notes, the Perfection Certificate, the Letters of Credit, the Blocked Account Agreements, the Waivers, the Intercreditor Agreements, any Guaranty, and any and all other agreements, instruments and documents, including, without limitation, guaranties, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, and all other writings heretofore, now or hereafter executed by any Loan Party and/or delivered to the Agent, the Issuer or any Lender in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

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               “ Parent ” of any Person shall mean a corporation or other entity owning, directly or indirectly at least fifty percent (50%) of the shares of stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors of the Person, or other Persons performing similar functions for any such Person.

               “ Participant ” shall mean have the meaning set forth in Section 16.3(d).

               “ Payment Office ” shall mean initially 1965 East Sixth Street, 4 th Floor, Cleveland, Ohio 44114; thereafter, such other office of the Agent, if any, which it may designate by notice to the Borrowing Agent and to each Lender to be the Payment Office.

               “ PBGC ” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

               “ Perfection Certificate ” shall mean the Perfection Certificate and the responses thereto provided by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries to the Agent.

               “ Permitted Encumbrances ” shall mean (a) Liens in favor of the Agent for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders; (b) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges not delinquent or being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which proper reserves have been taken by the Loan Parties in accordance with GAAP; provided, that, such Liens shall have no effect on the priority of the Liens in favor of the Agent or the value of the assets in which the Agent has such a Lien and a stay of enforcement of any such Lien shall be in effect; (c) deposits or pledges to secure obligations under worker’s compensation, social security or similar laws, or under unemployment insurance or general liability or product liability insurance; (d) deposits or pledges to secure bids, tenders, contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), leases, statutory obligations, performance bonds, surety and appeal bonds and other obligations of like nature arising in the ordinary course of any Loan Party’s business; (e) mechanics, workers, materialmen’s, warehousemen’s, common carriers, landlord’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of any Loan Party’s business with respect to obligations which are not due or which are being contested in good faith by the applicable Loan Party; (f) Liens placed upon equipment and real estate assets acquired or leased to secure a portion of the purchase price thereof, provided that (x) any such Lien shall not encumber any other property of the Loan Parties other than insurance and other proceeds of such equipment and real estate and (y) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens incurred as a result of such purchases or leases during any fiscal year shall not exceed the amount provided for in Section 7.6; (g) Liens placed upon seed inventory acquired to secure a portion of the purchase price thereof, provided that any such Lien shall not encumber any other property of the Loan Parties other than insurance and other proceeds of such seed inventory; (h) zoning restrictions, easements, encroachments, rights of way, restrictions, leases, licenses, restrictive covenants and other similar title exceptions or Liens affecting Real Property, none of which materially impairs the use of such Real Property or the value thereof, and none of which is violated in any material respect by existing or supporting structures or land use; (i) attachment and judgment liens which do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 10.6; (j) Liens disclosed on Schedule 1.2 provided that the principal amount secured thereby is not hereafter increased, and no additional assets become subject to such Lien; (k) Liens granted to finance special purchases of inventory from Commercial Turf Products consisting of hard goods such as mower decks and spreaders, so long as such Liens (i) attach only to such inventory purchased

18


 

from Commercial Turf Products and the proceeds thereof and (ii) are subject to an Intercreditor Agreement that is in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent; (l) Liens incidental to the conduct of a Borrower’s business incurred in the ordinary course thereof and that do not secure any indebtedness for borrowed money so long as such Liens are junior to the Liens of the Agent or the Lenders, and (m) Liens which are the subject of an Intercreditor Agreement.

               “ Person ” shall mean any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, association, limited liability company, institution, public benefit corporation, joint venture, entity or government (whether federal, state, county, city, municipal or otherwise, including any instrumentality, division, agency, body or department thereof).

               “ Plan ” shall mean any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, maintained for employees of the Loan Parties or any member of the Controlled Group or any such Plan to which any Loan Party or any member of the Controlled Group is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.

               “ Projections ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.5(a) hereof.

               “ Real Property ” shall mean all real property, both owned and leased, of the Loan Parties.

               “ Receivables ” shall mean and include, as to each Loan Party, all of such Loan Party’s accounts, contract rights, instruments (including those evidencing indebtedness owed to the Loan Parties by their Affiliates), documents, chattel paper (including electronic chattel paper), general intangibles relating to accounts, drafts and acceptances, credit card receivables, and all other forms of obligations owing to such Loan Party arising out of or in connection with the sale or lease of Inventory or the rendition of services (including, but not limited to, tolling arrangements), all supporting obligations, guarantees and other security therefor, whether secured or unsecured, now existing or hereafter created, and whether or not specifically sold or assigned to the Agent hereunder.

               “ Receivables Advance Rate ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a)(i) hereof.

               “ Register ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.3(c) hereof.

               “ Releases ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.7(c)(i) hereof.

               “ Reportable Event ” shall mean a reportable event described in Section 4043(b) of ERISA or the regulations promulgated thereunder.

