EX-10.1 2 a11-32167_1ex10d1.htm EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

 

GRAPHIC

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

December 21, 2011

 

among

 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

The Lenders Party Hereto

 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Documentation Agent

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
as Syndication Agent

 

and

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent

 


 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

and

MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
as Joint Bookrunners and Joint Lead Arrangers

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

 

ARTICLE I Definitions

1

 

 

SECTION 1.01. Defined Terms

1

SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and Borrowings

19

SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally

19

SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations

20

SECTION 1.05. Status of Obligations

21

 

 

ARTICLE II The Credits

21

 

 

SECTION 2.01. Commitments

21

SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings

21

SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving Borrowings

22

SECTION 2.04. Increase of Commitments

22

SECTION 2.05. Swingline Loans

23

SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit

25

SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings

28

SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections

29

SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of Commitments

30

SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt

30

SECTION 2.11. Prepayment of Loans

31

SECTION 2.12. Fees

31

SECTION 2.13. Interest

32

SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest

33

SECTION 2.15. Increased Costs

33

SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments

34

SECTION 2.17. Taxes

35

SECTION 2.18. Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs

37

SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

39

SECTION 2.20. Defaulting Lenders

40

 

 

ARTICLE III Representations and Warranties

42

 

 

SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers

42

SECTION 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability

42

SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

42

SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change

42

SECTION 3.05. Properties

42

SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters

43

SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements

43

SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status

43

SECTION 3.09. Taxes

43

SECTION 3.10. ERISA

43

SECTION 3.11. Disclosure

43

SECTION 3.12. Solvency

44

SECTION 3.13. Insurance

44

 

i



 

SECTION 3.14. Capitalization and Subsidiaries

44

SECTION 3.15. Security Interest in Collateral

44

SECTION 3.16. Labor Disputes

44

SECTION 3.17. No Default

44

 

 

ARTICLE IV Conditions

45

 

 

SECTION 4.01. Effective Date

45

SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event

46

 

 

ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants

46

 

 

SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information

46

SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events

47

SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business

48

SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations

48

SECTION 5.05. Maintenance of Properties

48

SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection Rights

48

SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws

48

SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds

48

SECTION 5.09. Insurance

49

SECTION 5.10. Casualty and Condemnation

49

SECTION 5.11. Subsidiary Guarantors; Pledges; Additional Collateral; Further Assurances

49

 

 

ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants

50

 

 

SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness

50

SECTION 6.02. Liens

51

SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes

52

SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions

52

SECTION 6.05. Asset Sales

54

SECTION 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions

55

SECTION 6.07. Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness

55

SECTION 6.08. Transactions with Affiliates

56

SECTION 6.09. Restrictive Agreements

56

SECTION 6.10. Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness and Amendments to Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents

56

SECTION 6.11. Capital Expenditures

57

SECTION 6.12. Financial Covenants

57

 

 

ARTICLE VII Events of Default

58

 

 

ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent

60

 

 

ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous

64

 

 

SECTION 9.01. Notices

64

SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments

65

SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

67

SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns

68

SECTION 9.05. Survival

71

 

ii



 

SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness

71

SECTION 9.07. Severability

72

SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff

72

SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

72

SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

73

SECTION 9.11. Headings

73

SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality

73

SECTION 9.13. Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law

74

SECTION 9.14. USA PATRIOT Act

74

SECTION 9.15. Disclosure

74

SECTION 9.16. Appointment for Perfection

74

SECTION 9.17. Releases of Subsidiary Guarantors

74

SECTION 9.18. Interest Rate Limitation

75

SECTION 9.19. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility

75

 

 

SCHEDULES:

 

Commitment Schedule

 

Schedule 1.01 — Affiliated Subordinated Debt

 

Schedule 2.06 — Existing Letters of Credit

 

Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed Matters

 

Schedule 3.14 — Capitalization and Subsidiaries

 

Schedule 3.15 — Financing Statements

 

Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness

 

Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens

 

Schedule 6.04 — Existing Investments

 

 

 

EXHIBITS:

 

 

 

Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

Exhibit B — List of Closing Documents

 

Exhibit C-1 — Form of Increasing Lender Supplement

 

Exhibit C-2 — Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

 

Exhibit D — Form of Compliance Certificate

 

 

iii



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of December 21, 2011 (as it may be amended or modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), among MYR GROUP INC., the Lenders party hereto, PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Syndication Agent and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders establish in its favor a revolving credit facility in the aggregate principal amount of U.S. $175,000,000 (as such amount may increase or decrease in accordance with the terms hereof), pursuant to which revolving and swingline loans would be made to, and letters of credit would be issued for the account of, the Borrower; and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders are willing to make such credit facility available to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions and requirements hereinafter set forth;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

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

 

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

 

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

 

Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.

 

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

 

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

 

Affiliated Subordinated Debt” means any unsecured Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary provided by an Affiliate (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), the terms and conditions of which are set forth, and payment of which is subordinated to the payment of the Secured Obligations, in each case as provided in Schedule 1.01.

 

Aggregate Commitment” means the aggregate of the Commitments of all of the Lenders, as reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof.  As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Commitment is $175,000,000.

