EX-10.(A) 3 d230919dex10a.htm CREDIT AGREEMENT Credit Agreement

Exhibit 10(a)

 

 

 

LOGO

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

August 26, 2011,

among

CABOT CORPORATION,

and

Certain of its Subsidiaries,

as Borrowers,

The Lenders Party Hereto

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC, and

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners,

CITIBANK, N.A.,

as Syndication Agent

and

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., and

MIZUHO CORPORATE BANK, LTD.,

as Co-Documentation Agents

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I Definitions

     1   

SECTION 1.01

  Defined Terms      1   

SECTION 1.02

  Classification of Loans and Borrowings      22   

SECTION 1.03

  Terms Generally      22   

SECTION 1.04

  Accounting Terms; GAAP      23   

ARTICLE II The Credits

     23   

SECTION 2.01

  Commitments; Existing Letters of Credit      23   

SECTION 2.02

  Loans and Borrowings      24   

SECTION 2.03

  Requests for Revolving Borrowings      25   

SECTION 2.04

  Determination of Dollar Amounts      26   

SECTION 2.05

  Swingline Loans      26   

SECTION 2.06

  Letters of Credit      27   

SECTION 2.07

  Funding of Borrowings      31   

SECTION 2.08

  Interest Elections      32   

SECTION 2.09

  Termination and Reduction of Commitments      34   

SECTION 2.10

  Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt      34   

SECTION 2.11

  Prepayment of Loans      35   

SECTION 2.12

  Fees      36   

SECTION 2.13

  Interest      37   

SECTION 2.14

  Alternate Rate of Interest      38   

SECTION 2.15

  Increased Costs      39   

SECTION 2.16

  Break Funding Payments      40   

SECTION 2.17

  Taxes      41   

SECTION 2.18

  Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs      45   

SECTION 2.19

  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      47   

SECTION 2.20

  Defaulting Lenders      48   

SECTION 2.21

  Expansion Option      49   

SECTION 2.22

  Judgment Currency      51   

SECTION 2.23

  Designated Borrowers      52   

ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties

     53   

SECTION 3.01

  Organization; Powers      53   

SECTION 3.02

  Authorization; Enforceability      53   

SECTION 3.03

  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts      54   

SECTION 3.04

  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change      54   

SECTION 3.05

  Litigation and Environmental Matters      54   

SECTION 3.06

  Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default      55   

SECTION 3.07

  Investment Company Status; Margin Regulations      55   

SECTION 3.08

  Taxes      55   

SECTION 3.09

  ERISA      55   

SECTION 3.10

  Disclosure      56   

SECTION 3.11

  Subsidiaries      56   

 

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SECTION 3.12

  Representations as to Foreign Obligors      56   

SECTION 3.13

  Use of Proceeds      57   

SECTION 3.14

  OFAC      57   

ARTICLE IV Conditions

     57   

SECTION 4.01

  Effective Date      57   

SECTION 4.02

  Each Credit Event      59   

SECTION 4.03

  Initial Credit Event for each Additional Borrower      59   

ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants

     60   

SECTION 5.01

  Financial Statements and Other Information      60   

SECTION 5.02

  Notices of Material Events      61   

SECTION 5.03

  Existence; Conduct of Business      62   

SECTION 5.04

  Payment of Obligations      62   

SECTION 5.05

  Maintenance of Properties; Insurance      62   

SECTION 5.06

  Books and Records; Inspection Rights      63   

SECTION 5.07

  Compliance with Laws      63   

SECTION 5.08

  Use of Proceeds      63   

ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants

     63   

SECTION 6.01

  Liens      63   

SECTION 6.02

  Fundamental Changes      65   

SECTION 6.03

  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions      66   

SECTION 6.04

  Transactions with Affiliates      66   

SECTION 6.05

  Financial Covenants      66   

SECTION 6.06

  Organization Documents      66   

SECTION 6.07

  Use of Proceeds      66   

ARTICLE VII Events of Default

     66   

ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent

     69   

ARTICLE IX Guaranty

     71   

ARTICLE X Miscellaneous

     72   

SECTION 10.01

   Notices      72   

SECTION 10.02

   Waivers; Amendments      73   

SECTION 10.03

   Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver      74   

SECTION 10.04

   Successors and Assigns      76   

SECTION 10.05

   Survival      79   

SECTION 10.06

   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness      79   

SECTION 10.07

   Severability      80   

SECTION 10.08

   Right of Setoff      80   

SECTION 10.09

   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process      80   

SECTION 10.10

   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL      81   

SECTION 10.11

   Headings      81   

SECTION 10.12

   Confidentiality      81   

SECTION 10.13

   Interest Rate Limitation      82   

SECTION 10.14

   USA PATRIOT Act      83   

 

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SCHEDULES:

Schedule 1.01A – Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 2.01 – Commitments

Schedule 2.23 – Designated Borrowers

Schedule 6.01 – Existing Liens

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A – Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B – Form of U.S. Tax Certificates

Exhibit C – Form of Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement

Exhibit D – Form of Designated Borrower Notice

Exhibit E – Mandatory Cost

Exhibit F – Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit G – Form of Increasing Lender Supplement – Existing Lender

Exhibit H – Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement – New Lender

 

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CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated as of August 26, 2011, among CABOT CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), certain Subsidiaries of the Company from time to time party hereto pursuant to Section 2.23 (each, a “Designated Borrower” and, together with the Company, the “Borrowers” and each, a “Borrower”), the LENDERS from time to time party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:

ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Acquisition”, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person (other than a transaction that would be classified as a capital expenditure in accordance with GAAP), in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of all or any substantial portion (constituting a separate business unit) of the assets of another Person or at least a majority of the Equity Interests with ordinary voting power of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person and whether for cash, property, services, assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise.

Act” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.14.

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to the sum of (a) (i) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (ii) the Statutory Reserve Rate, plus, without duplication (b) in the case of Revolving Loans made by a Lender from its office or branch in the United Kingdom, the Mandatory Cost.

Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (including its subsidiaries and Affiliates), in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

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

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.

 

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Agreed Currencies” means (a) U.S. Dollars, (b) Euro, (c) Pounds Sterling, (d) Swiss Francs, (e) Australian Dollars, (f) Japanese Yen, (g) Canadian Dollars, (h) Singapore Dollars and (i) any other Foreign Currency acceptable to all of the Lenders.

Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus  1/2 of 1%, and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one (1) month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%; provided that, for purposes of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any Business Day shall be based on the rate appearing on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 (or on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in U.S. Dollars in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such Business Day. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.12(a).

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the percentage of the total Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment; provided that in the case of Section 2.20 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist, “Applicable Percentage” shall mean the percentage of the total Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Commitment. If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon the Revolving Credit Exposure then in effect, giving effect to any assignments and to any Lender’s status as a Defaulting Lender at the time of determination.

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurocurrency Revolving Loan, or with respect to the facility fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurocurrency Spread” or “Facility Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the ratings by Moody’s and S&P, respectively, applicable on such date to the Index Debt:

 

Tier

  

Rating

   Eurocurrency
Spread
    ABR Spread     Facility Fee
Rate
 

I

   ³ A2 / A      0.650     0     0.100

II

   < A2 / A and ³ A3 / A-      0.875            0     0.125

 

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III

   < A3 / A- and ³ Baa1 / BBB+                0.975     0                0.150

IV

   < Baa1 / BBB+ and ³ Baa2 / BBB      1.050                   0.050     0.200

V

   £ Baa3 / BBB-      1.125     0.125     0.250

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) if either Moody’s or S&P shall not have in effect a rating for the Index Debt (other than by reason of the circumstances referred to in the last sentence of this definition), then such rating agency shall be deemed to have established a rating in Tier V; (ii) if the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall fall within different Tiers, the Applicable Rate shall be based on the higher of the two ratings unless one of the two ratings is two or more Tiers lower than the other, in which case the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the Tier next above that of the lower of the two ratings; and (iii) if the ratings established or deemed to have been established by Moody’s and S&P for the Index Debt shall be changed (other than as a result of a change in the rating system of Moody’s or S&P), such change shall be effective as of the date on which it is first announced by the applicable rating agency, irrespective of when notice of such change shall have been furnished by the Company to the Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 5.01 or otherwise. Each change in the Applicable Rate shall apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change. If the rating system of Moody’s or S&P shall change, or if either such rating agency shall cease to be in the business of rating corporate debt obligations, the Company and the Lenders shall negotiate in good faith to amend this definition to reflect such changed rating system or the unavailability of ratings from such rating agency and, pending the effectiveness of any such amendment, the Applicable Rate shall be determined by reference to the rating most recently in effect prior to such change or cessation.

Applicant Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(b).

Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and 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.

Arrangers” means, collectively, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., in their capacity as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Augmenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.21(a).

 

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Australian Dollars” means the lawful currency of Australia.

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of termination of the Commitments.

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, provided, further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States of America or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America.

Borrower” and “Borrowers” each has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type and currency, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurocurrency Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, or (b) a Swingline Loan.

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Company, for itself or on behalf of a Designated Borrower, for a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that (a) when used in connection with a Eurocurrency Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in the applicable Agreed Currency in the London interbank market or (other than in respect of Borrowings denominated in U.S. Dollars or Euro) the principal financial center of such Agreed Currency, and (b) when used in connection with a Eurocurrency Loan denominated in Euro, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which the TARGET payment system is not open for the settlement of payments in Euro.

Canadian Dollars” means the lawful currency of Canada.

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount

 

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of such obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.

Change in Control” means an event or series of events by which:

(a) 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 members of the Cabot family, 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 (such right, an “option right”), whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the equity securities of the Company entitled to vote for members of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Company 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

(b) during any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of the Company cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body (excluding, in the case of both clause (ii) and clause (iii), any individual whose initial nomination for, or assumption of office as, a member of that board or equivalent governing body occurs as a result of an actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents for the election or removal of one or more directors by any person or group other than a solicitation for the election of one or more directors by or on behalf of the board of directors).

Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule, regulation, or treaty (including any rules or regulations issued under or implementing any existing law) after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or by any applicable lending office of such Lender or the Issuing Bank) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; 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 or in implementation thereof, 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 of America or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case under Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law” regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

 

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Charges” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.13.

Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 10.04, and (c) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.21. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Commitments is $550,000,000.

Company” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit F.

Computation Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04.

Consolidated” or “consolidated” means, with reference to any term defined herein, that term as applied to the accounts of the Company and its Subsidiaries, consolidated in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated EBITDA” means, with reference to any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication, to the extent deducted from revenues in determining such Consolidated Net Income, (i) Consolidated Interest Charges, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable, (iii) depreciation expense, (iv) amortization expense, and (v) other non-cash charges, minus (b) to the extent included in such Consolidated Net Income, all non-cash income or gains (including income tax benefits), all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis.

