EX-10.1 2 dex101.htm TERM LOAN AGREEMENT TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

among

HARTE-HANKS, INC.,

as Borrower

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent

and

THE LENDERS NAMED HEREIN,

Lenders

Up to $100,000,000

dated as of

March 7, 2008

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

as Syndication Agent

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

as Documentation Agent


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01.   Defined Terms    1
SECTION 1.02.   Terms Generally    12
SECTION 1.03.   Accounting Terms; GAAP    12
ARTICLE II
THE CREDITS
SECTION 2.01.   The Commitments    12
SECTION 2.02.   Loans and Borrowings    12
SECTION 2.03.   Requests for Borrowings    13
SECTION 2.04.   Funding of Borrowings    14
SECTION 2.05.   Interest Elections    14
SECTION 2.06.   Termination and Reduction of the Commitments    15
SECTION 2.07.   Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt    16
SECTION 2.08.   Prepayment of Loans    17
SECTION 2.09.   Fees    18
SECTION 2.10.   Interest    18
SECTION 2.11.   Alternate Rate of Interest    19
SECTION 2.12.   Increased Costs    19
SECTION 2.13.   Break Funding Payments    20
SECTION 2.14.   Taxes    21
SECTION 2.15.   Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs    21
SECTION 2.16.   Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders    23
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
SECTION 3.01.   Organization; Powers    24
SECTION 3.02.   Authorization; Enforceability    24
SECTION 3.03.   Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts    24
SECTION 3.04.   Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change    24
SECTION 3.05.   Properties    25
SECTION 3.06.   Litigation and Environmental Matters    25
SECTION 3.07.   Compliance with Laws and Agreements    25
SECTION 3.08.   Investment and Holding Company Status    25
SECTION 3.09.   Taxes    26
SECTION 3.10.   ERISA    26
SECTION 3.11.   Disclosure    26
SECTION 3.12.   Use of Credit    26
SECTION 3.13.   Certain Agreements and Liens    26

 

-i -


SECTION 3.14.   Subsidiaries    27
SECTION 3.15.   Deferred Compensation and Incentive Plans    27
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS
SECTION 4.01.   Effective Date    27
SECTION 4.02.   Each Credit Event    28
ARTICLE V
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
SECTION 5.01.   Financial Statements and Other Information    28
SECTION 5.02.   Notices of Material Events    29
SECTION 5.03.   Existence; Conduct of Business    30
SECTION 5.04.   Payment of Obligations    30
SECTION 5.05.   Maintenance of Properties; Insurance    30
SECTION 5.06.   Books and Records; Inspection Rights    30
SECTION 5.07.   Compliance with Laws    31
ARTICLE VI
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
SECTION 6.01.   Liens    31
SECTION 6.02.   Fundamental Changes    32
SECTION 6.03.   Sale and Leasebacks    33
SECTION 6.04.   Transactions with Affiliates    33
SECTION 6.05.   Subsidiary Indebtedness    34
SECTION 6.06.   Certain Financial Covenants    34
ARTICLE VII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
EVENTS OF DEFAULT    34
ARTICLE VIII
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT    36
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.01.   Notices    38

 

-ii -


SECTION 9.02.   Waivers; Amendments    39
SECTION 9.03.   Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver    40
SECTION 9.04.   Successors and Assigns    41
SECTION 9.05.   Survival    44
SECTION 9.06.   Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness    44
SECTION 9.07.   Severability    45
SECTION 9.08.   Right of Setoff    45
SECTION 9.09.   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.    45
SECTION 9.10.   Waiver of Jury Trial    46
SECTION 9.11.   Headings    46
SECTION 9.12.   Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality    46
SECTION 9.13.   USA Patriot Act    47
SECTION 9.14.   Interest Rate Limitation    47
SECTION 9.15.   FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY    47
SECTION 9.16.   ENTIRE AGREEMENT    47

 

SCHEDULE I   -      Commitments
SCHEDULE II   -      Certain Agreements and Liens
SCHEDULE III   -      Litigation
SCHEDULE IV   -      Environmental Matters
SCHEDULE V   -      Subsidiaries
EXHIBIT A   -      Form of Assignment and Assumption
EXHIBIT B   -      Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Borrower

 

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TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

This TERM LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of March 7, 2008, between HARTE-HANKS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), each Lender (as herein defined) from time to time party hereto, WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Administrative Agent, BANK OF AMERICA, as Syndication Agent, and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent.

The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a term loan facility, and the Lenders have indicated their willingness to lend on the terms and conditions hereof. Accordingly, 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 constituting such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, for the Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate for such Interest Period.

Administrative Agent” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder and its permitted successor or successors as administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement.

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.

Agreement” means this Term Loan Agreement (as the same may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated from time to time).

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate for such day plus 1/2 of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, as the case may be.

Annual Report” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(a).

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, (a) on any date of determination prior to the Commitment Termination Date, the percentage that such Lender’s Commitment

 

    Term Loan Agreement


bears to the aggregate Commitments of all the Lenders; or (b) on any date of determination on or after the Commitment Termination Date, the percentage that such Lender’s Credit Exposure bears to the aggregate Credit Exposure of all the Lenders. If there is no Credit Exposure or the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender under the facility shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender in respect of the facility most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar 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 Margin”, “Eurodollar Margin” or “Facility Fee Rate”, respectively, based upon the Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date:

 

Maximum Leverage Ratio

   ABR Margin     Eurodollar Margin     Facility Fee Rate  

Category 1

 

Less than 1.50x

   0.000 %   0.400 %   0.100 %

Category 2

 

Equal to or greater than

1.50x but less than 2.0x

   0.000 %   0.500 %   0.125 %

Category 3

 

Equal to or greater than

2.0x but less than 2.50x

   0.000 %   0.600 %   0.150 %

Category 4

 

Greater than or equal to

2.50x

   0.000 %   0.750 %   0.250 %

For purposes of the foregoing, (i) the Leverage Ratio shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower’s fiscal year based upon the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) and (ii) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date three Business Days after delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change; provided that (i) the Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 4 (A) at any time that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (B) if the Borrower fails to deliver the consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until such consolidated financial statements are delivered; and (ii) notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) from the Effective Date until the date of delivery pursuant to Section 5.01 of the Borrower’s Compliance Certificate and consolidated financial statements for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2008 (the “2008 Third Fiscal Quarter Delivery Date”), the “Applicable Rate” shall be the greater of (x) the applicable rates per annum determined in accordance

 

  2   Term Loan Agreement


with the chart set forth above or (y) the applicable rates per annum set forth above in Category 3, and (B) on and after the third Business Day following the 2008 Third Fiscal Quarter Delivery Date, the “Applicable Rate” shall be determined in accordance with the chart set forth above.

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

Arranger means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner.

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 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

Availability Period” means the period from and including the Effective Date to the Commitment Termination Date.

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

Borrower” means Harte-Hanks, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Borrowing” means (a) all ABR Loans or (b) all Eurodollar Loans of the same Type that have the same Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing comprising Loans that have been converted or continued shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Loans.

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

“Bridge Loan” means that certain $50,000,000 Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of January 18, 2008, among the Borrower, certain lenders party thereto, and Wells Fargo, as administrative agent thereunder (as amended, modified, restated, or supplemented from time to time).

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Dallas, Texas and San Francisco, California are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings in dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

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

Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof),

 

  3   Term Loan Agreement


of shares representing more than 25% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; (b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; or (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Borrower by any Person or group.

Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.12, by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s holding company, if any) 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.

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

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender on any date of determination, the commitment of such Lender to make Loans hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced from time to time pursuant to Section 2.06, and (b) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule I, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable. The aggregate Commitments on the Effective Date is $100,000,000.

Commitment Termination Date” means the earliest of (i) the 90th day immediately following the Effective Date, (ii) the Maturity Date, or (iIi) any date upon which all of the Commitments of the Lenders to make Loans have been terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(c).

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 Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Loans.

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.

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings disclosed in Schedule III and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule IV.

Disposition” means any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of any property (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to any other Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) excluding (i) any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of any property sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business and on ordinary business terms and (ii) any loss or damage to, or any condemnation or taking of, any property.

Dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States of America.

 

  4   Term Loan Agreement


EBITDA” means, for any period, the sum, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis without duplication in accordance with GAAP), of the following: (a) income (loss) from operations (calculated before Interest Expense, taxes, extraordinary and unusual items and income or loss attributable to equity in Affiliates) for such period plus (b) depreciation, amortization and other non-cash charges (to the extent deducted in determining income (loss) from operations) for such period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if during any period for which EBITDA is being determined, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall have consummated any acquisition or shall have consummated any Disposition, then, for all purposes of this Agreement, EBITDA shall be determined on a pro forma basis as if such acquisition or such Disposition had been made or consummated on the first day of such period.

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

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 in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or to health and safety matters.

Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower 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.

Equity Rights” means, with respect to any Person, any subscriptions, options, warrants, commitments, preemptive rights or agreements of any kind (including any shareholders’ or voting trust agreements) for the issuance, sale, registration or voting of, or securities convertible into, any additional shares of capital stock of any class, or partnership or other ownership interests of any type in, such Person.

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 the Borrower, is treated as a single employer under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code, or, solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code.

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 Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the 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 the 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

 

  5   Term Loan Agreement


Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the 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.

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

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

Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) income or franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which 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 tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.16(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability to comply with Section 2.14(e), except to the extent that such Foreign 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 the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.14(a).

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 Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.

Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.

“Five-Year Credit Agreement” means that certain Five-year Credit Agreement dated as of August 12, 2005, among the Borrower, certain lenders party thereto, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent thereunder (as amended, modified, restated, or supplemented from time to time).

Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is located. For purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

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

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, or of 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 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 to purchase (or to advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner 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; provided that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

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.

Hedging Agreement” means any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest or currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging arrangement.

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money (or with respect to deposits or advances of any kind that have substantially the same effect as obligations 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 (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (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 current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all Indebtedness of others 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, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, and (j) in respect of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the sum of (i) the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Revolver Letters of Credit plus (ii) the amount by which the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Other Letters of Credit exceeds $25,000,000 plus (iii) the aggregate unreimbursed amount of payments made by the issuers of Letters of Credit pursuant to such Letters of Credit. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any other entity (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.

 

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Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as at any date of determination thereof, the ratio of (a) EBITDA for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on or most recently ended prior to such date to (b) Interest Expense for such period.

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.05.

Interest Expense” means, for any period, the sum, for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis without duplication in accordance with GAAP), of the following: (a) all interest in respect of Indebtedness (including the interest component of any payments in respect of Capital Lease Obligations) accrued or capitalized during such period (whether or not actually paid during such period) plus (b) the net amount payable (or minus the net amount receivable) under Hedging Agreements relating to interest during such period (whether or not actually paid or received during such period) plus (c) all fees, commissions, and other charges payable by the Borrower in respect of letters of credit included in the definition of “Indebtedness” hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if during any period for which Interest Expense is being determined, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall have consummated any acquisition or Disposition, then, for all purposes of this Agreement, Interest Expense shall be determined on a pro forma basis as if such acquisition or Disposition (and any Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with such acquisition or repaid as a result of such Disposition) had been made or consummated (and such Indebtedness incurred or repaid) on the first day of such period.

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan, each Quarterly Date, and (b) with respect to any Eurodollar Loan, the last day of each Interest Period therefor and, in the case of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Loan of more than three months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that occurs at three-month intervals after the first day of such Interest Period.

Interest Period” means for any Eurodollar Loan, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Loan and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, as specified in the applicable Borrowing Request or Interest Election Request; 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, 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, and (ii) any Interest Period 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 Loan initially shall be the date on which such Loan is made and, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Loan.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule I and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption (other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption).

“Letters of Creditmeans, on any date of determination, all Revolver Letters of Credit and Other Letters of Credit.

 

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Leverage Ratio” means, as at any date, the ratio of (a) Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis without duplication in accordance with GAAP) on such date to (b) EBITDA for the period of four fiscal quarters ending on or most recently ended prior to such date.

LIBO Rate” means, for the Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, the rate appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate Service (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 Dollar deposits in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate for the offering of Dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period.

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance securing the performance of an obligation, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset (including, in the case of any account or other receivable, any sale thereof other than sales thereof in the ordinary course of business for purposes of collection of past-due receivables) and (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.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement and documents, instruments, and certificates delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement.

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

Margin Stock” means “margin stock” within the meaning of Regulations T, U and X of the Board.

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, properties, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, but only if such material adverse effect is specifically with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and not with respect to economic conditions generally, (b) the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, or (c) rights of or benefits available to the Lenders under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans), or obligations in respect of one or more Hedging Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $20,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of any Person in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Person would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

Material Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary which (i) accounts for more than 5% of the total consolidated revenue of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or (ii) represents more than 5% of the total consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

  9   Term Loan Agreement


Maturity Date” means the earliest of (a) the fourth anniversary of the Effective Date, or (b) the date upon which the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated; provided, however, that, in each case, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the preceding Business Day.

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

“Other Letters of Creditmeans, on any date of determination, all letters of credit issued for the account of Borrower or its Subsidiaries, other than the Revolver Letters of Credit.

Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made under any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to any Loan Document.

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

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

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

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

(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;

(d) cash 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; and

(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII

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

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

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 the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate 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.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Wells Fargo as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in San Francisco; each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.

 

  10   Term Loan Agreement


Quarterly Dates” means March 31, 2008, and the last Business Day of each three-calendar month period thereafter.

Quarterly Report” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(b).

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04(c).

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

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum (a) of the aggregate amount of the Credit Exposures and (b) during the Availability Period only, the aggregate unused Commitments of all the Lenders at such time.

“Revolver Letters of Creditmeans, on any date of determination, all letters of credit issued pursuant to the Five-Year Credit Agreement.

Statutory Reserve Rate” means, for any Eurodollar Borrowing (determined for the applicable Interest Period), 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 arithmetic mean, taken over each day in such Interest Period, of the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

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 of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned, controlled or held. Unless otherwise specified, “Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Borrower.

Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any Governmental Authority.

Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans, and the use of the proceeds thereof.

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

 

  11   Term Loan Agreement


Wells Fargo” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association.

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.

SECTION 1.02. Terms Generally The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”. Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement 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 1.03. 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 Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower 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 Borrower 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.

ARTICLE II

THE CREDITS

SECTION 2.01. The Commitments Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make Loans to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Loans exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the sum of the total Loans exceeding the total Commitments of all the Lenders. Each Borrowing shall consist of Loans made simultaneously by the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01 and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed.

SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings.

(a) Obligations of Lenders. Each Loan shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages. 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.

