DG Dollar General Corporation

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 3, 2024

 

DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Tennessee		001-11421		61-0502302
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)		(Commission File Number)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

100 MISSION RIDGE GOODLETTSVILLE, TN		37072
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (615) 855-4000

 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.875 per share	DG	New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

 

 

ITEM 1.01

ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.

 

On September 3, 2024, Dollar General Corporation (the “Company”) entered into an unsecured amended and restated credit agreement (the “2024 Credit Agreement”) with the initial lenders named therein, Citibank, N.A. as administrative agent, Bank of America, N.A. as syndication agent, Citibank, N.A., BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs Bank USA, U.S. Bank National Association and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, and Fifth Third Bank, National Association, Goldman Sachs Bank USA, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., PNC Bank, National Association, Regions Bank, The Huntington National Bank, Truist Bank, U.S. Bank National Association, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as co-documentation agents. The 2024 Credit Agreement provides for a $2.375 billion unsecured five-year revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Facility”) which allows for a subfacility for letters of credit of up to $100 million, of which $70 million is currently committed and $30 million is uncommitted. The Revolving Facility also includes a subfacility with a borrowing capacity of up to $50 million available for short-term borrowings referred to as swingline loans.

 

The 2024 Credit Agreement provides that the Company has the right at any time to request increased revolving commitments in an aggregate amount of up to $500.0 million. The Company also has the right, subject to certain limitations and conditions, to request extensions of the termination date. The lenders under the 2024 Credit Agreement will not be under any obligation to provide any such increased revolving commitments or extensions, and any such addition of or increase in commitments or extensions of the termination date will be subject to certain customary conditions precedent.

 

Borrowings under the Revolving Facility bear interest at a rate equal to an applicable interest rate margin plus, at the Company’s option, either (a) Adjusted Term SOFR (which is Term SOFR (as defined in the 2024 Credit Agreement) plus a credit spread adjustment of 0.10%, but in no event less than 0%) or (b) a base rate (which is the highest of (i) Citibank N.A.’s publicly announced “base rate,” (ii) the federal funds rate plus 0.5% and (iii) Adjusted Term SOFR for an interest period of one month (but in no event less than 0%), plus 1.00%). The applicable interest rate margins for borrowings and the facility fees under the 2024 Credit Agreement are subject to adjustment from time to time based on the Company’s long-term senior unsecured non-credit-enhanced debt ratings. The Company is also required to pay a facility fee to the lenders under the Revolving Facility for any used and unused commitments and customary fees on letters of credit issued under the Revolving Facility. As of September 3, 2024, the applicable interest rate margin for Adjusted Term SOFR loans is 1.015% and the commitment fee rate is 0.110%. The applicable interest rate margins for borrowings, the facility fees and the letter of credit fees under the Revolving Facility are subject to adjustment from time to time based on the Company’s non-credit enhanced long-term senior unsecured debt ratings.

 

The Company may voluntarily repay outstanding loans under the 2024 Credit Agreement at any time without premium or penalty, other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to Adjusted Term SOFR loans.

 

The 2024 Credit Agreement contains a number of customary affirmative and negative covenants that, among other things, restrict, subject to certain exceptions, the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ ability to: incur additional liens; sell all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; consummate certain fundamental changes or change the Company’s lines of business; and incur additional subsidiary indebtedness. The 2024 Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants that require the maintenance of a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio and a maximum leverage ratio, as well as customary events of default, the occurrence of which could result in amounts borrowed under the Revolving Facility becoming due and payable and remaining commitments terminated prior to its September 3, 2029 scheduled termination date.

 

 

Certain lenders under the 2024 Credit Agreement and their affiliates have, from time to time, provided investment banking, commercial banking, advisory and other services to the Company and/or its affiliates for which they have received customary fees and commissions and such lenders and their affiliates may provide these services from time to time in the future.

 

A copy of the 2024 Credit Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The description of the 2024 Credit Agreement in this report is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the 2024 Credit Agreement attached hereto.

 

ITEM 1.02

TERMINATION OF A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.

 

On September 3, 2024, all outstanding commitments under that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 2, 2021, by and among the Company, as borrower, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other credit parties and lenders party thereto, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated January 31, 2023 and Amendment No. 2 dated February 13, 2024 (collectively, the “2021 Credit Agreement”) (as previously disclosed by the Company on its Current Reports on Form 8-K dated December 2, 2021, January 31, 2023 and February 13, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 3, 2021, February 1, 2023 and February 14, 2024, respectively), were terminated and replaced by the commitments under the 2024 Credit Agreement as described in Item 1.01 above.

 

Certain lenders under the 2021 Credit Agreement and their affiliates have, from time to time, provided investment banking, commercial banking, advisory and other services to the Company and/or its affiliates for which they have received customary fees and commissions and such lenders and their affiliates may provide these services from time to time in the future.

 

ITEM 2.03

CREATION OF A DIRECT FINANCIAL OBLIGATION OR AN OBLIGATION UNDER AN OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENT OF A REGISTRANT.

 

The information provided in Item 1.01 of this report is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.

  

ITEM 9.01

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 

	(a)	Financial statements of businesses acquired. N/A
	(b)	Pro forma financial information. N/A
	(c)	Shell company transactions. N/A
	(d)	Exhibits. See Exhibit Index to this report.

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit  No.		Description
4.1		Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 3, 2024, among Dollar General Corporation, as borrower, Citibank N.A., as administrative agent, and the other credit parties and lenders party thereto
104		The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date:	September 3, 2024	DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION
		By:	/s/ Kelly M. Dilts
			Kelly M. Dilts
			Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

U.S. $2,375,000,000

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of September 3, 2024

 

Among

 

DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION
as Borrower

 

and

 

THE INITIAL LENDERS NAMED HEREIN
as Initial Lenders

 

and

 

CITIBANK, N.A.
as Administrative Agent

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
as Syndication Agent

 

FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
REGIONS BANK, THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, TRUIST BANK, U.S.
BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Co-Documentation Agents

 

CITIBANK, N.A.,

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.,

GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

and WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC

 

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms	1
SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods	24
SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms	24
SECTION 1.04. Terms Generally	24
SECTION 1.05. Divisions	25
SECTION 1.06. Rates	25

 

ARTICLE II
AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

 

SECTION 2.01. The Advances and Letters of Credit	25
SECTION 2.02. Making the Advances	27
SECTION 2.03. Issuance of and Drawings and Reimbursement Under Letters of Credit	30
SECTION 2.04. Fees	32
SECTION 2.05. Optional Termination or Reduction of the Commitments	33
SECTION 2.06. Repayment of Advances and Letter of Credit Drawings	33
SECTION 2.07. Interest on Advances	35
SECTION 2.08. Interest Rate Determination	36
SECTION 2.09. Optional Conversion of Advances	37
SECTION 2.10. Optional Prepayments of Advances	37
SECTION 2.11. Increased Costs	37
SECTION 2.12. Illegality	39
SECTION 2.13. Payments and Computations	39
SECTION 2.14. Taxes	40
SECTION 2.15. Sharing of Payments, Etc	44
SECTION 2.16. Evidence of Debt	44
SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds	45
SECTION 2.18. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders	45
SECTION 2.19. Cash Collateral	46
SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders	47
SECTION 2.21. Increase in the Aggregate Commitments	50
SECTION 2.22. Extension of Commitment Termination Date	52
SECTION 2.23. Benchmark Replacement Setting	53

 

 

ARTICLE III
CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING
SECTION 3.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of Amendment and Restatement	54
SECTION 3.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Borrowing and Issuance	56
SECTION 3.03. Determinations Under Section 3.01	56
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
SECTION 4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrower	57
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER
SECTION 5.01. Affirmative Covenants	60
SECTION 5.02. Negative Covenants	63
SECTION 5.03. Financial Covenants	66
ARTICLE VI
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
SECTION 6.01. Events of Default	66
SECTION 6.02. Actions in Respect of the Letters of Credit upon Default	69
ARTICLE VII
THE AGENT
SECTION 7.01. Appointment and Authority	70
SECTION 7.02. Rights as a Lender	70
SECTION 7.03. Exculpatory Provisions	70
SECTION 7.04. Reliance by Agent	71
SECTION 7.05. Delegation of Duties	72
SECTION 7.06. Resignation of Agent	72
SECTION 7.07. Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders	73
SECTION 7.08. No Other Duties, Etc	74
SECTION 7.09. Lender ERISA Matters	74
SECTION 7.10. Erroneous Payments	75

 

 

ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 8.01. Amendments, Etc	78
SECTION 8.02. Notices, Etc	79
SECTION 8.03. No Waiver; Remedies	80
SECTION 8.04. Costs and Expenses	80
SECTION 8.05. Right of Set-off	83
SECTION 8.06. Binding Effect	83
SECTION 8.07. Assignments and Participations	83
SECTION 8.08. Confidentiality	88
SECTION 8.09. Governing Law	88
SECTION 8.10. Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution	89
SECTION 8.11. Jurisdiction, Etc	89
SECTION 8.12. No Liability of the Issuing Banks	90
SECTION 8.13. Patriot Act Notice	90
SECTION 8.14. Other Relationships; No Fiduciary Relationships	90
SECTION 8.15. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions	91
SECTION 8.16. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs	93
SECTION 8.17. Waiver of Jury Trial	94
SECTION 8.18. No Novation	94

 

 

Schedules

 

Schedule I - Commitments

 

Schedule 4.01(f) - Disclosed Litigation

 

Schedule 5.02(a) - Existing Liens

 

Schedule 5.02(d) - Existing Subsidiary Debt

 

 

Exhibits

 

Exhibit A	-	Form of Note
Exhibit B	-	Form of Notice of Borrowing
Exhibit C	-	Form of Assignment and Assumption
Exhibit D	-	Form of Tax Compliance Certificates

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of September 3, 2024

 

DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION, a Tennessee corporation (the “Borrower”), the banks, financial institutions and other institutional lenders (the “Initial Lenders”) and issuers of letters of credit (“Initial Issuing Banks”) listed on Schedule I - Commitments hereto, and CITIBANK, N.A. (“Citibank”), as administrative agent (the “Agent”) for the Lenders (as hereinafter defined), agree as follows:

 

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT. The Borrower, the lenders parties thereto and Citibank, as administrative agent, are parties to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of December 2, 2021 (as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of January 31, 2023, and Amendment No. 2, dated as of February 13, 2024, the “Existing Credit Agreement”). Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 3.01, the Borrower and the parties hereto desire to amend and restate the Existing Credit Agreement as herein set forth.

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

SECTION 1.01. Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (this “Agreement”), the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

“Adjusted Term SOFR” means, for purposes of any calculation, the rate per annum equal to (a) Term SOFR for such calculation plus (b) 0.10%; provided that if Adjusted Term SOFR as so determined shall ever be less than zero, then Adjusted Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero.

 

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Agent.

 

“Advance” means a Revolving Credit Advance or a Swing Line Advance, as the context may require.

 

“Affected Financial Institution” has the meaning specified in Section 8.15.

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

“Agent’s Account” means the account of the Agent maintained by the Agent at Citibank at its office at One Penns Way, Building Ops II, New Castle, Delaware 19720, Account

 

 

No. 31311565, Attention: Lending Agency or such other account of the Agent as is designated in writing from time to time by the Agent to the Borrower and the Lenders for such purpose.

 

“AML Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of the United States applicable to any Lender, the Borrower or the Borrower’s Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to anti-money laundering.

 

“Anniversary Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.22(a).

 

“Anti-Corruption Laws” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and any similar laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

 

“Applicable Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender specified as its “Lending Office” in its Administrative Questionnaire delivered to the Agent, or such other office of such Lender as such Lender may from time to time specify to the Borrower and the Agent.

 

“Applicable Margin” means as of any date, a percentage per annum determined by reference to the Public Debt Rating in effect on such date as set forth below:

 

Public Debt Rating S&P/Moody’s	Applicable Margin for Base Rate Advances	Applicable Margin for SOFR Rate Advances	Applicable Margin for Standby Letters of Credit	Applicable Margin for Trade Letters of Credit
Level 1 A-/A3 or above	0.000%	0.795%	0.875%	0.4375%
Level 2 BBB+/Baa1	0.000%	0.910%	1.000%	0.500%
Level 3 BBB/Baa2	0.015%	1.015%	1.125%	0.5625%
Level 4 BBB-/Baa3	0.100%	1.100%	1.250%	0.625%
Level 5 A Public Debt Rating lower than Level 4	0.325%	1.325%	1.500%	0.750%

 

“Applicable Percentage” means, as of any date a percentage per annum determined by reference to the Public Debt Rating in effect on such date as set forth below:

 

Public Debt Rating S&P/Moody’s	Applicable Percentage
Level 1 A-/A3 or above	0.080%
Level 2 BBB+/Baa1	0.090%

 

 

Level 3 BBB/Baa2	0.110%
Level 4 BBB-/Baa3	0.150%
Level 5 A Public Debt Rating lower than Level 4	0.175%

 

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

“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 8.07), and accepted by the Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit C or any other form approved by the Agent.

 

“Assuming Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.21(d).

 

“Assumption Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.21(e)(i)(B).

 

“Available Amount” of a Letter of Credit at any time means the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any L/C Related Document, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

“Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an interest period pursuant to this Agreement or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to Section 2.23(d).

 

“Bail-in Action” has the meaning specified in Section 8.15.

 

“Base Rate” means a fluctuating interest rate per annum in effect from time to time, which rate per annum shall at all times be equal to the highest of:

 

(a)            the rate of interest announced publicly by Citibank in New York, New York, from time to time, as Citibank’s base rate;

 

(b)            ½ of one percent per annum above the Federal Funds Rate; and

 

 

(c)            Adjusted Term SOFR for a one-month tenor in effect on such day plus 1.00%.

 

“Base Rate Advance” means an Advance that bears interest as provided in Section 2.07(a)(i).

 

“Benchmark” means, initially, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 2.23(a).

 

“Benchmark Replacement” means, with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the sum of: (a) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (i) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (ii) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time and (b) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment; provided that, if such Benchmark Replacement as so determined would be less than the Floor, such Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time.

 

“Benchmark Replacement Date” means the earlier to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

 

(a)            in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

 

(b)            in the case of clause (c) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be non-representative; provided

 

 

that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication referenced in such clause (c) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (a) or (b) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

 

“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:

 

(a)            a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);

 

(b)            a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or

 

(c)            a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are not, or as of a specified future date will not be, representative.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).

 

“Benchmark Transition Start Date” means, in the case of a Benchmark Transition Event, the earlier of (a) the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date and (b) if such Benchmark Transition Event is a public statement or publication of information of a prospective event, the 90th day prior to the expected date of such event as of such public statement or publication of

 

 

information (or if the expected date of such prospective event is fewer than 90 days after such statement or publication, the date of such statement or publication).

 

“Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, the period (if any) (a) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.23 and (b) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.23.

 

“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

 

“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

 

“Borrowing” means a Revolving Credit Borrowing or a Swing Line Borrowing, as applicable.

 

“Borrowing Minimum” means $5,000,000 in respect of Borrowings consisting of SOFR Rate Advances and $1,000,000 in respect of Borrowings consisting of Base Rate Advances.

 

“Borrowing Multiple” means $1,000,000.

 

“Business Day” means a day of the year on which banks are not required or authorized by law to close in New York City.

 

“Cash Collateralize” means, to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the Issuing Banks or Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Agent and each applicable Issuing Bank shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and each applicable Issuing Bank. “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

 

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

 

“Citibank” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

“Commitment” means a Revolving Credit Commitment, a Letter of Credit Commitment or a Swing Line Commitment, as the context may require.

 

“Commitment Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.21(b).

 

“Commitment Increase” has the meaning specified in Section 2.21(a).

 

“Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period,” timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of breakage provisions, the formula for calculating any successor rates identified pursuant to the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” , the formula, methodology or convention for applying the successor Floor to the successor Benchmark Replacement and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Agent decides, in consultation with the Borrower, may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of such Benchmark Replacement and to permit the administration thereof by the Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of such Benchmark Replacement exists, in such other manner of administration as the Agent decides, in consultation with the Borrower, is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).

 

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

 

“Consolidated” refers to the consolidation of accounts in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated EBITDAR” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus the following, to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income and without duplication: (i) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period, (ii) the provision for Federal, State, local and foreign income taxes for such period, (iii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iv) all non-cash charges and items, including for share-based compensation ((x) other than in respect of any non-recurring provision for doubtful accounts or any non-recurring provision for obsolescence and (y) excluding any such non-cash item to the extent that it represents an accrual or reserve for potential cash items in any future period), (v) non-recurring items not exceeding $100,000,000 in the aggregate within any 12-month period, and (vi) Consolidated Rental Expense, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP for such period.