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, with reference to any period, for the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis (without duplication) for such period, the sum of all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses of the Company and its Subsidiaries in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest and other fees and charges incurred under any Securitization Transactions) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the Reference Period ended on such date to (b) the cash portion of Consolidated Interest Charges for the Reference Period ended on such date.

 

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Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Reference Period ended on such date.

Consolidated Net Income” means, with reference to any period, the net income (or loss) of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis (without duplication) for such period.

Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” means, as of any date, (i) the consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Company as of such date (calculated excluding adjustments to translate foreign assets and liabilities for changes in foreign exchange rates made in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement Nos. 52 and 133), minus (ii) to the extent reflected in determining such consolidated stockholders’ equity as of such date, the amount of Intangible Assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

Consolidated Total Debt” means, as of any date of determination, the outstanding principal amount as of such date of all Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

Consolidated Total Tangible Assets” means the aggregate amount of all assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis other than Intangible Assets.

Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

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.

Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.

Default” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days after the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified any Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular

 

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default, if any) to funding cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has, or has a Lender Parent that has, become the subject of a Bankruptcy Event.

Designated Borrower” has the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble.

Designated Borrower Notice” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(b).

Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.23(b).

Designated Jurisdiction” means any of Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan or any other country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

Disclosed Litigation” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.05(a).

Dollar Amount” of any currency at any date means (a) if such currency is U.S. Dollars, the amount of such currency, or (b) if such currency is a Foreign Currency, the equivalent in such currency of U.S. Dollars, calculated on the basis of the Exchange Rate for such currency on or as of the most recent Computation Date provided for in Section 2.04.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States of America.

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.02).

Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating to pollution and the protection of the environment, or the release of any Hazardous Material.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Company or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

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Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or acquire any such equity interest.

Equivalent Amount” of any currency with respect to any amount of U.S. Dollars at any date means the equivalent in such currency of such amount of U.S. Dollars, calculated on the basis of the Exchange Rate for such other currency at 11:00 a.m. London time on the date on or as of which such amount is to be determined.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.

ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) that, together with any Borrower, is treated as a single employer under subsections (b) and (c) of Section 414 of the Code (and, solely for the purposes of Section 412 of the Code, including subsections (m) and (o) of Section 414 of the Code).

ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the existence with respect to any Multiemployer Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Sections 412 and 431 of the Code or Sections 302 and 304 of ERISA), whether or not waived, or the determination that any Multiemployer Plan is in either “endangered status” or “critical status” (as defined in Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA), or the failure of any Plan that is not a Multiemployer Plan to satisfy the minimum funding standards of Sections 412 and 430 of the Code or Sections 302 and 303 of ERISA, or the determination that any Plan that is not a Multiemployer Plan is in “at-risk” status (as defined in Section 430(i) of the Code or Section 303(i) of ERISA) or the imposition of any lien on any Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or Section 303(k) of ERISA; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 303(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by any Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by any Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan; (g) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA; (h) the withdrawal by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA); (i) the engagement by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate in a transaction that could reasonably be expected to be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; (j) the engagement by any Borrower in a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” (as defined under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) or a breach of a fiduciary duty under ERISA that could reasonably be expected to result in

 

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liability to the Company or any Subsidiary; (k) notification by the IRS of the failure of any Plan (and any related trust) that is intended to be qualified under Sections 401 and 501 of the Code to be so qualified; (l) the commencement, existence or threatening of a claim, action, suit or audit or other regulatory examination with respect to any Plan, other than a routine claim for benefits; or (m) the occurrence of an event with respect to any employee benefit plan described in Section 3(2) of ERISA that results in the imposition of an excise tax or any other liability on any Borrower or of the imposition of a Lien on the assets of any Borrower.

Euro” or “” means the single currency of the participating member states of the European Union.

Eurocurrency”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Eurocurrency Payment Office” of the Administrative Agent shall mean, for each Foreign Currency, the office, branch, affiliate or correspondent bank of the Administrative Agent for such currency as specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent to each Borrower and each Lender.

Exchange Rate” means, on any day, with respect to any Foreign Currency, the rate at which such Foreign Currency may be exchanged into U.S. Dollars, as set forth at approximately 11:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date on the Reuters World Currency Page for such Foreign Currency. In the event that such rate does not appear on any Reuters World Currency Page, the Exchange Rate with respect to such Foreign Currency shall be determined by reference to such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as may be reasonably selected by the Administrative Agent or, in the event no such service is selected, such Exchange Rate shall instead be calculated on the basis of the arithmetical average of the spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent for such Foreign Currency on the London market at 11:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date for the purchase of U.S. Dollars with such Foreign Currency, for delivery two (2) Business Days later; provided, that if at the time of any such determination, for any reason, no such spot rate is being quoted, the Administrative Agent may use any reasonable method it deems appropriate to determine such rate, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement dated as of June 2, 2010, by and among the Company, the other borrowers party thereto, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent.

Existing Letters of Credit” means, collectively, the Letters of Credit listed on Schedule 1.01A.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to any Borrower under any Loan Document, any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient: (a) income or franchise Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its overall net income (however denominated) by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which

 

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such Recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch profits Taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar Taxes imposed by any other jurisdiction in which any Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by any Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding Taxes resulting from any law in effect (including FATCA) on such date such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(f), except solely to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from any Borrower with respect to such withholding Taxes pursuant to Section 2.17(a) and (d) any penalties and interest on the foregoing.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement and any regulations or official interpretations thereof.

Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three (3) Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

Financial Officer” means, with respect to any Borrower, the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of such Borrower.

Foreign Currencies” means Agreed Currencies other than U.S. Dollars.

Foreign Currency Letter of Credit” means a Letter of Credit denominated in a Foreign Currency.

Foreign Obligor” means a Designated Borrower that is a Foreign Subsidiary.

Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States of America, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied, or if the Company adopts the International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), IFRS, consistently applied.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising

 

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executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the holder of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.

Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.

Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.21(a).

Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.21(a).

Incremental Term Loan Amendment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.21(e).

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business and payable in accordance with customary practices), (f) all Indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) of another Person secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed or is limited in recourse, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of another Person, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in

 

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respect of bankers’ acceptances, and (k) the outstanding principal amount of any Securitization Transaction of such Person, after taking into account reserve accounts. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other Person (including any partnership in which such Person is a general partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable therefor.

Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes other than Excluded Taxes and (b) Other Taxes.

Index Debt” means senior, unsecured, long-term indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company that is not guaranteed by any other Person (other than a Subsidiary that is a Designated Borrower or guarantor of the Obligations) or subject to any other credit enhancement.

Ineligible Assignee” means a (a) natural person or (b) company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or a relative thereof; provided that such company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Assignee if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

Intangible Assets” means the amount of all unamortized debt discount and expense, goodwill, patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, anticipated future benefit of tax loss carry-forwards, copyrights, organization or developmental expenses and other assets treated as intangible assets under GAAP (but not in any event including deferred taxes).

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Company to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and December, (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three (3) months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at intervals of three (3) months’ duration after the first day of such Interest Period, and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such Loan is required to be repaid.

Interest Period” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one (1), two (2), three (3) or six (6) months thereafter, as the Company may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day

 

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and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurocurrency Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of capital stock or other Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or guaranty of any obligation or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor Guarantees Indebtedness of such other Person, or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of assets of another Person that constitute a business unit. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Issuing Bank” means, as the case may be, (a) Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as the issuer of, and with respect to, the Existing Letters of Credit, or (b) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the issuer of, and with respect to, all other Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Issuing Bank, may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by its Affiliates, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

Japanese Yen” or “¥” means the lawful currency of Japan.

LC Disbursement” means a payment made by the Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such time plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements that have not yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Borrowers at such time. The LC Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC Exposure at such time.

Lender Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.21 or pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an

 

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Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement, and shall include Existing Letters of Credit.

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on, in the case of U.S. Dollars, Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page and, in the case of any Foreign Currency, the appropriate page of such service which displays British Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rates for deposits in such Foreign Currency (or, in each case, on any successor or substitute page of such service, or any successor to or substitute for such service, providing rate quotations comparable to those currently provided on such page of such service, as determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in the applicable Agreed Currency in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to (or, in the case of Loans denominated in Pounds Sterling, on the day of) the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for deposits in the applicable Agreed Currency with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Singapore Dollars or any other Agreed Currency for which no screen quote based on British Bankers Association Interest Settlement Rates is available from Reuters or such successor or substitute service), then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurocurrency Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which deposits in the applicable Agreed Currency in an Equivalent Amount of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent (or, if applicable, such other Eurocurrency Payment Office for such Foreign Currency) in immediately available funds in the London interbank market (or, if applicable, such other offshore interbank market for such Foreign Currency) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time (or, if applicable, such other Local Time for such Foreign Currency), two (2) Business Days prior to (or, in the case of Loans denominated in Pounds Sterling, on the day of) the commencement of such Interest Period.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each promissory note delivered pursuant to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit applications, and any other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates executed by or on behalf of any Borrower and delivered to or in favor of the Credit Parties concurrently herewith or hereafter in connection with the Transactions hereunder.

Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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Local Time” means (a) in the case of a Loan, Borrowing or LC Disbursement denominated in U.S. Dollars, New York City time, and (b) in the case of a Loan, Borrowing or LC Disbursement denominated in a Foreign Currency, local time (it being understood that such local time shall mean London, England time unless otherwise notified by the Administrative Agent).

Mandatory Cost” has the meaning assigned to such term on Exhibit E.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the validity or enforceability of any material provision of any Loan Document or the rights or remedies of the Credit Parties thereunder.

Maturity Date” means August 25, 2016.

Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.13.

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

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

Non-U.S. Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.

Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Borrower of any proceeding under any debtor relief laws naming such Borrower as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-United States jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.

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

 

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such Taxes (other than a connection arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, enforced, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, or engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan Document) and which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be treated as Excluded Taxes.

Other Taxes” means any present or future stamp, court, documentary intangible, recording, filing or similar excise or property Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, or from the registration, receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment under Section 2.19(b)).

Overnight Foreign Currency Rate” means, for any amount payable in a Foreign Currency, the rate of interest per annum as determined by the Administrative Agent at which overnight or weekend deposits in such Foreign Currency (or if such amount due remains unpaid for more than three (3) Business Days, then for such other period of time as the Administrative Agent may elect) for delivery in immediately available and freely transferable funds would be offered by the Administrative Agent to major banks in the interbank market upon request of such major banks for such Foreign Currency as determined above and in an amount comparable to the unpaid principal amount of the related Borrowing or LC Disbursement, plus any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed upon, or charged to, the Administrative Agent by any relevant correspondent bank in respect of such amount in such Foreign Currency.

Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.04(c).

Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.04(c).