 

  12   Term Loan Agreement


(b) Type of Loans. Subject to Section 2.11, each Loan shall be constituted entirely of ABR Loans or of Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith. Each Lender at its option may make any Eurodollar Loan 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 Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(c) Minimum Amounts; Limitation on Number of Borrowings. Each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000. Each ABR Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount equal to $5,000,000 or a larger multiple of $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the aggregate Commitments. Borrowings of more than one Type may be outstanding at the same time; provided that there shall not at any time be more than a total of ten (10) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

(d) Limitations on Interest Periods. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower shall not be entitled to request Eurodollar Borrowings (or to elect to convert to, or continue as, a Eurodollar Borrowing) prior to the Maturity Date if the Interest Period requested therefor would end after the Maturity Date.

SECTION 2.03. Requests for Borrowings.

(a) Notice by the Borrower. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (i) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (ii) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, one Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be 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 Borrower.

(b) Content of Borrowing Requests. Each telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i) the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing;

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

(iii) whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurodollar Borrowing;

(iv) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period therefor, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period” and permitted under Section 2.02(d); and

(v) the location and number of the Borrower’s account to which funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section 2.04.

 

  13   Term Loan Agreement


(c) Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders. 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.

(d) Failure to Elect. If no election as to the Type of a Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Borrowing, then the requested Borrowing shall be made instead as an ABR Borrowing.

SECTION 2.04. Funding of Borrowings.

(a) Funding by Lenders. Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 11:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to be disbursed to an account of the Borrower as designated by the Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request.

(b) Presumption by the Administrative Agent. 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 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 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 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 or (ii) in the case of the 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 2.05. Interest Elections.

(a) Elections by the Borrower for Borrowings. The Loans constituting each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have the Interest Period specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a Borrowing of a different Type or to continue such Borrowing as a Borrowing of the same Type and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect the Interest Period therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower 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 constituting such Borrowing, and the Loans constituting each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.

(b) Notice of Elections. To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing

 

  14   Term Loan Agreement


Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Borrower were requesting a Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request shall be irrevocable and shall be 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 Borrower.

(c) Content of Interest Election Requests. Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request 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) of this paragraph 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 Eurodollar Borrowing; and

(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurodollar Borrowing, the Interest Period therefor after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period” and permitted under Section 2.02(d).

(d) Notice by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders. 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) Failure to Elect; Events of Default. If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely and complete Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period therefor, then, unless such Eurodollar Borrowing is repaid as provided herein at the end of the applicable Interest Period, then such Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing. 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 Borrower, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing, and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period therefor.

SECTION 2.06. Termination and Reduction of the Commitments.

(a) Scheduled Termination. The Commitments shall automatically and permanently reduce to zero at the close of business on the Commitment Termination Date.

(b) Voluntary Termination or Reduction. At any time during the Availability Period, the Borrower may terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is $10,000,000 or a larger multiple of $5,000,000.

 

  15   Term Loan Agreement


(c) Notice of Voluntary Termination or Reduction. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three 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 notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.

(d) Effect of Termination or Reduction. 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 then in effect.

SECTION 2.07. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

(a) Repayment. The Borrower shall repay the principal of the Loans outstanding on the last day of the Availability Period (the “Drawn Amount”) in twelve (12) quarterly installments, commencing on the last Business Day of the third full fiscal quarter immediately following the Commitment Termination Date and continuing on the last Business Day of each three-calendar month period thereafter, with the remaining unpaid Drawn Amount being paid in full on the Maturity Date. The principal amount of each quarterly installment shall be calculated as a percentage of the Drawn Amount as set forth below.

 

Quarterly Installments

  

Percentage of Drawn Amount

1 - 4

   2.25%/each

5 - 8

   3.75%/each

9 - 12

   4.00%/each

Maturity Date

   Remaining Principal Balance

On the Maturity Date, the Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, the then unpaid principal amount of the Loans, together with all accrued and unpaid interest and fees and other amounts owed to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.

(b) Manner of Payment. Prior to any repayment of any Borrowings hereunder, the Borrower shall select the Borrowing or Borrowings to be paid and shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of such selection not later than 10:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, three Business Days before the scheduled date of such repayment; provided that each repayment of Borrowings shall be applied to repay any outstanding ABR Borrowings before any other Borrowings. If the Borrower fails to make a timely selection of the Borrowing or Borrowings to be repaid or prepaid, such payment shall be applied, first, to pay any outstanding ABR Borrowings; second, to other Borrowings in the order of the remaining duration of their respective Interest Periods (the Borrowing with the shortest remaining Interest Period to be repaid first). Each payment of a Borrowing shall be applied ratably to the Loans included in such Borrowing.

(c) Maintenance of Records by Lenders. Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice records evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time hereunder.

 

  16   Term Loan Agreement


(d) Maintenance of Records by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall maintain records in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Type thereof and each Interest Period therefor, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

(e) Effect of Entries. The entries made in the records maintained pursuant to paragraph (c) or (d) 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 records or any error therein shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(f) Promissory Notes. Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Borrower 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 9.04) 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 2.08. Prepayment of Loans.

(a) Right to Prepay Borrowings. The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part without premium or penalty, subject to the requirements of this Section 2.08 and Section 2.13.

(b) Notices, Etc. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurodollar Borrowing not later than 10:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date (which shall be a Business Day) 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 2.06(c), then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.06(c). Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the relevant Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a 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 2.10.

 

  17   Term Loan Agreement


SECTION 2.09. Fees.

(a) Facility Fee. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate for Facility Fees on (i) during the Availability Period, the actual daily amount of the Commitment of such Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including the Effective Date to the Commitment Termination Date and (ii) thereafter until such Lender has been paid in full, on the actual daily amount of such Lender’s Credit Exposure; provided that, if such Lender continues to have any Credit Exposure after the Commitment Termination Date, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the amount of such Lender’s Credit Exposure from and including the Commitment Termination Date to but excluding the date on which such Lender ceases to have any Credit Exposure. Accrued facility fees shall be payable on each Quarterly Date and on the later of the date the Commitments terminate and the date upon which the Loans of all of the Lenders shall have been paid in full, provided that (i) any facility fees accruing after the Maturity Date shall be payable on demand, and (ii) if any principal of any Loan is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, the facility fee in respect of such principal shall be payable on demand. All facility fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).

(b) Administrative Agent Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

(c) Payment of Fees. All fees payable hereunder, or as provided for in a separate letter agreement with respect to this facility, shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent for distribution, in the case of facility fees, participation fees and fronting fees, to the Lenders entitled thereto. Fees paid shall not be refundable under any circumstances.

SECTION 2.10. Interest.

(a) ABR Loans. The Loans constituting each ABR Borrowing shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b) Eurodollar Loans. The Loans constituting each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c) Default Interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the Borrower 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 Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as provided above or (ii) in the case of any other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph (a) of this Section.

(d) Payment of Interest. Accrued interest on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and on the Maturity Date; 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, 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 Eurodollar Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period therefor, accrued interest on such Borrowing shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.

 

  18   Term Loan Agreement


(e) Computation. All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that 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 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), 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 and the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.10 or in other Loan Documents to the contrary, the interest contracted for, charged, or received pursuant to this Section 2.10 or otherwise in the Loan Documents shall not exceed the Maximum Rate (as such term is defined in Section 9.14 hereof) and is subject to the terms of Section 9.14.