 

“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any period, without duplication, the net interest expense on a Consolidated basis as determined in accordance with

 

 

GAAP and applied consistently; provided that obligations in respect of Debt incurred by a Person in advance of, and the proceeds of which are to be applied in connection with, the consummation of a transaction shall be excluded from Consolidated Interest Expense solely to the extent the proceeds of such Debt are and continue to be held in an escrow, trust, collateral or similar account or arrangement and are not otherwise made available to such Person.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, the net income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (excluding extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses) for that period.

 

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, less goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and related expense and other like intangibles, all as described on the most recent Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and calculated based on positions as reported in the Borrower’s Consolidated financial statements determined in conformity with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated Rental Expense” means, for any period, the aggregate rental expense (including any contingent or percentage rental expense) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for such period (excluding variable lease cost associated with real estate taxes, insurance and common area maintenance charges) in respect of all rent obligations under all operating leases for real or personal property minus any rental income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for such period, all as determined in conformity with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated Total Debt” means, as of any date of determination, (a) (i) all indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for borrowed money, (ii) the face amount of all standby letters of credit issued for the account of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, (iii) the principal component of all Finance Lease Liabilities of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (iv) Operating Lease Liabilities, in each case actually owing on such date and to the extent appearing on the balance sheet of the Borrower determined on a Consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that such Debt incurred by a Person in advance of, and the proceeds of which are to be applied in connection with, the consummation of a transaction shall be excluded from Consolidated Total Debt solely to the extent the proceeds of such Debt are and continue to be held in an escrow, trust, collateral or similar account or arrangement and are not otherwise made available to such Person.

 

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

“Convert”, “Conversion” and “Converted” each refers to a conversion of Advances of one Type into Advances of the other Type pursuant to Section 2.08 or 2.09.

 

“Debt” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of

 

 

property or services (other than trade accounts payable and other accrued liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of such Person’s business), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments (other than performance, surety and appeal bonds arising in the ordinary course of business), (d) all obligations of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Finance Lease Liabilities, (f) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, letters of credit or similar extensions of credit, (g) all net obligations of such Person in respect of Hedge Agreements, (h) all Debt of others referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above or clause (i) below and other payment obligations (collectively, “Guaranteed Debt”) guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement (1) to pay or purchase such Guaranteed Debt or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase of such Guaranteed Debt, (2) to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services, primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such Guaranteed Debt or to assure the holder of such Guaranteed Debt against loss, (3) to supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or services irrespective of whether such property is received or such services are rendered) or (4) otherwise to assure a creditor against loss, and (i) all Debt referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above (including Guaranteed Debt) secured by (or for which the holder of such Debt has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property (including, without limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Debt; provided that “Debt”, for purposes of this definition, shall not include obligations in respect of trade letters of credit incurred in connection with the acquisition of inventory in the ordinary course of business.

 

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States of America, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

 

“Default” means any Event of Default or any event that would constitute an Event of Default but for the requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both.

 

“Defaulting Lender” means at any time, subject to Section 2.20(b), (i) any Lender that has failed for three or more Business Days to comply with its obligations under this Agreement to make an Advance or make any other payment due hereunder (each, a “funding obligation”), unless such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding have not been satisfied and such Lender has notified the Agent and the Borrower in writing thereof (which conditions precedent, together with the applicable default, if any, will be specifically identified in such writing), (ii) any Lender that has notified the Agent or the Borrower in writing, or has stated publicly, that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, unless such intention is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding cannot be satisfied (which conditions precedent, together with the applicable default, if any, will be specifically identified in such writing or public statement), (iii) any Lender that has defaulted on

 

 

its funding obligations under other loan agreements or credit agreements generally under which it has commitments to extend credit or that has notified, or whose Parent Company has notified, the Agent or the Borrower in writing, or has stated publicly, that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under loan agreements or credit agreements generally, (iv) any Lender that has, for three or more Business Days after written request of the Agent or the Borrower, failed to confirm in writing to the Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (iv) upon the Agent’s and the Borrower’s receipt of such written confirmation), or (v) any Lender with respect to which a Lender Insolvency Event has occurred with respect to such Lender or its Parent Company; provided that a Lender Insolvency Event shall not be deemed to occur with respect to a Lender or its Parent Company solely as a result of the acquisition or maintenance of an ownership interest in such Lender or Parent Company by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof where such action does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any of clauses (i) through (v) above will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender will be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.20(b)) upon notification of such determination by the Agent to the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

“Dollars” and the “$” sign each means lawful currency of the United States of America.

 

“Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01.

 

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 8.07(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 8.07(b)(iii)).

 

“Environmental Action” means any action, suit, demand, demand letter, claim, notice of non-compliance or violation, notice of liability or potential liability, investigation, proceeding, consent order or consent agreement relating in any way to any Environmental Law, Environmental Permit or Hazardous Materials, including, without limitation, (a) by any governmental or regulatory authority for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages and (b) by any governmental or regulatory authority or any third party for damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief.

 

“Environmental Law” means any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, order, judgment, decree or legally enforceable judicial or agency requirement relating to pollution or protection of the environment, health and safety (as affected by exposure to Hazardous Materials) or natural resources, including, without limitation, those relating to the use, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, release or discharge of Hazardous Materials.

 

 

“Environmental Permit” means any permit, approval, identification number, license or other authorization required under any Environmental Law.

 

“ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time. Section references to ERISA are to ERISA as in effect at the Effective Date and any subsequent provisions of ERISA amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or substituted therefor.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means each person (as defined in Section 3(9) of ERISA) that together with the Borrower would be deemed to be a “single employer” within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

 

“Events of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.

 

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or overall gross income, franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in an Advance or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (x) such Lender acquires such interest in the Advance or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 2.18(b)) or (y) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.14, amounts with respect to (x) or (y) such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.14(f) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

“Existing Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in the Preliminary Statement.

 

“Existing Subsidiary Debt” has the meaning specified in Section 5.02(d).

 

“Facility” means the Revolving Credit Facility or the Letter of Credit Facility, as the context may require.

 

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to such intergovernmental agreement.

 

 

“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any period, a fluctuating interest rate per annum equal for each day during such period to the rate published for such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the next preceding Business Day) by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for overnight Federal funds transactions, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the quotation for such day on such transactions received by the Agent from a Federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it.

 

“Finance Lease Liabilities” means, as applied to any Person, all obligations under Finance Leases of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case taken at the amount thereof accounted for as liabilities in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Finance Leases” means all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as finance leases.

 

“Financial Officer” means the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, the treasurer or the controller of the Borrower.

 

“Floor” means a rate of interest equal to 0.0%.

 

“Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

 

“Foreign Plan” shall mean any employee benefit plan, program, policy, arrangement or agreement maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to employees employed outside the United States.

 

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to any Issuing Bank, such Defaulting Lender’s Ratable Share of the outstanding L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Bank, such Defaulting Lender’s Ratable Share of outstanding Swing Line Advances made by the Swing Line Bank other than Swing Line Advances as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders.

 

“Fund” means 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 activities.

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, which are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

 

“Hazardous Materials” means (a) petroleum and petroleum products, byproducts or breakdown products, radioactive materials, asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls and radon gas and (b) any other chemicals, materials or substances designated, classified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant under any Environmental Law.

 

“Hedge Agreements” means interest rate swap, cap or collar agreements, interest rate future or option contracts, currency swap agreements, currency future or option contracts and other similar agreements.

 

“Increase Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.21(a).

 

“Increasing Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.21(b).

 

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under this Agreement and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.

 

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 8.08.

 

“Information Memorandum” means the information memorandum dated August 9, 2024 used by the Agent in connection with the syndication of the Commitments.

 

“Interest Period” means, for each SOFR Rate Advance comprising part of the same Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such SOFR Rate Advance or the date of the Conversion of any Base Rate Advance into such SOFR Rate Advance and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below and, thereafter, each subsequent period commencing on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period and ending on the last day of the period selected by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions below. The duration of each such Interest Period shall be one, three or six months as the Borrower may, upon notice received by the Agent not later than 12:00 P.M. (noon) (New York City time) on the third Business Day prior to the first day of such Interest Period, select; provided, however, that:

 

(a)            the Borrower may not select any Interest Period that ends after the latest Termination Date;

 

(b)            Interest Periods commencing on the same date for SOFR Rate Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing shall be of the same duration;

 

(c)            whenever the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur on a day other than a Business Day, the last day of such Interest Period shall be extended to occur on the next succeeding Business Day, provided, however, that, if such extension would cause the last day of any Interest Period of one month or longer to occur in the next following calendar month, the last day of such Interest Period shall occur on the next preceding Business Day; and

 

(d)            whenever the first day of any Interest Period of one month or longer occurs on a day of an initial calendar month for which there is no numerically

 

 

corresponding day in the calendar month that succeeds such initial calendar month by the number of months equal to the number of months in such Interest Period, such Interest Period shall end on the last Business Day of such succeeding calendar month.

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

“Issuance” with respect to any Letter of Credit means the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit. “Issue” has a corresponding meaning.

 

“Issuing Bank” means an Initial Issuing Bank or any Eligible Assignee to which a portion of the Letter of Credit Commitment hereunder has been assigned pursuant to Section 8.07 or any other Lender so long as such Eligible Assignee or Lender expressly agrees to perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations that by the terms of this Agreement are required to be performed by it as an Issuing Bank and notifies the Agent of its Applicable Lending Office (which information shall be recorded by the Agent in the Register), for so long as such Initial Issuing Bank, Eligible Assignee or Lender, as the case may be, shall have a Letter of Credit Commitment.

 

“L/C Cash Deposit Account” means an interest bearing cash deposit account to be established and maintained by the Agent, over which the Agent shall have sole dominion and control, upon terms as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

 

“L/C Obligations” means, as of any date, the aggregate Available Amount of outstanding Letters of Credit and Revolving Credit Advances made by an Issuing Bank in accordance with Section 2.03 that have not been funded by the Lenders. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

“L/C Related Documents” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(i).

 

“Lender Insolvency Event” means that (a) a Lender or its Parent Company is generally unable to pay its debts as they become due, or admits in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due, or makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (b) such Lender or its Parent Company has become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or a receiver, trustee, conservator, intervener or sequestrator or the like has been appointed for such Lender or its Parent Company, or such Lender or its Parent Company has taken any action in furtherance of or indicating its consent to or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment or (c) a Lender or its Parent Company is the subject of a Bail-in Action.

 

“Lenders” means each Initial Lender, each Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Bank, each Assuming Lender that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.21 or 2.22 and each Person that shall become a party hereto pursuant to Section 8.07.

 

 

“Letter of Credit” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b).

 

“Letter of Credit Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a).

 

“Letter of Credit Commitment” means, with respect to each Issuing Bank, the obligation of such Issuing Bank to Issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower and its specified Subsidiaries in (a) the Dollar amount set forth opposite the Issuing Bank’s name on Schedule I - Commitments hereto under the caption “Letter of Credit Commitment” or (b) if such Issuing Bank has entered into one or more Assignment and Assumptions, or if such Person became an Issuing Bank after the date hereof, the Dollar amount set forth for such Issuing Bank in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.07(c) as such Issuing Bank’s “Letter of Credit Commitment”, in each case as such amount may be reduced prior to such time pursuant to Section 2.05.

 

“Letter of Credit Facility” means, at any time, an amount equal to the least of (a) the aggregate amount of the Issuing Banks’ Letter of Credit Commitments at such time, (b) $100,000,000 and (c) the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments, as such amount may be reduced at or prior to such time pursuant to Section 2.05.

 

“Lien” means any lien, security interest or other charge or encumbrance of any kind, or any other type of preferential arrangement, including, without limitation, the lien or retained security title of a conditional vendor and any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property.

 

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each L/C Related Document, if any, the Notes, if any, and any amendments, modifications or supplements hereto or to any other Loan Document or waivers hereof or to any other Loan Document.

 

“Material Adverse Change” means any material adverse change in the business, financial condition or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, financial condition or operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (b) the rights and remedies of the Agent or any Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or (c) the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

“Material Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary of the Borrower (i) whose total assets at such time, less net goodwill and other intangible assets, less total current liabilities, all determined in conformity with GAAP, are equal to or greater than 5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets or (ii) whose revenue is equal to or greater than 5% of Consolidated revenue of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (i) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of all Issuing Banks with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time and (ii) otherwise, an amount determined by the Agent and the Issuing Banks in their sole discretion.

 

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

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

 

“Multiple Employer Plan” shall mean a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other than the Borrower and the ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

 

“Non-Approving Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that requires the approval of all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 8.01 and has been approved by the Required Lenders.

 

“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

“Non-Extending Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.22(b).

 

“Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to the order of any Lender, delivered pursuant to a request made under Section 2.16 in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from the Advances made by such Lender to the Borrower.

 

“Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).

 

“Notice of Issuance” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(a).

 

“Notice of Swing Line Borrowing” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(b).

 

“Operating Lease” means any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, other than a Finance Lease.

 

“Operating Lease Liabilities” means, as applied to any Person, the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any Operating Lease, and the amount of such obligations shall be the amount thereof set forth on the balance sheet of such Person determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced this Agreement, or sold or assigned an interest in any Advance).

 

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.18(b)).

 

“Parent Company” means, with respect to a Lender, the bank holding company (as defined in Federal Reserve Board Regulation Y), if any, of such Lender, or if such Lender does not have a bank holding company, then any corporation, association, partnership or other business entity owning, beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, a majority of the Voting Stock of such Lender.

 

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 8.07(d).

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 8.07(d).

 

“Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, signed into law October 26, 2001.

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (or any successor).

 

“Permitted Liens” means:

 

(a)            Liens granted by any Subsidiary of the Borrower in favor of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower;

 

(b)            Liens (other than Liens created or imposed under ERISA) for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or Liens for taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof);

 

(c)            statutory Liens of landlords and Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and suppliers and other Liens imposed by law or pursuant to customary reservations or retentions of title arising in the ordinary course of business, provided that any such Liens which are material secure only amounts not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or, if overdue for a period of more than 30 days, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce the same or are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves determined in accordance with GAAP have been established (and as to which the property subject to any such Lien is not yet subject to foreclosure, sale or loss on account thereof);

 

(d)            Liens (other than Liens created or imposed under ERISA) incurred or deposits made by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of

 

 

social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, bids, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money);

 

(e)            Liens in connection with judgment bonds so long as the enforcement of such liens is effectively stayed and the claims secured thereby are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices;

 

(f)            zoning restrictions, easements, rights of way and other encumbrances on title to real property that do not render title to the property encumbered thereby unmarketable or materially adversely affect the use of such property for its present purposes;

 

(g)            leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and any interest of title of any lessor under any lease;

 

(h)            Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i)             normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions and Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection;

 

(j)             Liens on any inventory of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in favor of a vendor of such inventory, arising in the normal course of business upon its sale to the Borrower or any such Subsidiary;

 

(k)            Liens in respect of licensing of intellectual property in the ordinary course of business;

 

(l)             protective Uniform Commercial Code filings with respect to any leased or consigned personal property;

 

(m)            Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing or payment of premiums with respect thereto in the ordinary course of business, to the extent not exceeding the amount of such premiums; and

 

(n)            Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business (x) on the proceeds of prepaid cards or stored value cards and (y) in connection with financial products offered by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, including money transfer services.

 

“Person” means any natural Person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

“Plan” shall mean any (a) Single Employer Plan that is or was within any of the preceding six plan years maintained or contributed to by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate

 

 

(or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has or had an obligation to contribute or to make payments) and is subject to Title IV of ERISA or the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Code or (b) Multiple Employer Plan.

 

“Public Debt Rating” means, as of any date, the rating that has been most recently announced by either S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, for any class of non-credit enhanced long-term senior unsecured debt issued by the Borrower or, if any such rating agency shall have issued more than one such rating, the lowest such rating issued by such rating agency. For purposes of the foregoing, (a) if only one of S&P and Moody’s shall have in effect a Public Debt Rating, the Applicable Margin and the Applicable Percentage shall be determined by reference to the available rating; (b) if neither S&P nor Moody’s shall have in effect a Public Debt Rating, the Applicable Margin and the Applicable Percentage will be set in accordance with Level 5 under the definition of “Applicable Margin” or “Applicable Percentage”, as the case may be; (c) if the ratings established by S&P and Moody’s shall fall within different levels, the Applicable Margin and the Applicable Percentage shall be based upon the higher rating unless the such ratings differ by two or more levels, in which case the applicable level will be deemed to be one level below the higher of such levels; (d) if any rating established by S&P or Moody’s shall be changed, such change shall be effective as of the date on which such change is first announced publicly by the rating agency making such change; and (e) if S&P or Moody’s shall change the basis on which ratings are established, each reference to the Public Debt Rating announced by S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be, shall refer to the then equivalent rating by S&P or Moody’s, as the case may be.