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing similar functions.

Permitted Acquisition” means any Acquisition by the Company or any Subsidiary that satisfies the following conditions:

(a) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of any Person, the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have approved the Acquisition; and

(b) (i) no Default shall exist and be continuing immediately before or immediately after giving effect thereto, (ii) the representations and warranties made by the Borrowers in any Loan Document (other than the representations and warranties contained in Sections 3.04(b), 3.05 and 3.09) shall be true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if the applicable representation or warranty is already qualified by concepts of materiality) on and as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto), and (iii) in the case of an Acquisition of any Person where the aggregate cash consideration exceeds $100,000,000, the Company shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, the Borrowers would be in compliance with the financial

 

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covenants set forth in Section 6.05 as of the most recent fiscal quarter for which the Company has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b).

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

(a) Liens imposed by law (other than Liens imposed under ERISA) for Taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04(a);

(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, lessors’ and other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04(a);

(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations (other than any Lien imposed under ERISA);

(d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

(e) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under clause (j) of Article VII; and

(f) easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances affecting real property that do not secure any substantial amount and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the applicable Person;

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.

Permitted Investments” means any Investment by the Company or any Subsidiary that satisfies the following conditions: (a) no Default shall exist and be continuing immediately before or immediately after giving effect thereto, (b) the representations and warranties made by the Borrowers in any Loan Document (other than the representations and warranties contained in Sections 3.04(b), 3.05 and 3.09) shall be true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if the applicable representation or warranty is already qualified by concepts of materiality) on and as of the date of such Investment (after giving effect thereto), and (c) in the case of an Investment in any Person (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) where the aggregate amount of such Investment exceeds $100,000,000, the Company shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate demonstrating that, upon giving effect to such Investment on a Pro Forma Basis, the Borrowers would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.05 as of the most recent fiscal quarter for which the Company has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b).

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

 

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Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which any Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA.

Pounds Sterling” or “£” means the lawful currency of the United Kingdom.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as its prime rate in effect at its office located at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

Pro Forma Basis” means, for purposes of calculating the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.05, that any Acquisition or Investment shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recent four (4) fiscal quarter period preceding the date of such transaction for which the Company has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b). In connection with the foregoing, (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (i) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement items for the Company and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01 and (ii) such items are supported by audited financial statements or other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (b) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by the Company or any Subsidiary (including the Person or property acquired) in connection with such transaction and any Indebtedness of the Person or property acquired which is not retired in connection with such transaction (i) shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period and (ii) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination.

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

Reference Period” means, as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, the period of four (4) consecutive fiscal quarters of the Company and its Subsidiaries ending on such date.

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.04(b).

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, for the purpose of determining the Required Lenders needed for any waiver, amendment, modification or consent, any Lender that is a Borrower, or any Affiliate of a Borrower, shall be disregarded.

 

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Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.03.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.

Sanctions” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions governmental authority.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission.

Securitization Subsidiary” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Securitization Transaction”.

Securitization Transaction” means any financing transaction or series of financing transactions (including factoring arrangements) pursuant to which the Company or any Subsidiary may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or grant a security interest in, accounts, payments, receivables, rights to future lease payments or residuals or similar rights to payment to a special purpose subsidiary or affiliate of the Company (each a “Securitization Subsidiary”).

Significant Subsidiary” means each Domestic Subsidiary now existing or hereafter acquired or formed, and each successor thereto, with respect to which, after giving pro forma effect to such acquisition or formation, or at any other time thereafter:

(a) the Company’s and its other Subsidiaries’ Investments in such Domestic Subsidiary exceed ten percent (10%) of the total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis;

(b) the Company’s and its other Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of the total assets (after intercompany eliminations) of such Domestic Subsidiary exceeds ten percent (10%) of the total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; or

(c) the Company’s and its other Subsidiaries’ equity in the income from continuing operations before income taxes, extraordinary items and cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle of such Domestic Subsidiary exceeds ten percent (10%) of such income of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

Singapore Dollars” means the lawful currency of Singapore.

Statutory Reserve Rate” means, with respect to any currency, a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve, liquid asset, fees or similar requirements (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves or other requirements) established by any central bank, monetary authority, the Board, the Financial Services Authority,

 

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the European Central Bank or other Governmental Authority for any category of deposits or liabilities customarily used to fund loans in such currency, expressed in the case of each such requirement as a decimal. Such reserve, liquid asset, fees or similar requirements shall, in the case of Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars, include those imposed pursuant to Regulation D of the Board. Eurocurrency Loans shall be deemed to be subject to such reserve, liquid asset, fee or similar requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under any applicable law, rule or regulation, including Regulation D of the Board. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve, liquid asset or similar requirement.

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the equity or more than fifty percent (50%) of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than fifty percent (50%) of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company.

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.

Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.

Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.05.

Swiss Francs” means the lawful currency of Switzerland.

TARGET” means the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) payment system (or, if such payment system ceases to be operative, such other payment system (if any) reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent to be a suitable replacement) for the settlement of payments in Euro.

 

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Taxes” means any and 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.

Total Capitalization” means, as of any date, Consolidated Total Debt plus the consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Company and its Subsidiaries (calculated excluding adjustments to translate foreign assets and liabilities for changes in foreign exchange rates made in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement Nos. 52 and 133), all as would be presented according to GAAP in a consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of such date.

Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by each Borrower of each Loan Document to which it is a party, the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the Alternate Base Rate.

U.S. Dollars” or “$” means the lawful currency of the United States of America.

U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Tax Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(D)(2).

Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

Withholding Agent” means any Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 1.02 Classification of Loans and Borrowings. For purposes of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing”).

SECTION 1.03 Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended,

 

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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 and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

SECTION 1.04 Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Company notifies the Administrative Agent that the Company requests an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Required Lenders request an amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith. Such amendment, regardless of whether requested by the Company or the Required Lenders, shall be negotiated in good faith by the Company, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein.

ARTICLE II

The Credits

SECTION 2.01 Commitments; Existing Letters of Credit.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrowers in Agreed Currencies from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in, subject to Sections 2.04 and 2.11(c), (a) the Dollar Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

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(b) On the Effective Date, the Existing Letters of Credit issued under the Existing Credit Agreement shall automatically, and without any action on the part of any Person, be deemed to be Letters of Credit issued hereunder and shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof. In connection therewith, each Lender shall automatically, and without any action on the part of any Person, be deemed to have acquired from the Issuing Bank a participation in each such Letter of Credit in accordance with Section 2.06(d).

SECTION 2.02 Loans and Borrowings.

(a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.

(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Loans as the Company may request in accordance herewith; provided that each ABR Loan shall only be made in U.S. Dollars. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurocurrency Loan to any Borrower, or any Loan to a Foreign Obligor, by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the applicable Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is (i) an integral multiple of (A) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, $1,000,000, (B) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Japanese Yen, ¥100,000,000, and (C) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in any other Foreign Currency, the smallest amount of such Foreign Currency that has an Equivalent Amount in excess of $1,000,000, and (ii) not less than (A) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, $1,000,000, (B) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Japanese Yen, ¥100,000,000, and (C) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in any other Foreign Currency, the smallest amount of such Foreign Currency that has an Equivalent Amount in excess of $1,000,000. At the time that each ABR Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the total Commitments or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is not less than $250,000. Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten (10) Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowings outstanding.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not be entitled to request, or to elect to convert or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto would end after the Maturity Date.

 

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SECTION 2.03 Requests for Revolving Borrowings. To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telecopy of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company (or, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, by telephone confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company) (a) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, (b) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, four (4) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing, or (c) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

  (i) the Borrower requesting such Borrowing;

 

  (ii) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

 

  (iii) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

 

  (iv) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing;

 

  (v) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Agreed Currency and initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and

 

  (vi) the location and number of the applicable Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.07.

If no denomination is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency Borrowing, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be denominated in U.S. Dollars. If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then, in the case of a Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing, and in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be a Eurocurrency Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, then the Company shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one (1) month’s duration. Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

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SECTION 2.04 Determination of Dollar Amounts. The Administrative Agent will determine the Dollar Amount of:

(a) each Eurocurrency Borrowing as of the date two (2) Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing or, if applicable, the date of conversion or continuation of any Borrowing as a Eurocurrency Borrowing;

(b) the LC Exposure as of the date of each request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit; and

(c) all outstanding Revolving Loans and the LC Exposure on and as of the last Business Day of each calendar quarter and, during the continuation of an Event of Default, on any other Business Day elected by the Administrative Agent in its discretion or upon instruction by the Required Lenders.

Each day upon or as of which the Administrative Agent determines Dollar Amounts as described in the preceding clauses (a), (b) and (c) is herein described as a “Computation Date” with respect to each Borrowing, Letter of Credit or LC Exposure for which a Dollar Amount is determined on or as of such day.

SECTION 2.05 Swingline Loans.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in U.S. Dollars to the Company from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $25,000,000 or (ii) the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the total Commitments; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.

(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Company. The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Company by means of a credit to the general deposit account of the Company with the Swingline Lender (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank) by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will

 

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give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Company of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Company (or other party on behalf of the Company) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Company for any reason. The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Company of any default in the payment thereof.

SECTION 2.06 Letters of Credit.

(a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company may request the issuance of Letters of Credit denominated in Agreed Currencies as the applicant thereof for the support of its or its Subsidiaries’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Company to, or entered into by the Company with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.

(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Company shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (no less than three (3) Business Days in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the

 

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Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the Agreed Currency applicable thereto, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Company also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrowers shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, subject to Sections 2.04 and 2.11(c), (i) the Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure shall not exceed $100,000,000 and (ii) the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the total Commitments.

(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one (1) year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one (1) year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided that any Letter of Credit may contain customary automatic renewal provisions agreed upon by the Company and the Issuing Bank pursuant to which the expiration date of such Letter of Credit shall be automatically extended for a period of up to 12 months (but not to a date later than the date set forth in clause (ii) above).

(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Company on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Company for any reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

(e) Reimbursement. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Company shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 1:00 p.m., Local Time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Company shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Company prior to such time on such date, then not later than 1:00

 

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p.m., Local Time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Company receives such notice; provided that, if such LC Disbursement is not less than the Equivalent Amount of $100,000, the Company may, subject to the conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in the Dollar Amount of such LC Disbursement and, to the extent so financed, the Company’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If the Company fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Company in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Company, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Company pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Company of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement. If the Company’s reimbursement of, or obligation to reimburse, any amounts in any Foreign Currency would subject a Credit Party to any stamp duty, ad valorem charge or similar tax that would not be payable if such reimbursement were made or required to be made in U.S. Dollars, the Company shall, at its option, either (x) pay the amount of any such tax requested by such Credit Party or (y) reimburse each LC Disbursement made in such Foreign Currency in U.S. Dollars, in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount, calculated using the applicable exchange rates, on the date such LC Disbursement is made, of such LC Disbursement.