 



 

Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1%, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the rate appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or on any successor or substitute page of such page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day.  Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.

 

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

 

Applicable Pledge Percentage” means 100%, but 65% in the case of a pledge of Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary to the extent a 100% pledge would cause a Deemed Dividend Problem or Financial Assistance Problem.

 

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any ABR Loan or Eurodollar Loan, or with respect to the commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per annum set forth below under the caption “ABR Spread”, “Eurodollar Spread” or “Commitment Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Borrower’s Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date, provided that until the delivery to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to Section 5.01, of the Borrower’s consolidated financial information for the Borrower’s first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rate per annum set forth below in Category 1:

 

Leverage Ratio

 

Eurodollar
Spread

 

ABR
Spread

 

Commitment
Fee Rate

 

Category 1
< 1.0 to 1.0

 

1.00

%

0

%

0.20

%

Category 2
> 1.0 to 1.0 but
< 1.5 to 1.0

 

1.25

%

0.25

%

0.20

%

Category 3
> 1.5 to 1.0 but
< 2.0 to 1.0

 

1.50

%

0.50

%

0.25

%

Category 4
> 2.0 to 1.0 but
< 2.5 to 1.0

 

1.75

%

0.75

%

0.30

%

Category 5
> 2.5 to 1.0

 

2.00

%

1.00

%

0.375

%

 

For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the Applicable Rate shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Borrower based upon the Borrower’s annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 and (b) each change in the Applicable Rate

 

2



 

resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including five (5) Business Days after the date of 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 the Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 5 at the option of the Administrative Agent or at the request of the Required Lenders if the Borrower fails to deliver the annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01, during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until five (5) Business Days after such consolidated financial statements are delivered.

 

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption agreement 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.

 

Augmenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04.

 

Available Revolving Commitment” means, at any time with respect to any Lender, the Commitment of such Lender then in effect minus the Revolving Exposure of such Lender at such time.

 

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

 

Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party by any Lender or any of its Affiliates: (a) commercial credit cards, (b) stored value cards and (c) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).

 

Banking Services Agreement” means any agreement entered into by any Loan Party in connection with Banking Services.

 

Banking Services Obligations” of the Loan Parties means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor) in connection with Banking Services.

 

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

 

3



 

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

 

Bonding Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to any Person to secure or assure the performance of any bid, contract, lease or statutory obligation, or otherwise constituting a bid, performance, return-of-money, surety, appeal or payment bond, contract or like undertaking, in each case, entered into by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business.

 

Borrower” means MYR Group Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

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

 

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

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, 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 Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditure or commitment to expend money for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset which would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person as of the date of determination, 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 (i) 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 SEC thereunder as in effect on the date hereof) of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower (calculated on a fully diluted basis taking into account all options or other rights to acquire voting common Equity Interests of the Borrower then outstanding, regardless of whether such options or other rights are then currently exercisable); or (ii) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower by Persons who were neither (A) nominated by the board of directors of the Borrower nor (B) appointed by directors so nominated.

 

Change in Lawmeans the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement (or with respect to any Lender, if later, the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender), of any of the following:  (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority, or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rules, guideline, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided however, that notwithstanding

 

4



 

anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives thereunder, issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof, and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements and directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law” regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

 

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

 

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

 

Collateral” means any and all property owned by any Loan Party, now existing or hereafter acquired, that may at any time be or become subject to a security interest or Lien in favor of Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Holders of Secured Obligations, to secure the Secured Obligations; provided, however, that Collateral shall not include Excluded Assets.

 

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement and all other agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection with this Agreement that are intended to create or evidence Liens on the Collateral for the purpose of securing the Secured Obligations, including all other security agreements, pledge agreements, loan agreements, notes, guarantees, subordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, fee letters, notices, leases, financing statements and all other written matter whether heretofore, now, or hereafter executed by the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or terminated from time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) increased from time to time pursuant to Section 2.04 and (c) 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 the Commitment Schedule, or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation contemplated hereby pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.

 

Commitment Schedule” means the Schedule attached hereto identified as such.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any extraordinary non-cash charges for such period, and (v) any other non-cash charges for such period (but excluding any non-cash charge in respect of an item that was included in Net Income in a prior period and any non-cash charge that relates to the write-down or write-off of inventory), minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Net Income, (i) any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(v) taken in a prior period and (ii) any extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income for such period, all calculated for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

5



 

Consolidated Net Worth” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, the consolidated stockholders’ equity of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such date.

 

Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of the date of any determination thereof, total assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such date.

 

Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

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

 

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

 

Deemed Dividend Problem” means, with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, such Foreign Subsidiary’s accumulated and undistributed earnings and profits being deemed to be repatriated to the Borrower or the applicable parent Domestic Subsidiary under Section 956 of the Code and the effect of such repatriation causing materially adverse tax consequences to the Borrower or such parent Domestic Subsidiary, in each case as determined by the Borrower in its commercially reasonable judgment acting in good faith and in consultation with its legal and tax advisors.

 

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

 

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to the last sentence of Section 2.20, any Lender that (a) has failed, within two (2) Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of a Bankruptcy Event.