 

“Ratable Share” of any amount means, at any time, the percentage of the Revolving Credit Facility represented by such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time. If the commitment of each Lender to make Revolving Credit Advances and the obligation of the Issuing Banks to Issue Letters of Credit have been terminated pursuant to Section 6.01, or if the Revolving Credit Commitments have expired, then the Ratable Share of each Lender in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility shall be determined based on the Ratable Share of such Lender in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.

 

“Recipient” means (a) the Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, as applicable.

 

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 8.07(c).

 

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.

 

 

“Reportable Event” shall mean an event described in Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations thereunder, other than any event as to which the thirty day notice period has been waived.

 

“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders holding more than 50% of the sum of the (a) Total Revolving Credit Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Advances being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition) and (b) aggregate Unused Revolving Credit Commitments; provided, that the Unused Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Revolving Credit Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

 

“Revolving Credit Advance” means an advance by a Lender to the Borrower as part of a Revolving Credit Borrowing and refers to a Base Rate Advance or a SOFR Rate Advance (each of which shall be a “Type” of Revolving Credit Advance).

 

“Revolving Credit Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving Credit Advances of the same Type made by each of the Lenders.

 

“Revolving Credit Commitment” means as to any Lender (a) the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule I - Commitments hereto as such Lender’s “Revolving Credit Commitment”, (b) if such Lender has become a Lender hereunder pursuant to an Assumption Agreement, the Dollar amount set forth in such Assumption Agreement as such Lender’s “Revolving Credit Commitment” or (c) if such Lender has entered into an Assignment and Assumption, the Dollar amount set forth for such Lender in the Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.07(c) as such Lender’s “Revolving Credit Commitment”, as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 2.05 or increased pursuant to Section 2.21. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Credit Commitments is $2,375,000,000.

 

“Revolving Credit Facility” means, at any time, (a) on or prior to the latest Termination Date, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments at such time and (b) thereafter, the sum of the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Advances and Swing Line Advances outstanding at such time plus the Available Amount of all Letters of Credit outstanding at such time.

 

“S&P” means S&P Global Ratings.

 

“Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions.

 

“Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Department of State or by the European Union or (b) any Person majority-owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clause (a).

 

 

“Sanctions” means economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, or (b) the European Union or His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom.

 

“Single Employer Plan” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, that (a) is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

 

“SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.

 

“SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).

 

“SOFR Rate Advance” means an Advance that bears interest as provided in Section 2.07(a)(ii).

 

“Solvent” shall mean, with respect to any Person, (i) the sum of such Person’s debt (including contingent liabilities) does not exceed the present fair saleable value of such Person’s present assets; (ii) such Person’s capital is not unreasonably small in relation to its business as contemplated on the Effective Date; and (iii) such Person has not incurred and does not intend to incur, or believe that it will incur, debts including current obligations beyond its ability to pay such debts as they become due (whether at maturity or otherwise); and (b) such Person is “solvent” within the meaning given that term and similar terms under applicable laws relating to fraudulent transfers and conveyances. For purposes of this definition, the amount of any contingent liability at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all of the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability (irrespective of whether such contingent liabilities meet the criteria for accrual under Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 5).

 

“Subsidiary” of any Person means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust or estate of which (or in which) more than 50% of (a) the issued and outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether at the time capital stock of any other class or classes of such corporation shall or might have voting power upon the occurrence of any contingency), (b) the interest in the capital or profits of such limited liability company, partnership or joint venture or (c) the beneficial interest in such trust or estate is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person, by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or by one or more of such Person’s other Subsidiaries.

 

“Swing Line Advance” means an advance made by the Swing Line Bank pursuant to Section 2.01(c) or any Lender pursuant to Section 2.02(b).

 

“Swing Line Bank” means Citibank, N.A.

 

 

“Swing Line Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of a Swing Line Advance made by the Swing Line Bank.

 

“Swing Line Commitment” means with respect to the Swing Line Bank at any time the amount set forth opposite the Swing Line Bank’s name on Schedule I - Commitments hereto, as such amount may be reduced pursuant to Section 2.05.

 

“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings, assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

“Term SOFR” means,

 

(a)            for any calculation with respect to a SOFR Rate Advance, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period on the day (such day, the “Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day, and

 

(b)            for any calculation with respect to a Base Rate Advance on any day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor of one month on the day (such day, the “Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day.

 

“Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of the Term SOFR Reference Rate selected by the Agent in its reasonable discretion).

 

 

“Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.

 

“Termination Date” means the earlier of (a) September 3, 2029, subject to the extension thereof pursuant to Section 2.22 and (b) the date of termination in whole of the Commitments pursuant to Section 2.05 or 6.01; provided, however, that the Termination Date of any Lender, Issuing Bank or Swing Line Bank that is a Non-Extending Lender to any requested extension pursuant to Section 2.22 shall be the Termination Date of such Lender, Issuing Bank or Swing Line Bank in effect immediately prior to the applicable Anniversary Date for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Total Revolving Credit Outstandings” means the aggregate outstanding amount of all Revolving Credit Advances, Swing Line Advances and Letters of Credit.

 

“Type” when used in reference to any Advance or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Advance, or on the Advances comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to Adjusted Term SOFR or the Base Rate.

 

“UCP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment).

 

“Unfunded Current Liability” of any Plan shall mean the amount, if any, by which the Accumulated Benefit Obligation (as defined under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification No. 715: Compensation-Retirement Benefits (“ASC 715”)) under the Plan as of the close of its most recent plan year, determined in accordance with ASC 715 as in effect on the Effective Date, exceeds the fair market value of the assets allocable thereto.

 

“Unissued Letter of Credit Commitment” means, with respect to any Issuing Bank, the obligation of such Issuing Bank to Issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower or its specified Subsidiaries in an amount equal to the excess of (a) the amount of its Letter of Credit Commitment over (b) the aggregate Available Amount of all Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank.

 

“Unused Revolving Credit Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender at any time, (a) such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment at such time minus (b) the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Credit Advances made by such Lender (in its capacity as a Lender) and outstanding at such time, plus (ii) such Lender’s Ratable Share of (A) the aggregate Available Amount of all the Letters of Credit outstanding at such time, (B) the aggregate principal amount of all Advances made by each Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.03(c) that have not been ratably funded by such Lender and outstanding at such time and (C) the aggregate principal amount of all Swing Line Advances then outstanding.

 

 

“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.

 

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

 

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.14(f).

 

“Withholding Agent” means the Borrower and the Agent.

 

“Voting Stock” means capital stock issued by a corporation, or equivalent interests in any other Person, the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

 

SECTION 1.02. Computation of Time Periods. In this Agreement in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including” and the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding”.

 

SECTION 1.03. Accounting Terms. (a)  Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.

 

(b)            Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth herein, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided, that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Agent a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

SECTION 1.04. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,”

 

 

and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (e) any reference to any law or regulation herein shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (f) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.05. Divisions. For all purposes under the Loan Documents, in connection with any division or plan of division under Delaware law (or any comparable event under a different jurisdiction’s laws): (a) if any asset, right, obligation or liability of any Person becomes the asset, right, obligation or liability of a different Person, then it shall be deemed to have been transferred from the original Person to the subsequent Person, and (b) if any new Person comes into existence, such new Person shall be deemed to have been organized and acquired on the first date of its existence by the holders of its Equity Interests at such time.

 

SECTION 1.06. Rates. The Agent does not warrant or accept responsibility for, and shall not have any liability with respect to (a) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, or any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, or any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Conforming Changes, in the case clause (a) or (b), except such as shall result from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent as determined by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Agent and its affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR or any other Benchmark, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

 

ARTICLE II

 

AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCES AND LETTERS OF CREDIT

 

SECTION 2.01. The Advances and Letters of Credit.

 

 

(a)            The Revolving Credit Advances. Each Lender severally agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make Revolving Credit Advances denominated in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until the Termination Date applicable to such Lender in an amount not to exceed such Lender’s Unused Revolving Credit Commitment. Each Revolving Credit Borrowing shall be in an amount not less than the Borrowing Minimum or the Borrowing Multiple in excess thereof and shall consist of Revolving Credit Advances of the same Type made on the same day by the Lenders ratably according to their respective Revolving Credit Commitments (it being understood that multiple Revolving Credit Borrowings may be requested on any Business Day). Within the limits of each Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01(a), prepay pursuant to Section 2.10 and reborrow under this Section 2.01(a).

 

(b)            Letters of Credit. (i) Each Issuing Bank agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Agreement, to issue standby and trade letters of credit (each, a “Letter of Credit”) denominated in Dollars for the account of the Borrower and its specified Subsidiaries from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Effective Date until 15 days before the Termination Date applicable to such Issuing Bank in an aggregate Available Amount (i) for all Letters of Credit issued by each Issuing Bank not to exceed at any time the lesser of (x) the Letter of Credit Facility at such time and (y) such Issuing Bank’s Letter of Credit Commitment at such time and (ii) for each such Letter of Credit not to exceed an amount equal to the Unused Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders; provided that if (i) the Termination Date has been extended as to some but not all Lenders pursuant to Section 2.22 and (ii) the Borrower requests the issuance of a Letter of Credit which expires later than the Termination Date of any Lender in effect prior to such extension, then compliance with clause (y) above shall be determined solely with reference to the Lenders whose Revolving Credit Commitments have been so extended. Within the limits referred to above, the Borrower may from time to time request the issuance of Letters of Credit under this Section 2.01(b). Each letter of credit outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be deemed to constitute a Letter of Credit issued hereunder, and each Lender that is an issuer of such a Letter of Credit shall, for purposes of Section 2.03, be deemed to be an Issuing Bank for each such letter of credit, provided that any renewal or replacement of any such letter of credit shall be issued by an Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

(ii)            No Letter of Credit shall have an expiration date (including all rights of the Borrower or the beneficiary to require renewal) later than the earlier of 15 days before the latest Termination Date and one year after the date of Issuance thereof (or such longer period agreed to by the applicable Issuing Bank in its sole discretion), but may by its terms be renewable annually automatically or upon written notice (a “Notice of Renewal”) given to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Agent on or prior to any date for notice of renewal set forth in such Letter of Credit but in any event at least three Business Days prior to the date of the expiration of such standby Letter of Credit; provided, that the terms of each standby Letter of Credit that is automatically renewable annually (“Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”) shall permit the applicable Issuing Bank to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless

 

 

otherwise directed by the applicable Issuing Bank, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to such Issuing Bank for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the applicable Issuing Bank to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than 15 days before the latest Termination Date; provided, however, that such Issuing Bank shall not permit any such extension if (A) such Issuing Bank has reasonably determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit (as extended) under the terms hereof, or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date from the Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 3.02 is not then satisfied, and in each such case directing such Issuing Bank not to permit such extension.

 

(c)            The Swing Line Advances. The Swing Line Bank agrees, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to make Swing Line Advances denominated in Dollars to the Borrower from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the date hereof until the Termination Date applicable to the Swing Line Bank (i) in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding $50,000,000 (the “Swing Line Facility”) and (ii) in an amount for each such Advance not to exceed the lesser of (x) the Unused Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders on such Business Day and (y) the amount by which the Revolving Credit Commitment of the Lender acting as the Swing Line Bank on such Business Day exceeds (1) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Credit Advances and Swing Line Advances made by such Lender and outstanding at such time, plus (2) such Lender’s Ratable Share of (A) the aggregate Available Amount of all the Letters of Credit outstanding at such time and (B) the aggregate principal amount of all Advances made by each Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.03(c) that have not been ratably funded by such Lender and outstanding at such time. No Swing Line Advance shall be used for the purpose of funding the payment of principal of any other Swing Line Advance. Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be in an amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and shall consist of a Base Rate Advance. Within the limits of the Swing Line Facility and within the limits referred to in clause (ii) above, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01(c), prepay pursuant to Section 2.10 and reborrow under this Section 2.01(c).

 

SECTION 2.02. Making the Advances.

 

(a)             Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.02(b) or Section 2.03(c), each Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later than (x) 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the third U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of SOFR Rate Advances or (y) 1:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the date of the proposed Borrowing in the case of a Borrowing consisting of Base Rate Advances, by the Borrower to the Agent, which shall give to each Lender prompt notice thereof. Each such notice of a Borrowing (a “Notice of Borrowing”) shall be by telephone (confirmed immediately in writing) electronic delivery, or telecopier in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such Borrowing, (ii) Type of Advances comprising such Borrowing, (iii) aggregate amount of such Borrowing, and (iv) in the case of a Borrowing consisting of SOFR Rate Advances, initial Interest Period for each such Advance. Each Lender shall, before 3:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of such Borrowing, make

 

 

available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent at the Agent’s Account, in same day funds, such Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing. After the Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower consistent with the instructions set forth in the Notice of Borrowing; provided, however, that, in the case of a Revolving Credit Borrowing, the Agent shall first make a portion of such funds equal to the aggregate principal amount of any Swing Line Advances made by the Swing Line Bank and by any Lender and outstanding on the date of such Borrowing, plus interest accrued and unpaid thereon to and as of such date, available to the Swing Line Bank and such other Lenders for repayment of such Swing Line Advances.

 

(b)            Each Swing Line Borrowing shall be made on notice, given not later than 3:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of the proposed Swing Line Borrowing by the Borrower to the Swing Line Bank and the Agent, of which the Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders. Each such notice of a Swing Line Borrowing (a “Notice of Swing Line Borrowing”) shall be by telephone (confirmed immediately in writing), electronic delivery, or telecopier, specifying therein the requested (i) date of such Borrowing, (ii) amount of such Borrowing and (iii) maturity of such Borrowing (which maturity shall be no later than the tenth Business Day after the requested date of such Borrowing). The Swing Line Bank shall, before 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of such Swing Line Borrowing, make such Swing Line Borrowing available to the Agent at the Agent’s Account, in same day funds. After the Agent’s receipt of such funds and upon fulfillment of the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, the Agent will make such funds available to the Borrower consistent with the instructions set forth in the Notice of Borrowing. Upon written demand by the Swing Line Bank, with a copy of such demand to the Agent, each Lender will purchase from the Swing Line Bank, and the Swing Line Bank shall sell and assign to each such other Lender, such other Lender’s Ratable Share of such outstanding Swing Line Advance, by making available for the account of its Applicable Lending Office to the Agent for the account of the Swing Line Bank, by deposit to the Agent’s Account, in same day funds, an amount equal to the portion of the outstanding principal amount of the Swing Line Advance to be purchased by such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to each such sale and assignment. Each Lender agrees to purchase its Ratable Share of an outstanding Swing Line Advance on (i) the Business Day on which demand therefor is made by the Swing Line Bank, provided that notice of such demand is given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on such Business Day or (ii) the first Business Day next succeeding such demand if notice of such demand is given after such time. Upon any such assignment by the Swing Line Bank to any Lender of a portion of a Swing Line Advance, the Swing Line Bank represents and warrants to such other Lender that the Swing Line Bank is the legal and beneficial owner of such interest being assigned by it, but makes no other representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the Swing Line Advance, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the Borrower. If and to the extent that any Lender shall not have so made the amount of such Swing Line Advance available to the Agent, such Lender agrees to pay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such Lender is required to have made such amount available to the Agent until the date such amount is paid to the Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. If such Lender shall pay to the Agent such amount for the account of the Swing Line Bank on any Business Day, such amount so paid in respect of

 

 

principal shall constitute a Swing Line Advance made by such Lender (with interest on such Swing Line Advance payable to such Lender) on such Business Day for purposes of this Agreement, and the outstanding principal amount of the Swing Line Advance made by the Swing Line Bank shall be reduced by such amount on such Business day.

 

(c)            Anything in subsection (a) above to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) the Borrower may not select SOFR Rate Advances for any Borrowing if the aggregate amount of such Borrowing is less than the Borrowing Minimum or if the obligation of the Lenders to make SOFR Rate Advances shall then be suspended pursuant to Section 2.08 or 2.12 and (ii) the SOFR Rate Advances may not be outstanding as part of more than ten separate Revolving Credit Borrowings.

 

(d)            Each Notice of Borrowing and Notice of Swing Line Borrowing shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower. In the case of any Borrowing that the related Notice of Borrowing specifies is to be comprised of SOFR Rate Advances, the Borrower shall indemnify each Lender against any loss, cost or expense incurred by such Lender as a result of any failure to fulfill on or before the date specified in such Notice of Borrowing for such Borrowing the applicable conditions set forth in Article III, including, without limitation, any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by such Lender to fund the Advance to be made by such Lender as part of such Borrowing when such Advance, as a result of such failure, is not made on such date.