(f) Obligations Absolute. The Company’s obligation to reimburse LC Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by the Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Company’s obligations hereunder. Neither the Credit Parties nor any of their Related Parties shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to

 

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make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Company to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by the Company that are caused by the Issuing Bank’s failure to exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.

(g) Disbursement Procedures. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Company by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such demand for payment and whether the Issuing Bank has made or will make an LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving such notice shall not relieve the Company of its obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

(h) Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Company shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is made to but excluding the date that the Company reimburses such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans (or, if such LC Disbursement is denominated in a Foreign Currency, at the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate for such Foreign Currency plus the then effective Applicable Rate with respect to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans); provided that, if the Company fails to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(c) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

(i) Replacement of the Issuing Bank. The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Company, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Company shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this

 

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Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Company receives notice from the Administrative Agent at the written request of the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than fifty percent (50%) of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Issuing Bank and the Lenders, an amount in cash equal to the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to any Borrower described in clause (g) or (h) of Article VII. Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Obligations. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account, and the Borrowers hereby grant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank and the Lenders, a security interest in such account. Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Company’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Company for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than fifty percent (50%) of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Obligations. If the Company is required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Company within three (3) Business Days after all Events of Default have been cured or waived.

SECTION 2.07 Funding of Borrowings.

(a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds (i) in the case of Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars, by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders, and (ii) in the case of Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency, by 12:00 noon, Local Time, in the city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such Foreign Currency and at such Eurocurrency Payment Office; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the

 

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applicable Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to (x) in the case of Loans denominated in U.S. Dollars, an account of such Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the Company in the applicable Borrowing Request, and (y) in the case of Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency, an account of such Borrower in the relevant jurisdiction and designated by the Company in the applicable Borrowing Request; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the applicable Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the applicable Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the applicable Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation (including the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate in the case of Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency) or (ii) in the case of such Borrower, the interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

SECTION 2.08 Interest Elections.

(a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Company may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Company may elect different options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

(b) To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telecopy of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company (or, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, by telephone confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company) by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Company were requesting a Revolving

 

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Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, the Company shall not be permitted to (i) change the currency of any Borrowing, (ii) elect an Interest Period for Eurocurrency Loans that does not comply with Section 2.02(d) or (iii) convert any Borrowing to a Borrowing of a Type not available to the applicable Borrower for such Borrowing when it was made.

(c) Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

 

  (i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof, the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

  (ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;

 

  (iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing; and

 

  (iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Interest Period and Agreed Currency to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which Interest Period shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Company shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one (1) month’s duration.

(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e) If the Company fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period (i) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, such Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing, and (ii) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, such Borrowing shall automatically continue as a Eurocurrency Borrowing in the same Agreed Currency with an Interest Period of one (1) month. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Company, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (x) no outstanding Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Borrowing and (y) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing (and any such Eurocurrency Revolving

 

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Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency shall be redenominated in Dollars at the time of such conversion) at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

SECTION 2.09 Termination and Reduction of Commitments.

(a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

(b) The Borrowers may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $1,000,000 and (ii) the Borrowers shall not terminate or reduce the Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures would exceed the total Commitments.

(c) The Company shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three (3) Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Company pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Company may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Company (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.

SECTION 2.10 Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

(a) (i) Each Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan made to such Borrower on the Maturity Date in the currency of such Loan and (ii) the Company hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the fifteenth (15th) or last day of a calendar month and is at least two (2) Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made to the Company, the Company shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.

(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of each Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made to such Borrower by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class, Agreed Currency and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable

 

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or to become due and payable from each Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the Obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of each Borrower to repay the Loans made to such Borrower in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrowers shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to Section 10.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).

SECTION 2.11 Prepayment of Loans.

(a) The Borrowers shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that each prepayment shall be in an aggregate amount that is (i) an integral multiple of (A) in the case of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, $100,000, (B) in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, $1,000,000, (C) in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in Japanese Yen, ¥100,000,000, and (D) in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in any other Foreign Currency, the smallest amount of such Foreign Currency that has an Equivalent Amount in excess of $1,000,000, and (ii) not less than (A) in the case of a Swingline Borrowing, $100,000, (B) in the case of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, $1,000,000, (C) in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, $1,000,000, (D) in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in Japanese Yen, ¥100,000,000, and (E) in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in any other Foreign Currency, the smallest amount of such Foreign Currency that has an Equivalent Amount in excess of $1,000,000.

(b) The Company, on behalf of the applicable Borrower, shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Company shall notify the Swingline Lender) by telecopy of a written notice signed by the Borrower (or, in the case of a prepayment of a Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, by telephone confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written notice signed by the Borrower) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, four (4) Business Days before the date of prepayment, (iii) in the case of

 

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prepayment of an ABR Revolving Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date of prepayment or (iv) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of prepayment. Each such telephonic and written notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09. Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and break funding payments to the extent required by Section 2.16.

(c) If at any time, (i) other than as a result of fluctuations in currency exchange rates, the sum of the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures (calculated, with respect to Revolving Loans and LC Exposure denominated in Foreign Currencies, as of the most recent Computation Date with respect to each such Revolving Loans and LC Exposure) exceeds the total Commitments or (ii) solely as a result of fluctuations in currency exchange rates, the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures (so calculated), as of the most recent Computation Date, exceeds one hundred five percent (105%) of the total Commitments, the Borrowers shall, in each case, immediately repay Borrowings or cash collateralize LC Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j), as applicable, in an aggregate principal amount sufficient to cause the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures (so calculated) to be less than or equal to the total Commitments.

SECTION 2.12 Fees.

(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the daily amount of the Commitment of such Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any Revolving Credit Exposure after its Commitment terminates, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the daily amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure from and including the date on which its Commitment terminates to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any Revolving Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty (360) days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

 

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(b) The Company agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans on the average daily Dollar Amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate or rates per annum separately agreed upon between the Company and the Issuing Bank on the average daily Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees with respect to the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third (3rd) Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within ten (10) days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty (360) days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(c) The Company agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers, for their own respective accounts, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Company, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent or either Arranger, on the other.

(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in U.S. Dollars and immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in the case of facility fees and participation fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

SECTION 2.13 Interest.

(a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) The Loans comprising each Eurocurrency Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrowers hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue principal of any

 

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Loan, two percent (2%) plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount, two percent (2%) plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

(d) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any Eurocurrency Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion. All interest shall be payable in the currency in which the applicable Loan is denominated.

(e) All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty (360) days, except that (i) interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty-five (365) days (or three hundred sixty-six (366) days in a leap year) and (ii) for Borrowings denominated in Pounds Sterling shall be computed on the basis of a year of three hundred sixty-five (365) days, and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

SECTION 2.14 Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing:

(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Company and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Company and the Lenders that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurocurrency Borrowing shall be ineffective, (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in U.S. Dollars, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing, and (iii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing denominated in a Foreign Currency, such Borrowing Request shall be ineffective; provided that if the circumstances giving

 

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rise to such notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings shall be permitted.

SECTION 2.15 Increased Costs.

(a) If any Change in Law shall:

 

  (i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or the Issuing Bank; or

 

  (ii) impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting any Loan Document or Eurocurrency Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurocurrency Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan (including pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing denominated in an Agreed Currency to a Borrowing denominated in any other Agreed Currency) or to increase the cost to such Lender or the Issuing Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (including pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing denominated in an Agreed Currency to a Borrowing denominated in any other Agreed Currency) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the Issuing Bank hereunder, whether of principal, interest or otherwise (including pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing denominated in an Agreed Currency to a Borrowing denominated in any other Agreed Currency), then the Company will pay (or cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank reasonably determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of any Loan Document or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Company will pay (or cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

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(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Company and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Company shall pay (or cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that no Borrower shall be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than two hundred seventy (270) days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Company of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the two hundred seventy (270) day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.16 Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a result of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11), (b) the conversion of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurocurrency Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Company pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the Company shall compensate (or cause the applicable Designated Borrower to compensate) each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. Such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for deposits in the applicable currency of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the Eurocurrency market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Company and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Company shall pay (or cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

 

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SECTION 2.17 Taxes.

(a) Withholding Taxes; Gross-Up. Each payment by any Borrower under any Loan Document shall be made without withholding for any Indemnified Taxes, unless such withholding is required by law. If any Withholding Agent determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it is so required to withhold Indemnified Taxes, then such Withholding Agent may so withhold and shall timely pay the full amount of withheld Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law. The amount payable in respect of Indemnified Taxes by any Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that net of such withholding (including withholding applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section) the applicable Recipient receives the amount it would have received had no such withholding been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrowers. The Borrowers shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c) Evidence of Payment. As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes by any Borrower to a Governmental Authority, such Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative 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 Administrative Agent.

(d) Indemnification by the Borrowers. The Borrowers shall indemnify each Recipient for any Indemnified Taxes that are paid or payable by such Recipient in connection with any Loan Document (including amounts paid or payable under this Section 2.17(d)) 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. The indemnity under this Section 2.17(d) shall be paid within ten (10) days after the Recipient delivers to the applicable Borrower a certificate stating the amount of any Indemnified Taxes so paid or payable by such Recipient and describing the basis for the indemnification claim. Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable absent manifest error. Such Recipient shall deliver a copy of such certificate to the Administrative Agent.

(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify (i) the Administrative Agent for any Taxes (but, in the case of any Indemnified Taxes, only to the extent that any Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrowers to do so) attributable to such Lender that are paid or payable by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document and (ii) each Borrower and the Administrative Agent for any Taxes incurred by or asserted against any Borrower or the Administrative Agent by any Governmental Authority as a result of the failure by such Lender to deliver, or as a result of the inaccuracy, inadequacy or deficiency of, any documentation required to be delivered by such Lender, to the Company or the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (f); in each case of the preceding clauses (i) and (ii), including 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. The indemnity under this Section 2.17(e) shall be paid within ten (10) days after the Administrative Agent or the applicable Borrower (as applicable) delivers to the applicable

 

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Lender a certificate stating the amount of Taxes so paid or payable by the Administrative Agent or the applicable Borrower (as applicable). Such certificate shall be conclusive of the amount so paid or payable absent manifest error.

(f) Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from, or reduction of, any applicable withholding Tax with respect to any payments under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law or as reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without, or at a reduced rate of, withholding. In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by law or reasonably requested by the Company or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Company or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to any withholding (including backup withholding) or information reporting requirements. Upon the reasonable request of the Company or the Administrative Agent, any Lender shall update any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section 2.17(f). If any form or certification previously delivered pursuant to this Section expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect with respect to a Lender, such Lender shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) days after such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy) notify the Company and the Administrative Agent in writing of such expiration, obsolescence or inaccuracy and update the form or certification if it is legally eligible to do so.