 

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits and proceedings and the environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

 

6



 

Documentation Agent” means PNC Bank, National Association, in its capacity as documentation agent for the credit facility evidenced by this Agreement.

 

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

 

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or in the District of Columbia.

 

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

 

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 Plan; (f) the incurrence by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates 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

 

7



 

the imposition upon the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates 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, means that such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears 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.

 

Excluded Assets” means (i) any property (x) subject to any “certificate of title” (as defined in the UCC), (y) subject to any lease or other right-of-use agreement or constituting a leasehold or similar interest or (z) constituting any real property or interest therein or any “fixtures” (as defined in the UCC) related thereto and (ii) any Equity Interest in a Permitted Joint Venture.

 

Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) Taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States of America, or by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein) under the laws of which such recipient is organized (or in which such recipient is resident for income tax purposes) 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 or backup withholding Taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located, (c) in the case of a Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding Tax that is (i) imposed on amounts payable to such Lender at the time such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office), except to the extent that such Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, immediately prior to the designation of a new lending office (or such assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17(a), or (ii) is attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e) and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.

 

Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2007, by and among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, as amended, modified or supplemented prior to the date hereof.

 

Existing Letters of Credit” is defined in Section 2.06.

 

Extended Letter of Credit” is defined in Section 2.06(c).

 

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official administrative guidance thereunder or interpretations thereof.

 

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

 

8



 

Financial Assistance Problem” means, with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary, the inability of such Foreign Subsidiary to become a Subsidiary Guarantor or to permit its Equity Interests from being pledged pursuant to a pledge agreement on account of legal or financial limitations imposed by the jurisdiction of organization of such Foreign Subsidiary or other relevant jurisdictions having authority over such Foreign Subsidiary, in each case as determined by the Borrower in its commercially reasonable judgment acting in good faith and in consultation with its legal and tax advisors.

 

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

 

First Tier Foreign Subsidiary” means each Foreign Subsidiary with respect to which any one or more of the Borrower and its Domestic Subsidiaries directly owns or controls more than 50% of such Foreign Subsidiary’s issued and outstanding Equity Interests.

 

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.

 

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

 

Funding Account” means the deposit account of the Borrower to which the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrower to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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

 

Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government and any group or body charged by any of the foregoing with setting financial accounting or regulatory capital rules or standards (including, without limitation, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing).

 

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 or other obligation 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 other obligation 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 or other obligation 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 other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

 

9



 

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 as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or contaminant pursuant to any Environmental Law.

 

Holders of Secured Obligations” means the holders of the Secured Obligations from time to time and includes (i) each Lender and the Issuing Bank in respect of its Loans and LC Exposure respectively, (ii) the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders in respect of all other present and future obligations and liabilities of the Borrower and each other Loan Party of every type and description arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (iii) each Lender and Affiliate of such Lender in respect of Swap Agreements and Banking Services Agreements entered into with such Person by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, (iv) each indemnified party under Section 9.03 in respect of the obligations and liabilities of the Borrower to such Person hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and (v) their respective successors and (in the case of a Lender, permitted) transferees and assigns.

 

Hostile Acquisition” means (a) the acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such Equity Interests which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by the board of directors (or any other applicable governing body) of such Person or by similar action if such Person is not a corporation and (b) any such acquisition as to which such approval has been withdrawn.

 

Immaterial Subsidiary” means each of the following Subsidiaries so long as each such Subsidiary is an inactive entity with no assets or liabilities (other than arising from or relating to past inactivity or nonuse of such Person or otherwise associated with the dissolution of such Person): ComTel Technology, Inc., a Colorado corporation, MYRPower, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Myers International, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04.

 

Incremental Term Loan” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04.

 

Incremental Term Loan Amendment” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04.

 

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, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding 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 as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (k) the Net Mark-to-Market Exposure of such Person under each Swap Agreement to the extent entered into for investment or speculative purposes and (l) obligations under any liquidated earn-out.  The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any

 

10



 

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.

 

Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document.

 

Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information Memorandum dated November 2011 relating to the Borrower and the Transactions.

 

Interest Coverage Ratio” means, for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for such period 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 2.08.

 

Interest Expense” means, with reference to any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), calculated on a consolidated basis for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period in accordance with GAAP.

 

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

 

Interest Period” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, in each case as the Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Borrowing that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period.  For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

 

Issuing Bank” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i).  The Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of

 

11



 

the Issuing Bank, in which case the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate.

 

LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(j).

 

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

 

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

 

Lenders” means the Persons listed on the Commitment Schedule and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to Section 2.04 or pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender.

 

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Leverage Ratio” means, on any date, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Indebtedness on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to such date).

 

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (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 dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period.  In the event that such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period.

 

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

 

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, any promissory notes issued pursuant to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit applications, the Collateral Documents, the Subsidiary Guaranty, and all other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates identified in Section 4.01 executed and delivered to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lenders and including all other pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, notices, letter of credit agreements and all other

 

12



 

written matter whether heretofore, now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby.  Any reference in the Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to the Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.