SECTION 2.11. Alternate Rate of Interest If prior to the commencement of the Interest Period for any Eurodollar 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 for such Interest Period; or

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

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower 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 Borrowing to, or the continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and such Borrowing (unless prepaid) shall be continued as, or converted to, an ABR Borrowing and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

SECTION 2.12. Increased Costs.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:

(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or

(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase

 

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the cost to such Lender or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender 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 capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

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

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation; provided that (i) the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than six months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor; and (ii) if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

SECTION 2.13. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period therefor (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period therefor, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice is permitted to be revocable under Section 2.08(b) and is revoked in accordance herewith), or (d) the assignment as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.16 of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period therefor, then, in any such event, the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, the loss to any Lender attributable to any such event shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that such Lender would pay for a deposit equal to the principal amount of such Loan for the period from the date of such payment, conversion, failure or assignment to the last day of the then current Interest Period for such Loan (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, the duration of the Interest Period that would have resulted from such borrowing, conversion or continuation) if the interest rate payable on such deposit were equal to the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period, over (ii) the amount of interest that such Lender would earn on such principal amount for such period if such Lender were to invest such principal amount for such period at the interest rate that would be bid by such Lender (or an affiliate of such Lender) for Dollar deposits from other banks in the eurodollar market at the commencement of such period. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this

 

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Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.

SECTION 2.14. Taxes.

(a) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if the Borrower shall be required to deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or Lender (as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

(c) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the 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.

(e) Foreign Lenders. Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.

SECTION 2.15. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs.

(a) Payments by the Borrower. The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or amounts payable under Section 2.12, 2.13 or 2.14, or otherwise) prior to 11:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time, on the date when

 

  21   Term Loan Agreement


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 its offices at 201 3rd Street, 8th Floor, San Francisco, California 94103, except payments pursuant to Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 9.03, which shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for 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 shall be made in Dollars.

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

(c) Pro Rata Treatment. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein: (i) each Borrowing shall be made from the Lenders, and each termination or reduction of the amount of the Commitments under Section 2.06 shall be applied to the respective Commitments of the Lenders, pro rata according to the amounts of their respective Commitments then in effect; (ii) each payment of facility fees under Section 2.09 shall be made for the account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the amount of facility fees then due and payable to the respective Lenders; (iii) each Borrowing shall be allocated pro rata among the Lenders according to the amounts of their respective Commitments then in effect (in the case of the making of Loans) or their respective Loans that are to be included in such Borrowing (in the case of conversions and continuations of Loans); (iv) each payment or prepayment of principal of Loans by the Borrower shall be made for account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the respective Credit Exposure held by them; and (v) each payment of interest on Loans by the Borrower shall be made for account of the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the amounts of interest on such Loans then due and payable to the respective Lenders.

(d) Sharing of Payments by Lenders. 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 Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon then due 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 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 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 the 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 to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so

 

  22   Term Loan Agreement


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

(e) Presumptions of Payment. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender 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.

(f) Certain Deductions by the Administrative Agent. If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(b) or 2.15(e), then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.

SECTION 2.16. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, 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 2.12 or 2.14, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.12, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.14, or if any Lender defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, then the Borrower 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 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, 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, 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 Borrower (in the

 

  23   Term Loan Agreement


case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.12 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.14, 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 Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within the Borrower’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, by all necessary shareholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes, and each of the other Loan Documents when executed and delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws of general applicability affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and (b) the application of general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) as may be required to be filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission after the date hereof, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any such Person, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.

(a) Financial Condition. The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, reported on by KPMG LLP, independent public accountants. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the actual or pro forma, as the case may be, financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of such date and for such period in accordance with GAAP. None of the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has on the date hereof any material contingent liabilities, liabilities for taxes, unusual forward or long-term commitments or unrealized or anticipated losses from any unfavorable commitments, except as referred to or reflected or provided for in said balance sheet as of December 31, 2007.

 

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(b) No Material Adverse Change. Since December 31, 2007, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, properties, operations, prospects or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, exclusive of any material adverse change with respect to economic conditions generally.

SECTION 3.05. Properties.

(a) Property Generally. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property material to their businesses, taken as a whole, subject only to Liens permitted by Section 6.01 and except for minor defects in title that do not interfere with its ability to conduct such businesses as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes.

(b) Intellectual Property. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to their businesses, taken as a whole, and the use thereof by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters.

(a) Actions, Suits and Proceedings. There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.

(b) Environmental Matters. Except for the Disclosed Matters and except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

(c) Disclosed Matters. Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 3.08. Investment and Holding Company Status. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is (a) an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

 

  25   Term Loan Agreement


SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Person has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.10. 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.

SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. The Borrower has disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

SECTION 3.12. Use of Credit. The proceeds of the Loans will be used (a) to pay the fees and expenses incurred by the Borrower in connection with the Transactions, (b) for general corporate purposes of the Borrower, including, without limitation, acquisitions and repurchases of shares of its stock, and (c) to repay all outstanding obligations under the Bridge Loan. Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or ultimate, of buying or carrying Margin Stock, and after applying the proceeds of any extension of credit hereunder, not more than 25% of the fair market value of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries consists of Margin Stock.

SECTION 3.13. Certain Agreements and Liens.

(a) Certain Agreements. Part A of Schedule II is a complete and correct list of each credit agreement, loan agreement, indenture, purchase agreement, guarantee, letter of credit or other arrangement providing for or otherwise relating to any Indebtedness or any extension of credit (or commitment for any extension of credit) to, or guarantee by, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries outstanding on the date hereof the aggregate principal or face amount of each of which equals or exceeds (or may equal or exceed) $10,000,000, and the aggregate principal or face amount outstanding or that may become outstanding under each such arrangement is correctly described in Part A of Schedule II.

(b) Liens. Part B of Schedule II is a complete and correct list of each Lien securing Indebtedness of any Person outstanding on the date hereof the aggregate principal or face amount of which equals or exceeds (or may equal or exceed) $10,000,000 and covering any property of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and the aggregate Indebtedness secured (or that may be secured) by each such Lien and the property covered by each such Lien is correctly described in Part B of Schedule II.

 

  26   Term Loan Agreement


SECTION 3.14. Subsidiaries. Set forth in Schedule V is a complete and correct list of all of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower as of the date hereof, together with, for each such Subsidiary, (i) the jurisdiction of organization of such Subsidiary, (ii) each Person holding ownership interests in such Subsidiary and (iii) the nature of the ownership interests held by each such Person and the percentage of ownership of such Subsidiary represented by such ownership interests. Except as disclosed in Schedule V, on the date hereof, (x) each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, free and clear of Liens, and has the unencumbered right to vote, all outstanding ownership interests in each Person shown to be held by it in Schedule V, (y) all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Person organized as a corporation is validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and (z) there are no outstanding Equity Rights with respect to such Person.

SECTION 3.15. Deferred Compensation and Incentive Plans. The Borrower has heretofore delivered to the Lenders complete and correct copies of its Deferred Compensation Plan, 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan and 1998 Director Stock Plan, each as in effect on the date hereof.

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS

SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which the Administrative Agent shall have received each of the following documents, each of which shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (and to the extent specified below, to each Lender) in form and substance (or such condition shall have been waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

(a) Executed Counterparts. From each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page to this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.

(b) Opinion of Counsel to the Borrower. A favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of Cox Smith Mathews Incorporated, counsel for the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions as the Required Lenders shall reasonably request (the Borrower hereby instructs such counsel to deliver such opinion to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent).