 

  (ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if any Borrower is a U.S. Person, any Lender with respect to such Borrower shall, if it is legally eligible to do so, deliver to the Company and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies reasonably requested by the Company and the Administrative Agent) on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a party hereto, duly completed and executed copies of whichever of the following is applicable:

(A) in the case of a Lender that is a U.S. Person, IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from United States Federal backup withholding tax;

(B) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States of America is a party (1) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, United States Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (2) with respect to any other applicable payments under this Agreement, IRS Form W-8BEN establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, United States Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(C) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender for whom payments under this Agreement constitute income that is effectively connected with such Lender’s

 

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conduct of a trade or business in the United States of America, IRS Form W-8ECI;

(D) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code both (1) IRS Form W-8BEN and (2) a certificate substantially in the applicable form attached as Exhibit B (a “U.S. Tax Certificate”) to the effect that such Lender is not (a) a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (b) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Company within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code (c) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (d) conducting a trade or business in the United States of America with which the relevant interest payments are effectively connected;

(E) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender that is not the beneficial owner of payments made under this Agreement (including a partnership or a participating Lender) (1) an IRS Form W-8IMY on behalf of itself and (2) all required supporting documentation, including the relevant forms prescribed in clauses (A), (B), (C), (D) and (F) of this Section 2.17(f)(ii) that would be required of each such beneficial owner or partner of such partnership if such beneficial owner or partner were a Lender; or

(F) any other form prescribed by law as a basis for claiming exemption from, or a reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax together with such supplementary documentation necessary to enable the Company or the Administrative Agent to determine the amount of Tax (if any) required by law to be withheld.

 

  (iii) If a Withholding Agent determines that a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document may 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 Withholding Agent, at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Withholding 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 Withholding Agent as may be necessary for the Withholding Agent to comply with its obligations under FATCA, to determine that such Lender has or has not complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA and, as necessary, to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this Section 2.17(f)(iii), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

  (iv)

Without limiting the obligations of the Lenders set forth above regarding delivery of certain forms and documents to establish each Lender’s status for U.S. withholding tax purposes, each Lender agrees promptly to deliver

 

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  to the Administrative Agent or the Company, as the Administrative Agent or the Company shall reasonably request, on or prior to the Effective Date, and in a timely fashion thereafter, such other documents and forms required by any relevant taxing authorities under the laws of any other jurisdiction, duly executed and completed by such Lender, as are required under such laws to confirm such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable withholding taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Lender outside of the United States of America by the Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in such other jurisdiction. Each Lender shall promptly (A) notify the Administrative Agent of any change in circumstances which would modify or render invalid any such claimed exemption or reduction, and (B) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably necessary (including the re-designation of its applicable lending office) to avoid any requirement of applicable laws of any such jurisdiction that any Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Lender. Additionally, each of the Borrowers shall promptly deliver to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, as the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall reasonably request, on or prior to the Effective Date, and in a timely fashion thereafter, such documents and forms required by any relevant taxing authorities under the laws of any jurisdiction, duly executed and completed by such Borrower, as are required to be furnished by such Lender or the Administrative Agent under such laws in connection with any payment by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of Taxes or Other Taxes, or otherwise in connection with the Loan Documents, with respect to such jurisdiction.

(g) Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, if a Lender is subject to U.S. Federal withholding tax at a rate in excess of zero percent at the time such Lender first becomes a party to this Agreement, such U.S. Federal withholding tax (including additions to tax, penalties and interest imposed with respect to such U.S. Federal withholding tax) shall be considered excluded from Indemnified Taxes except to the extent such Lender’s assignor was entitled to additional amounts or indemnity payments prior to the assignment. Further, a Borrower shall not be required pursuant to this Section 2.17 to pay any additional amount to, or to indemnify, any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to the extent that such Lender or Administrative Agent becomes subject to Indemnified Taxes subsequent to the Effective Date (or, if later, the date such Lender or Administrative Agent becomes a party to this Agreement) solely as a result of a change in the place of organization or place of doing business of such Lender or Administrative Agent or a change in the lending office of such Lender (other than at the written request of a Borrower to change such lending office).

(h) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including additional amounts paid pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but

 

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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 any 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 such indemnified party pursuant to the previous sentence (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section 2.17(h) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes which it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(i) Issuing Bank. For purposes of Section 2.17(e) and (f), the term “Lender” includes the Issuing Bank.

SECTION 2.18 Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

(a) Each Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 12:00 noon, Local Time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at (x) in the case of payments denominated in U.S. Dollars, its offices at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York, and (y) in the case of payments denominated in a Foreign Currency, its Eurocurrency Payment Office for such Foreign Currency, in each case except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder of principal or interest in respect of any Loan or LC Disbursement shall, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, be made in the currency of such Loan or LC Disbursement, and all other payments hereunder and under each other Loan Document shall be made in U.S. Dollars. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if, after the making of any Borrowing or LC Disbursement in any Foreign Currency, currency control or exchange regulations are imposed in the country which issues such Foreign Currency with the result that such Foreign Currency no longer exists or the applicable Borrower is not able to make payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders in such Foreign Currency, then all payments to be made by such Borrower hereunder in such Foreign Currency shall instead be made when due in U.S. Dollars in an amount equal to the Dollar Amount (as of the date of repayment) of such payment due, it being the intention of the parties hereto that such Borrower takes all risks of the imposition of any such currency control or exchange regulations.

 

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(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.

(c) 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 Revolving Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; 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 any payment made by any Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements to any assignee or participant, other than to any Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). Each 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 such Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such participation.

(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from any Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if such Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation (including the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate in the case of Loans denominated in a Foreign Currency).

 

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(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion and notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and/or (ii) hold such amounts in a segregated account over which the Administrative Agent shall have exclusive control as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section, in the case of each of clause (i) and (ii) above, in any order as determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

SECTION 2.19 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans 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 2.15 or 2.17, 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 Company hereby agrees to pay (or cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Company may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 10.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under the Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Company shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Company to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

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SECTION 2.20 Defaulting Lenders.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);

(b) the Commitment and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether all Lenders or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 10.02); provided that any waiver, amendment or other modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such Defaulting Lender disproportionately when compared to the other affected Lenders, or increases or extends the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender, shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender;

(c) if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

 

  (i) all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that (A) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments, (B) such reallocation does not cause the Revolving Credit Exposure of any non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment, and (C) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at such time;

 

  (ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Company shall within one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (A) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (B) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Company’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

  (iii)

if the Company cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Company shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure

 

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  during the period such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

 

  (iv) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and

 

  (v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all facility fees that otherwise would have been payable under Section 2.12(a) to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment that was utilized by such LC Exposure) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

(d) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, (i) the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be one hundred percent (100%) covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Company in accordance with clause (c) above, and (ii) participating interests in any newly made Swingline Loan or any newly issued, amended, renewed or extended Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with clause (c)(i) above (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

In the event that the Administrative Agent, the Company, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank each agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

SECTION 2.21 Expansion Option.

(a) The Company may from time to time, but not more than five (5) times during the term of this Agreement, elect to increase the aggregate Commitments and/or enter into one or more tranches of term loans (each, an “Incremental Term Loan”), in each case in a minimum amount of $10,000,000 and an integral multiple of $5,000,000 in excess thereof so long as, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of such Commitment increases and all such Incremental Term Loans does not exceed $200,000,000. The Company may arrange for any such Commitment increase or Incremental Term Loan to be provided by one or more Lenders (each Lender so agreeing to an increase in its Commitment, or to participate in such

 

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Incremental Term Loans, an “Increasing Lender”), or by one or more new banks, financial institutions or other entities (each such new bank, financial institution or other entity, an “Augmenting Lender”), to increase their existing Commitments, or to participate in such Incremental Term Loans, or extend Commitments, as the case may be; provided that (i) each Augmenting Lender shall be subject to the approval of the Company and the Administrative Agent and, except in the case of an Incremental Term Loan, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank, which approvals shall not be unreasonably withheld and (ii) (A) in the case of an Increasing Lender, the Company and such Increasing Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit G, and (B) in the case of an Augmenting Lender, the Company and such Augmenting Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit H hereto. No consent of any Lender (other than the Lenders participating in such Commitment increase or Incremental Term Loan) shall be required for any such increase or Incremental Term Loan pursuant to this Section 2.21.

(b) Commitment increases, new Commitments and Incremental Term Loans created pursuant to this Section 2.21 shall become effective on the date agreed by the Company, the Administrative Agent and the relevant Increasing Lenders and/or Augmenting Lenders, and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the aggregate Commitments (or in the Commitment of any Lender) or Incremental Term Loan shall become effective under this paragraph unless (i) on the proposed date of the effectiveness of such Commitment increase or Incremental Term Loan, (A) the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 shall be satisfied both before and immediately after giving effect to such Commitment increase or Incremental Term Loan or waived by the Required Lenders, and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Financial Officer of the Company and (B) the Company shall be in pro forma compliance with the Consolidated Leverage Ratio covenant set forth in Section 6.05(a), with Consolidated Total Debt measured as of the date of and immediately after giving effect to any funding in connection with such Commitment increase or Incremental Term Loan (and the application of proceeds thereof to the repayment of any other Indebtedness) and Consolidated EBITDA measured for the Reference Period then most recently ended for which the Company has delivered financial statements pursuant to Sections 5.01(a) or (b), and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received documents consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date as to the corporate power and authority of the Borrowers to borrow hereunder immediately after giving effect to such Commitment increase or Incremental Term Loan.

(c) On the effective date of any increase in the aggregate Commitments or any Incremental Term Loan being made, (i) each relevant Increasing Lender and Augmenting Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent such amounts in immediately available funds as the Administrative Agent shall determine, for the benefit of the other Lenders, as being required in order to cause, after giving effect to such Commitment increase and the use of such amounts to make payments to such other Lenders, each Lender’s portion of the outstanding Revolving Loans of all the Lenders to equal its Applicable Percentage of such outstanding Revolving Loans, and (ii) the Borrowers shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase in the Commitments (with such reborrowing to consist of the Types of Revolving Loans, with related Interest Periods if applicable, specified in a notice delivered by the Company, in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.03). The deemed payments made pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately

 

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preceding sentence shall be accompanied by payment of all accrued interest on the amount prepaid and, in respect of each Eurocurrency Loan, shall be subject to indemnification by the Borrowers pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 if the deemed payment occurs other than on the last day of the related Interest Periods.