 

Loan Parties” means the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

Loans” means the loans and advances made by the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement, including Swingline Loans.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the rights of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

 

Material Indebtedness” means Indebtedness (other than the Loans, any Letters of Credit and any Affiliated Subordinated Debt), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Agreements, of any one or more of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $7,500,000.  For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “obligations” of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the Borrower or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

Material Subsidiary” means (a) as of the Effective Date, Harlan Electric Company, The L. E. Myers Co., Hawkeye Construction, Inc., Sturgeon Electric Company, Inc., Great Southwestern Construction, Inc. and MYR Transmission Services, Inc. and (b) after the Effective Date, (i) any Subsidiary designated in writing by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent as a “Material Subsidiary” and (ii) each Subsidiary (A) which, as of the most recent fiscal quarter of the Borrower, for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters then ended, for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, contributed greater than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated EBITDA for such period or (B) which contributed greater than five percent (5%) of the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Assets as of such date.

 

Maturity Date” means December 21, 2016 or any earlier date on which the Commitments are reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof in accordance with Article VII.

 

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

 

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

 

Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Borrower) in which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the

 

13



 

undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of the Borrower to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other than under any Loan Document) or Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

 

Net Mark-to-Market Exposure” of a Person means, as of any date of determination, the excess (if any) of all unrealized losses over all unrealized profits of such Person arising from Swap Agreements.  “Unrealized losses” means the fair market value of the cost to such Person of replacing such Swap Agreements as of the date of determination (assuming the Swap Agreements were to be terminated as of that date), and “unrealized profits” means the fair market value of the gain to such Person of replacing such Swap Agreement as of the date of determination (assuming such Swap Agreement were to be terminated as of that date).

 

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(e).

 

Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations of the Loan Parties to the Lenders or to any Lender, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any indemnified party arising under the Loan Documents, in each case whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether all such obligations arise or accrue before or after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or receivership proceedings, including, without limitation, interest and fees accruing pre-petition or post-petition and costs, expenses, and attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees, whenever incurred (and whether or not such claims, interest, costs, expenses or fees are allowed or allowable in any such proceeding).

 

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 hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition (whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise but excluding in any event a Hostile Acquisition) or series of related acquisitions by the Borrower or any Subsidiary of all or substantially all the assets of, or more than fifty percent (50%) of the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line of business of a Person if, at the time of and immediately after giving effect thereto, (a) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto, (b) such Person or division or line of business is engaged in the same or a similar line of business as the Borrower and the Subsidiaries or business reasonably related thereto, (c) all actions required to be taken with respect to such acquired or newly formed Subsidiary under Section 5.11 shall have been taken, (d) the Borrower and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a pro forma basis reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent after giving effect to such acquisition (without giving effect to any cost savings), with the covenants contained in Section 6.12 recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Borrower for which financial statements are available, as if

 

14



 

such acquisition (and any related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, with any new Indebtedness being deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in accordance with its terms) had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such compliance and the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower to such effect, together with all relevant financial information, statements and projections requested by the Administrative Agent, (e) in the case of an acquisition or merger involving the Borrower or a Subsidiary, the Borrower or such Subsidiary is the surviving entity of such merger and/or consolidation and (f) at the time of the consummation of such acquisition and immediately after giving effect (on a pro forma basis) thereto, the Leverage Ratio is less than 2.75 to 1.00.

 

Permitted Encumbrances” means:

 

(a)           Liens imposed by law for taxes that are not more than 60 days past due or which can thereafter be paid without penalty or which are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

(b)           carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other similar Liens imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 60 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

 

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

 

(d)           Liens and deposits in connection with Bonding Obligations;

 

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

 

(f)            easements, zoning restrictions and other governmental restrictions on use, rights of way, permits, conditions, servitudes, exceptions, covenants, restrictions and all other encumbrances on or in respect of real property or any interest therein that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

 

(g)           Liens securing the obligations of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any leases, right-of-use or similar agreement (but only with respect to the property so leased or used) that do not constitute Capital Lease Obligations;

 

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

 

Permitted Investments” means:

 

(a)           direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

 

(b)           investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

 

15



 

(c)           investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than $500,000,000;

 

(d)           fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and

 

(e)           money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

 

Permitted Joint Venture” means any Person (i) that is formed by or consists of, or the Equity Interests of which are directly owned by, a Loan Party, on one hand, and a third party, on the other hand, and (ii) that is formed for the purpose of entering into and performing under one or more contracts, with respect to a single project or series of related projects, pursuant to which such Person agrees to deliver goods and services substantially similar to the goods and services the Borrower and its Subsidiaries agree to deliver in the ordinary course of business.

 

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.

 

Pledge Subsidiary” means each Domestic Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) and First Tier Foreign Subsidiary which is, in each case, a direct Subsidiary of the Borrower or a direct Subsidiary of a Material Subsidiary.

 

Portfolio Interest Exemption” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(e).

 

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

 

Projections” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(d).

 

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

 

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

 

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Revolving Exposures and unused Commitments representing 662/3% or more of the sum of the total Revolving Exposures and unused Commitments at such time.

 

16



 

Requirement of Law” means, as to any Person, the Certificate of Incorporation and By Laws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

 

Restricted Payment” means (i) any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests in the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or (ii) any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Borrower or (iii) any payment in respect of Affiliated Subordinated Debt.