(c) Corporate Documents. Such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the Borrower, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters relating to the Borrower, this Agreement or the Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(d) Officer’s Certificate. A certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial Officer of the Borrower, confirming (i) compliance with the conditions set forth in the lettered clauses of the first sentence of Section 4.02, (ii) that the Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.00 to 1 and (iii) that the Interest Coverage Ratio is not less than 2.75 to 1.

 

  27   Term Loan Agreement


(e) Termination of Bridge Loan. Evidence that all outstanding obligations under the Bridge Loan, including without limitation, principal, accrued interest, and fees, have been paid in full and the Bridge Loan is terminated, prior to or concurrently with the Effective Date.

(f) Other Documents. Such other documents as the Administrative Agent or any Lender or special counsel to Wells Fargo may reasonably request.

The obligation of any Lender to make its initial extension of credit hereunder is also subject to the payment by the Borrower of such fees as the Borrower shall have agreed to pay to any Lender or the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, including the reasonable fees and expenses of Haynes and Boone, LLP, special counsel to Wells Fargo, in connection with the negotiation, preparation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the extensions of credit hereunder (to the extent that statements for such fees and expenses have been delivered to the Borrower).

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower 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 hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) on or prior to 2:00 p.m., Dallas, Texas time, on March 14, 2008 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing (unless such representation and warranty is made as of a specific date, in which case, such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such date); and

(b) at the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

Each Borrowing shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower on the date thereof as to the matters specified in the preceding sentence.

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 the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

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

(a) promptly, but in any event no later than 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied (the “Annual Report”), all reported on

 

  28   Term Loan Agreement


by KPMG LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception and without 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 Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;

(b) promptly, but in any event no later than 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, the consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries 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 (the “Quarterly Report”), all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, 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) of this Section, a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Borrower (the “Compliance Certificate”)(i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.06 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;

(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) of this Section, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);

(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by the Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be; and

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

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

(a) the occurrence of any Default;

 

  29   Term Loan Agreement


(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(d) the assertion of any environmental matter by any Person against, or with respect to the activities of, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any alleged violation of or non-compliance with any Environmental Laws or any permits, licenses or authorizations, other than any environmental matter or alleged violation that (either individually or in the aggregate) could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

(e) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.

Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or other executive officer of the Borrower 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. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.02.

SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Borrower or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties; Insurance. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit any representatives 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 condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested.

 

  30   Term Loan Agreement


SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority, including, but not limited to, Environmental Laws applicable to it or its property, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

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 shall have been paid in full the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01. Liens. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any such income or revenues, except:

(a) Permitted Encumbrances;

(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries existing on the date hereof and set forth in Part B of Schedule II (or, to the extent not meeting the minimum thresholds for required listing on Schedule II pursuant to Section 3.13 and not otherwise listed in said Schedule II, (in a footnote or otherwise) in an aggregate amount not exceeding $10,000,000); provided that (i) no such Lien shall extend to any other property or asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) any 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 prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower 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 (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition 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 Borrower 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 be and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

(d) Liens on assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Subsidiary (including Liens created pursuant to Capital Lease Obligations); provided that (i) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 365 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such assets, (iii) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (iv) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by all such security interests under this paragraph (d) shall not exceed $50,000,000;

(e) set-off rights arising with respect to intercompany claims between the Borrower and one or more of its Subsidiaries against the Borrower and one or more other Subsidiaries;

 

  31   Term Loan Agreement


(f) With respect to letters of credit issued for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries pursuant to the Five-Year Credit Agreement, any cash collateral or defeasance account created with respect to any such letter of credit in accordance with Sections 2.06(j) and (k) of the Five-Year Credit Agreement;

(g) normal and customary set-off rights and bankers’ liens with respect to deposit accounts; and

(h) Liens not otherwise permitted by the foregoing clauses of this Section 6.01 securing Indebtedness not in excess of $1,000,000 at any time outstanding.

SECTION 6.02. Fundamental Changes.

(a) Mergers, Consolidations, Disposal of Assets, Etc. The Borrower will not, nor will it 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) any of its assets, or any of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), if the effect of any such sale of assets or stock or merger or consolidation would be to sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) 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;

(i) any Person may merge into or consolidate with the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation;

(ii) any Person may merge into or consolidate with any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary; provided that if any such merger shall be between a Subsidiary and a wholly owned Subsidiary, then the wholly owned Subsidiary shall be the continuing or surviving corporation;

(iii) the Borrower may merge into or consolidate with any other Person in a transaction in which such Person is the surviving entity so long as (x) such Person assumes all of the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement by an instrument in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (y) such Person delivers such proof of corporate action, incumbency of officers, opinions of counsel and other documents as is consistent with those delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 4.01 on the Effective Date or as the Administrative Agent shall have reasonably requested;

(iv) any Subsidiary may sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to the Borrower or to another Subsidiary; and

(v) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders.

(b) Lines of Business. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto.

 

  32   Term Loan Agreement


SECTION 6.03. Sale and Leasebacks. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, become or thereafter remain liable as lessee or as guarantor or other surety with respect to the lessee’s obligations under any lease, whether an operating lease or a capital lease, of any property (whether real or personal or mixed) whether now owned or hereafter acquired, (a) which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has sold or transferred or is to sell or transfer to any other Person or (b) which the Borrower or any such Subsidiary intends to use for substantially the same purpose as any other property which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Borrower or any such Subsidiary to any Person in connection with such lease, if in the case of clause (a) or (b) above, such sale and such lease are part of the same transaction or a series of related transactions or are with the same other Person; provided that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may enter into any such transaction so long as the sale price of all such transactions does not exceed $20,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement.

SECTION 6.04. Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except

(a) transactions in the ordinary course of business at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties,

(b) transactions between or among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate,

(c) loans to employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary for relocation expenses or other purposes; provided that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the loans permitted under this clause (c) shall not exceed $3,000,000 at any one time,

(d) customary obligations to directors and officers of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in respect of indemnification and reimbursement of expenses,

(e) the payment of customary fees (in the form of cash, stock options or stock) to directors of the Borrower,

(f) the payment of compensation to officers of the Borrower approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower, and the payment of deferred compensation to officers of the Borrower pursuant to the Harte-Hanks, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (including any amendments, modifications or replacements thereof; provided that such amendment, modification or replacement does not substantially change the character of such deferred compensation program),

(g) the payment of bonuses to officers and directors of the Borrower approved by the Board of Directors of the Borrower,

(h) the issuance of stock of the Borrower and of options to purchase stock of the Borrower pursuant to the Harte-Hanks 2005 Omnibus Incentive Plan (including any amendments, modifications or replacements thereof; provided that such amendment, modification or replacement does not substantially change the character of such stock option program), and

 

  33   Term Loan Agreement


(i) the purchase of stock of the Borrower and of options to purchase stock of the Borrower pursuant to the Borrower’s stock repurchase program that was publicly announced in January 1997, as amended from time to time.

SECTION 6.05. Subsidiary Indebtedness. The Borrower will not permit the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of its Subsidiaries (excluding any Indebtedness of a Subsidiary owed to the Borrower or another Subsidiary, but including any Guarantee by a Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower) at any time to exceed $20,000,000.

SECTION 6.06. Certain Financial Covenants.

(a) Leverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio to exceed 3.00 to 1 at any time during the term of this Agreement.