(d) The Incremental Term Loans (i) shall rank pari passu in right of payment with the Revolving Loans, (ii) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date (but may have amortization prior to such date) and (iii) shall be treated substantially the same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the Revolving Loans; provided that (x) the terms and conditions applicable to any Incremental Term Loan maturing after the Maturity Date may provide for material additional or different financial or other covenants or prepayment requirements applicable only during periods after the Maturity Date and (ii) the Incremental Term Loans may be priced differently than the Revolving Loans.

(e) Incremental Term Loans may be made hereunder pursuant to an amendment or restatement (an “Incremental Term Loan Amendment”) of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Company, each Increasing Lender participating in such Incremental Term Loan, each Augmenting Lender participating in such Incremental Term Loan, if any, and the Administrative Agent. Each Incremental Term Loan Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.21. Nothing contained in this Section 2.21 shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase its Commitment hereunder, or provide Incremental Term Loans, at any time.

SECTION 2.22 Judgment Currency. If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due from any Borrower hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s main New York City office on the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is given. The obligations of any Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Credit Party hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Credit Party of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Credit Party may in accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency. If the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Credit Party in the specified currency, the applicable Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Credit Party against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Credit Party in the specified currency and (b) any amounts shared with other Lenders as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment to such Lender under Section 2.18, such Credit Party agrees to remit such excess to such Borrower.

 

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SECTION 2.23 Designated Borrowers.

(a) Effective as of the date hereof, each Subsidiary identified on Schedule 2.23 shall be a Designated Borrower hereunder and may receive Revolving Loans for its account on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

(b) The Company may at any time, upon not less than fifteen (15) Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), designate any additional wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company (an “Applicant Borrower”) as a Designated Borrower to receive Revolving Loans hereunder by delivering to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly deliver counterparts thereof to each Lender) a duly executed notice and agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit C (a “Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement”). The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that prior to any Applicant Borrower becoming entitled to utilize the credit facilities provided for herein the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received such supporting resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel and other documents or information, in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, as may be required by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders in their reasonable discretion, and promissory notes signed by such new Borrowers to the extent any Lenders so require. If the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders agree that the foregoing conditions have been satisfied, then promptly following receipt of all such requested resolutions, incumbency certificates, opinions of counsel and other documents or information, the Administrative Agent shall send a notice in substantially the form of Exhibit D (a “Designated Borrower Notice”) to the Company and the Lenders specifying the effective date upon which the Applicant Borrower shall constitute a Designated Borrower for purposes hereof, whereupon each of the Lenders agrees to permit such Designated Borrower to receive Revolving Loans hereunder, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, and each of the parties agrees that such Designated Borrower otherwise shall be a Borrower for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that no Borrowing Request may be submitted on behalf of such Designated Borrower until the date that is five (5) Business Days after such effective date.

(c) The Obligations of the Company and each Designated Borrower that is a Domestic Subsidiary shall be joint and several in nature regardless of which Borrower actually borrows Revolving Loans hereunder or the amount of such Revolving Loans borrowed or the manner in which the Administrative Agent or any Lender accounts for such Revolving Loans on its books and records. The Obligations of all Designated Borrowers that are Foreign Subsidiaries shall be several in nature.

(d) Each Subsidiary that is or becomes a Designated Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.23 hereby irrevocably appoints the Company as its agent for all purposes relevant to the Loan Documents, including (i) the giving and receipt of notices, (ii) the execution and delivery of all documents, instruments and certificates contemplated herein and all modifications hereto, and (iii) the receipt of the proceeds of any Revolving Loans made by the Lenders to any such Designated Borrower hereunder. Any acknowledgment, consent, direction, certification or other action which might otherwise be valid or effective only if given or taken by all Borrowers, or by each Borrower acting singly, shall be valid and effective if given or taken only by the Company, whether or not any such other Borrower joins therein. Any notice, demand, consent,

 

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acknowledgement, direction, certification or other communication delivered to the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been delivered to each Designated Borrower.

(e) The Company may from time to time, upon not less than fifteen (15) Business Days’ notice from the Company to the Administrative Agent (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), terminate a Designated Borrower’s status as such, provided that there are no outstanding Revolving Loans payable by such Designated Borrower, or other amounts payable by such Designated Borrower on account of any Revolving Loans made to it, as of the effective date of such termination. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such termination of a Designated Borrower’s status.

(f) If the selection of a particular Designated Borrower results (or is reasonably anticipated to result) in amounts becoming payable under Section 2.17, the Company may make a written request to the Administrative Agent for an amendment to this Agreement that would create a separate tranche of Lenders to provide credit to such Designated Borrower in a manner that would eliminate or minimize amounts payable under Section 2.17. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders agree to consider such amendment request in good faith. The Company hereby agrees to pay (or to cause the applicable Designated Borrower to pay) all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with any such amendment.

ARTICLE III

Representations and Warranties

Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.12, each Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

SECTION 3.01 Organization; Powers. Each Borrower (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is qualified to do business in, and is licensed and in good standing under the laws of, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Borrower that is a party thereto and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each such Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights

 

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generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

SECTION 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions do not and will not (a) require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority or any other Person, (b) violate any applicable law, rule or regulation of any Governmental Authority or any Organization Document of any Borrower, and (c) conflict with or result in any material breach or contravention of, or the creation of any material Lien under, or require any material payment to be made under (i) any material Contractual Obligation to which any Borrower is a party or affecting any Borrower or the properties of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which any Borrower or the properties of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is subject.

SECTION 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, reported on by Deloitte and Touche LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, certified by its Financial Officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

(b) Since September 30, 2010, there has been no development, event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.05 Litigation and Environmental Matters.

(a) There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrowers after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against the Company or any Subsidiary or against any of their properties or revenues that (i) except as described in the Company’s 2010 Form 10-K or any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filing prior to the Effective Date (the “Disclosed Litigation”), could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) purport to affect or pertain to any Loan Document or the Transactions.

(b) The Company and its Subsidiaries conduct in the ordinary course of business a review of the effect of existing Environmental Laws and claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law on their respective businesses, operations and properties, and as a result thereof the Borrowers have reasonably concluded that, except for the Disclosed Litigation, violation of such Environmental Laws and claims could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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SECTION 3.06 Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default.

(a) Each of the Borrowers and Significant Subsidiaries is in compliance with the requirements of all laws, rules and regulations and orders, writs and decrees of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its properties, except to the extent that (i) failure to comply therewith could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) such requirement is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted. Each Borrower is in compliance with all material Contractual Obligations to which such Borrower is a party or affecting such Borrower or the properties of such Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except to the extent that failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) No Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the Transactions.

SECTION 3.07 Investment Company Status; Margin Regulations.

(a) Neither the Company, nor any Person Controlling the Company nor any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

(b) No Borrower is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the Board), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.

SECTION 3.08 Taxes. Each of the Borrowers and Significant Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all federal, state and other material Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and have paid or caused to be paid all federal, state and other material Taxes required to have been paid by it, except Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which such Borrower or such Significant Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves. There is no proposed Tax assessment against any Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Borrower nor any Subsidiary is party to any tax sharing agreement.

SECTION 3.09 ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets

 

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of all such underfunded Plans by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.10 Disclosure. All information heretofore furnished by the Borrowers to the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of or in connection with the Loan Documents or the Transactions is, and all such information hereafter furnished by the Borrowers to the Administrative Agent or any Lender will be, true and accurate in all material respects on the date as of which such information is stated or certified. The Borrowers have disclosed to the Lenders in writing any and all facts known to the Borrowers’ management which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.11 Subsidiaries. Each Significant Subsidiary (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, and (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to own or lease its assets and carry on its business, except in each case referred to in this clause (b) to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.12 Representations as to Foreign Obligors. Each of the Company and each Foreign Obligor represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

(a) Such Foreign Obligor is subject to civil and commercial laws, rules and regulations with respect to its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party (collectively, the “Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents”), and the execution, delivery and performance by such Foreign Obligor of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents constitute and will constitute private and commercial acts and not public or governmental acts. Neither any Foreign Obligor nor any of its property has any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) under the laws of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing in respect of its obligations under the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents.

(b) The Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents are in proper legal form under the laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing for the enforcement thereof against such Foreign Obligor under the laws, rules and regulations of such jurisdiction, and to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents. It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability, priority or admissibility in evidence of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents that the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents be filed, registered or recorded with, or executed or notarized before, any court or other authority in the jurisdiction in which any Foreign Obligor is organized and existing or that any registration charge or stamp or similar tax be paid on or in respect of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents or any other document, except for (i) any such filing, registration, recording, execution or notarization as has been made or is not required to be made until the Applicable Foreign Obligor Document or any other document is sought to be enforced and (ii) any charge or tax as has been timely paid.

 

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(c) There is no Tax imposed by any Governmental Authority in or of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing either (i) on or by virtue of the execution or delivery of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents or (ii) on any payment to be made by such Foreign Obligor pursuant to the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents, except as has been disclosed to the Administrative Agent.

(d) The execution, delivery and performance of the Applicable Foreign Obligor Documents executed by such Foreign Obligor are, under applicable foreign exchange control regulations of the jurisdiction in which such Foreign Obligor is organized and existing, not subject to any notification or authorization except (i) such as have been made or obtained or (ii) such as cannot be made or obtained until a later date (provided that any notification or authorization described in clause (ii) shall be made or obtained as soon as is reasonably practicable).

SECTION 3.13 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for the purposes specified in Section 5.08.

SECTION 3.14 OFAC. No Borrower is currently the subject of any Sanctions or is located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction. To the Borrowers’ knowledge, no Loan or other credit extension hereunder, nor the proceeds thereof, has been used, directly or indirectly, to lend to, or otherwise fund, (i) any business in any Designated Jurisdiction or (ii) any business of any Person located, organized or residing in any Designated Jurisdiction or who is the subject of any Sanctions.

ARTICLE IV

Conditions

SECTION 4.01 Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 10.02):

(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party to the Loan Documents either (i) a counterpart of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party, signed on behalf of such Person or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party) that such Person has signed a counterpart of each such Loan Document.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of counsel for the Borrowers covering such matters relating to the Borrowers, the Loan Documents and the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request and otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of each Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Borrowers, the Loan Documents and the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Company, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.

(e) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all fees and other amounts due and payable pursuant to this Agreement on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrowers hereunder.

(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) satisfactory audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the two (2) most recent fiscal years ended prior to the Effective Date and (ii) satisfactory unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each quarterly period ended subsequent to the date of the latest financial statements delivered pursuant to the foregoing clause (i) as to which such financial statements are available.

(g) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received (i) all documentation and other information reasonably requested by the Lenders or the Administrative Agent under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act, and (ii) such other documents and instruments as are customary for transactions of this type or as they may reasonably request.

(h) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that all governmental and third party approvals necessary or, in the reasonable discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in connection with the financing contemplated hereby and the continuing operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect.