               “ Required Lenders ” shall mean, at any date of determination thereof, the Lenders holding at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the Advances and, if no Advances are outstanding, shall mean the Lenders holding fifty-one percent (51%) of the Commitment Percentages. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if there are only two Lenders, Required Lenders shall mean both Lenders.

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               “ Reserves ” means any and all reserves which the Agent deems necessary in the exercise of reasonable business judgment (from the perspective of a secured asset-based lender) to maintain (including, without limitation, reserves for accrued and unpaid interest on the Obligations, liquidation reserves, banking services reserves, reserves for rent at locations leased by any Borrower and for consignee’s, warehousemen’s and bailee’s charges, reserves for dilution of accounts, reserves for Inventory shrinkage, reserves for customs charges and shipping charges related to any Inventory in transit, reserves for contingent liabilities of any Borrower, reserves for uninsured losses of any Borrower and reserves for taxes, fees, assessments, and other governmental charges) with respect to the Collateral or any Loan Party.

               “ Revolving Advances ” shall mean Advances made other than Letters of Credit.

               “ Revolving Credit Note ” or “ Revolving Credit Notes ” shall mean, singularly or collectively, as the context may require, the promissory notes referred to in Section 2.1(a) hereof.

               “ Section 20 Subsidiary ” shall mean the Subsidiary of the bank holding company controlling NCBC, which Subsidiary has been granted authority by the Federal Reserve Board to underwrite and deal in certain Ineligible Securities.

               “ Settlement Date ” shall mean the Closing Date and thereafter Thursday of each week unless such day is not a Business Day in which case it shall be the next succeeding Business Day.

               “ Subsidiary ” shall mean a corporation or other entity of whose shares of stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power (other than stock or other ownership interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) to elect a majority of the directors of such corporation, or other Persons performing similar functions for such entity, are owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

               “ TCS Supply Agreement ” shall mean that certain Long-Term Supply Agreement dated as of October 1, 2005 by and between Turf Care Supply Corp. and LESCO, Inc., as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified.

               “ Termination Event ” shall mean (a) a Reportable Event with respect to any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (b) the withdrawal of any Loan Party or any member of the Controlled Group from a Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (c) the providing of notice of intent to terminate a Plan in a distress termination described in Section 4041(c) of ERISA; (d) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) any event or condition (i) which would 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 or Multiemployer Plan, or (ii) that would reasonably be expected to result in the termination of a Multiemployer Plan pursuant to Section 4041A of ERISA; or (f) the partial or complete withdrawal within the meaning of Sections 4203 and 4205 of ERISA, of any Loan Party or any member of the Controlled Group from a Multiemployer Plan.

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               “ Threshold Availability ” shall mean, at a particular date, an amount equal to the Formula Amount less the aggregate outstanding amount of the Revolving Advances plus the Availability Block.

               “ Toxic Substance ” shall mean and include any material present on the Real Property which has been shown to have significant adverse effect on human health or which is subject to regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), 15 U.S.C. Sections 2601 et seq., applicable state law, or any other applicable Federal or state laws now in force or hereafter enacted relating to toxic substances. “Toxic Substance” includes but is not limited to asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead-based paints.

               “ UCP ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.9(b) hereof.

               “ Undrawn Availability ” shall mean, at a particular date, an amount equal to (a) the lesser of (i) the Formula Amount or (ii) the Maximum Revolving Advance Amount, minus the Availability Block, minus the aggregate amount of outstanding Letters of Credit, minus Reserves, minus (b) the outstanding amount of Revolving Advances.

               “ Uniform Commercial Code ” shall mean the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar law of the State of Ohio as in effect on the date of this Agreement and as amended from time to time.

               “ USA Patriot Act ” shall mean the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Public Law 107-56, as the same has been, or shall hereafter be, renewed, extended, amended or replaced.

               “ Waivers ” shall mean, collectively, any and all landlord’s waivers, warehouseman’s waivers, creditor’s waivers, mortgagee waivers and processing facility and similar bailee’s waivers, executed and delivered in connection with this Agreement, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, together with all amendments, supplements, modifications, substitutions and replacements thereto and thereof.

               “ Week ” shall mean the time period commencing with the opening of business on a Wednesday and ending on the end of business the following Tuesday.

      1.3 Uniform Commercial Code Terms .

               All terms used herein and defined in the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Ohio from time to time shall have the meaning given therein unless otherwise defined herein. To the extent the definition of any category or type of Collateral is expanded by any amendment, modification or revision to the Uniform Commercial Code, such expanded definition will apply automatically as of the date of such amendment, modification or revision.

      1.4 Certain Matters of Construction .

               The terms “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph or subdivision.

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Any pronoun used shall be deemed to cover all genders. Wherever appropriate in the context, terms used herein in the singular also include the plural and vice versa . All references to statutes and related regulations shall include any amendments of same and any successor statutes and regulations. Unless otherwise provided, all references to any instruments or agreements to which the Agent is a party, including, without limitation, references to any of the Other Documents, shall include any and all modifications or amendments thereto and any and all extensions or renewals thereof.