(b) Interest Coverage Ratio. The Borrower will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio to be less than 2.75 to 1 at any time during the term of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT

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

(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan, any facility fee 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 three or more Business Days; or the Borrower shall fail to pay 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 thirty or more days;

(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof, 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, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made or deemed made;

(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a) or 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence) or in Article VI;

(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other 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 30 or more days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower;

 

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(f) the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable (whether at stated maturity or on acceleration);

(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, but without any further lapse of time) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to (i) secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or (ii) the voluntary prepayment of any Indebtedness that is not then otherwise due or required to be prepaid pursuant to its terms;

(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, 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 the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for a period of 60 or more days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i) the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries 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 (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries 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;

(j) the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

(k) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $20,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries to enforce any such judgment;

(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(m) there shall have been asserted against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries any claims or liabilities, whether accrued, absolute or contingent, based on or arising from the

 

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generation, storage, transport, handling or disposal of Hazardous Materials by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that, in the judgment of the Required Lenders, are reasonably likely to be determined adversely to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and the amount thereof (either individually or in the aggregate) is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (insofar as such amount is payable by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries but after deducting any portion thereof that is reasonably expected to be paid by other creditworthy Persons jointly and severally liable therefor); or

(n) a Change in Control shall occur.

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

ARTICLE VIII

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents 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 or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The 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 Borrower 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 and in the other Loan Documents. 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 or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing by the Required Lenders, and (c) except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, 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 Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that is communicated to or obtained by the bank 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

 

  36   Term Loan Agreement


consent or at the request of the Required Lenders 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 Borrower 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 this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or in any other Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein or therein, 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 Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

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.

The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation shall nonetheless become effective and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and (2) the Required Lenders shall perform the duties of the Administrative Agent (and all payments and communications provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly) until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor agent as provided for above in this paragraph. 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 (or retired) Administrative Agent and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this paragraph). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 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 this Agreement. 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 this Agreement, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02(b) with respect to this Agreement, the Administrative Agent may, with the prior consent of the Required Lenders (but not otherwise), consent to any modification, supplement or waiver under any of the Loan Documents.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Bookrunner, Arranger, or agents (if any) listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties, or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder.

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 9.01. Notices.

(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) of this Section), 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:

 

  (i) if to the Borrower, to:

Harte-Hanks, Inc.

200 Concord Plaza Drive, Suite 800

San Antonio, Texas 78216

Attention: Douglas Shepard, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Telephone No.(210) 829-9120

Telecopy No.  (210) 829-9403

 

  (ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to:

(A) with respect to Borrowing Requests, Interest Election Requests, and payments, to:

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Agent

201 3rd Street, 8th Floor

San Francisco, California 94103

Attention: Debby Moore, Operations Administrator

Telephone No.(415) 477-5379

Telecopy No.  (415) 512-9408 or (415) 546-6353

 

  38   Term Loan Agreement


(B) with respect to all other matters, to:

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Agent

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 2320

Dallas, Texas 75202

Attention: Greg D. Campbell, Vice President,

                 US Corporate Banking

Telephone No.(214) 661-1202

Telecopy No.  (214) 969-0371

with copy to:

Haynes and Boone, LLP

901 Main Street, Suite 3100

Dallas, Texas 75202-3789

Attention: Karen S. Nelson, Esq.

Telephone No.(214) 651-5648

Telecopy No.  (214) 200-0673

 

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

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including email and Internet or intranet websites) 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 Borrower 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) Change of Address, Etc. Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto (or, in the case of any such change by a Lender, by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent). 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 9.02. Waivers; Amendments.

(a) No Deemed Waivers; Remedies Cumulative. No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent or any Lender 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 Administrative Agent and the Lenders 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 the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such 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 shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

  39   Term Loan Agreement


(b) Amendments. 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 Borrower and the Required Lenders or by the Borrower 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, (ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender adversely affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan, or any interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender adversely affected thereby, (iv) alter the provisions of clause (c) or (d) of Section 2.15 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender, or (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the percentage in the definition of the term “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; and provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.

Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, no waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement that has the effect (either immediately or at some later time) of enabling the Borrower to satisfy a condition precedent to the making of a Loan shall be effective against the Lenders for purposes of the Commitments unless the Required Lenders shall have concurred with such waiver or modification.

For purposes of this Section, the “scheduled date of payment” of any amount shall refer to the date of payment of such amount specified in this Agreement, and shall not refer to a date or other event specified for the mandatory or optional prepayment of such amount. In addition, whenever a waiver, amendment or modification requires the consent of a Lender “adversely affected” thereby, such waiver, amendment or modification shall, upon consent of such Lender, become effective as to such Lender whether or not it becomes effective as to any other Lender, so long as the Required Lenders consent to such waiver, amendment or modification as provided above.

SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

(a) Costs and Expenses. The Borrower 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 this Agreement or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including in connection with any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect thereof.

 

  40   Term Loan Agreement


(b) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and to 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 this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or the use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, 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 such Indemnitee.

(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent 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 in its capacity as such.

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Transactions, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.

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

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns.

(a) Assignments Generally. 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, except that (i) the Borrower may not 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 the 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 9.04. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

  41   Term Loan Agreement


(b) Assignments by Lenders.

(i) Assignments Generally. Subject to the conditions set forth in clause (ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) of:

(A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default under clause (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII shall have occurred and is continuing, any other assignee; and

(B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of any Commitment to an assignee that is a Lender with a Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment.

(ii) Certain Conditions to Assignments. 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 assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans, 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 Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under clause (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII has occurred and is continuing;

(B) each partial assignment of any Commitment or Loans shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement in respect of such Commitment and Loans;

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

(D) the assignee, if it shall not already be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

(iii) Effectiveness of Assignments. Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (c) below, 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

 

  42   Term Loan Agreement


shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the rights referred to in Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.04 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 (e) below.

(c) Maintenance of Register by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in San Francisco, California 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 of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may 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 Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Effectiveness of Assignments. Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, 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) above and any written consent to such assignment required by said paragraph (b), the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph (d).

(e) Participations. Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent sell participations to one or more banks or other financial institutions (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other 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 this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document; 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 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (f) below, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.12, 2.13 and 2.14 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) above. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 hereof as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.15(d) as though it were a Lender hereunder.

 

  43   Term Loan Agreement


(f) Limitations on Rights of Participants. A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.12 or 2.14 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.14 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.14(e) as though it were a Lender.

(g) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any such pledge or assignment to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section 9.04 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 assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(h) No Assignments to the Borrower or Affiliates. Anything in this Section to the contrary notwithstanding, no Lender may assign or participate any interest in any Loan held by it hereunder to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates or Subsidiaries without the prior consent of each Lender.

SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower herein and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender 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 and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.14 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 or termination of the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

SECTION 9.06. 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 payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract between and 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 to this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

  44   Term Loan Agreement


SECTION 9.07. 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 9.08. 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) 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 the Borrower against any of and all the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement 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 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.

(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS SITTING IN DALLAS COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, DALLAS DIVISION, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, 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 TEXAS STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST 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 THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. THE 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.

 

  45   Term Loan Agreement


(d) Service of Process. Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.

SECTION 9.10. 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 9.11. 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 9.12. Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

(a) Treatment of Certain Information. The Borrower acknowledges that from time to time financial advisory, investment banking and other services may be offered or provided to the Borrower or one or more of its Subsidiaries (in connection with this Agreement or otherwise) by any Lender or by one or more subsidiaries or affiliates of such Lender and the Borrower hereby authorizes each Lender to share any information delivered to such Lender by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries pursuant to this Agreement, or in connection with the decision of such Lender to enter into this Agreement, to any such subsidiary or affiliate, it being understood that any such subsidiary or affiliate receiving such information shall be bound by the provisions of paragraph (b) of this Section as if it were a Lender hereunder. Such authorization shall survive the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.