 

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

 

Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.

 

SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with all Swap Obligations and Banking Services Obligations owing to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates, in each case whether now existing or hereafter arising, whether all such obligations arise or accrue before or after the commencement of any bankruptcy, insolvency or receivership proceedings, including, without limitation, interest and fees accruing pre-petition or post-petition and costs, expenses, and attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees, whenever incurred (and whether or not such claims, interest, costs, expenses or fees are allowed or allowable in any such proceeding).

 

Security Agreement” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements thereto), dated as of the date hereof, between the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations, and any other pledge or security agreement entered into, after the date of this Agreement by any other Loan Party (as required by this Agreement or any other Loan Document), or any other Person, as the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve 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 of the Board.  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 of the Board 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.

 

17



 

subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the “parent”) at any date, any other Person (other than a natural person) 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 Person (a) of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the Equity Interests 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, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise greater than 50% Controlled, by the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more subsidiaries of the parent.

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Material Subsidiary that becomes a party to a Subsidiary Guaranty (including pursuant to a joinder or supplement thereto).

 

Subsidiary Guaranty” means that certain Guaranty dated as of the Effective Date (including any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor, and any other guaranty agreements as are requested by the Administrative Agent and its counsel, in each case as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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

 

Swap Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any and all Swap Agreements permitted hereunder with a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any such Swap Agreement transaction.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Syndication Agent” means Bank of America, N.A., in its capacity as syndication agent for the credit facility evidenced by this Agreement.

 

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

 

18



 

Tax Status Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(e).

 

Transactions” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans and other credit extensions, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

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

 

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or any other state the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests.

 

Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness” of the Borrower or any Subsidiary means any Indebtedness of such Person the payment of which is subordinated to payment of the Secured Obligations to the written satisfaction of, and the terms and conditions of which are otherwise satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent.

 

Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents” means any document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Subordinated Indebtedness or entered into in connection with any Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

Unliquidated Obligations” means, at any time, any Secured Obligations (or portion thereof) that are contingent in nature or unliquidated at such time, including any Secured Obligation that is: (i) an obligation to reimburse a bank for drawings not yet made under a letter of credit issued by it; (ii) any other obligation (including any guarantee) that is contingent in nature at such time; or (iii) an obligation to provide collateral to secure any of the foregoing types of obligations.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.03.  Terms Generally.  The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”.  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.  The word “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply), and all judgments, orders and decrees, of all Governmental Authorities.  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, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any definition of or reference to any

 

19



 

statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignment set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) 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, (e) 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 (f) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

SECTION 1.04.  Accounting Terms; GAAP; Pro Forma Calculations.  (a) 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.  Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made (i) without giving effect to any election under Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.

 

(b)           All pro forma computations required to be made hereunder giving effect to any acquisition or disposition, or issuance, incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness, or other transaction for which a pro forma computation is expressly required under this Agreement shall in each case be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto (and, in the case of any pro forma computation made hereunder to determine whether such acquisition or disposition, or issuance, incurrence or assumption of Indebtedness, or other transaction is permitted to be consummated hereunder, to any other such transaction consummated since the first day of the period covered by any component of such pro forma computation and on or prior to the date of such computation) as if such transaction had occurred on the first day of the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the most recent fiscal quarter for which financial statements shall have been delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or 5.01(b) (or, prior to the delivery of any such financial statements, ending with the last fiscal quarter included in the financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a)), and, to the extent applicable, to the historical earnings and cash flows associated with the assets acquired or disposed of (but without giving effect to any synergies or cost savings) and any related incurrence or reduction of Indebtedness, all in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act. If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the date of determination had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Swap Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness).

 

20



 

SECTION 1.05.  Status of Obligations.  In the event that the Borrower or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have outstanding any Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness, the Borrower shall take or cause such other Loan Party to take all such actions as shall be necessary to cause the Secured Obligations to constitute senior indebtedness (however denominated) in respect of such Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness and to enable the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness.  Without limiting the foregoing, the Obligations are hereby designated as “senior indebtedness” and as “designated senior indebtedness” and words of similar import under and in respect of any indenture or other agreement or instrument under which such Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness is outstanding and are further given all such other designations as shall be required under the terms of any such Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness in order that the Lenders may have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the terms of such Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness.

 

ARTICLE II

 

The Credits

 

SECTION 2.01.  Commitments.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make Revolving Loans to the Borrower in dollars from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (a) such Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Lender’s Commitment or (b) the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the Aggregate Commitment.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans.

 

SECTION 2.02.  Loans and Borrowings.  (a) Each Revolving Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as required.  Any Swingline Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.05.

 

(b)           Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans as the Borrower may request in accordance herewith, provided that all Revolving Borrowings made on the Effective Date must be made as ABR Borrowings but may be converted into Eurodollar Borrowings in accordance with Section 2.08.  Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.  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)           At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000.  At the time that each ABR Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $50,000 and not less than $500,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Aggregate Commitment or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e).  Each Swingline Loan shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $5,000 and not less than $50,000.  Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at

 

21



 

the same time; provided, however, that there shall not at any time be more than a total of eight (8) Eurodollar Borrowings outstanding.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.03.  Requests for Revolving Borrowings.  To request a Revolving Borrowing, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request either in writing (delivered by hand or telecopy) in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower or by telephone (a) in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, three Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on 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.  Each such 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 initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; 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 2.07.