 

(e)            Unless the Agent shall have received notice from an Lender prior to the time of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Agent such Lender’s ratable portion of such Borrowing, the Agent may assume that such Lender has made such portion available to the Agent on the date of such Borrowing in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 2.02, and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower on such date a corresponding amount. If and to the extent that such Lender shall not have so made such ratable portion available to the Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is made available to the Borrower until the date such amount is repaid to the Agent, at (i) in the case of the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Borrowings and (ii) in the case of such Lender or Swing Line Bank, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. If such Lender shall repay to the Agent such corresponding amount, such amount so repaid shall constitute such Lender’s Advance as part of such Borrowing for purposes of this Agreement.

 

(f)            The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Advances and to make payment pursuant to Section 8.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Advance or to make any payment under Section 8.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Advance or to make its payment under Section 8.04(c).

 

 

SECTION 2.03. Issuance of and Drawings and Reimbursement Under Letters of Credit.

 

(a)            Request for Issuance. (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued upon notice, given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the fifth Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Issuance of such Letter of Credit (or on such shorter notice as the applicable Issuing Bank may agree), by the Borrower to any Issuing Bank, and such Issuing Bank shall give the Agent, prompt notice thereof. Each such notice by the Borrower of Issuance of a Letter of Credit (a “Notice of Issuance”) shall be by telephone, confirmed immediately in writing, electronic delivery or telecopier specifying therein the requested (A) date of such Issuance (which shall be a Business Day), (B) Available Amount of such Letter of Credit, (C) expiration date of such Letter of Credit, (D) name and address of the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit and (E) form of such Letter of Credit. Each Letter of Credit shall be issued pursuant to such application and agreement for letter of credit as such Issuing Bank and the Borrower shall agree for use in connection with such requested Letter of Credit (a “Letter of Credit Agreement”). If the requested form of such Letter of Credit is acceptable to such Issuing Bank in its reasonable discretion (it being understood that any such form shall have only explicit documentary conditions to draw and shall not include discretionary conditions), such Issuing Bank shall, unless such Issuing Bank has received written notice from any Lender or the Agent, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of Issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Section 3.02 shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with such Issuing Bank’s usual and customary business practices. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the applicable Issuing Bank and the Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, as such Issuing Bank or the Agent may reasonably require. In the event and to the extent that the provisions of any Letter of Credit Agreement shall conflict with this Agreement, the provisions of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Issuing Banks may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication ("SWIFT") message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

 

(b)            Participations. By the Issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing or decreasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the applicable Issuing Bank or the Lenders, such Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from such Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Ratable Share of the Available Amount of such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby agrees to each such participation. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Agent, for the account of such Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Ratable Share of each drawing made under a Letter of Credit funded by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date made, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason, which amount will be advanced, and deemed to be an Advance to the Borrower hereunder, regardless of the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 3.02. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph

 

 

in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender further acknowledges and agrees that its participation in each Letter of Credit will be automatically adjusted to reflect such Lender’s Ratable Share of the Available Amount of such Letter of Credit at each time such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment is amended pursuant to a Commitment Increase in accordance with Section 2.21, an assignment in accordance with Section 8.07 or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(c)            Drawing and Reimbursement. The payment by an Issuing Bank of a draft drawn under any Letter of Credit which is not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date made shall constitute for all purposes of this Agreement the making by any such Issuing Bank of a Revolving Credit Advance, which shall be a Base Rate Advance, in the amount of such draft, without regard to whether the making of such an Advance would exceed such Issuing Bank’s Unused Revolving Credit Commitment. Each Issuing Bank shall give prompt notice of each drawing under any Letter of Credit issued by it to the Borrower and the Agent. The Borrower shall reimburse such Issuing Bank (which, in the case of any standby Letter of Credit, shall be through the Agent) in an amount equal to such drawing (i) in the case of a trade Letter of Credit, on the date the Borrower receives such notice of payment by the applicable Issuing Bank and (ii) in the case of a standby Letter of Credit, on (A) the date the Borrower receives such notice of payment by the applicable Issuing Bank; provided that such notice is given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on such day, or (B) the first Business Day next succeeding such day if notice of such payment is given after such time. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank by such time, the Agent shall promptly notify each Lender the amount of the unreimbursed drawing, and the amount of such Lender’s Ratable Share thereof. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to make Advances pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Promptly after receipt thereof, the Agent shall transfer such funds to such Issuing Bank. Each Lender agrees to fund its Ratable Share of an outstanding Advance on (i) the Business Day on which demand therefor is made by such Issuing Bank, provided that notice of such demand is given not later than 11:00 A.M. (New York City time) on such Business Day, or (ii) the first Business Day next succeeding such demand if notice of such demand is given after such time. If and to the extent that any Lender shall not have so made the amount of such Advance available to the Agent, such Lender agrees to pay to the Issuing Bank forthwith on demand such amount together with interest thereon, for each day from the date of demand by any such Issuing Bank until the date such amount is paid to the Agent, at the higher of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Issuing Bank in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation. A certificate of an Issuing Bank submitted to any Lender (through the Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.03(c) shall be conclusive absent manifest error. If such Lender shall pay to the Agent such amount for the account of any such Issuing Bank on any Business Day, such amount so paid in respect of principal shall constitute an Advance made by such Lender on such Business

 

 

Day for purposes of this Agreement, and the outstanding principal amount of the Advance made by such Issuing Bank shall be reduced by such amount on such Business Day.

 

(d)            Letter of Credit Reports. Each Issuing Bank shall furnish (i) to the Agent (with a copy to the Borrower), on the first Business Day of each week a written report summarizing Issuance and expiration dates of trade Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank during the preceding week and drawings during such week under all trade Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, (ii) to the Agent (with a copy to the Borrower), on the first Business Day of each month a written report summarizing Issuance and expiration dates of Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank during the preceding month and drawings during such month under all Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank and (iii) to the Agent (with a copy to the Borrower), on the first Business Day of each calendar quarter a written report setting forth (A) the average daily aggregate Available Amount and (B) the amount available to be drawn, in each case, during the preceding calendar quarter of all Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Bank. The Agent shall give to each Lender prompt notice of each report delivered to it pursuant to this Section.

 

(e)            Failure to Make Advances. The failure of any Lender to make the Advance to be made by it on the date specified in Section 2.03(c) shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation hereunder to make its Advance on such date, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Advance to be made by such other Lender on such date.

 

(f)            Applicability of ISP and UCP; Limitation of Liability. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the Issuing Banks and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the UCP shall apply to each trade Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Issuing Bank shall be responsible to the Borrower for, and no Issuing Bank’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall be impaired by, any action or inaction of such Issuing Bank required or permitted under any law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including any order of a jurisdiction where such Issuing Bank or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.

 

(g)            Letters of Credit Issued for Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the applicable Issuing Bank hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit. The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Subsidiaries inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 2.04. Fees.

 

 

(a)            Facility Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee on the aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment(s) from the Effective Date in the case of each Initial Lender and from the effective date specified in the Assumption Agreement or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which it became a Lender in the case of each other Lender until the Termination Date of such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Percentage in effect from time to time, payable in arrears quarterly on the date that is five Business Days after the last day of each March, June, September and December, commencing September 30, 2024, and on the latest Termination Date (or such later date on which the applicable Advances have been paid in full and, in the case of the Lenders, the participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Advances of such Lender have terminated).

 

(b)            Letter of Credit Fees.

 

(i)             The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for the account of each Lender a commission on such Lender’s Ratable Share of the average daily aggregate amount available to be drawn of all Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower and outstanding from time to time at a rate per annum equal to the sum of, (x) for standby Letters of Credit the Applicable Margin for Standby Letters of Credit in effect from time to time during such calendar quarter and (y) for trade Letters of Credit, the Applicable Margin for Trade Letters of Credit in effect from time to time during such calendar quarter, in each case, payable in arrears quarterly on the date that is five Business Days after the last day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and on the latest Termination Date (or such later date on which the participations in Letters of Credit of such Lender have terminated).

 

(ii)            The Borrower shall pay to each Issuing Bank, for its own account, a fronting fee and such other commissions, issuance fees, transfer fees and other fees and charges in connection with the Issuance or administration of each Letter of Credit as the Borrower and such Issuing Bank shall agree. The fronting fees described in this clause (ii) shall be due and payable (A) in the case of trade Letters of Credit, on the date of Issuance thereof and (B) in the case of standby Letters of Credit, in arrears quarterly on the date that is five Business Days after the last day of each March, June, September and December, and on the latest Termination Date (or such later date on which such standby Letter of Credit has been terminated).

 

(c)            Agent’s Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent for its own account such fees as may from time to time be agreed between the Borrower and the Agent.

 

SECTION 2.05. Optional Termination or Reduction of the Commitments. The Borrower shall have the right, upon at least three Business Days notice to the Agent, to terminate in whole or permanently reduce ratably in part the Unused Revolving Credit Commitments or the Unissued Letter of Credit Commitments of the Lenders, provided that each partial reduction shall be in the aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Once terminated, a commitment may not be reinstated.

 

SECTION 2.06. Repayment of Advances and Letter of Credit Drawings.

 

  

(a)            Revolving Credit Advances. The Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of each Lender on the Termination Date applicable to such Lender the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Advances made to it and then outstanding.

 

(b)            Letter of Credit Drawings. The obligations of the Borrower under any Letter of Credit Agreement and any other agreement or instrument relating to any Letter of Credit shall be unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such Letter of Credit Agreement and such other agreement or instrument under all circumstances, including, without limitation, the following circumstances (it being understood that any such payment by the Borrower is without prejudice to, and does not constitute a waiver of, any rights the Borrower might have or might acquire as a result of the payment by the applicable Issuing Bank or any Lender of any draft or the reimbursement by the Borrower thereof):

 

(i)             any lack of validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any Letter of Credit Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto (all of the foregoing being, collectively, the “L/C Related Documents”);

 

(ii)            any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the obligations of the Borrower in respect of any L/C Related Document or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the L/C Related Documents;

 

(iii)            the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of a Letter of Credit (or any Persons for which any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), any Issuing Bank, the Agent, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection with the transactions contemplated by the L/C Related Documents or any unrelated transaction;

 

(iv)            any statement or any other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect;

 

(v)            payment by any Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit;

 

(vi)            any exchange, release or non-perfection of any collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from any guarantee, for all or any of the obligations of the Borrower in respect of the L/C Related Documents;

 

(vii)           any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or a guarantor;

 

 

(viii)          waiver by any Issuing Bank of any requirement that exists for such Issuing Bank’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by such Issuing Bank which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower;

 

(ix)            honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft; or

 

(x)            any payment made by any Issuing Bank in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable.

 

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the applicable Issuing Bank. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against such Issuing Bank and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

 

(c)            Swing Line Advances. The Borrower shall repay to the Agent for the ratable account of the Swing Line Bank and each Lender which has made a Swing Line Advance the outstanding principal amount of each Swing Line Advance made to it by each of them on the earlier of the maturity date specified in the applicable Notice of Swing Line Borrowing (which maturity shall be no later than ten Business Days after the requested date of such Borrowing) and the Termination Date applicable to the Swing Line Bank.

 

SECTION 2.07. Interest on Advances.

 

(a)            Scheduled Interest. The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Advance made to it and owing to each Lender from the date of such Advance until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the following rates per annum:

 

(i)             Base Rate Advances. During such periods as such Advance is a Base Rate Advance and for each Swing Line Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times to the sum of (x) the Base Rate in effect from time to time plus (y) the Applicable Margin for Base Rate Advances in effect from time to time, payable in arrears quarterly on the date that is five Business Days after the last day of each March, June, September and December during such periods and on the date such Base Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full or Swing Line Advance is paid in full.

 

(ii)            SOFR Rate Advances. During such periods as such Advance is a SOFR Rate Advance, a rate per annum equal at all times during each Interest Period for such Advance to the sum of (x) Adjusted Term SOFR for such Interest Period for such Advance plus (y) the Applicable Margin for SOFR Rate Advances in effect from time to time, payable in arrears on the last day of such Interest Period and, if such Interest Period has a duration of more than three months, on each day that occurs during such Interest Period every three months from the first

 

 

day of such Interest Period and on the date such SOFR Rate Advance shall be Converted or paid in full.

 

(b)            Default Interest. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 6.01(a), the Agent may, and upon the request of the Required Lenders shall, require the Borrower to pay interest (“Default Interest”) on (i) the unpaid principal amount of each Advance owing to each Lender, payable in arrears on the dates referred to in clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on such Advance pursuant to clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by law, the amount of any interest, fee or other amount payable hereunder that is not paid when due, from the date such amount shall be due until such amount shall be paid in full, payable in arrears on the date such amount shall be paid in full and on demand, at a rate per annum equal at all times to 2% per annum above the rate per annum required to be paid on Base Rate Advances pursuant to clause (a)(i) above; provided, however, that following acceleration of the Advances pursuant to Section 6.01, Default Interest shall accrue and be payable hereunder whether or not previously required by the Agent.

 

SECTION 2.08. Interest Rate Determination.

 

(a)            The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrower and the Lenders of the applicable interest rate determined by the Agent for purposes of Section 2.07(a)(i) or (ii).

 

(b)            If, with respect to any SOFR Rate Advances, the Required Lenders notify the Agent that Adjusted Term SOFR for any Interest Period for such Advances will not adequately reflect the cost to such Lenders of making, funding or maintaining their respective SOFR Rate Advances for such Interest Period, the Agent shall forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders, whereupon (i) the Borrower will, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, either (x) prepay such Advances or (y) Convert such Advances into Base Rate Advances and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, SOFR Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

 

(c)            If the Borrower shall fail to select the duration of any Interest Period for any SOFR Rate Advances in accordance with the provisions contained in the definition of “Interest Period” in Section 1.01, the Agent will forthwith so notify the Borrower and the Lenders and such Advances will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into Base Rate Advances.

 

(d)            On the date on which the aggregate unpaid principal amount of SOFR Rate Advances comprising any Borrowing shall be reduced, by payment or prepayment or otherwise, to less than the Borrowing Minimum, such Advances shall automatically Convert into Base Rate Advances.

 

(e)            Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, (i) each SOFR Rate Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor be Converted into Base Rate Advances and (ii) the obligation of the Lenders to make, or to Convert Advances into, SOFR Rate Advances shall be suspended.

 

 

 

(f)            If neither the applicable screen nor another commercially available source providing quotations of Term SOFR as designated by the Agent from time to time is available and a Benchmark Replacement has not been effected,

 

(i)             the Agent shall forthwith notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the interest rate cannot be determined for such SOFR Rate Advances,

 

(ii)            each such Advance will automatically, on the last day of the then existing Interest Period therefor, Convert into a Base Rate Advance (or if such Advance is then a Base Rate Advance, will continue as a Base Rate Advance), and

 

(iii)            the obligation of the Lenders to make SOFR Rate Advances or to Convert Advances into SOFR Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

 

SECTION 2.09. Optional Conversion of Advances. The Borrower may on any Business Day, upon notice given to the Agent not later than 12:00 P.M. (noon) (New York City time) on the third U.S. Government Securities Business Day prior to the date of the proposed Conversion and subject to the provisions of Sections 2.08 and 2.12, Convert all Advances of one Type comprising the same Borrowing into Advances of the other Type; provided, however, that any Conversion of SOFR Rate Advances into Base Rate Advances shall be made only on the last day of an Interest Period for such SOFR Rate Advances, any Conversion of Base Rate Advances into SOFR Rate Advances shall be in an amount not less than the Borrowing Minimum for SOFR Rate Advances and no Conversion of any Advances shall result in more separate Borrowings than permitted under Section 2.02(c). Each such notice of a Conversion shall, within the restrictions specified above, specify (i) the date of such Conversion, (ii) the Advances to be Converted, and (iii) if such Conversion is into SOFR Rate Advances, the duration of the initial Interest Period for each such Advance. Each notice of Conversion shall be irrevocable and binding on the Borrower.

 

SECTION 2.10. Optional Prepayments of Advances. The Borrower may, upon notice at least two Business Days’ prior to the date of such prepayment, in the case of SOFR Rate Advances, and not later than 12:00 P.M. (noon) (New York City time) on the date of such prepayment, in the case of Base Rate Advances, to the Agent stating the proposed date and aggregate principal amount of the prepayment, and if such notice is given the Borrower shall, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Advances comprising part of the same Borrowing in whole or ratably in part, together with accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the principal amount prepaid; provided, however, that (x) each partial prepayment of Advances shall be in an aggregate principal amount of not less than the Borrowing Minimum or a Borrowing Multiple in excess thereof, (y) each partial prepayment of Swing Line Advances shall in an aggregate principal amount of not less than $1,000,000 and (z) in the event of any such prepayment of a SOFR Rate Advance made prior to the last day of any Interest Period, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the Lenders in respect thereof pursuant to Section 8.04(f).

 

SECTION 2.11. Increased Costs.