      II. ADVANCES, PAYMENTS .

      2.1 Revolving Advances .

 

(a)

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement including, without limitation, Section 2.1(b), each Lender, severally and not jointly, will make Revolving Advances to the Borrowers in aggregate amounts outstanding at any time equal to such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the lesser of (x) the Maximum Revolving Advance Amount less the aggregate amount of outstanding Letters of Credit less Reserves or (y) an amount equal to the sum of:

(i) up to eighty-five percent (85%), subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(b) hereof (“Receivables Advance Rate”), of Eligible Receivables and Eligible Credit Card Receivables, plus

(ii) up to:

 

(A)

 

sixty-five percent (65%) of the value of Eligible Inventory subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(b) hereof, or, at the option of the Borrowing Agent;

 

 

 

 

 

(B)

 

if the Borrowers obtain an appraisal of their Inventory, which appraisal shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, the lesser of (I) eight-five percent (85%) of the Net Orderly Liquidation Value (expressed as a percentage of cost based on the most recent inventory appraisal) of Eligible Inventory subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(b) hereof or (II) seventy percent (70%) of the value of Eligible Inventory subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(b) hereof, minus

(iii) the aggregate amount of outstanding Letters of Credit, minus

(iv) Reserves; minus

(v) the Availability Block.

The rates derived from Sections 2.1(a)(ii)(A) and (ii)(B) shall be referred to collectively as the “Inventory Advance Rate”. The Receivables Advance Rate and the Inventory Advance Rate shall be referred to as the “Advance Rates”. The amount derived from the sum of Sections 2.1(a)(i) and (ii) minus the sum of

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Section 2.1(a)(iii), (iv) and (v) at any time and from time to time shall be referred to as the “Formula Amount”. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the amount derived in part (ii) above shall not include more than $10,000,000 for Inventory located on Borrowers’ Stores-on-Wheels ® vehicles.

Revolving Advances shall be evidenced by one or more secured promissory notes (collectively, the “Revolving Credit Note”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1(a) .

 

(b)

 

Discretionary Rights . Subject to Section 16.2(b)(vii), the Advance Rates may be increased or decreased by the Agent at any time and from time to time in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment (from the perspective of a secured asset-based lender). Each Borrower consents to any such increases or decreases and acknowledges that decreasing the Advance Rates or increasing the reserves may limit or restrict Advances requested by the Borrowing Agent.

      2.2 Procedure for Borrowing Advances .

 

(a)

 

The Borrowing Agent on behalf of any Borrower shall notify the Agent prior to Noon (Cleveland, Ohio time) on a Business Day of a Borrower’s request to incur, on that day, a Revolving Advance hereunder. Should any amount required to be paid as interest hereunder, or as fees or other charges under this Agreement or any other agreement with the Agent or the Lenders, or with respect to any other Obligation, become due, same shall be deemed a request for a Revolving Advance as of the date such payment is due, in the amount required to pay in full such interest, fee, charge or Obligation under this Agreement or any other agreement with the Agent or the Lenders, and such request shall be irrevocable.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of (a) above, in the event any Borrower desires to obtain a Libor Rate Loan, the Borrowing Agent shall notify the Agent in writing no later than Noon (Cleveland, Ohio time) at least three (3) Business Days’ prior to the date of such proposed borrowing, specifying (i) the date of the proposed borrowing (which shall be a Business Day), (ii) the amount of such Revolving Advance to be borrowed, which amount shall be in a minimum amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) and in integral multiples of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) thereafter, and (iii) the duration of the first Interest Period therefor. Interest Periods for Libor Rate Loans shall be for one (1), two (2), three (3) months or six (6) months; provided, if an Interest Period would end on a day that is not a Business Day, it shall end on the next succeeding Business Day unless such day falls in the next succeeding calendar month in which case the Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day. No Libor Rate Loan shall be made available to a Borrower during the continuance of a Default or an Event of Default.

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

Each Interest Period of a Libor Rate Loan shall commence on the date such Libor Rate Loan is made and shall end on such date as the Borrowing Agent may elect as set forth in subsection (b) (iii) above provided that the exact length of each

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Interest Period shall be determined in accordance with the practice of the interbank market for offshore Dollar deposits and no Interest Period shall end after the Facility Termination Date.

The Borrowing Agent shall elect the initial Interest Period applicable to a Libor Rate Loan by its notice of borrowing given to the Agent pursuant to Section 2.2(b) or by its notice of conversion given to the Agent pursuant to Section 2.2(d), as the case may be. The Borrowing Agent shall elect the duration of each succeeding Interest Period by giving irrevocable written notice to the Agent of such duration not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the last day of then current Interest Period applicable to such Libor Rate Loan. If the Agent does not receive timely notice of the Interest Period elected by the Borrowing Agent, the Borrowers shall be deemed to have elected to convert to a Domestic Rate Loan subject to Section 2.2(d) hereinbelow.