(i) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that the Existing Credit Agreement has been or concurrently with the Effective Date is being terminated.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 10.02) at or prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 30, 2011 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

 

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SECTION 4.02 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrowers set forth in the Loan Documents (other than the representations and warranties set forth in Sections 3.04(b), 3.05 and 3.09 with respect to any Borrowing or issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit after the Effective Date) shall be true and correct in all material respects (or in all respects if the applicable representation or warranty is already qualified by concepts of materiality) on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable.

(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.

SECTION 4.03 Initial Credit Event for each Additional Borrower. The obligation of each Lender to make Loans to any Designated Borrower that becomes a Designated Borrower after the Effective Date is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received such Designated Borrower’s Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement duly executed by all parties thereto.

(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents (including such legal opinions) as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the formation, existence and good standing of such Designated Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions insofar as they relate to such Designated Borrower and any other legal matters relating to such Designated Borrower, its Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement or such Transactions, including, with respect to any Designated Borrower organized under the laws of any jurisdiction outside of the United States of America, a legal opinion from such Designated Borrower’s counsel in such jurisdiction, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(c) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all documentation and other information reasonably requested by the Lenders or the Administrative Agent under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA Patriot Act.

 

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ARTICLE V

Affirmative Covenants

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired or terminated or been cash collateralized or otherwise secured on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Issuing Bank, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Company (with respect to the covenants set forth in Sections 5.01 and 5.02) and each Borrower (with respect to all other covenants set forth in this Article V) covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 5.01 Financial Statements and Other Information. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

(a) within seven (7) Business Days following the date such information is filed with the SEC, and in any event not later than ninety-seven (97) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by Deloitte & Touche LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;

(b) within seven (7) Business Days following the date such information is filed with the SEC, and in any event not later than fifty-two (52) days after the end of each of the first three (3) fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Financial Officer of the Company;

(d) promptly after the same become available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with the SEC or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Company to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;

 

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(e) promptly, and in any event within seven (7) Business Days after receipt thereof by the Company or any Subsidiary, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable foreign jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of the Company or any Subsidiary; and

(f) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Company or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to clauses (a), (b) or (d) of this Section (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Company’s website on the Internet; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Company’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (x) the Company shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Company to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (y) the Company shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Company with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

SECTION 5.02 Notices of Material Events. The Company will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt written notice of the following:

(a) the occurrence of any Default;

(b) the occurrence of any ERISA Event (other than an ERISA Event under any of clauses (j), (l) or (m) of the definition thereof that could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect);

(c) any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by the Company or any Subsidiary not otherwise reported in the Company’s SEC filings;

(d) any published announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any change or possible change in the rating established or deemed to have been established for the Index Debt; and

(e) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect, including (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary; (ii) any dispute, litigation,

 

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investigation, proceeding or suspension between the Company or any Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority; and (iii) the commencement of, or any material development in, any litigation or proceeding affecting the Company or any Subsidiary, including pursuant to any applicable Environmental Laws.

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Company setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.

SECTION 5.03 Existence; Conduct of Business. It will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence, (b) preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except as permitted under Section 6.02, (c) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (d) preserve and renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, sale, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.02.

SECTION 5.04 Payment of Obligations. It will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its material obligations and liabilities, including (a) all Tax liabilities, except where (i) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and (ii) the Company or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP, (b) all lawful material claims which, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property (other than Liens permitted by Section 6.01), and (c) all Indebtedness, as and when due and payable, but subject to any subordination provisions contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing such Indebtedness.

SECTION 5.05 Maintenance of Properties; Insurance.

(a) It will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (ii) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; provided that nothing in Section 5.05(a) shall prevent the Company or any Subsidiary from discontinuing the operations and maintenance of any of its properties or those of its Subsidiaries if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company or such Subsidiary, desirable in the conduct of its or their business and which do not in the aggregate cause a Material Adverse Effect. Except as provided above, the Borrowers shall maintain direct ownership of the majority of the tangible and intangible assets employed in connection with the Borrowers’ United States domestic carbon black business.

 

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(b) It will, and will cause each of its Significant Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies that are not Affiliates of the Company, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses.

SECTION 5.06 Books and Records; Inspection Rights.

(a) It will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP are made of all financial dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.

(b) It will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives and independent contractors designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers and independent accountants, all at the expense of the Company and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and not more than once each fiscal year; provided that if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, such representatives and independent contractors may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Company at any time during normal business hours and without prior notice.

SECTION 5.07 Compliance with Laws. It will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules and regulations and orders, injunctions, writs and decrees of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property, except where (a) the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (b) the requirement to do so is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted.

SECTION 5.08 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only for general corporate purposes of the Company and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including Permitted Acquisitions.

ARTICLE VI

Negative Covenants

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or terminated or been cash collateralized or otherwise secured on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Issuing Bank, in each case, without any pending draw, and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, each Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01 Liens. It will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property, asset or revenue now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:

(a) Permitted Encumbrances;

 

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(b) Liens on any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset of a Person prior to the acquisition thereof by the Company or any Subsidiary or prior to merger or consolidation of such Person into the Company or any Subsidiary, or existing on any property or asset of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that, in each case, (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may;

(d) Liens securing purchase money Indebtedness; provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition;

(e) any interest of title of a lessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases permitted by this Agreement;

(f) leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the Company or any Subsidiary;

(g) Liens created or deemed to exist in connection with a Securitization Transaction (including any related filings of any UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions)) securing Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not to exceed $200,000,000 during the term of this Agreement, but only to the extent that any such Lien relates to the applicable property actually sold, contributed, financed or otherwise conveyed or pledged pursuant to such transaction;

(h) normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;

(i) Liens on commodities subject to any arrangement permitted under Section 6.03;

(j) Liens securing Indebtedness (for working capital purposes) of any Foreign Subsidiary, but only to the extent that any such Lien relates to the property or assets of such Foreign Subsidiary;

(k) Liens arising pursuant to any Swap Agreement;

 

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(l) any Lien arising out of the refinancing, extension, renewal or refunding of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien permitted by any of the foregoing clauses of this Section, provided that such Indebtedness is not increased and is not secured by any additional assets;

(m) Liens arising in the ordinary course of business that (i) do not secure Indebtedness, (ii) do not secure any single obligation exceeding $50,000,000 and (iii) do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of the assets of the Company or any Subsidiary or materially impair the use thereof in the operation of its business;

(n) Liens on cash collateral created hereunder in favor of any Credit Party; and

(o) Liens not otherwise permitted by the foregoing clauses of this Section securing Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed ten percent (10%) of Consolidated Tangible Net Worth.

SECTION 6.02 Fundamental Changes. It will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the Equity Interests of any Subsidiary (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing:

(a) any Subsidiary (i) may merge with the Company, provided that the Company shall be the continuing or surviving Person, (ii) may merge with any Designated Borrower, provided that such Designated Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person, or (iii) that is not a Borrower may merge with or into any other Subsidiary that is not a Borrower;

(b) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Company or to another Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Borrower, then the transferee must be a Borrower;

(c) the Company may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets, or any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets, so long as the aggregate net book value of all such assets sold, transferred, leased or otherwise disposed of by the Company and its Subsidiaries in all transactions occurring from and after the date of this Agreement shall not exceed an amount equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of Consolidated Total Tangible Assets, measured as the sum of the percentages for each such transaction, in each case based upon the Consolidated Total Tangible Assets as of the end of the most recently completed fiscal year prior to the applicable sale, transfer, lease or other disposition; and

(d) the Company may sell its supermetals business to Global Advanced Metals Pty. Ltd. as described in the Company’s report on Form 8-K dated August 25, 2011.

 

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SECTION 6.03 Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. It will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, make any Investment where the aggregate consideration for such Investment exceeds $100,000,000, other than Permitted Investments and Permitted Acquisitions.

SECTION 6.04 Transactions with Affiliates. It will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Company, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than (a) reasonable and customary fees paid to members of the board of directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (b) transactions otherwise expressly permitted hereunder between the Company or any Subsidiary and any such Affiliate or (c) on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.

SECTION 6.05 Financial Covenants.

(a) It will not permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the last day of any Reference Period to be greater than 3.50:1.00.

(b) It will not permit, at any time, the aggregate Indebtedness of all Subsidiaries (excluding Indebtedness of a Subsidiary owing to a Borrower or to another Subsidiary) to exceed 30% of Total Capitalization.

(c) It will not permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the last day of any Reference Period to be less than 3:00:1.00.

SECTION 6.06 Organization Documents. It will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, amend, modify or change its Organization Documents in any manner which could materially adversely affect the rights of the Credit Parties under the Loan Documents.

SECTION 6.07 Use of Proceeds. It will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, use any part of the proceeds of any Loan to be used, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board (including Regulations T, U and X), including to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U) other than stock of the Company or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

ARTICLE VII

Events of Default

If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:

(a) any Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or otherwise;

 

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(b) any Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five (5) days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect (or in any respect if such representation or warranty is already qualified by concepts of materiality) when made or deemed made;

(d) (i) any Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.03(a), 5.06(b) or 5.08 or in Article VI, or (ii) the Company shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.01 or 5.02 and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of five (5) Business Days after the earlier of any of the chief executive officer, president or any Financial Officer of the Company becoming aware of such failure or notice thereof by the Administrative Agent;

(e) any Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in any Loan Document (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after written notice from the Administrative Agent;

(f) the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (i) shall fail to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than $50,000,000, or (ii) shall fail to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than $50,000,000 or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded;

(g) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal,

 

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state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed or unstayed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(h) any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (g) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

(i) any Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

(j) one or more final judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $50,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage) shall be rendered against any Borrower or any Subsidiary and (i) the same shall remain undischarged for a period of ten (10) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed by reason or pending appeal or otherwise, or (ii) any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of any Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment;

(k) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Company and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $50,000,000 from and after the Effective Date;

(l) a Change in Control shall occur; or

(m) any material provisions of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, shall cease to be in full force and effect; or any Borrower or any other Person shall contest in any manner the validity or enforceability of any material provision of any Loan Document; or any Borrower shall deny that it has any or further liability or obligation under any material provisions of any Loan Document, or shall purport to revoke, terminate or rescind any material provision of any Loan Document;

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to any Borrower described in clause (g) or (h) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the written request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Company, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different

 

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times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other Obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers; and in case of any event with respect to any Borrower described in clause (g) or (h) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and other Obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers.

ARTICLE VIII

The Administrative Agent

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.

Any Person serving as the Administrative 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 Administrative Agent, and such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with the Company or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 10.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Company or any Subsidiary that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 10.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Company or a Lender, and the Administrative 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 any Loan Document, (ii)

 

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the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered under any Loan Document or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

The Administrative 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 believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrowers), 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.