 

 

 

(a)            If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)             impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender;

 

(ii)            subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

(iii)            impose on any Lender any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or SOFR Rate Advances made by such Lender;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Advance or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Advance, or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or other Recipient, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)            Capital Adequacy. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any lending office of such Lender or such Lender’s Parent Company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s Parent Company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Advances made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s Parent Company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s Parent Company with respect to capital adequacy or liquidity), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s Parent Company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)            Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its Parent Company as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)            Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than

 

 

nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions, and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

SECTION 2.12. Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any Lender shall notify the Agent that the introduction of or any change in or in the interpretation of any law or regulation makes it unlawful, or any central bank or other governmental authority asserts that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its Applicable Lending Office to perform its obligations hereunder to make SOFR Rate Advances or to fund or maintain SOFR Rate Advances hereunder, (a) each SOFR Rate Advance outstanding will automatically, upon such demand be Converted into a Base Rate Advance and (b) the obligation of the Lenders to make SOFR Rate Advances or to Convert Advances into SOFR Rate Advances shall be suspended until the Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that the circumstances causing such suspension no longer exist.

 

SECTION 2.13. Payments and Computations.

 

(a)            The Borrower shall make each payment hereunder, irrespective of any right of counterclaim or set-off, not later than 2:00 P.M. (New York City time) on the day when due in Dollars to the Agent at the Agent’s Account in same day funds. The Agent will promptly thereafter cause to be distributed like funds relating to the payment of principal or interest, fees or commissions ratably (other than amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.04(b), 2.11, 2.14 or 8.04(c)) to the Lenders for the account of their respective Applicable Lending Offices, and like funds relating to the payment of any other amount payable to any Lender to such Lender for the account of its Applicable Lending Office, in each case to be applied in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon any Assuming Lender becoming a Lender hereunder as a result of a Commitment Increase pursuant to Section 2.21 and upon the Agent’s receipt of such Lender’s Assumption Agreement and recording of the information contained therein in the Register, from and after the applicable Increase Date, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under any other Loan Documents issued in connection therewith in respect of the interest assumed thereby to the Assuming Lender. Upon its acceptance of an Assignment and Assumption and recording of the information contained therein in the Register pursuant to Section 8.07(c), from and after the effective date specified in such Assignment and Assumption, the Agent shall make all payments hereunder and under the other Loan Documents in respect of the interest assigned thereby to the Lender assignee thereunder, and the parties to such Assignment and Assumption shall make all appropriate adjustments in such payments for periods prior to such effective date directly between themselves.

 

(b)            All computations of interest based on Citibank’s base rate shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and all computations of interest based on Term SOFR or the Federal Funds Rate and of fees and Letter of Credit commissions shall be made by the Agent on the basis of a year of 360 days, in each case for the actual number of days (including the first day but excluding the last day) occurring in the period for which such interest, fees or commissions are payable. Each determination by the Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

 

(c)            Whenever any payment hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall be stated to be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of payment of interest, fee or commission, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if such extension would cause payment of interest on or principal of SOFR Rate Advances to be made in the next following calendar month, such payment shall be made on the next preceding Business Day.

 

(d)            Unless the Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each Lender on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Lender. If and to the extent the Borrower shall not have so made such payment in full to the Agent, each Lender shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such Lender together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is distributed to such Lender until the date such Lender repays such amount to the Agent, at the higher of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

SECTION 2.14. Taxes.

 

(a)            Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under this Agreement shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding for Indemnified Taxes has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

 

(b)            Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. The Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

 

(c)            Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify each Recipient, within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability

 

 

delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Agent), or by the Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)            Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 8.07(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Agent in connection with this Agreement, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or otherwise payable by the Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Agent under this paragraph (d).

 

(e)            Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.14, the Borrower shall deliver to the Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.

 

(f)            Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.14(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

  

(ii)            Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

 

(A)            any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Agent), executed originals of IRS Form

 

 

W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

(B)            any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(i)             in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under this Agreement, executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under this Agreement, IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

(ii)            executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;

 

(iii)            in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E; or

 

(iv)            to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-2 or Exhibit D-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)            any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign

 

 

Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

(D)            if a payment made to a Lender under this Agreement would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

(g)            Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its reasonable discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.14 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.14), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This paragraph shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

 

 

 

(h)            Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.14 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.15. Sharing of Payments, Etc. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Advances or other obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Advances and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Advances and such other obligations before the Termination Date applicable to such Lender or of the other Lenders, and, on and after the Termination Date applicable to such Lender, or of all other Lenders or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders or all Lenders, as applicable, ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Advances and other amounts owing them; provided that:

 

(i)             if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

 

(ii)            the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), or (y) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Advances to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).

 

The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

SECTION 2.16. Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)            Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Advance owing to such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder in respect of Advances. The Borrower agrees that upon notice by any Lender to the Borrower (with a copy of such notice to the Agent) to the effect that a Note is required or appropriate in order for such Lender to evidence (whether for purposes of pledge, enforcement or otherwise) the Advances owing to, or

 

 

to be made by, such Lender, the Borrower shall promptly execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to the order of such Lender in a principal amount up to the applicable Commitment of such Lender.

 

(b)            The Register maintained by the Agent pursuant to Section 8.07(c) shall include a control account, and a subsidiary account for each Lender, in which accounts (taken together) shall be recorded (i) the date and amount of each Borrowing made hereunder, the Type of Advances comprising such Borrowing and, if appropriate, the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the terms of each Assumption Agreement and each Assignment and Assumption delivered to and accepted by it, (iii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iv) the amount of any sum received by the Agent from the Borrower hereunder and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

(c)            Entries made in good faith by the Agent in the Register pursuant to subsection (b) above, and by each Lender in its account or accounts pursuant to subsection (a) above, shall be prima facie evidence of the amount of principal and interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to, in the case of the Register, each Lender and, in the case of such account or accounts, such Lender, under this Agreement, absent manifest error; provided, however, that the failure of the Agent or such Lender to make an entry, or any finding that an entry is incorrect, in the Register or such account or accounts shall not limit or otherwise affect the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.17. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Advances shall be available (and the Borrower agrees that it shall use such proceeds) for general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 2.18. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)            Designation of a Different Applicable Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.11, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, then such Lender shall (at the request of the Borrower) use reasonable efforts to designate a different Applicable Lending Office for funding or booking its Advances hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.11 or 2.14 as the case may be, in the future, and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)            Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.11, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different Applicable Lending Office in accordance with Section 2.18(a), or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Approving Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon

 

 

notice to such Lender and the Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 8.07), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.11 or Section 2.14 and obligations under this Agreement to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:

 

(i)             the Borrower shall have paid to the Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 8.07;

 

(ii)            such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder (including any amounts under Section 8.04(f)) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

(iii)            in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.11 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.14, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

 

(iv)            such assignment does not conflict with applicable law; and

 

(v)            in the case of any assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Approving Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

 

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

SECTION 2.19. Cash Collateral.

 

(a)            At any time that there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, within one Business Day following the written request of the Agent or any Issuing Bank (with a copy to the Agent) the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the Issuing Banks’ Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender (determined after giving effect to any reallocation pursuant to Section 2.20(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by such Defaulting Lender) in an amount not less than the Minimum Collateral Amount.

 

(b)            Grant of Security Interest. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to the Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Banks, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such Cash Collateral as security for the Defaulting Lenders’ obligation to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, to be applied pursuant to clause (c) below. If at any time the Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Agent and the Issuing Banks as herein provided or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Agent, pay or

 

 

provide to the Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency (after giving effect to any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

(c)            Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under this Section 2.19 or Section 2.20 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be applied to the satisfaction of the Defaulting Lender’s obligation to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

 

(d)            Termination of Requirement. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce any Issuing Bank’s Fronting Exposure shall no longer be required to be held as Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.19 following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender), or (ii) the existence of excess Cash Collateral, as reasonably determined by the Agent and each Issuing Bank; provided that, subject to Section 2.20 the Person providing Cash Collateral and each Issuing Bank may agree that Cash Collateral shall be held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

 

SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders.

 

(a)            Defaulting Lender Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as such Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable law:

 

(i)            Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Required Lenders.

 

(ii)            Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VI or otherwise) or received by the Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 8.05 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Bank hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the Issuing Banks’ Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with 2.19; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Advance in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Advances under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the Issuing Banks’ future Fronting Exposure with respect to

 

 

such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.19; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the Swing Line Bank as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the Issuing Banks or the Swing Line Bank against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Advances or L/C Obligations in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Advances were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 3.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Advances of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Advances of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Advances and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Advances are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments without giving effect to Section 2.20(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.20(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

(iii)           Certain Fees.

 

(A)            Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive a facility fee for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to the sum of (1) the outstanding principal amount of the Advances funded by it, and (2) its Ratable Share of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.19.

 

(B)            Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive letter of credit fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Ratable Share of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.19.

 

(C)            With respect to any facility fee or letter of credit fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Advances that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause

 

 

(iv) below, (y) pay to each Issuing Bank and the Swing Line Bank, as applicable, the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such Issuing Bank’s or Swing Line Bank’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

(iv)            Reallocation of Participations to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Advances shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Ratable Shares (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the sum of the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Advances, the participations in outstanding Letters of Credit and participation in Swing Line Advances of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment. Subject to Section 8.15, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(v)            Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Advances. If the reallocation described in clause (iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under law, (x) first, prepay Swing Line Advances in an amount equal to the Swing Line Bank’s Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the Issuing Banks’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.19.

 

(b)            Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Agent, the Swing Line Bank and each Issuing Bank agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will purchase at par that portion of outstanding Advances of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Revolving Credit Advances and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Advances to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments (without giving effect to Section 2.20(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or other payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Non-Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

(c)            New Swing Line Advances/Letters of Credit. So long as any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, in each case after giving effect to Section 2.20(a)(iv), (i) the Swing Line

 

 

Bank shall not be required to fund any Swing Line Advances unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect to such Swing Line Advance and (ii) no Issuing Bank shall be required to issue, extend, renew or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that it will have no Fronting Exposure after giving effect thereto.

 

SECTION 2.21. Increase in the Aggregate Commitments.

 

(a)            Request for Increase. The Borrower may, at any time but in any event not more than once in any calendar year prior to the latest Termination Date, by notice to the Agent, request that the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitment be increased by an amount of $25,000,000 or an integral multiple thereof (each a “Commitment Increase”) to be effective as of a date that is at least 90 days prior to the latest Termination Date (the “Increase Date”), as specified in the related notice to the Agent; provided, however that in no event shall the aggregate amount of the Commitment Increases at any time exceed $500,000,000.

 

(b)            Lender Election to Increase. The Agent shall promptly notify such Lenders and Eligible Assignees as are designated by the Borrower of a request by the Borrower for a Commitment Increase, which notice shall include (i) the proposed amount of such requested Commitment Increase, (ii) the proposed Increase Date and (iii) the date by which such Lenders and Eligible Assignees wishing to participate in the Commitment Increase must commit to an increase in the amount of their respective Revolving Credit Commitments (the “Commitment Date”). Each such Lender and Eligible Assignee that is willing to participate in such requested Commitment Increase (each an “Increasing Lender”) shall, in its sole discretion, give written notice to the Agent on or prior to the Commitment Date of the amount by which it is willing to increase its Revolving Credit Commitment or to establish its Revolving Credit Commitment, as the case may be. If such Lenders and Eligible Assignees notify the Agent that they are willing to participate in the requested Commitment Increase in an aggregate amount that exceeds the amount of the requested Commitment Increase, the requested Commitment Increase shall be allocated among such Lenders and Eligible Assignees in such amounts as are agreed between the Borrower and the Agent. No Lender shall be obligated to participate in such Commitment Increase.

 

(c)            Notification by Agent. Promptly following each Commitment Date, the Agent shall notify the Borrower as to the amount, if any, by which such Lenders and Eligible Assignees are willing to participate in the requested Commitment Increase; provided, however, that the Revolving Credit Commitment of each such Eligible Assignee shall be in an amount of $5,000,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.

 

(d)            Assuming Lenders. On each Increase Date, each Eligible Assignee that accepts an offer to participate in a requested Commitment Increase in accordance with Section 2.21(b) (each such Eligible Assignee and each Eligible Assignee that shall become a party hereto in accordance with Section 2.22, an “Assuming Lender”) shall become a Lender party to this Agreement as of such Increase Date and the Revolving Credit Commitment of each Increasing Lender for such requested Commitment Increase shall be so increased by such amount (or by the amount allocated to such Lender pursuant to the last sentence of Section 2.21(b)) as of such Increase Date.

 

 

(e)            Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Commitment Increase pursuant to this Section shall not be effective with respect to any Lender or Eligible Assignee unless (i) the Agent shall have received on or before such Increase Date the following, each dated such date:

 

(A)            certified copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower or comparable governing body authorizing the Commitment Increase and the corresponding modifications to this Agreement;

 

(B)            an assumption agreement from each Assuming Lender, if any, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Agent (each an “Assumption Agreement”), duly executed by such Assuming Lender, the Agent and the Borrower; and

 

(C)            confirmation from each Increasing Lender of the increase in the amount of its Revolving Credit Commitment in a writing reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower and the Agent; and

 

(ii)            on the date of request for a Commitment Increase and on the applicable Increase Date the following statements shall be true (and the giving of the request for Commitment Increase shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that on the date of such request and on such Increase Date such statements are true):

 

(A)            no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date and after giving effect to such Commitment Increase; and

 

(B)            the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of such date of, before and after giving effect to, such Commitment Increase, and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent any of such representations and warranties refers to an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of such date of, before and after giving effect to, such Commitment Increase, and to the application of the proceeds therefrom.

 

On each Increase Date, upon fulfillment of the conditions set forth in this Section 2.21(e), the Agent shall notify the Lenders (including, without limitation, each Assuming Lender) and the Borrower, on or before 1:00 P.M. (New York City time), of the occurrence of the Commitment Increase to be effected on such Increase Date and shall record in the Register the relevant information with respect to each Increasing Lender and each Assuming Lender on such date. Each Increasing Lender and each Assuming Lender shall, before 2:00 P.M. (New

 

 

York City time) on the Increase Date, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Revolving Credit Advances of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Advances to be held pro rata by the Lenders in accordance with the Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

SECTION 2.22. Extension of Commitment Termination Date.

 

(a)            Requests for Extension. The Borrower may, by notice to the Agent (who shall promptly notify the Lenders) not earlier than 75 days and not later than 30 days prior to any anniversary of the Effective Date (an “Anniversary Date”), but not more than two times, request that each Lender extend such Lender’s Termination Date for an additional one year from the Termination Date then in effect for such Lender.

 

(b)            Lender Elections to Extend. Each Lender, acting in its sole and individual discretion, shall, by notice to the Agent given not later than the date (the “Notice Date”) that is 30 days after receiving notice of the applicable extension request, advise the Agent whether or not such Lender agrees to such extension (and each Lender that determines not to so extend its Termination Date (a “Non-Extending Lender”) shall notify the Agent of such fact promptly after such determination (but in any event no later than the Notice Date) and any Lender that does not so advise the Agent on or before the Notice Date shall be deemed to be a Non-Extending Lender. The election of any Lender to agree to such extension shall not obligate any other Lender to so agree.

 

(c)            Notification by Agent. The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower of each Lender’s determination under this Section.

 

(d)            Assuming Lenders. The Borrower shall have the right on or before the applicable Anniversary Date to replace each Non-Extending Lender with, and add as “Lenders” under this Agreement in place thereof, one or more Assuming Lenders with the approval of the Agent (unless such Assuming Lender is already a Lender), the Issuing Banks and the Swing Line Bank (which approvals shall in each case not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), each of which Assuming Lenders shall have entered into an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Borrower and the Agent pursuant to which such Assuming Lender shall, effective as of the applicable Anniversary Date, undertake a Revolving Credit Commitment (and, if any such Assuming Lender is already a Lender, its Revolving Credit Commitment shall be in addition to such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment hereunder on such date).

 

(e)            Minimum Extension Requirement. If (and only if) the total of the Revolving Credit Commitments of the Lenders that have agreed so to extend their Termination Date and the additional Revolving Credit Commitments of the Assuming Lenders shall be more than 50% of the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments in effect immediately prior to the applicable Anniversary Date, then, effective as of such Anniversary Date, the Termination Date of each Extending Lender and of each Assuming Lender shall be extended to the date falling one year after the existing Termination Date (except that, if such date is not a Business Day, such Termination Date as so extended shall be the next preceding Business Day) and each Assuming Lender shall thereupon become a “Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

 

(f)            Conditions to Effectiveness of Extensions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each extension of the Termination Date pursuant to this Section shall not be effective with respect to any Lender unless:

 

(x)  no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such extension and after giving effect thereto; and

 

(y)  the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of such date of, before and after giving effect to, such extension of Revolving Credit Commitments, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent any of such representations and warranties refers to an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of such date of, before and after giving effect to, such extension of Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

SECTION 2.23. Benchmark Replacement Setting.