 

If no election as to the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then the requested Revolving Borrowing shall be an ABR Borrowing.  If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.  Promptly following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.04.  Expansion Options.  The Borrower may from time to time elect to increase the Commitments or enter into one or more tranches of term loans (each an “Incremental Term Loan”), in each case in minimum increments of $5,000,000 so long as, after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of such increases and all such Incremental Term Loans does not exceed $75,000,000.  The Borrower may arrange for any such increase or tranche to be provided by one or more Lenders (each Lender so agreeing to an increase in its Commitment, or to participate in such Incremental Term Loans, an “Increasing Lender”), or by one or more new banks, financial institutions or other entities (each such new bank, financial institution or other entity, an “Augmenting Lender”), to increase their existing Commitments, or to participate in such Incremental Term Loans, or extend Commitments, as the case may be; provided that (i) each Augmenting Lender, shall be subject to the approval of the Borrower and

 

22



 

the Administrative Agent (such approval by the Administrative Agent not to be unreasonably withheld) and (ii) (x) in the case of an Increasing Lender, the Borrower and such Increasing Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1 hereto, and (y) in the case of an Augmenting Lender, the Borrower and such Augmenting Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2 hereto.  No consent of any Lender (other than the Lenders participating in the increase or any Incremental Term Loan) shall be required for any increase in Commitments or Incremental Term Loan pursuant to this Section 2.04.  Increases and new Commitments and Incremental Term Loans created pursuant to this Section 2.04 shall become effective on the date agreed by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the relevant Increasing Lenders or Augmenting Lenders, and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender thereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the Commitments (or in the Commitment of any Lender) or tranche of Incremental Term Loans shall become effective under this paragraph unless, (i) on the proposed date of the effectiveness of such increase or Incremental Term Loans, (A) the conditions set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 shall be satisfied or waived by the Required Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate to that effect dated such date and executed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower and (B) the Borrower shall be in compliance (on a pro forma basis) with the covenants contained in Section 6.12 and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received certificates, resolutions and opinions consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date as to the corporate power and authority of the Borrower to borrow hereunder after giving effect to such increase.  On the effective date of any increase in the Commitments or any Incremental Term Loans being made, (i) each relevant Increasing Lender and Augmenting Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent such amounts in immediately available funds as the Administrative Agent shall determine, for the benefit of the other Lenders, as being required in order to cause, after giving effect to such increase and the use of such amounts to make payments to such other Lenders, each Lender’s portion of the outstanding Revolving Loans of all the Lenders to equal its Applicable Percentage of such outstanding Revolving Loans, and (ii) except in the case of any Incremental Term Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase in the Commitments (with such reborrowing to consist of the Types of Revolving Loans, with related Interest Periods if applicable, specified in a notice delivered by the Borrower, in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.03).  The deemed payments made pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be accompanied by payment of all accrued interest on the amount prepaid and, in respect of each Eurodollar Loan, shall be subject to indemnification by the Borrower pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 if the deemed payment occurs other than on the last day of the related Interest Periods.  The Incremental Term Loans (a) shall rank pari passu in right of payment with the Revolving Loans, (b) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date (but may have amortization prior to such date) and (c) shall be treated substantially the same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the Revolving Loans; provided that (i) the terms and conditions applicable to any tranche of Incremental Term Loans maturing after the Maturity Date may provide for material additional or different financial or other covenants or prepayment requirements applicable only during periods after the Maturity Date and (ii) the Incremental Term Loans may be priced differently than the Revolving Loans.  Incremental Term Loans may be made hereunder pursuant to an amendment or restatement (an “Incremental Term Loan Amendment”) of this Agreement and, as appropriate, the other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrower, each Increasing Lender participating in such tranche, each Augmenting Lender participating in such tranche, if any, and the Administrative Agent.  The Incremental Term Loan Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.04.  Nothing contained in this Section 2.04 shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase its Commitment hereunder, or provide Incremental Term Loans, at any time.

 

SECTION 2.05.  Swingline Loans.  (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in dollars to the Borrower from time to

 

23



 

time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $25,000,000 or (ii) the sum of the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the Aggregate Commitment; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.  Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline Loans.  To request a Swingline Loan, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by telecopy), not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the day of a proposed Swingline Loan.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested Swingline Loan.  The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline Lender of any such notice received from the Borrower.  The Swingline Lender shall make each Swingline Loan available to the Borrower by means of a credit to the Funding Account (or, in the case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to the Issuing Bank, and in the case of repayment of another Loan or fees or expenses as provided by Section 2.18(c), by remittance to the Administrative Agent to be distributed to the Lenders) by 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the requested date of such Swingline Loan.

 

(b)           The Swingline Lender may by written notice given to the Administrative Agent not later than 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding.  Such notice shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will participate.  Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above, to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.  Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender.  Any amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Borrower (or other party on behalf of the Borrower) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  The purchase of participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the payment thereof.