 

(d)

 

Any Borrower may, on the last Business Day of then current Interest Period applicable to any outstanding Libor Rate Loan, or on any Business Day with respect to Domestic Rate Loans, convert any such loan into a loan of another type in the same aggregate principal amount provided that any conversion of a Libor Rate Loan shall be made only on the last Business Day of then current Interest Period applicable to such Libor Rate Loan. If a Borrower desires to convert a loan, the Borrowing Agent shall give the Agent not less than three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice to convert from a Domestic Rate Loan to a Libor Rate Loan or one (1) Business Day’s prior written notice to convert from a Libor Rate Loan to a Domestic Rate Loan, specifying the date of such conversion, the loans to be converted and if the conversion is from a Domestic Rate Loan to any other type of loan, the duration of the first Interest Period therefor; provided, however, a Borrower shall not be permitted to convert a Domestic Rate Loan to a Libor Rate Loan or continue to select a Libor Rate Loan during the continuance of a Default or an Event of Default. After giving effect to each such conversion, there shall not be outstanding more than five (5) Libor Rate Loans, in the aggregate.

 

 

 

 

 

(e)

 

At its option and upon three (3) Business Days’ prior written notice, any Borrower may prepay the Libor Rate Loans in whole at any time or in part from time to time, without premium or penalty, but with accrued interest on the principal being prepaid to the date of such repayment. Such Borrower shall specify the date of prepayment of Advances which are Libor Rate Loans and the amount of such prepayment. In the event that any prepayment of a Libor Rate Loan is required or permitted on a date other than the last Business Day of then current Interest Period with respect thereto, such Borrower shall indemnify the Agent and the Lenders therefor in accordance with Section 2.2(f) hereof.

 

 

 

 

 

(f)

 

Each Borrower shall indemnify the Agent and the Lenders and hold the Agent and the Lenders harmless from and against any and all losses or expenses that the Agent and the Lenders may sustain or incur as a consequence of any prepayment, conversion of or any default by any Borrower in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Libor Rate Loan or failure by any Borrower to complete a borrowing of, a prepayment of or conversion of or to a Libor Rate Loan after

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notice thereof has been given, including, but not limited to, any interest payable by the Agent or the Lenders to lenders of funds obtained by it in order to make or maintain its Libor Rate Loans hereunder unless such loss or expense is due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Agent and/or any Lender. A certificate as to any additional amounts payable pursuant to the foregoing sentence submitted by the Agent or any Lender to the Borrowing Agent shall be presumed correct absent manifest error.

 

(g)

 

Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, if any applicable law, treaty, regulation or directive, or any change therein or in the interpretation or application thereof, shall make it unlawful for any Lender (for purposes of this subsection (g), the term “Lender” shall include any Lender and the office or branch where any Lender or any corporation or bank controlling such Lender makes or maintains any Libor Rate Loans) to make or maintain its Libor Rate Loans, the obligation of the Lenders to make Libor Rate Loans hereunder shall forthwith be cancelled and the Borrowers shall, if any affected Libor Rate Loans are then outstanding, promptly upon request from the Agent, either pay all such affected Libor Rate Loans or convert such affected Libor Rate Loans into loans of another type. If any such payment or conversion of any Libor Rate Loan is made on a day that is not the last day of the Interest Period applicable to such Libor Rate Loan, the Borrowers shall pay the Agent, upon the Agent’s request, such amount or amounts as may be necessary to compensate the Lenders for any loss or expense sustained or incurred by the Lenders in respect of such Libor Rate Loan as a result of such payment or conversion, including (but not limited to) any interest or other amounts payable by the Lenders to lenders of funds obtained by the Lenders in order to make or maintain such Libor Rate Loan. A certificate as to any additional amounts payable pursuant to the foregoing sentence submitted by the Lenders to the Borrowing Agent shall be presumed correct absent manifest error.

      2.3 Disbursement of Advance Proceeds .

               All Advances shall be disbursed from whichever office or other place the Agent may designate from time to time and, together with any and all other Obligations of the Borrowers to the Agent or the Lenders, shall be charged to the Loan Account on the Agent’s books. During the term of this Agreement, the Borrowers may use the Revolving Advances by borrowing, prepaying and reborrowing, all in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof. The proceeds of each Revolving Advance requested by the Borrowers or deemed to have been requested by the Borrowers under Section 2.2(a) hereof shall, with respect to requested Revolving Advances to the extent the Lenders make such Revolving Advances, be made available to the applicable Borrower on the day so requested by way of credit to the Borrowing Agent’s operating account at National City Bank, or such other bank as the Borrowing Agent may designate following notification to the Agent, in immediately available federal funds or other immediately available funds or, with respect to Revolving Advances deemed to have been requested by any Borrower, be disbursed to the Agent to be applied to the outstanding Obligations giving rise to such deemed request.

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      2.4 Maximum Advances .

               Subject to Section 16.2(b), the aggregate balance of outstanding Advances outstanding at any time shall not exceed the lesser of (a) the Maximum Revolving Advance Amount less Reserves or (b) the Formula Amount (without duplication of the amount of Letters of Credit).