 

(a)            Benchmark Replacement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, upon the occurrence of a Benchmark Transition Event, the Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace the then-current Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement. Any such amendment with respect to a Benchmark Transition Event will become effective at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5^th) Business Day after the Agent has posted such proposed amendment to all affected Lenders and the Borrower so long as the Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such amendment from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. No replacement of a Benchmark with a Benchmark Replacement pursuant to this Section 2.23(a) will occur prior to the applicable Benchmark Transition Start Date.

 

(b)            Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement.

 

(c)            Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (i) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement and (ii) the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement. The Agent will notify the Borrower of (x) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to Section 2.23(d) and (y) the commencement of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.23, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be

 

 

conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.23.

 

(d)            Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Reference Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is not or will not be representative, then the Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is not or will not be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.

 

(e)            Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a SOFR Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Rate Advances to be made, converted or continued during any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Advances. During a Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of Base Rate based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of Base Rate.

 

ARTICLE III

 

CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS AND LENDING

 

SECTION 3.01. Conditions Precedent to Effectiveness of Amendment and Restatement. The amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement shall become effective on and as of the first date (the “Effective Date”) on which the following conditions precedent have been satisfied:

 

(a)            The Borrower shall have notified each Lender and the Agent in writing as to the proposed Effective Date.

 

(b)            The Borrower shall have paid all accrued fees and expenses of the Agent and the Lenders (including the accrued fees and expenses of counsel to the Agent).

 

 

(c)            On the Effective Date, the following statements shall be true and the Agent shall have received for the account of each Lender a certificate signed by a duly authorized officer of the Borrower, dated the Effective Date, stating that:

 

(i)            The representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 are correct on and as of the Effective Date, and

 

(ii)            No event has occurred and is continuing that constitutes a Default.

 

(d)            The Agent shall have received on or before the Effective Date the following, each dated such day, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent:

 

(i)            Counterparts of this Agreement, duly executed and delivered by each of the Lenders, the Borrower and the Agent (or in the case of any such party as to which an executed counterpart shall not have been received, the Agent shall have received, in form reasonably satisfactory to it, telecopy, email or other written confirmation from such party of its execution of a counterpart of this Agreement).

 

(ii)            The Notes to the order of the Lenders to the extent requested by any Lender pursuant to Section 2.16 at least five Business Days prior to the Effective Date.

 

(iii)            Certified copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Borrower approving this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and of all documents evidencing other necessary corporate action and governmental approvals, if any, with respect to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

 

(iv)            A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Borrower certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of the Borrower authorized to sign this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and the other documents to be delivered hereunder.

 

(v)            A favorable opinion of Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, counsel for the Borrower.

 

(e)            The Borrower shall, substantially simultaneously with the occurrence of the Effective Date (and in any event no later than the close of business on the Effective Date), pay all of the accrued fees, expenses and other accrued amounts (other than principal) under the Existing Credit Agreement and each of the Lenders that is a party to the Existing Credit Agreement hereby waives any claim it may have under Section 8.04(f) of the Existing Credit Agreement in respect of such payments made on the Effective Date.

 

(f)            Each Lender shall have received all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the Patriot Act and,

 

 

if the Borrower qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, a Beneficial Ownership Certification, in each case to the extent requested by such Lender at least five Business Days prior to the Effective Date.

 

SECTION 3.02. Conditions Precedent to Each Borrowing and Issuance. The obligation of each Lender and the Swing Line Bank to make an Advance (other than (x) a Swing Line Advance made by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.02(b) or (y) an Advance made by any Issuing Bank or any Lender pursuant to Section 2.03(c)) on the occasion of each Borrowing and the obligation of each Issuing Bank to Issue a Letter of Credit shall be subject to the conditions precedent that the Effective Date shall have occurred and on the date of such Borrowing or such Issuance (as the case may be) (a) the Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing, Notice of Swing Line Borrowing or Notice of Issuance, (b) the following statements shall be true (and each of the giving of the applicable Notice of Borrowing, Notice of Swing Line Borrowing or Notice of Issuance and the acceptance by the Borrower of the proceeds of such Borrowing or such Issuance shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower that on the date of such Borrowing or such Issuance that such statements are true):

 

(i)            the representations and warranties contained in Section 4.01 (except the representations and warranties set forth in the last sentence of Section 4.01(e) and in Section 4.01(f)(i)) are true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of such date, before and after giving effect to such Borrowing or such Issuance and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent any of such representations and warranties refers to an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than any representation or warranty qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) on and as of such date of, before and after giving effect to, such Borrowing or such Issuance, and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, and

 

(ii)            no event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from such Borrowing or such Issuance or from the application of the proceeds therefrom, that constitutes a Default;

 

and (c) the Agent shall have received such other approvals, opinions or documents as any Lender through the Agent may reasonably request.

 

SECTION 3.03. Determinations Under Section 3.01. For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 3.01, each Lender shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to the Lenders unless an officer of the Agent responsible for the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the date that the Borrower, by notice to the Lenders, designates as the proposed Effective Date, specifying its objection thereto. The Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of the occurrence of the Effective Date.

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

SECTION 4.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrower. The Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

 

(a)            The Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Tennessee.

 

(b)            The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to be delivered by it, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, are within the Borrower’s corporate powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and do not contravene (i) the Borrower’s charter or by-laws or (ii) any law or any contractual restriction binding on or affecting the Borrower.

 

(c)            No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body or any other third party is required for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to be delivered by it, except for such authorizations and approvals which have been obtained and notices and filings which have been made.

 

(d)            This Agreement has been, and each of the Notes to be delivered by it when delivered hereunder will have been, duly executed and delivered by the Borrower. This Agreement is, and each of the Notes when delivered hereunder will be, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with their respective terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.

 

(e)            The Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of February 2, 2024, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, accompanied by an opinion of Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, and the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of May 3, 2024, and the related Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the three months then ended, duly certified by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, copies of which have been furnished to each Lender, fairly present, subject, in the case of said balance sheet as of May 3, 2024, and said statements of income and cash flows for the three months then ended, to year-end audit adjustments, the Consolidated financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such dates and the Consolidated results of the operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the periods ended on such dates, all in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied. Since February 2, 2024, there has been no Material Adverse Change.

 

 

(f)            There is no pending or threatened action, suit, investigation, litigation or proceeding, including, without limitation, any Environmental Action, affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator that (i) could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect other than the matters described on Schedule 4.01(f) Disclosed Litigation hereto or (ii) purports to affect the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(g)            The Borrower is not engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulations T, U or X issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), and no proceeds of any Advance will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock in violation of said Regulations T, U or X or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock in violation of said Regulations T, U or X. Following application of the proceeds of each Advance, not more than 25 percent of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis) that are subject to a restriction on sale, pledge, or disposal under this Agreement will be represented by margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).

 

(h)            The Borrower is not an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(i)            Neither the Information Memorandum nor any other written information, exhibit or report furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation and syndication of this Agreement or delivered pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (other than information of a general economic or industry nature or financial estimates, forecasts and other forward-looking information and after giving effect to all supplements and updates thereto) contains, when taken as a whole, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made therein not materially misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements are made.

 

(j)            (i) Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: Each Plan is in compliance with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code and any applicable Requirement of Law; no Reportable Event has occurred; no Plan is reasonably likely to be insolvent and no written notice of any such insolvency has been given to the Borrower; each Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA has satisfied the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) applicable to such Plan, and there has been no determination that any such Plan is, or is expected to be, in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA; none of the Borrower has incurred (or is reasonably likely to incur) any liability to or on account of a Plan pursuant to Section 406, 409, 502(c), (i) or (l), 4062, 4063, 4064, 4069, 4201, 4204 or 4071 of ERISA or has been notified in writing that it will incur any liability under any of the foregoing Sections with respect to any Plan; no proceedings have been instituted (or are

 

 

reasonably likely to be instituted) to terminate or to reorganize any Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan, and no written notice of any such proceedings has been given to the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate; and no lien imposed under Section 401(a)(29) or 430(k) of the Code or pursuant to ERISA on the assets of the Borrower exists (or is reasonably likely to exist) nor has the Borrower been notified in writing that such a lien will be imposed on the assets of the Borrower on account of any Plan, except to the extent that a breach of any of the representations, warranties or agreements in this Section 4.01(j)  would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in an amount of liability that would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) has an Unfunded Current Liability that would, individually or when taken together with any other liabilities referenced in this Section 4.01(j), be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a Mulitemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), or has been determined to be in “endangered or critical” status with the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA and no such Multiemployer Plan is reasonably expected to be insolvent or in “endangered or critical” status. With respect to Plans that are Multiemployer Plans, the representations and warranties in this Section 4.01(j), other than any made with respect to (i) liability under Section 4203 or 4205 of ERISA or (ii) liability for termination of such Plans under ERISA, are made to be best knowledge of the Borrower. Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Borrower has not incurred nor reasonably expects to incur any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Plan maintained by an ERISA Affiliate, including the imposition of any Lien in favor of the PBGC.

 

(ii)            All Foreign Plans are in compliance with, and have been established, administered and operated in accordance with, the terms of such Foreign Plans and applicable law, except for any failure to so comply, establish, administer or operate the Foreign Plans as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All contributions or other payments which are due with respect to each Foreign Plan have been made in full and there are no funding deficiencies thereunder, except to the extent any such events would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(k)            Except where the failure of which would not be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries has filed all federal income tax returns and all other tax returns, domestic and foreign, required to be filed by it and has paid all material taxes payable by it that have become due, other than those (i) not yet delinquent or (ii) contested in good faith as to which adequate reserves have been provided to the extent required by law and in accordance with GAAP and (b) the Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries have paid, or have provided adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of the management of the Borrower or such Subsidiary) in accordance with GAAP for the payment of, all federal, state, provincial and foreign taxes applicable for the current fiscal year to the Effective Date.

 

 

 

(l)            The Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with Environmental Laws and have not received written notice of any pending or threatened claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties that could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m)            On the Effective Date, immediately following the making of each Advance made on the Effective Date and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of such Advances, the Borrower on a Consolidated basis with its Subsidiaries is Solvent.

 

(n)            The Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to or leasehold interests in all properties that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted, free and clear of all Liens (other than any Liens permitted by this Agreement) and except where the failure to have such good title or leasehold interests would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(o)            The Borrower has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to promote compliance by the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with AML Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and to the knowledge of the Borrower their respective officers, employees and directors, are in compliance with applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) the Borrower or any Subsidiary or (b) to the knowledge of the Borrower, any of their respective directors, officers, employees or designated agents that will act in any capacity in connection with or directly benefit from the use of proceeds of the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person.

 

(p)            As of the Effective Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification, if applicable, with respect to any Beneficial Owner (as defined in the Beneficial Ownership Regulation) of the Borrower, is true and correct to the best knowledge of the Borrower.

 

ARTICLE V

 

COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER

 

SECTION 5.01. Affirmative Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit is outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower will:

 

(a)            Compliance with Laws, Etc. Comply, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to comply, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, such

 

 

compliance to include, without limitation, compliance with ERISA, Environmental Laws and the Patriot Act.

 

(b)            Payment of Taxes, Etc. Pay and discharge, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay and discharge, before the same shall become delinquent, (i) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its property and (ii) all material lawful claims that, if unpaid, might by law become a Lien upon its property; provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to pay or discharge any such tax, assessment, charge or claim that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which appropriate reserves are being maintained, unless and until any Lien resulting therefrom attaches to its property and becomes enforceable against its other creditors.

 

(c)            Maintenance of Insurance. Maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance with responsible and reputable insurance companies or associations in such amounts and covering such risks as is (i) commercially reasonable in the good faith judgment of the management of the Borrower and (ii) either consistent with past practices or in such amounts and covering such risks as is usually carried by companies engaged in similar businesses or owning similar properties in the same general areas in which the Borrower or such Subsidiary operates; provided, however, that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may self-insure to the extent deemed commercially reasonable in the good faith judgment of the management of the Borrower.

 

(d)            Preservation of Corporate Existence, Etc. Preserve and maintain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to preserve and maintain, its corporate existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided, however, that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may consummate any merger or consolidation permitted under Section 5.02(b) and provided further that neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required to preserve the existence of any Subsidiary or any right or franchise of the Borrower or any Subsidiary if the management of the Borrower shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or if the failure to preserve such existence, right or franchise would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)            Visitation Rights. At any reasonable time and from time to time, permit the Agent or any of the Lenders or any agents or representatives thereof, to examine and make copies of and abstracts from the records and books of account of, and visit the properties of, the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries, and to discuss the affairs, finances and accounts of the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries with any of their officers or directors and with their independent certified public accountants.

 

(f)            Keeping of Books. Keep, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to keep, proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP.

 

(g)            Maintenance of Properties, Etc. Maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, all of its properties that are used or useful in the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear

 

 

excepted, in each case except where the failure to so maintain and preserve would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(h)            Reporting Requirements. Furnish to the Lenders:

 

(i)            as soon as available and in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such quarter and Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the period commencing at the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with the end of such quarter, duly certified (subject to year-end audit adjustments) by the chief financial officer of the Borrower as having been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and certificates of a Financial Officer of the Borrower as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.03, provided that in the event of any change in generally accepted accounting principles used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Borrower shall also provide, if necessary for the determination of compliance with Section 5.03, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP;

 

(ii)            as soon as available and in any event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the annual audit report for such year for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, containing the Consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and Consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, in each case accompanied by an audit opinion by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent public accountants of national standing or otherwise acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report shall be unqualified as to scope of audit and shall state that such financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition as at the end of such fiscal year, and certificates of a Financial Officer of the Borrower as to compliance with the terms of this Agreement and setting forth in reasonable detail the calculations necessary to demonstrate compliance with Section 5.03, provided that in the event of any change in generally accepted accounting principles used in the preparation of such financial statements, the Borrower shall also provide, if necessary for the determination of compliance with Section 5.03, a statement of reconciliation conforming such financial statements to GAAP;

 

(iii)            as soon as possible and in any event within five days after an officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, the occurrence of each Default continuing on the date of such statement, a statement of an officer of the Borrower setting forth details of such Default and the action that the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto;

 

(iv)            promptly after the sending or filing thereof, copies of all reports that the Borrower sends to any of its security holders, and copies of all reports and

 

 

registration statements that the Borrower or any Subsidiary files with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange;

 

(v)            promptly after the commencement thereof, notice of all actions and proceedings before any court, governmental agency or arbitrator affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of the type described in Section 4.01(f); and

 

(vi)            such other information respecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as any Lender through the Agent may from time to time reasonably request.

 

Any information or document that is required to be delivered to the Agent or any Lender pursuant to this Section 5.01(h) shall be deemed delivered to the Agent and the Lenders upon the filing of such information with the Securities and Exchange Commission at the time such information or document becomes available on EDGAR.

 

(i)            Transactions with Affiliates. Conduct, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to conduct, all transactions otherwise permitted under this Agreement with any of their Affiliates on terms that, in the good faith judgment of the management of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, are fair and reasonable and no less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate; provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to (a) transactions between or among the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries or between and among any Subsidiaries, (b) the payment of reasonable fees and out-of-pocket costs to directors, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or (c) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by the Borrower’s board of directors.

 

SECTION 5.02. Negative Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit is outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower will not:

 

(a)            Liens, Etc. Create or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to create or suffer to exist, any Lien on or with respect to any of its properties, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to assign, any right to receive income, other than:

 

(i)            Permitted Liens;

 

(ii)            Liens securing obligations under Finance Leases;

 

(iii)            purchase money Liens upon or in any real property or equipment acquired or held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business to secure the purchase price of such property or equipment or to secure Debt incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property or equipment, or Liens existing on such property or equipment at the time of its acquisition (other than any such Liens created in contemplation of such

 

 

acquisition that were not incurred to finance the acquisition of such property) or extensions, renewals or replacements of any of the foregoing for the same or a lesser amount, provided, however, that no such Lien shall extend to or cover any properties of any character other than the real property or equipment being acquired, and no such extension, renewal or replacement shall extend to or cover any properties not theretofore subject to the Lien being extended, renewed or replaced;

 

(iv)            the Liens existing on the Effective Date and described on Schedule 5.02(a) – Existing Liens hereto;

 

(v)            Liens on property of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower or becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower and Liens on assets existing at the time such assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided that such Liens were not created in contemplation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person so merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or such Subsidiary or acquired by the Borrower or such Subsidiary;

 

(vi)            Liens securing any Advances, L/C Obligations or any other obligations under or in connection with the Loan Documents;

 

(vii)            Liens securing Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any time outstanding, together with any Debt incurred under Section 5.02(d)(x), 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; and

 

(viii)            the replacement, extension or renewal of any Lien permitted by clause (iii) or (iv) above upon or in the same property theretofore subject thereto or the replacement, extension or renewal (without increase in the amount or change in any direct or contingent obligor) of the Debt secured thereby.