 

(c)           Upon the making of a Swingline Loan (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default), each Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the Swingline Lender without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Swingline Loan in proportion to its Applicable Percentage of the Aggregate Commitment.  The Swingline Lender may, at any time, require the Lenders to fund their

 

24



 

participations.  From and after the date, if any, on which any Lender is required to fund its participation in any Swingline Loan purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Loan.

 

SECTION 2.06.  Letters of Credit. (a) General.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Issuing Bank agrees to issue, amend, extend and renew, at any time and from time to time during the Availability Period, at the request of the Borrower, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, one or more Letters of Credit denominated in dollars for the Borrower’s account having an amount available for draw that will not result in the total Revolving Exposures exceeding the Aggregate Commitment.  In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control.  The letters of credit previously issued and identified on Schedule 2.06 (the “Existing Letters of Credit”) shall be deemed to be “Letters of Credit” issued on the Effective Date for all purposes of the Loan Documents.

 

(b)           Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal, Extension; Certain Conditions.  To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment, renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Borrower shall hand deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of such Letter of Credit, the name and address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit.  If requested by the Issuing Bank, the Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for a Letter of Credit.  A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each Letter of Credit the Borrower shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, the total Revolving Exposures shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitment.

 

(c)           Expiration Date.  Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided that, upon the Borrower’s request, any such Letter of Credit which expires in the final year prior to the Maturity Date may have a later expiry date if cash collateralized or covered by standby letter(s) of credit in compliance with Section 2.06(j) below by no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date (each such Letter of Credit, an “Extended Letter of Credit”).

 

(d)           Participations.  By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any further action on the part of the Issuing Bank or the Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Borrower on the date due as provided

 

25



 

in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Borrower for any reason.  Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.

 

(e)           Reimbursement.  If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent in dollars an amount equal to such LC Disbursement not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on such date, or, if such notice has not been received by the Borrower prior to such time on such date, then not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Borrower may request in accordance with Section 2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount of such LC Disbursement and, to the extent so financed, the Borrower’s obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline Loan.  If the Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Borrower in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Borrower, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders provided that such payment shall be payable by no later than 12:00 noon Chicago time), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Lenders.  Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Borrower pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear.  Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrower of its obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

 

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

 

26



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(i)            Replacement of the Issuing Bank.  The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.  The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank.  At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b).  From and after the effective date of any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights and obligations of the Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term “Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the context shall require.  After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters of Credit then outstanding and issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

 

27



 

(j)            Cover; Cash Collateralization.  If (x) any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Lenders with LC Exposure representing at least 662/3% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph or (y) the Borrower requests the issuance of an Extended Letter of Credit, the Borrower shall either (A) cover by arranging for the issuance of one or more standby letters of credit issued by an issuer, and otherwise on terms and conditions, satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or (B) deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to 105% of the LC Exposure in respect of such Extended Letter of Credit (in the case of the foregoing clause (y)) or in the aggregate (in the case of the foregoing clause (x)) as of such date plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that the obligation to provide such letter of credit cover or deposit such cover or cash collateral shall (1) be required by no later than five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date in the case of an Extended Letter of Credit and (2) become effective immediately, and such cover or deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII.  Such cover and deposit shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Secured Obligations.  The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account and the Borrower hereby grants the Administrative Agent a security interest in the LC Collateral Account.  Other than any interest earned on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Borrower’s risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest.  Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in such account.  Moneys in such account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the Issuing Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement obligations of the Borrower for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC Exposure representing at least 662/3% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations.  If the Borrower is required to provide an amount of letter of credit cover or cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Borrower within three Business Days after all such Defaults have been cured or waived.

 

SECTION 2.07.  Funding of Borrowings.  (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05.  The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available in immediately available funds to the Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so received, in like funds, to the Funding Account; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank.

 

(b)           Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing (or, in the case of ABR Revolving Loans, no later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed 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

 

28



 

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.  Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from any obligation to fund any Loans in accordance with the terms and conditions hereunder or to prejudice any rights which the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

SECTION 2.08.  Interest Elections.  (a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request.  Thereafter, the Borrower may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Eurodollar Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods 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 comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion shall be considered a separate Borrowing.  This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.

 

(b)           To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing 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.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision herein, this Section shall not be construed to permit the Borrower to elect an Interest Period for Eurodollar Loans that does not comply with Section 2.02(d).

 

(c)           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) below shall be specified for each resulting Borrowing);

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

29



 

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

 

(e)           If the Borrower fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then, unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest Period such 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 Revolving Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurodollar Revolving Borrowing shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

 

SECTION 2.09.  Termination and Reduction of Commitments.  (a) Unless previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

 

(b)           The Borrower may at any time terminate the Commitments upon (i) the payment in full of all outstanding Loans, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon and on any Letters of Credit, (ii) the cancellation and return of all outstanding Letters of Credit (or alternatively, with respect to each such Letter of Credit, the furnishing to the Administrative Agent of a cash deposit (or at the discretion of the Administrative Agent a back up standby letter of credit satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) equal to 105% of the LC Exposure as of such date), (iii) the payment in full of the accrued and unpaid fees, and (iv) the payment in full of all reimbursable expenses and other Secured Obligations together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon.