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Company. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Company, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. The fees payable by the Company to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Company and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative 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 it was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

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Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into the Loan Documents. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender 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 the Loan Documents, any related agreement or any document furnished thereunder.

ARTICLE IX

Guaranty

In order to induce the Lenders to extend credit to the Designated Borrowers hereunder, the Company hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the payment when and as due of the Obligations of the Designated Borrowers. The Company further agrees that the due and punctual payment of such Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice to or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound upon its guarantee hereunder notwithstanding any such extension or renewal of any such Obligation.

The Company waives presentment to, demand of payment from and protest to any Designated Borrower of any of the Obligations, and also waives notice of acceptance of its obligations and notice of protest for nonpayment. The obligations of the Company hereunder shall not be affected by (a) the failure of any Credit Party to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against any Borrower under the provisions of any Loan Document or otherwise, (b) any extension or renewal of any of the Obligations, (c) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of, or release from, any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document or any other agreement, (d) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of any of the Obligations, (e) any amendment or waiver of any of the Obligations, (f) any law or regulation of any jurisdiction or any other event affecting any term of the Obligations, or (g) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any other act, omission or delay to do any other act which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of the Company or otherwise operate as a discharge of a guarantor as a matter of law or equity or which would impair or eliminate any right of the Company to subrogation.

The Company further agrees that its agreement hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether or not any bankruptcy or similar proceeding shall have stayed the accrual or collection of any of the Obligations or operated as a discharge thereof) and not merely of collection, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Credit Party to any balance of any deposit account or credit on the books of any Credit Party in favor of any Borrower or any other Person.

The obligations of the Company hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than the indefeasible payment in full of all the Obligations), and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever, by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability

 

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of any of the Obligations, any impossibility in the performance of any of the Obligations or otherwise (other than for the indefeasible payment in full of all the Obligations), in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

The Company further agrees that its obligations hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Credit Party upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower or otherwise.

In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Credit Party may have at law or in equity against the Company by virtue hereof, upon the failure of any Designated Borrower to pay any Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of prepayment or otherwise, the Company hereby promises to and will, upon receipt of written demand by any Credit Party, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to such Credit Party in cash an amount equal to the unpaid principal amount of such Obligations then due, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The Company further agrees that if payment in respect of any Obligation shall be due in a Foreign Currency and/or at a place of payment other than New York and if, by reason of any Change in Law, disruption of currency or foreign exchange markets, war or civil disturbance or other event, payment of such Obligation in such currency or at such place of payment shall be impossible or, in the reasonable judgment of any Credit Party, not consistent with the protection of its rights or interests, then, at the election of the Administrative Agent, the Company shall make payment of such Obligation in U.S. Dollars (based upon the applicable Exchange Rate in effect on the date of payment) and/or in New York, and shall indemnify the Credit Parties against any losses or reasonable out-of-pocket expenses that it shall sustain as a result of such alternative payment.

Upon payment by the Company of any sums as provided above, all rights of the Company against any Designated Borrower arising as a result thereof by way of right of subrogation or otherwise shall in all respects be subordinated and junior in right of payment to the prior indefeasible payment in full of all the Obligations.

The parties hereto agree that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be require to provide any guarantee, pledge, or asset support arrangement that would result in any adverse tax consequences due to the application of Section 956 of the Code.

ARTICLE X

Miscellaneous

SECTION 10.01 Notices.

(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to 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 telecopy, as follows:

 

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  (i) if to any Borrower, to the Company at Cabot Corporation, Two Seaport Lane, Boston, Massachusetts 02210-2019, Attention of Steven J. Delahunt (Telecopy No. (617) 342-6208);

 

  (ii) if to the Administrative Agent, (A) in the case of Borrowings denominated in U.S. Dollars, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, Loan and Agency Services Group, 10 South Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603-2003, Attention of Joyce King (Telecopy No. (888) 292-9533), and (B) in the case of Borrowings denominated in Foreign Currencies, to J.P. Morgan Europe Limited, 125 London Wall, Floor 09, London EC2Y 5AJ, United Kingdom, Attention of Manager: Loan Agency (Telecopy No. 44 207 777 2360);

 

  (iii) if to the Issuing Bank, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Loan and Agency Services Group, 10 South Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603-2003, Attention of Debra Williams (Telecopy No. (312) 385-7098);

 

  (iv) if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Loan and Agency Services Group, 10 South Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603-2003, Attention of Joyce King (Telecopy No. (888) 292-9533); and

 

  (v) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Company may, in its 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.

(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

SECTION 10.02 Waivers; Amendments.

(a) No failure or delay by any Credit Party in exercising any right or power hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Credit Parties hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any departure by any Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such

 

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waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether any Credit Party may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b) Except as provided in Section 2.21 with respect to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, neither this Agreement nor any provision hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Required Lenders or by the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 or of any Default is not considered an increase in Commitments of any Lender), (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the provisions with respect to the application of default rate interest described in Section 2.13(c) and the last paragraph of Article VII or waive any obligation of any Borrower to pay interest or fees at such default rate, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment (in each case excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, mandatory prepayments under Section 2.11(c)), or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) release the Company from its obligations under the Loan Documents without the written consent of each Lender, or (vi) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (it being understood that, solely with the consent of the parties to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, Incremental Term Loans may be included in the determination of Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Commitments and the Revolving Loans are included on the Effective Date); provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.

SECTION 10.03 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) The Company shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents and any amendments or waivers of the provisions thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the 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 reasonable

 

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out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Credit Parties, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one counsel for any Administrative Agent and one counsel for all other Credit Parties, in connection with the enforcement or protection of their rights in connection with any Loan Document, including their rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans 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 Loans or Letters of Credit.

(b) The Company shall indemnify each Credit Party and its Related Parties (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 fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties to the Loan Documents of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the 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), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Company or any Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Company or any Subsidiary, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory 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 are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of, or intentional material breach of its obligations by, such Indemnitee. This Section 10.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c) To the extent that the Company fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided 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 Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, no Borrower shall assert, and each Borrower 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, any Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.

 

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

SECTION 10.04 Successors and Assigns.

(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by any Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. 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 (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Credit Parties) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Assignee) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under the Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:

(A) the Company, provided that, the Company shall be deemed to have consented to an assignment unless it shall have objected thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof; provided further that no consent of the Company shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;

(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender; and

(C) the Issuing Bank.

 

  (ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans 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 Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Company and the Administrative Agent

 

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otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Company shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under the Loan Documents;

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500;

(D) the assignee shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, Withholding Agent and/or Company, as applicable, any documentation required by Section 2.17(f); and

(E) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrowers and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

 

  (iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto 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 the Loan Documents (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under the Loan Documents, such Lender shall cease to be a party thereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under the Loan Documents that does not comply with this Section 10.04 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 (c) of this Section.

 

  (iv)

The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, shall maintain at one of its offices 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 Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent

 

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  manifest error, and the Borrowers and the Credit Parties 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, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Company, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

  (v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, any documentation required by Section 2.17(f), the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.

(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of any Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”), other than an Ineligible Assignee, in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under the Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under the Loan Documents shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under the Loan Documents. 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 the Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents; 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 described in the first proviso to Section 10.02(b) that affects such Participant. Each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(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 Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater

 

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payment under Sections 2.15 or 2.17, 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. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrowers, 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 Loans 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 to any Person (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) 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.

(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under the Loan Documents to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

SECTION 10.05 Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrowers herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to any Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that any Credit Party may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration, termination, cash collateralization or other securing of the Letters of Credit, the expiration or termination of the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

SECTION 10.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees

 

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payable to the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.07 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

SECTION 10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final and in whatever currency denominated) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Borrower against any of and all the Obligations of such Borrower now or hereafter existing held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.

SECTION 10.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.

(a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.

(b) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County, Borough of Manhattan and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action 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 shall affect any right that any Credit Party may otherwise have to

 

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bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement against any Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(c) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 10.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable law.

(e) Without limiting the foregoing, each Designated Borrower hereby irrevocably designates the Company, at its address set forth in Section 10.01, as the designee, appointee and agent of such Designated Borrower to receive, for and on behalf of such Designated Borrower, service of process in such respective jurisdictions in any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

SECTION 10.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY 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 THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY 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 BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

SECTION 10.11 Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.

SECTION 10.12 Confidentiality.

(a) Each Credit Party agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (i) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (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), (ii) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority, (iii) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (iv) to any other party to this

 

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Agreement, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the enforcement of rights hereunder, (vi) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (A) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (B) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to any Borrower and its obligations, (vii) with the consent of the Company or (viii) to the extent such Information (A) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (B) becomes available to any Credit Party on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than any Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any Borrower relating to such Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to any Credit Party on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from such Borrower 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.

(b) EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 10.12(a) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWERS AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

(c) ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWERS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWERS AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.

SECTION 10.13 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding

 

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such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

SECTION 10.14 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies the Borrowers that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrowers, which information includes the names and addresses of the Borrowers and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrowers in accordance with the Act.

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

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

 

CABOT CORPORATION, as the Company and a Borrower
By:   /s/ Patrick M. Prevost
 

Name: Patrick M. Prevost

Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and a Lender
By:   /s/ D. Scott Farquhar
 

Name: D. Scott Farquhar

Title: SrVP & Credit Executive

 

Citibank, N.A., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Shannon Sweeney
 

Name: Shannon Sweeney

Title: Vice President

 

Bank of America, N.A., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Christopher S. Allen
 

Name: Christopher S. Allen

Title: Senior Vice President

 

Bank of America, N.A., as an LC Issuer
By:   /s/ Christopher S. Allen
 

Name: Christopher S. Allen

Title: Senior Vice President

 

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Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd. as a Lender
By:   /s/ Leon Mo
 

Name: Leon Mo

Title: Authorized Signatory

 

HSBC Bank, USA, N.A., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Elise M. Russo
 

Name: Elise M. Russo

Title: Global Relationship Manager

 

TD BANK, NA., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Alan Garson
 

Name: Alan Garson

Title: Executive Director

 

Goldman Sachs Bank USA, as a Lender
By:   /s/ Rebecca Kratz
 

Name: Rebecca Kratz

Title: Authorized Signatory

 

RBS CITIZENS, N.A., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Stephen F. O’Sullivan
 

Name: Stephen F. O’Sullivan

Title: Senior Vice President

 

U.S.Bank, N.A., as a Lender
By:   /s/ Michael P. Dickman
 

Name: Michael P. Dickman

Title: Vice President

 

BANK OF CHINA, NEW YORK BRANCH, as a Lender
By:   /s/ Shiqiang Wu
 

Name: Shiqiang Wu

Title: General Manager

 

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