 

(b)            Mergers, Etc. Merge or consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to, any Person, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do so, except that (i) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge or consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of assets to, any other Subsidiary of the Borrower, (ii) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge into or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of assets to the Borrower, (iii) the Borrower may merge with any other Person so long as the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (iv) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge into another Person or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of assets to any other Person in connection with a disposition of such Subsidiary if such Subsidiary, after giving effect thereto, is no longer a Subsidiary of the Borrower so long as the disposition of such Subsidiary does not constitute all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower and (v) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge or consolidate into another Person if the surviving Person of

 

 

such merger or consolidation shall become a Subsidiary of the Borrower, provided, in each case, that no Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such proposed transaction or would result therefrom.

 

(c)            Change in Nature of Business. Make, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to make, any material change in the nature of its business as carried on at the date hereof.

 

(d)            Subsidiary Debt. Permit any of its Subsidiaries to create or suffer to exist, any Debt other than:

 

(i)            Debt owing to the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

(ii)            existing Debt outstanding on the Effective Date, and listed on Schedule 5.02(d) - Existing Subsidiary Debt (the “Existing Subsidiary Debt”), and any Debt extending the maturity of, or replacing, refunding, renewing or refinancing, in whole or in part, the Existing Subsidiary Debt; provided, that the principal amount of such Existing Subsidiary Debt shall not be increased above the principal amount thereof outstanding immediately prior to such extension, replacement, refunding, renewal or refinancing (except by an amount equal to any existing commitments utilized thereunder) as a result of or in connection with such extension, replacement, refunding, renewal or refinancing;

 

(iii)            guarantees by any Subsidiary in respect of Debt of any other Subsidiary otherwise permitted under this Section 5.02(d);

 

(iv)            Debt representing deferred compensation or similar obligations to employees of incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(v)            any Debt of (A) a Person that becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower to the extent such Debt exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (B) a Subsidiary to the extent such Debt is assumed in connection with an acquisition made by such Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of such acquisition; provided, however, that such Debt shall not be guaranteed by any other Subsidiary;

 

(vi)            any guarantees for Advances, L/C Obligations or any other obligations under or in connection with the Loan Documents;

 

(vii)            endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business;

 

(viii)            Debt under Finance Leases;

 

(ix)            unsecured obligations due to vendors under any vendor factoring line; and

 

 

(x)            other Debt aggregating for all of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries together with Debt secured by Liens permitted under Section 5.02(a)(vii) in an amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

(e)            AML Laws, Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Use the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person which uses such proceeds for the purpose of funding activities or business directly, or to the knowledge of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, indirectly (A) in violation of AML Laws, (B) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws or (C) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country to the extent such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a U.S. Person.

 

SECTION 5.03. Financial Covenants. So long as any Advance shall remain unpaid, any Letter of Credit is outstanding or any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, the Borrower will, in each case as of the last day of each full fiscal quarter of the Borrower ending after the Effective Date (each such date, a “Measurement Date”):

 

(a)            Leverage Ratio. Maintain a ratio of (i) Consolidated Total Debt as of such Measurement Date to (ii) Consolidated EBITDAR for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such Measurement Date of not greater than (x) 4.25:1.0 for the fiscal quarter periods ending on each of November 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025, and (y) 3.75:1.0 thereafter.

 

(b)            Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. Maintain a ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDAR for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such Measurement Date to (ii) the sum of Consolidated Interest Expense and Consolidated Rental Expense for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such Measurement Date of not less than 2.0:1.0.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

SECTION 6.01. Events of Default. If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur and be continuing:

 

(a)            The Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Advance when the same becomes due and payable; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Advance or make any other payment of fees or other amounts payable under this Agreement or any Note within five days after the same becomes due and payable; or

 

(b)            Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower herein or by the Borrower (or any of its officers) in any certificate, document, financial or other statement

 

 

in connection with this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made; or

 

(c)            (i) The Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.01(d) (as to the existence of the Borrower), 5.02, 5.03 or 2.17, or (ii) the Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or observed if such failure shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written notice thereof shall have been given to the Borrower by the Agent or any Lender; or

 

(d)            The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall fail to pay any principal of or premium or interest on any Debt that is outstanding in a principal or notional amount of at least $100,000,000 in the aggregate (but excluding Debt outstanding hereunder) of the Borrower or such Subsidiary (as the case may be), when the same becomes due and payable (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise), and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to such Debt; or any other event shall occur or condition shall exist under any agreement or instrument relating to any such Debt and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such event or condition is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Debt; or any such Debt shall be declared to be due and payable, or required to be repaid or redeemed (other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or redemption, or, with respect to any secured Debt, resulting from a disposition, condemnation, insured loss or similar event relating to the property securing such Debt), purchased or defeased, or an offer to repay, redeem, purchase or defease such Debt shall be required to be made, in each case prior to the stated maturity thereof; provided that this Section 6.01(d) shall not apply to secured Debt that becomes due as a result of a sale, transfer, condemnation or similar event relating to the property or assets securing such Debt; or

 

(e)            The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property and, in the case of any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it), either such proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 days, or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including, without limitation, the entry of an order for relief against, or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for, it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall take any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this subsection (e); or

 

 

(f)            Judgments or orders for the payment of money in excess of $100,000,000 in the aggregate shall be rendered against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by a court of competent jurisdiction and such judgment or order for payment is not satisfied, discharged, vacated, bonded or stayed pending appeal within a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

(g)            Any non-monetary judgment or order shall be rendered against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries by a court of competent jurisdiction that could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and such judgment or order is not satisfied, discharged, vacated, bonded or stayed pending appeal within a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

(h)            (i) Any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of 35% or more of the equity securities of the Borrower entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower on a fully-diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or (ii) during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of the Borrower cease to be composed of individuals (x) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (y) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (x) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (z) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (x) and (y) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body; or

 

(i)            (i) Any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standard required for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standard or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code; any Plan is or shall have been terminated or is the subject of termination proceedings under ERISA (including the giving of written notice thereof); an event shall have occurred or a condition shall exist in either case entitling the PBGC to terminate any Plan or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan (including the giving of written notice thereof); a Plan subject to Title IV of ERISA is, or is expected to be, in “at risk” status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA); the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or is likely to incur a liability to or on account of a Plan under Section 4062, 4063, 4064, 4069, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA Title IV of ERISA (including the giving of written notice thereof), (ii) there could result from any event or events set forth in clause (i) this Section

 

 

6.01(i) the imposition of a lien, the granting of a security interest, or a liability, or the reasonable likelihood of incurring a lien, security interest or liability, (iii) a determination that any Plan is or is reasonably likely to be in at risk status (within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA), or (iv) the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate receives notice from the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), or has been determined to be in “endangered or critical” status with the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA or such Multiemployer Plan is reasonably expected to be insolvent or in “endangered or critical” status, and (v) in each case, such lien, security interest or liability described in clauses (i) – (iv) of this Section 6.01(i) will or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; or

 

(j)            Any provision of this Agreement shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on or enforceable against the Borrower, or the Borrower shall so state in writing;

 

then, and in any such event, the Agent (i) shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the obligation of each Lender to make Advances (other than Advances to be made by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.02(b) or by an Issuing Bank or a Lender pursuant to Section 2.03(c)) and of the Issuing Banks to Issue Letters of Credit to be terminated, whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) shall at the request, or may with the consent, of the Required Lenders, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Advances, all interest thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the Advances, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, (A) the obligation of each Lender to make Advances (other than Advances to be made by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.02(b) or by an Issuing Bank or a Lender pursuant to Section 2.03(c)) and of the Issuing Banks to Issue Letters of Credit shall automatically be terminated and (B) the Advances, all such interest and all such amounts shall automatically become and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.

 

SECTION 6.02. Actions in Respect of the Letters of Credit upon Default. If any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Agent may with the consent, or shall at the request, of the Required Lenders, irrespective of whether it is taking any of the actions described in Section 6.01 or otherwise, make demand upon the Borrower to, and forthwith upon such demand the Borrower will, (a) pay to the Agent on behalf of the Lenders in same day funds at the Agent’s office designated in such demand, for deposit in the L/C Cash Deposit Account, an amount equal to the aggregate Available Amount of all Letters of Credit then outstanding or (b) make such other arrangements in respect of the outstanding Letters of Credit as shall be acceptable to the Required Lenders and not more disadvantageous to the Borrower than clause (a); provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, an amount equal to the aggregate Available Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit shall be immediately due and payable to the Agent for the account of the Lenders without notice to or demand upon the Borrower, which are expressly waived by the Borrower, to be held in the L/C Cash Deposit Account. If at any

 

 

time an Event of Default is continuing the Agent determines that any funds held in the L/C Cash Deposit Account are subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Agent and the Lenders or that the total amount of such funds is less than the aggregate Available Amount of all Letters of Credit, the Borrower will, forthwith upon demand by the Agent, pay to the Agent, as additional funds to be deposited and held in the L/C Cash Deposit Account, an amount equal to the excess of (a) such aggregate Available Amount over (b) the total amount of funds, if any, then held in the L/C Cash Deposit Account that the Agent determines to be free and clear of any such right and claim. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit, to the extent funds are on deposit in the L/C Cash Deposit Account, such funds shall be applied to reimburse the Issuing Banks to the extent permitted by applicable law. After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon and all other obligations of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such L/C Cash Deposit Account shall be returned to the Borrower.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

THE AGENT

 

SECTION 7.01. Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Citibank to act on its behalf as the Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any Loan Document (or any other similar term) with reference to the Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead, such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

SECTION 7.02. Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Agent, and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for, and generally engage in any kind of business with, the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

SECTION 7.03. Exculpatory Provisions.

 

(a)            The Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agent:

 

 

(i)            shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(ii)            shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents); provided that the Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

(iii)            shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

(b)            The Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 8.01 and 6.01), or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Agent in writing by the Borrower or a Lender.

 

(c)            The Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article III or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Agent.

 

SECTION 7.04. Reliance by Agent. The Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Agent also may rely upon any

 

 

statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of an Advance or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, the Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Bank prior to the making of such Advance or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

SECTION 7.05. Delegation of Duties. The Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Agent and reasonably acceptable to the Borrower. The Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Facilities as well as activities as Agent. The Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

 

SECTION 7.06. Resignation of Agent.

 

(a)            The Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Agent may (but shall not be obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)            If the Person serving as Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (v) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

 

(c)            With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Agent on behalf of the Lenders hereunder, the retiring or removed Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring or removed Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments owed to the retiring or removed Agent), and the retiring or removed Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 8.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Agent was acting as Agent.

 

(d)            Any resignation pursuant to this Section by a Person acting as Agent shall, unless such Person shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders otherwise, also act to relieve such Person and its Affiliates of any obligation to advance or issue new, or extend existing, Swing Line Advances or Letters of Credit where such advance, issuance or extension is to occur on or after the effective date of such resignation. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Agent hereunder, (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Bank and Swing Line Bank, (ii) the retiring Issuing Bank and Swing Line Bank shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, (iii) the successor Swing Line Bank shall enter into an Assignment and Assumption and acquire from the retiring Swing Line Bank each outstanding Swing Line Advance of such retiring Swing Line Bank for a purchase price equal to par plus accrued interest and (iv) the successor Issuing Bank shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the retiring Issuing Bank to effectively assume the obligations of the retiring Issuing Bank with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

SECTION 7.07. Non-Reliance on Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

 

SECTION 7.08. No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners, Syndication Agent or Co-Documentation Agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Agent or a Lender hereunder.

 

SECTION 7.09. Lender ERISA Matters. (a)  Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of the Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

 

(i)            such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

 

(ii)            the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

 

(iii)            (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement.

 

(b)            In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender, such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of the Agent and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower, that the Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Advances, the Letters of

 

 

Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto.

 

As used in this Section, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in and subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

 

“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

 

SECTION 7.10. Erroneous Payments.

 

(a)            If the Agent (x) notifies a Lender or Issuing Bank, or any Person who has received funds on behalf of a Lender or Issuing Bank (any such Lender, Issuing Bank or other recipient (and each of their respective successors and assigns), a “Payment Recipient”) that the Agent has determined in its sole discretion (whether or not after receipt of any notice under immediately succeeding clause (b)) that any funds (as set forth in such notice from the Agent) received by such Payment Recipient from the Agent or any of its Affiliates were erroneously or mistakenly transmitted to, or otherwise erroneously or mistakenly received by, such Payment Recipient (whether or not known to such Lender, Issuing Bank or other Payment Recipient on its behalf) (any such funds, whether transmitted or received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise, individually and collectively, an “Erroneous Payment”) and (y) demands in writing the return of such Erroneous Payment (or a portion thereof), such Erroneous Payment shall at all times remain the property of the Agent pending its return or repayment as contemplated below in this Section 7.10 and held in trust for the benefit of the Agent, and such Lender or Issuing Bank shall (or, with respect to any Payment Recipient who received such funds on its behalf, shall cause such Payment Recipient to) promptly, but in no event later than two Business Days thereafter (or such later date as the Agent may, in its sole discretion, specify in writing), return to the Agent the amount of any such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made, in same day funds (in the currency so received), together with interest thereon (except to the extent waived in writing by the Agent) in respect of each day from and including the date such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Payment Recipient to the date such amount is repaid to the Agent in same day funds at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect. A notice of the Agent to any Payment Recipient under this clause (a) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

(b)            Without limiting immediately preceding clause (a), each Lender, Issuing Bank or any Person who has received funds on behalf of a Lender or Issuing Bank (and each of

 

 

their respective successors and assigns), agrees that if it receives a payment, prepayment or repayment (whether received as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees, distribution or otherwise) from the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in this Agreement or in a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment, (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a notice of payment, prepayment or repayment sent by the Agent (or any of its Affiliates), or (z) that such Lender or Issuing Bank, or other such recipient, otherwise becomes aware was transmitted, or received, in error or by mistake (in whole or in part), then in each such case:

 

(i)            it acknowledges and agrees that (A) in the case of immediately preceding clauses (x) or (y), an error and mistake shall be presumed to have been made (absent written confirmation from the Agent to the contrary) or (B) an error and mistake has been made (in the case of immediately preceding clause (z)), in each case, with respect to such payment, prepayment or repayment; and

 

(ii)            such Lender or Issuing Bank shall (and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any other recipient that receives funds on its respective behalf to) promptly (and, in all events, within one Business Day of its knowledge of the occurrence of any of the circumstances described in immediately preceding clauses (x), (y) and (z)) notify the Agent of its receipt of such payment, prepayment or repayment, the details thereof (in reasonable detail) and that it is so notifying the Agent pursuant to this Section 7.10(b).

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the failure to deliver a notice to the Agent pursuant to this Section 7.10(b) shall not have any effect on a Payment Recipient’s obligations pursuant to Section 7.10(a) or on whether or not an Erroneous Payment has been made.

 

(c)            Each Lender or Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Agent to set off, net and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or Issuing Bank under any Loan Document, or otherwise payable or distributable by the Agent to such Lender or Issuing Bank under any Loan Document with respect to any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts, against any amount that the Agent has demanded to be returned under Section 7.10(a).

 

(d)            (i)  In the event that an Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) is not recovered by the Agent for any reason, after demand therefor in accordance with Section 7.10(a), from any Lender that has received such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) (and/or from any Payment Recipient who received such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) on its respective behalf) (such unrecovered amount, an “Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency”), upon the Agent’s notice to such Lender at any time, then effective immediately (with the consideration therefor being acknowledged by the parties hereto), (A) such Lender shall be deemed to have assigned its Advances (but not its Commitments ) in an amount equal to the Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency (or such lesser amount as the Agent may specify) (such assignment of the Advances (but not Commitments), the “Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment”) (on a cashless basis and such amount calculated at par plus any accrued and unpaid interest (with the assignment fee to be waived by the Agent in such instance)), and is hereby (together with the Company) deemed to execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption (or, to the extent

 

 

applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an approved electronic platform as to which the Agent and such parties are participants) with respect to such Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment, and such Lender shall deliver any Notes evidencing such Advances to the Company or the Agent (but the failure of such Person to deliver any such Notes shall not affect the effectiveness of the foregoing assignment), (B) the Agent as the assignee Lender shall be deemed to have acquired the Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment, (C) upon such deemed acquisition, the Agent as the assignee Lender shall become a Lender, as applicable, hereunder with respect to such Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment and the assigning Lender shall cease to be a Lender, as applicable, hereunder with respect to such Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment, excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, its obligations under the indemnification provisions of this Agreement and its applicable Commitments which shall survive as to such assigning Lender, (D) the Agent and the Company shall each be deemed to have waived any consents required under this Agreement to any such Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment, and (E) the Agent will reflect in the Register its ownership interest in the Advances subject to the Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment. For the avoidance of doubt, no Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment will reduce the Commitments of any Lender and such Commitments shall remain available in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(ii)            Subject to Section 8.07 (but excluding, in all events, any assignment consent or approval requirements (whether from the Company or otherwise)), the Agent may, in its discretion, sell any Advances acquired pursuant to an Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment and upon receipt of the proceeds of such sale, the Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency owing by the applicable Lender shall be reduced by the net proceeds of the sale of such Advance (or portion thereof), and the Agent shall retain all other rights, remedies and claims against such Lender (and/or against any recipient that receives funds on its respective behalf). In addition, an Erroneous Payment Return Deficiency owing by the applicable Lender (x) shall be reduced by the proceeds of prepayments or repayments of principal and interest, or other distribution in respect of principal and interest, received by the Agent on or with respect to any such Advances acquired from such Lender pursuant to an Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment (to the extent that any such Advances are then owned by the Agent) and (y) may, in the sole discretion of the Agent, be reduced by any amount specified by the Agent in writing to the applicable Lender from time to time.