      2.5 Repayment of Advances .

 

(a)

 

The Revolving Advances shall be due and payable in full on the Facility Termination Date subject to earlier prepayment as herein provided.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

Any Customer payment with respect to Receivables which is evidenced by a check, note, draft or any other similar item of payment may not be immediately collectible. In calculating outstanding Revolving Advances, Undrawn Availability and Threshold Availability, the Agent agrees that any such item of payment will be deemed to have been received by the Agent and will be provisionally credited to the Loan Account by the Agent on the Business Day immediately following the day on which the Agent has actual possession of such item of payment for deposit to the Cash Concentration Account. With respect to such calculation of outstandings, Undrawn Availability and Threshold Availability, the Agent also agrees that any Customer payment consisting of a federal wire transfer pursuant to the United States Treasury Fedwire Deposit System, an automatic clearing house credit or other similar payment mechanism will be deemed to have been received by the Agent and will be credited to the Loan Account by the Agent on the Business Day on which the Agent has received such payment prior to Noon (Cleveland, Ohio time) in immediately available funds for deposit to the Cash Concentration Account. In consideration of the Agent’s agreement for provisional crediting of items of payment, the Borrowers agree that, in calculating interest and other charges on the Obligations, all Customer payments will be treated as having been credited to the Loan Account on the Business Day immediately following the Business Day on which such payments are deemed to have been received by the Agent pursuant to this paragraph.

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

The Agent shall not be required to credit the Loan Account for the amount of any item of payment or other payment which is unsatisfactory to the Agent in its reasonable business judgment. All credits (other than federal wire transfers) shall be provisional, subject to verification and final settlement. The Agent may charge the Loan Account for the amount of any item of payment or other payment which is returned to the Agent unpaid or otherwise not collected. The Borrowers agree that any information and data reported to the Borrowers pursuant to any service which is received prior to final posting and confirmation is subject to correction and is not to be construed as final posting information. The Agent and the Lenders shall have no liability for the content of such preliminary service related information.

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(d)

 

All payments of principal, interest and other amounts payable hereunder, or under any of the Other Documents shall be made to the Agent at the Payment Office not later than Noon (Cleveland, Ohio time) on the due date in lawful money of the United States of America in federal funds or other funds immediately available to the Agent. The Agent shall have the right to effectuate payment on any and all Obligations due and owing hereunder by charging the Loan Account or by making Advances as provided in Section 2.2 hereof.

 

 

 

 

 

(e)

 

The Borrowers shall pay principal, interest, and all other amounts payable hereunder, or under any related agreement, without any deduction whatsoever, including, but not limited to, any deduction for any setoff or counterclaim.

      2.6 Repayment of Excess Advances .

               The aggregate balance of outstanding Advances at any time in excess of the maximum amount of such Advances permitted hereunder shall be immediately due and payable without the necessity of any demand, at the Payment Office, whether or not a Default or Event of Default has occurred.

      2.7 Statement of Account .

               The Agent shall maintain, in accordance with its customary procedures, a loan account (“Loan Account”) in the name of the Borrowers in which shall be recorded the date and amount of each Advance made by the Agent and the date and amount of each payment in respect thereof; provided, however, the failure by the Agent to record the date and amount of any Advance shall not adversely affect the Agent or any Lender. Each calendar month, the Agent shall send to the Borrowing Agent a statement showing the accounting for the Advances made, payments made or credited in respect thereof, and other transactions between the Agent and the Borrowers, during such month. The monthly statements shall be deemed correct and binding upon the Borrowers in the absence of manifest error and shall constitute an account stated between the Lenders and the Borrowers unless the Agent receives a written statement of the Borrowers’ specific exceptions thereto within thirty (30) days after such statement is received by the Borrowing Agent. The records of the Agent with respect to the loan account shall be presumed correct evidence absent manifest error of the amounts of Advances and other charges thereto and of payments applicable thereto.

      2.8 Letters of Credit .

               Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Issuer shall (a) issue or cause the issuance of Letters of Credit (“Letters of Credit”) on behalf of any Borrower; provided, however, that the Issuer will not be required to issue or cause to be issued any Letters of Credit to the extent that the face amount of such Letters of Credit would then cause the outstanding Advances to exceed the lesser of (a) the Maximum Revolving Advance Amount less Reserves or (b) the Formula Amount (without duplication of the amount of Letters of Credit). The maximum amount of the amount of Letters of Credit outstanding shall not exceed Twenty Five Million Dollars ($25,000,000) in the aggregate at any time. All disbursements or payments related to Letters of Credit shall be deemed to be Domestic Rate Loans (in Dollars) consisting of

27


 

Revolving Advances and shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate; Letters of Credit that have not been drawn upon shall not bear interest.