(b) Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders 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 Agreement, (v) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (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 the Borrower and its obligations, (vii) with the consent of the Borrower 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

 

  46   Term Loan Agreement


available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower relating to the Borrower or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower; provided that, in the case of information received from the 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.

SECTION 9.13. USA Patriot Act. Each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107 56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), such Lender may be required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with said Act.

SECTION 9.14. 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 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 9.15. FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. Wells Fargo acting in its capacities as Administrative Agent and Lead Arranger, will have no responsibilities except as set forth herein and shall not in any event be subject to any fiduciary, advisory, or other implied duties. Borrower hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that Borrower may have against Wells Fargo with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency, advisory, or fiduciary duty.

SECTION 9.16. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK;

SIGNATURE PAGES TO FOLLOW.]

 

  47   Term Loan Agreement


Signature Page to that certain Term Loan Agreement dated as of March 7, 2008, among Harte-Hanks, Inc., as Borrower, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner, and certain Lenders named therein.

 

BORROWER:
HARTE-HANKS, INC., as Borrower
By:  

/s/

 

Douglas Shepard, Executive Vice

President and Chief Financial Officer

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement


ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as the Administrative

Agent and a Lender

By:  

/s/

  Greg D. Campbell, Vice President

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement


LENDER:
Bank of America, N.A., as a Lender
By:  

/s/

Name:  
Title:  

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement


LENDER:

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as

a Lender

By:

 

/s/

Name:

 

Title:

 

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement


LENDER:

WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

By:  

/s/

Name:  
Title:  

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement


LENDER:
UMB BANK N.A., as a Lender
By:  

/s/

Name:  
Title:  

Signature Page to Term Loan Agreement


SCHEDULE I

Commitments

 

Lenders

   Commitment
Amount
   Applicable
Percentage
 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

   $ 27,500,000    27.500000000 %

Bank of America, N.A.

   $ 27,500,000    27.500000000 %

U.S. Bank National Association

   $ 20,000,000    20.000000000 %

Wachovia Bank, National Association

   $ 15,000,000    15.000000000 %

UMB Bank N.A.

   $ 10,000,000    10.000000000 %

Total

   $ 100,000,000    100.000000000 %

 

    Schedule I


SCHEDULE II

Certain Agreements and Liens

Part A - Material Agreements

Borrower’s outstanding Letters of Credit in excess of $10,000,000:

 

Bank

   Amount   

Beneficiary

  

Expiration

  

Autorenewal

Wells Fargo

   $ 10,100,000.00    Travelers Indemnity    9/30/08    Yes

Wells Fargo

   $ 10,714,741.00    Ace American Insurance    10/1/08    Yes

Borrower’s Five-Year Revolving Line of Credit in excess of $10,000,000:

 

Available

     Outstanding     

Expiration

$125,000,000.00      $ 109,000,000.00      8/12/10

Borrower’s Term Loan Agreement:

 

Available

     Outstanding     

Expiration

$190,125,000.00      $ 190,125,000.00      9/06/11
Bridge Loan*          

Part B – Liens

None.

 

* to be discharged on the Effective Date.

 

    Schedule II


SCHEDULE III

Litigation

None.

 

    Schedule III


SCHEDULE IV

Environmental Matters

None.

 

    Schedule IV


SCHEDULE V

Subsidiaries

 

Name of Entity

  

Jurisdiction of

Organization

   % Owned  

Aberdeen Group, Inc.

   Massachusetts    100 %

Avellino Technologies, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %(7)

Global Address Inc.

   Utah    100 %(13)

Global Address Ltd

   United Kingdom    100 %(13)

Harte-Hanks CRM Services Belgium NV

   Belgium    100 %(2)

Harte-Hanks Data Services LLC

   Maryland    100 %

Harte-Hanks Data Technologies, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %

Harte-Hanks Direct, Inc.

   New York    100 %(10)

Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Baltimore, Inc.

   Maryland    100 %

Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Cincinnati, Inc.

   Ohio    100 %

Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Dallas, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %(12)

Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Fullerton, Inc.

   California    100 %

Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Jacksonville, LLC

   Delaware    100 %(8)

Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Kansas City, LLC

   Delaware    100 %(1)

Harte-Hanks do Brazil Consultoria e Servicos Ltda.

   Brazil    100 %(5)

Harte-Hanks Flyer, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %

Harte-Hanks Global Address Limited

   United Kingdom    100 %(9)

Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence, Inc.

   California    100 %

Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence Espana LLC

   Colorado    100 %

Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence Europe B.V.

   Netherlands    100 %

Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence GmbH

   Germany    100 %(4)

Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence Limited

   Ireland    100 %(4)

Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence SAS

   France    100 %(4)

Harte-Hanks Market Research, Inc.

   New Jersey    100 %

Harte-Hanks NDC, LLC

   Delaware    100 %

Harte-Hanks Philippines, Inc.

   Philippines    100 %

Harte-Hanks Postfuture, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %(12)

Harte-Hanks Print, Inc.

   New Jersey    100 %

Harte-Hanks Pty. Limited

   Australia    100 %(3)

Harte-Hanks Response Management/Austin, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %(12)

Harte-Hanks Response Management/Boston, Inc.

   Massachusetts    100 %

Harte-Hanks Shoppers, Inc.

   California    100 %

Harte-Hanks SRL

   Romania    100 %(9)

Harte-Hanks Stock Plan, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %

Harte-Hanks STS, Inc.

   Delaware    100 %

Harte-Hanks Teleservices, LLC

   Delaware    100 %(6)

Harte-Hanks Trillium Software Germany GmbH

   Germany    100 %(11)

Harte-Hanks Trillium UK Limited

   United Kingdom    100 %(9)

Harte-Hanks UK Limited

   United Kingdom    100 %(3)

HTS, Inc.

   Connecticut    100 %

Mason Zimbler Limited

   England and Wales    100 %(9)

NSO, Inc.

   Ohio    100 %

Optima Global Data Services Limited

   United Kingdom    100 %(13)

Sales Support Services, Inc.

   New Jersey    100 %

Southern Comprint Co.

   California    100 %

 

(1)

Owned by Sales Support Services, Inc.

(2)

99.84% Owned by Harte-Hanks, Inc.

 

    Schedule V


0.16% Owned by Harte-Hanks Direct, Inc.

(3)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Data Technologies, Inc.

(4)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence Europe B.V.

(5)

99.999% Owned by Harte-Hanks Data Technologies, Inc.

.001% Owned by Harte-Hanks Stock Plan, Inc.

(6)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Direct, Inc.

(7)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Trillium UK Limited

(8)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing/Cincinnati, Inc.

(9)

Owned by Harte-Hanks UK Limited

(10)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Print, Inc.

(11)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Market Intelligence GmbH

(12)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Stock Plan, Inc.