 

(e)            The parties hereto agree that (x) irrespective of whether the Agent may be equitably subrogated, in the event that an Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) is not recovered from any Payment Recipient that has received such Erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Agent shall be contractually subrogated to all the rights and interests of such Payment Recipient (and, in the case of any Payment Recipient who has received funds on behalf of a Lender or Issuing Bank, to the rights and interests of such Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be) under the Loan Documents with respect to such amount (the “Erroneous Payment Subrogation Rights”) (provided that the Company’s obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of the Erroneous Payment Subrogation Rights shall not be duplicative of such obligations in respect of Advances that have been assigned to the Agent under an Erroneous Payment Deficiency Assignment) and (y) an Erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any obligations owed by the Company under the Loan

 

 

Documents; provided that this Section 7.10 shall not be interpreted to increase (or accelerate the due date for), or have the effect of increasing (or accelerating the due date for), the obligations of the Company under the Loan Documents relative to the amount (and/or timing for payment) of the obligations of the Company under the Loan Documents that would have been payable had such Erroneous Payment not been made by the Agent; provided, further, that for the avoidance of doubt, immediately preceding clauses (x) and (y) shall not apply to the extent any such Erroneous Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such Erroneous Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Agent from the Company for the purpose of making such Erroneous Payment.

 

(f)            To the extent permitted by applicable law, no Payment Recipient shall assert any right or claim to an Erroneous Payment, and hereby waives, and is deemed to waive, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Agent for the return of any Erroneous Payment received, including, without limitation, any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine.

 

(g)            Each party’s obligations, agreements and waivers under this Section 7.10 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Agent, any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender or Issuing Bank, the termination of the Commitments and/or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all of the Company’s obligations (or any portion thereof) under any Loan Document.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 8.01. Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, nor consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Required Lenders, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that (a) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by all the Lenders, do any of the following: (i) waive any of the conditions specified in Section 3.01, (ii) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Advances, or the number of Lenders, that shall be required for the Lenders or any of them to take any action hereunder, or (iii) amend this Section 8.01 and (b) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by each Lender directly affected thereby, do any of the following: (i) increase or extend the Commitments of such Lender, (ii) reduce the principal of, or rate of interest on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable to such Lender hereunder, (iii) postpone any date fixed for any payment of principal of, or interest on, the Advances or any fees or other amounts payable to such Lender hereunder or the pro rata application of repayments after acceleration of the Advances in accordance with Section 6.01 or (iv) amend the pro rata sharing provisions in Section 2.13(a) and Section 2.15; and provided, further, that (x) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Agent in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the rights or duties of the Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (y) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Swing Line Bank, in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, affect the

 

 

rights or obligations of the Swing Line Bank under this Agreement, and (z) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Issuing Banks in addition to the Lenders required above to take such action, adversely affect the rights or obligations of the Issuing Banks in their capacities as such under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 8.02. Notices, Etc.

 

(a)            Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows:

 

(i)            if to the Borrower, to it at 100 Mission Ridge, Goodlettsville, TN 37072, Attention of Barbara Springer, Vice President and Treasurer (Facsimile No. 615-855-4808; Telephone No. 615-855-4825);

 

(ii)            if to the Agent, to Citibank at Building Ops II, One Penns Way, New Castle, Delaware 19720, Attention of Lending Agency (Email: usagencyservicing@citi.com);

 

(iii)            if to any Issuing Bank, to it at the address provided in writing to the Agent and the Borrower at the time of its appointment as an Issuing Bank hereunder; and

 

(iv)            if to a Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).

 

(b)            Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to Article II if such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, has notified the Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Agent or the Borrower may, in its reasonable discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

Unless the Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement

 

 

from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

 

(c)            Change of Address, Etc. Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(d)            Platform.

 

(i)            The Borrower agrees that the Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make the Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”).

 

(ii)            The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of the Platform and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or the Platform. In no event shall the Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including, without limitation, direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed to the Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through the Platform.

 

SECTION 8.03. No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of any Lender or the Agent to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

 

SECTION 8.04. Costs and Expenses.

 

 

(a)            Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Agent), in connection with the syndication of the Facilities, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder, and (iii) all out of pocket expenses incurred by the Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Advances made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Advances or Letters of Credit.

 

(b)            Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and each Issuing Bank, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower) other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Advance or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by any Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit) or (iii) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. This Section 8.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

(c)            Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), any Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Bank or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Agent (or

 

 

any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Bank or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the aggregate principal amount of all Advances and the Available Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender); provided that with respect to such unpaid amounts owed to any Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Bank solely in its capacity as such, such payment to be made severally among the Lenders based on their respective Ratable Shares (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) provided, further, that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Agent (or any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Bank in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Agent (or any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank or any the Swing Line Bank in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this paragraph (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.02(f).

 

(d)            Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Advance or Letter of Credit, or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in paragraph (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

(e)            Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after demand therefor.

 

(f)            Breakage. If any payment of principal of, or Conversion of, any SOFR Rate Advance is made by the Borrower to or for the account of a Lender (i) other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance, as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.10 or 2.12, acceleration of the maturity of the Notes pursuant to Section 6.01 or for any other reason, or by an Eligible Assignee to a Lender other than on the last day of the Interest Period for such Advance upon an assignment of rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.07 as a result of a demand by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8.07 or (ii) as a result of a payment or Conversion pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.10 or 2.12, the Borrower shall, upon demand by such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Agent), pay to the Agent for the account of such Lender any amounts required to compensate such Lender for any additional losses, costs or expenses that it may reasonably incur as a result of such payment or Conversion, including, without limitation, any loss (including loss of anticipated profits), cost or expense incurred by reason of the liquidation or reemployment of deposits or other funds acquired by any Lender to fund or maintain such Advance.

 

 

(g)            Survival. Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Borrower contained in Sections 2.11, 2.14 and 8.04 shall survive the payment in full of principal, interest and all other amounts payable hereunder and under the other Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 8.05. Right of Set-off. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held, and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing, by such Lender or any such Affiliate, to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or its Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of set-off, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.20 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Advances owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of set-off. The rights of each Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) that such Lender or its Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Agent promptly after any such set-off and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.

 

SECTION 8.06. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective (other than Section 2.01, which shall only become effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3.01) when it shall have been executed by the Borrower and the Agent and when the Agent shall have been notified by each Lender that such Lender has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, the Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns, except that the Borrower shall not have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower shall be null and void).

 

SECTION 8.07. Assignments and Participations.

 

(a)            Successors and Assigns Generally. No Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of paragraph (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement,

 

 

expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in paragraph (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)            Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Advances at the time owing to it); provided that (in each case with respect to any Facility) any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)            Minimum Amounts.

 

(A)            in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Advances at the time owing to it (in each case with respect to any Facility) or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

 

(B)            in any case not described in paragraph (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Advances outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Advances of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000 and shall be in increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, unless each of the Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

(ii)            Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Advance or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate Facilities on a non-pro rata basis.

 

(iii)            Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

 

(A)            the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (x) an Event of

 

 

Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;

 

(B)            the consent of the Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of (i) the Revolving Credit Facility if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Commitment in respect of such Facility, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender; and

 

(C)            the consent of each Issuing Bank and the Swing Line Bank shall be required for any assignment in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

(iv)            Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment (which shall not include the Borrower unless its consent to such assignment is required hereunder) shall execute and deliver to the Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (which fee may be waived by the Agent in its sole discretion); provided, that only a single processing and recordation fee shall be payable in respect of multiple contemporaneous assignments to Approved Funds with respect to any Lender. The assignee if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(v)            No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries or (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B).

 

(vi)           No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person).

 

(vii)          Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Advances previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Agent, each Issuing Bank, the Swing Line Bank and

 

 

each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Advances and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Advances in accordance with its Ratable Share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Agent pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.11 and 8.04 and remain liable under Section 8.04(c) with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (d) of this Section.

 

(c)            Register. The Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in the United States a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Advances owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender (with respect to its Commitment(s)), at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(d)            Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower, the Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swing Line Bank, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural Person) or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Advances owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations, and (iii) the Borrower, the Agent, the Issuing Banks and Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in

 

 

connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 8.04 with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participant(s).

 

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.11, 8.04(f) and 2.14 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.14(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.14(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.18 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.11 or 2.14, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.18 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 8.05 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.15 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Advances or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Agent (in its capacity as Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

(e)            Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

 

SECTION 8.08. Confidentiality. Each of the Agent and the Lenders agree to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties in connection with its participation in any of the transaction evidenced by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the administration of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, in each case on a need to know basis (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential); (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners); (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process (in which case the Agent or applicable Lender shall inform the Borrower of such disclosure to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation; (d) to any other party hereto; (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder; (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement, or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder; (g) on a confidential basis to (i)  any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the Facilities or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the Facilities; and (h) with the consent of the Borrower; or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section, or (y) becomes available to the Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not to the knowledge of the Agent or such Lender subject to confidentiality obligations to the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower. In addition, the Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement after it is made public and public information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Agent or any Lender in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.

 

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

SECTION 8.09. Governing Law. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise)

 

 

based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

SECTION 8.10. Execution in Counterparts; Electronic Execution. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by telecopier or email shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents including any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or electronic records, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

SECTION 8.11. Jurisdiction, Etc.

 

(a)            Jurisdiction. The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Agent, any Lender or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than the courts of the State of New York sitting in New York County, and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the jurisdiction of such courts and agrees that all claims in respect of any such action, litigation or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court or, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in such federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action, litigation or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Agent or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against the Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(b)            Waiver of Venue. The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (a) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

 

(c)            Service of Process. Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 8.02. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law.

 

SECTION 8.12. No Liability of the Issuing Banks. The Borrower assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee of any Letter of Credit with respect to its use of such Letter of Credit. Neither an Issuing Bank nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable or responsible for: (a) the use that may be made of any Letter of Credit or any acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee in connection therewith; (b) the failure to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit); (c) the validity, sufficiency or genuineness of documents, or of any endorsement thereon, even if such documents should prove to be in any or all respects invalid, insufficient, fraudulent or forged; (d) payment by such Issuing Bank against presentation of documents that do not comply with the terms of a Letter of Credit, including failure of any documents to bear any reference or adequate reference to the Letter of Credit; or (e) any other circumstances whatsoever in making or failing to make payment under any Letter of Credit, except that the Borrower shall have a claim against such Issuing Bank, and such Issuing Bank shall be liable to the Borrower, to the extent of any direct, but not consequential, damages suffered by the Borrower that the Borrower proves were caused by such Issuing Bank’s willful misconduct or gross negligence when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, such Issuing Bank may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to excuse such Issuing Bank if it acts with gross negligence or willful misconduct in accepting such documents.

 

SECTION 8.13. Patriot Act Notice. Each Lender and the Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Patriot Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Patriot Act. The Borrower shall provide such information and take such actions as are reasonably requested by the Agent or any Lenders in order to assist the Agent and the Lenders in maintaining compliance with the Patriot Act.

 

SECTION 8.14. Other Relationships; No Fiduciary Relationships. No relationship created hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall in any way affect the ability of the Agent and each Lender to enter into or maintain business relationships with the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof beyond the relationships specifically contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Borrower agrees that in connection with all aspects of the transactions contemplated hereby and any communications in connection therewith, the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Agent, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates, on the other hand, will have a business relationship that does not create, by implication or otherwise, any advisory, equitable or fiduciary duties on the part of the Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates, and no such duties will be deemed to have arisen in connection with any such transactions or

 

 

communications. The Borrower acknowledges that the Agent, each Lender and their Affiliates may have economic interests that conflict with those of the Borrower, its stockholders and/or its Affiliates. The Borrower also hereby agrees that none of the Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates have advised and are advising the Borrower as to any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax matters, and that the Borrower is consulting its own advisors concerning such matters to the extent it deems appropriate.

 

SECTION 8.15. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

(a)            the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and

 

(b)            the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)            a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

(ii)            a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent undertaking, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)           the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.

 

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

“Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) any UK Financial Institution.

 

“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.

 

“Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council

 

 

of the European Union, the implementing law, regulation rule or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

 

“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent;

 

“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.

 

“Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.

 

“UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any Person falling within IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.

 

“UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.

 

“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that Person or any other Person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised

 

 

under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.

 

SECTION 8.16. Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Hedge Agreement or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):

 

(a)            In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

 

(b)            As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings (such meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined):

 

“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

 

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

“QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).

 

SECTION 8.17. Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (a) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other person has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other person would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in the Section.

 

SECTION 8.18. No Novation. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document shall be construed as a novation of the obligations outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement or under any other “Loan Document” (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement).

 

[Signature pages follow.]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first above written.

 

	DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION
	By:	/s/ Kelly M. Dilts
		Name: Kelly M. Dilts
		Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
	CITIBANK, N.A., as Agent
	By:	/s/ Michael Vondriska
		Name: Michael Vondriska
		Title: Vice President
	Initial Lenders
	CITIBANK, N.A.
	By:	/s/ Michael Vondriska
		Name: Michael Vondriska
		Title: Vice President
	BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
	By:	/s/ Michelle L. Walker
		Name: Michelle L. Walker
		Title: Director
	U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Peter Hale
		Name: Peter Hale
		Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Dollar General Amended and Restated Credit Agreement] 

 

 

	WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Carl Hinrichs
		Name: Carl Hinrichs
		Title: Executive Director
	GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
	By:	/s/ Ananda DeRoche
		Name: Ananda DeRoche
		Title: Authorized Signatory
	FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Nate Calloway
		Name: Nate Calloway
		Title: Corporate Banking Associate, Officer
	JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
	By:	/s/ Charles W. Shaw
		Name: Charles W. Shaw
		Title: Executive Director
	PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Madison Bowlds
		Name: Madison Bowlds
		Title: Assistant Vice President
	REGIONS BANK
	By:	/s/ Tyler Nissen
		Name: Tyler Nissen
		Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Dollar General Amended and Restated Credit Agreement] 

 

 

	TRUIST BANK
	By:	/s/ J. Carlos Navarrete
		Name: J. Carlos Navarrete
		Title: Director
	BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, S.A. NEW YORK BRANCH
	By:	/s/ Cara Younger
		Name: Cara Younger
		Title: Managing Director
	By:	/s/ Armen Semizian
		Name: Armen Semizian
		Title: Managing Director
	THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK
	By:	/s/ Scott Lyman
		Name: Scott Lyman
		Title: Assistant Vice President
	KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
	By:	/s/ Marianne T. Meil
		Name: Marianne T. Meil
		Title: Sr. Vice President
	BMO BANK N.A.
	By:	/s/ Kendal B. Kumzi
		Name: Kendal B. Kumzi
		Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Dollar General Amended and Restated Credit Agreement] 

 

 

	FIRST HORIZON BANK
	By:	/s/ Kenneth Crapse
		Name: Kenneth Crapse
		Title: SVP
	THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY
	By:	/s/ Mike Fornal
		Name: Mike Fornal
		Title: Senior Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Dollar General Amended and Restated Credit Agreement] 

 

 

v3.24.2.u1

Cover	Sep. 03, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Sep. 03, 2024
Entity File Number	001-11421
Entity Registrant Name	DOLLAR GENERAL CORPORATION
Entity Central Index Key	0000029534
Entity Tax Identification Number	61-0502302
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	TN
Entity Address, Address Line One	100 MISSION RIDGE
Entity Address, City or Town	GOODLETTSVILLE
Entity Address, State or Province	TN
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	37072
City Area Code	615
Local Phone Number	855-4000
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $0.875 per share
Trading Symbol	DG
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false

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