      2.9 Issuance of Letters of Credit .

 

(a)

 

The Borrowing Agent, on behalf of any Borrower, may request the Issuer to issue or cause the issuance of a Letter of Credit by delivering to the Issuer at the Payment Office, the Issuer’s form of Letter of Credit Application (the “Letter of Credit Application”) completed to the satisfaction of the Issuer; and, such other certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Issuer may reasonably request no later than 12:00 noon (Cleveland, Ohio time) at least five (5) Business Days’ prior to the date of such proposed issuance (except for any Letter of Credit to be issued as of the Closing Date). The Borrowing Agent, on behalf of the Borrowers, also has the right to give instructions and make agreements with respect to any application, any applicable letter of credit and security agreement, any applicable letter of credit reimbursement agreement and/or any other applicable agreement, any letter of credit and the disposition of documents, disposition of any unutilized funds, and to agree with the Issuer upon any amendment, extension or renewal of any Letter of Credit.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

Each Letter of Credit shall, among other things, (i) provide for the payment of sight drafts or other forms of written demand for payment or, acceptances of issued drafts when presented for honor thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof and when accompanied by the documents described therein and (ii) have an expiry date not later than the earlier of one (1) year from the date of issuance or, unless agreed to by the Agent and the Issuer, the Facility Termination Date; provided that, the Letter of Credit in the face amount of $3,210,690 issued to PNC Bank, National Association on the Closing Date may have an expiry date later than one year from the date of issuance. Each trade Letter of Credit shall be subject to the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (1993 Revision), International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 500, and any amendments or revisions thereof adhered to by the Issuer (the “UCP”). Each standby Letter of Credit shall be subject to the International Standby Practices 1998, International Chamber of Commerce Publication 590 and any amendments or revisions thereof adhered to by the Issuer (the “ISP”) or the UCP, as determined by the Issuer. Each Letter of Credit shall be governed, to the extent not inconsistent with the UCP or the ISP, as applicable, by the laws of the State of Ohio (provided, however, upon the request of the Borrowing Agent and the consent of the Issuer, a Letter of Credit may be governed by the laws of a State other than Ohio).

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

The Agent shall notify the Lenders of the request by the Borrowing Agent for a Letter of Credit hereunder within a reasonable time after receiving such request.

 

 

 

 

 

(d)

 

The Issuer shall have absolute discretion whether to accept any draft. Without in any way limiting the Issuer’s absolute discretion whether to accept any draft, the Borrowing Agent will not present for acceptance any draft, and the Issuer will

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generally not accept any drafts (i) that arise out of transactions involving the sale of goods by any Borrower not in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) that involve a sale to an Affiliate of any Borrower, (iii) that involve any purchase for which the Issuer has not received all related documents, instruments and forms requested by the Issuer, or (iv) that is not eligible for discounting with Federal Reserve Banks pursuant to paragraph 7 of Section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended.

      2.10 Requirements For Issuance of Letters of Credit .

 

(a)

 

In connection with the issuance of any Letter of Credit, the Borrowers shall indemnify, save and hold the Agent, each Lender and each Issuer harmless from any loss, cost, expense or liability, including, without limitation, payments made by the Agent, any Lender or any Issuer and expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred by the Agent, any Lender or Issuer arising out of, or in connection with, any Letter of Credit to be issued or created for any Borrower, unless such loss, cost, expense or liability is due to the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Agent or any Lender. The Borrowers shall be bound by the Agent’s or any Issuer’s regulations and good faith interpretations of any Letter of Credit issued or created for the Loan Account, although this interpretation may be different from its own; and, neither the Agent, nor any Lender, nor any Issuer nor any of their correspondents shall be liable for any error, negligence, or mistakes, whether of omission or commission, in following the Borrowing Agent’s or any Borrower’s instructions or those contained in any Letter of Credit or of any modifications, amendments or supplements thereto or in issuing or paying any Letter of Credit, except for the Agent’s, any Lender’s, any Issuer’s or such correspondents’ actual gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

The Borrowing Agent shall authorize and direct the Issuer to name the applicable Borrower as the “Applicant” or “Account Party” of each Letter of Credit. The Borrowing Agent shall authorize and direct the Issuer to deliver to the Agent all instruments, documents, and other writings and property received by the Issuer pursuant to the Letter of Credit and to accept and rely upon the Agent’s instructions and agreements with respect to all matters arising in connection with the Letter of Credit, the application therefor or any acceptance therefor.

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

In connection with all Letters of Credit issued by the Issuer under this Agreement, each Borrower hereby appoints the Issuer, or its designee, as its attorney, with full power and authority upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default or Default, (i) to sign and/or endorse such Borrower’s name upon any warehouse or other receipts, letter of credit applications and acceptances; (ii) to sign such Borrower’s name on bills of lading; (iii) to clear Inventory through the United States of America Customs Department (“Customs”) in the name of such Borrower or Issuer or Issuer’s designee, and to sign and deliver to Customs officials powers of attorney in the name of such Borrower for such purpose; and (iv) to complete in such Borrower’s name or Issuer’s, or in the name of Issuer’s designee, any order, sale or transaction, obtain the necessary documents in

29


 

 

 

 

connection therewith, and collect the proceeds thereof. Neither Issuer nor its attorneys will be liable for any acts or omissions nor for any error of judgment or mistakes of fact or law, except for Issuer’s or its attorney’s actual gross negligence or willful misconduct. This power, being coupled with an interest, is irrevocable as long as any Letters of Credit remain outstanding.