(13)

Owned by Harte-Hanks Global Address Limited

 

    Schedule V


EXHIBIT A

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Loan Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Loan Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Loan Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Loan Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Loan Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.    Assignor:   

 

     
2.    Assignee:   

 

     
      [and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1]
3.    Borrower(s):    Harte-Hanks, Inc.
4.    Administrative Agent:    Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the administrative agent under the Loan Agreement
5.    Loan Agreement:    The Term Loan Agreement dated as of March 7, 2008 among Harte-Hanks, Inc., the Lenders parties thereto, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent

 

1 Select as applicable.

 

    Exhibit A


6. Assigned Interest:

 

Facility Assigned

   Aggregate Amount of
Commitments/Loans for

all Lenders
   Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned
   Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans

(set forth, to at least 9
decimals, as a
percentage of the
Commitments/Loans of
all Lenders thereunder)

Commitment Assigned

   $      $      %

Loans

   $      $      %

Fees Assigned (if any):

   $      $      %

Effective Date:                          , 20     [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:

 

ASSIGNOR
[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
By:  

 

Title:  
ASSIGNEE
[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
By:  

 

Title:  

 

  2   Exhibit A


Consented to and Accepted:

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Administrative Agent

By:

 

 

Title:

 

Consented to:

HARTE-HANKS, INC.

By:

 

 

Title:

 

 

  3   Exhibit A


ANNEX 1

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1. Representations and Warranties.

1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Loan Agreement, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Agreement or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of the Loan Agreement or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under the Loan Agreement.

1.2 Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Loan Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Loan Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Loan Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Loan Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by the Assignee pursuant to Section 2.14(e) of the Loan Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee, and (vi) if it is not already a Lender under the Loan Agreement, an Administrative Questionnaire in the form supplied by the Administrative Agent, duly completed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Agreement, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender. The [Assignee/Assignor] shall pay the fee payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.04(b) of the Loan Agreement.

2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption

 

    Annex 1 to Exhibit A


by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Texas.

 

  2   Annex 1 to Exhibit A


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE BORROWER

March 7, 2008

To the Lenders and the Administrative

Agent referred to below

c/o Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 2320

Dallas, Texas 75202

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Harte-Hanks, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), in connection with the Term Loan Agreement, dated as of March 7, 2008 (the “Loan Agreement”) between the Borrower, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the Lenders party thereto. Capitalized terms not defined herein are used as defined in the Loan Agreement. This opinion is being delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(b) of the Loan Agreement.

For purposes of this opinion, we have reviewed the Loan Agreement. We have also reviewed and relied upon the originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of corporate documents and records of the Borrower and certificates of public officials and officers of the Borrower and other documents, certificates, instruments and agreements as in our judgment are necessary to enable us to deliver this opinion letter. As to questions of fact material to the opinions, we have relied upon information received from officers of the Borrower without independent verification.

In rendering our opinions, we have assumed:

 

  (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures to all documents submitted to us as originals (other than the Borrower’s signatures);

 

  (b) the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed, or photostatic copies;

 

  (c) the correctness and accuracy of all facts set forth in all certificates and documents delivered to us in connection with this opinion;

 

  (d) the Loan Agreement is enforceable against all parties thereto (except as otherwise expressly stated with respect to the Borrower in Paragraph 4 of the opinions expressed below); and

 

  (e) there are no agreements or understandings among the parties that would define, supplement or qualify the terms of the Loan Agreement.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and subject also to the assumptions and qualifications set forth below, and having considered such questions of law as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions expressed below, we are of the opinion that:

 

  1. The Borrower is a validly existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Borrower has the requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

 

  1   Exhibit B


  2. The Transactions are within the corporate powers of the Borrower.

 

  3. The Transactions have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Borrower.

 

  4. The Loan Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance or transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including, without limitation, (a) the possible unavailability of specific performance, injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy and (b) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing.

 

  5. The Transactions (a) do not require, on the part of the Borrower, any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority (except for any filings which are first required to be made with the Securities and Exchange Commission after the date hereof), (b) will not violate the charter or by-laws of the Borrower or, to our knowledge, any applicable law or regulation or any order of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Borrower, (c) to our knowledge, will not violate or result in a default under any material indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any such Person and (d) to our knowledge and except as provided in the Loan Documents, will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries.

 

  6. To our knowledge, there are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority now pending against or threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (a) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect (other than Disclosed Matters) or (b) that involve the Loan Agreement or the Transactions.

 

  7. The Borrower is not (a) an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940 or (b) a “holding company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.

The foregoing opinions are subject to the following qualifications and exceptions:

 

  (a) The foregoing opinions are limited to the Federal laws of the United States of America, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and Texas law.

 

  2   Exhibit B


  (b) The qualification of any opinion or statement herein by the use of the words “to our knowledge”, “known to us” or words of similar import means that during the course of our representation as described herein, no information has come to the attention of the attorneys in this firm directly involved in the transactions described herein which gave such attorneys actual knowledge contrary to the position stated.

 

  (c) In rendering the opinion set forth in Paragraph 5 hereof, we have reviewed only (i) those statutes and regulations that a lawyer in the State of Texas exercising customary professional diligence would reasonably recognize as being directly applicable to the Borrower and the transactions contemplated by the Loan Agreement and (ii) those indentures, agreements and instruments set forth on the Exhibit Index to the Borrower’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

 

  (d) We express no opinion with respect to any provision contained in the Loan Agreement prohibiting oral amendments to or waivers of provisions of such documents or limiting the effect of a course of dealing between the parties thereto.

 

  (e) This opinion letter is limited to the matters stated herein as of the date hereof and is limited to present statutes, rules, laws and regulations and to the facts as they currently exist. We assume no obligation to update this opinion letter or to advise you of any changes in our opinions in the event of changes in applicable law or facts becoming effective or occurring after the date hereof or if additional newly discovered information is brought to our attention after the date hereof.

 

  (f) We express no opinion as to usury laws.

 

  (g) The opinions set forth in Paragraph 4 of this opinion letter to the extent covering Texas law, are also subject to the effect of generally applicable rules of Texas law that:

 

  (i) provide forum selection clauses in contracts are not necessarily binding on the court(s) in the forum selected;

 

  (ii) limit the enforceability of provisions releasing, exculpating or exempting a party from, or requiring indemnification of a party for, liability for its own action or inaction, to the extent the action or inaction involves gross negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct or unlawful conduct;

 

  (iii) may permit a party who has materially failed to render or offer performance required by the contract to cure that failure unless (i) permitting a cure would unreasonably hinder the aggrieved party from making substitute arrangements for performance, or (ii) it was important in the circumstances to the aggrieved party that performance occur by the date stated in the contract;

 

  (iv) impose limitations on attorneys’ or trustees’ fees;

 

  3   Exhibit B


  (v) limit or affect the enforceability of provisions for late charges, prepayment charges, or yield maintenance charges, acceleration of future amounts due (other than principal) without appropriate discount to present value, liquidated damages, and “penalties”;

 

  (vi) limit or affect the enforceability of provisions that provide for the acceleration of indebtedness upon any transfer or change in the control, ownership, or management of any party; and

 

  (vii) limit or affect the enforcement of provisions of a contract that purport to require waiver of jury trial.

This opinion letter is delivered to you solely for your benefit in connection with the Loan Agreement. This opinion letter may not be relied on by you for any other purpose, nor may it be furnished to, used by, circulated to, quoted to or referred to by, any other person for any purpose without our prior express written consent.

Circular 230 disclosure: Pursuant to Department of Treasury Circular 230, this correspondence is not intended or written to be used, and may not be used by the recipient, for the purposes of avoiding any federal tax penalty which may be asserted.

Sincerely yours,

 

Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated

 

  4   Exhibit B