 

(d)

 

Each Lender shall to the extent of the percentage amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Commitment Percentage times the aggregate amount of all unpaid reimbursement obligations arising from disbursements made or obligations incurred with respect to the Letters of Credit be deemed to have irrevocably purchased an undivided participation in each such unpaid reimbursement obligation. In the event that at the time a disbursement is made the unpaid balance of Advances exceeds or would exceed, with the making of such disbursement, the lesser of (i) the Maximum Revolving Advance Amount less Reserves or (ii) the Formula Amount, and such disbursement is not reimbursed by the Borrowers within two (2) Business Days, the Agent shall promptly notify each Lender and upon the Agent’s demand each Lender shall pay to the Agent such Lender’s proportionate share of such unpaid disbursement together with such Lender’s proportionate share of the Agent’s reasonable unreimbursed costs and expenses relating to such disbursement. In the event the Issuer makes a disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, each Lender shall pay to such Issuer, upon such Issuer’s demand, such Lender’s proportionate share of such disbursement together with such Lender’s proportionate share of such Issuer’s reasonable unreimbursed costs and expenses relating to such disbursement. Upon receipt by the Agent of a repayment from any Borrower of any amount disbursed by the Agent for which the Agent had already been reimbursed by the Lenders, the Agent shall deliver to each Lender that Lender’s pro rata share of such repayment. Each Lender’s participation commitment shall continue until the last to occur of any of the following events: (A) the Issuer ceases to be obligated to issue or cause to be issued Letters of Credit hereunder; (B) no Letter of Credit issued hereunder remains outstanding and uncancelled or (C) all Persons (other than the applicable Borrower) have been fully reimbursed for all payments made under or relating to Letters of Credit.

 

 

 

 

 

(e)

 

Immediately upon the request of the Agent, (i) after the occurrence and during the continuance of a Default or an Event of Default, or (ii) Letter of Credit remain outstanding sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the Facility Termination Date, in each such case the Borrowers will deposit and maintain in an account with the Agent cash, as cash collateral, in an amount equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the amount of outstanding Letters of Credit. In each case, each Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Agent, in its discretion, on such Borrower’s behalf and in such Borrower’s name, to open such an account and to make and maintain deposits in such account or in an account opened by such Borrower, in the amounts required to be made by such Borrower, out of the proceeds of Receivables or other Collateral or out of any other funds of such Borrower coming into any Lender’s possession at any time. The Agent will invest such cash collateral ( less applicable Reserves) in such short-term money-

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market items as to which the Agent and such Borrower mutually agree and the net return on such investments shall be credited to such account and constitute additional cash collateral. So long as such Default or Event of Default is continuing, no Borrower may withdraw amounts credited to any such account except upon payment and performance in full of all Obligations and termination of this Agreement.

      2.11 Additional Payments .

               Any sums reasonably expended by the Agent or any Lender due to any Borrower’s failure to perform or comply with its obligations under this Agreement or any Other Document including, without limitation, any Borrower’s obligations under Sections 4.2, 4.4, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14 and 6.1 hereof, may be charged to the Loan Account as a Revolving Advance and added to the Obligations.

      2.12 Manner of Borrowing and Payment .

 

(a)

 

Each borrowing of Revolving Advances shall be advanced according to the applicable Commitment Percentages of the Lenders.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

Each payment (including each prepayment) by the Borrowers on account of the principal of and interest on the Revolving Advances, shall be applied to the Revolving Advances pro rata according to the applicable Commitment Percentages of the Lenders. Except as expressly provided herein, all payments (including prepayments) to be made by any Borrower on account of principal, interest and fees shall be made without set off or counterclaim and shall be made to the Agent on behalf of the Lenders to the Payment Office, in each case on or prior to 1:00 P.M. (Cleveland, Ohio time) in Dollars and in immediately available funds.

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

(i) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in Sections 2.12(a) and 2.12(b) hereof, commencing with the first Business Day following the Closing Date, each borrowing of Revolving Advances shall be advanced by the Agent and each payment by any Borrower on account of Revolving Advances shall be applied first to those Revolving Advances advanced by the Agent. On or before 1:00 P.M. (Cleveland, Ohio time) on each Settlement Date commencing with the first Settlement Date following the Closing Date, the Agent and the Lenders shall make certain payments as follows: (I) if the aggregate amount of new Revolving Advances (which includes any Revolving Advances made on the Closing Date) made by the Agent during the preceding Week (if any) exceeds the aggregate amount of repayments applied to outstanding Revolving Advances during such preceding Week, then each Lender shall provide the Agent with funds in an amount equal to its applicable Commitment Percentage of the difference between (w) such Revolving Advances and (x) such repayments and (II) if the aggregate amount of repayments applied to outstanding Revolving Advances during such Week exceeds the aggregate amount of new Revolving Advances made during such Week, then the Agent shall provide each Lender with funds in

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an amount equal to its applicable Commitment Percentage of the difference between (y) such repayments and (z) such Revolving Advances.

(ii) Each Lender shall be entitled to earn interest at the applicable Contract Rate on outstanding Advances which it has funded.

(iii) Promptly following each Settlement Date, the Agent shall submit to each Lender a certificate with respect to payments received and Advances made during the Week immediately preceding such Settlement Date. Such certificate of the Agent shall be presumed correct in the absence of manifest error.

 

(d)

 

If any Lender or Participant (a “benefited Lender”) shall at any time receive any payment of all or part of its Advances, or interest thereon, or receive any Collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily or by set-off) in a greater proportion than any such payment to and Collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of such other Lender’s Advances, or interest thereon, and such greater proportionate payment or receipt of Collateral is not expressly permitted hereunder, such benefited Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participation in such portion of each such other Lender’s Advances, or shall provide such other Lender with the benefits of any such Collateral, or the proceeds thereof, as shall be necessary to cause such benefited Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such Collateral or proceeds ratably with each of the other Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such benefited Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest. Each Lender so purchasing a portion of another Lender’s Advances may exercise all rights of payment (including, without limitation, rights of set-off) with respect to such portion as fully as if such Lender were the direct holder of such portion.

 

(e)

 

Unless the Agent shall have been notified by telephone, confirmed in writing, by any Lender that such Lender will not make the amount which would constitute its applicable Commitment Percentage of the Advances available to the Agent, the Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) assume that such Lender shall make such amount available to the Agent on the next Settlement Date and, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrowers a corresponding amount. The Agent will promptly notify the Borrowers of its receipt of any such notice from a Lender. If such amount is made available to the Agent on a date after such next Settlement Date, such Lender shall pay to the Agent on demand an amount equal to the product of (i) the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate (computed on the basis of a year of 360 days) during such period as quoted by the Agent, times (ii) such amount, times (iii) the number of days from and including such Settlement Date to the date on which such amount becomes immediately available to the Agent. A certificate of the Agent submitted to any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this paragraph (e) shall be presumed correct, in the absence of manifest error. If such amount is not in fact made available to the Agent by such Lender within three (3) Business Days after such Settlement

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Date, the Agent shall be entitled to recover such an amount, with interest thereon at the rate per annum then applicable to such Revolving Advances hereunder, on demand from the Borrowers; provided, however, that the Agent’s right to such recovery shall not prejudice or otherwise adversely affect the Borrowers’ rights (if any) against such Lender.

      2.13 Reserved .

      2.14 Use of Proceeds .

               The Borrowers shall apply the proceeds of Advances (i) to repay existing Indebtedness owed to its current senior secured lenders (PNC Bank, National Association, Agent), (ii) to pay fees and expenses relating to the transaction contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) for general corporate purposes and (iv) to provide for working capital needs.

      2.15 Defaulting Lender .

 

(a)

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in the event any Lender (x) has refused (which refusal constitutes a breach by such Lender of its obligations under this Agreement) to make available its portion of any Advance or (y) notifies either the Agent or the Borrowing Agent that it does not intend to make available its portion of any Advance (if the actual refusal would constitute a breach by such Lender of its obligations under this Agreement) (each, a “Lender Default”), all rights and obligations hereunder of such Lender (a “Defaulting Lender”) as to which a Lender Default is in effect and of the other parties hereto shall be modified to the extent of the express provisions of this Section 2.15 while such Lender Default remains in effect.

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

 

Advances shall be incurred pro rata from the Lenders (the “Non-Defaulting Lenders”) which are not Defaulting Lenders based on their respective Commitment Percentages, and no Commitment Percentage of any Lender or any pro rata share of any Advances required to be advanced by any Lender shall be increased as a result of such Lender Default. Amounts received in respect of principal of any type of Advances shall be applied to reduce the applicable Advances of each Lender pro rata based on the aggregate of the outstanding Advances of that type of all Lenders at the time of such application; provided, that, such amount shall not be applied to any Advances of a Defaulting Lender at any time when, and to the extent that, the aggregate amount of Advances of any Non-Defaulting Lender exceeds such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment Percentage of all Advances then outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

 

A Defaulting Lender shall not be entitled to give instructions to the Agent or to approve, disapprove, consent to or vote on any matters relating to this Agreement and the Other Documents. All amendments, waivers and other modifications of this Agreement and the Other Documents may be made without regard to a Defaulting Lender and, for purposes of the definition of “Required Lenders”, a

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Defaulting Lender shall be deemed not to be a Lender and not to have Advances outstanding.

 

(d)

 

Other than as expressly set forth in this Section 2.15, the rights and obligations of a Defaulting Lender (including the obligation to indemnify the Agent) and the other parties hereto shall remain unchanged. Nothing in this Section 2.15 shall be deemed to release any Defaulting Lender from its obligations under this Agreement and the Other Documents, shall alter such obligations, shall operate as a waiver of any default by such Defaulting Lender hereunder, or shall prejudice any rights which any Borrower, the Agent or any Lender may have against any Defaulting Lender as a result of any default by such Defaulting Lender hereunder.