 

(c)           The Borrower may at any time and from time to time reduce the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000.

 

(d)           The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) or (c) 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.  Any termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent.  Each reduction of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments.

 

SECTION 2.10.  Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt.  (a)The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan on the Maturity Date, and (ii) to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a calendar month and is at least five Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing is made, the Borrower shall repay all Swingline Loans then outstanding.

 

30



 

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

 

(c)           The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable thereto, (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 the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.

 

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

 

(e)           Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note.  In such event, the 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 2.11.  Prepayment of Loans.  (a) 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 (except for break funding payments in accordance with Section 2.16), subject to prior notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section.

 

(b)           The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) 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., Chicago time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, one Business Day before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of prepayment.  Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid; provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09.  Promptly following receipt of any such notice relating to a Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.  Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance 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 (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.13 and (ii) break funding payments pursuant to Section 2.16.

 

SECTION 2.12.  Fees.  (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily amount of the Available Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period from and

 

31



 

including the Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates.  Accrued commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof.  All commitment 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).  Swingline Loans shall not be included in Revolving Exposure in determining the Available Revolving Commitment for the purpose of calculating the commitment fee due hereunder.

 

(b)           The Borrower agrees to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to Eurodollar Revolving Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank for its own account a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance, amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.  Unless otherwise specified above, participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the third Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.  Any other fees payable to the Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable within 10 days after demand.  All participation fees and fronting 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).

 

(c)           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.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.13.  Interest.  (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing (including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

 

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

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by the 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 in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 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.

 

32



 

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

 

(e)           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, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

SECTION 2.14.  Alternate Rate of Interest.  If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a 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 or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

 

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

 

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the 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 continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing shall be ineffective and any such Eurodollar Borrowing shall be repaid on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR Borrowing.

 

SECTION 2.15.  Increased Costs.  (a) If any Change in Law shall:

 

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

 

(ii)           impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

 

(iii)          subject the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be made hereunder or under the other Loan Documents to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Excluded Taxes or (C) Other Taxes) on its loans, loan

 

33



 

principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Person of making or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Person of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Person hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower will pay to such Person such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Person for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

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

 

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

 

(d)           Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

SECTION 2.16.  Break Funding Payments.  In the event of (a) the payment of any principal of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) the conversion of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurodollar Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09(d) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Eurodollar Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.19, 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, such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate

 

34



 

that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market.  A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts (and the computation of any such loss, cost or expense in reasonable detail) that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to 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.

 

SECTION 2.17.  Taxes.  (a) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder shall (except to the extent required by law) 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 or withhold 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, any Lender or the Issuing Bank (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 or withholdings and (iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.

 

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

 

(c)           The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Issuing Bank, within 10 days after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, 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 the Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)           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)           Each Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and to the Administrative Agent, whenever reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable laws and such other reasonably requested information as will permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, (A) to determine whether or not payments made hereunder or under any other Loan Document are subject to Taxes, (B) to determine, if applicable, the required rate of withholding or deduction and (C) to establish such Lender’s entitlement to any available exemption from, or reduction of, applicable Taxes in respect of any payments to be made to such Lender pursuant to any Loan Document or otherwise to establish such Lender’s status for withholding tax purposes in an applicable jurisdiction.  If any form, certification or

 

35



 

other documentation provided by a Lender pursuant to this Section 2.17(e) (including any of the specific documentation described below) expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, such Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing and shall promptly update or otherwise correct the affected documentation or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing that such Lender is not legally eligible to do so.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

 

(i)  any Lender that is a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent duly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-9 or such other documentation or information prescribed by applicable laws or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent (in such number of signed originals as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent) as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to U.S. federal backup withholding or information reporting requirements; and

 

(ii)  each Foreign Lender that is entitled under the Code or any applicable treaty to an exemption from or reduction of U.S. federal withholding tax with respect to any payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of signed originals as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), duly completed and executed copies of whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(A)  IRS Form W-8BEN (or any successor thereto) claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,

 

(B)  IRS Form W-8ECI (or any successor thereto) claiming that specified payments (as applicable) under this Agreement or any other Loan Documents (as applicable) constitute income that is effectively connected with such Foreign Lender’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States,

 

(C)  in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Sections 881(c) or 871(h) of the Code (the “Portfolio Interest Exemption”), (x) a certificate (a “Tax Status Certificate”) in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to the effect that such Foreign Lender (I) is not a “bank” for purposes of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (II) is not a 10-percent shareholder for purpose of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code and (III) is not a controlled foreign corporation receiving interest from a related Person for purposes of Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) IRS Form W-8BEN (or any successor thereto),

 

(D)  where such Lender is a partnership (for U.S. federal income tax purposes) or otherwise not a beneficial owner (e.g., where such Lender has sold a participation), IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto) and all required supporting documentation (including, where one or more of the underlying beneficial owner(s) is claiming the benefits of the Portfolio Interest Exemption, a Tax Status Certificate of such beneficial owner(s) (provided that, if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and not a participating Lender, the Tax Status Certificate from the beneficial owner(s) may be provided by the Foreign Lender on behalf of the beneficial owner(s)), or

 

36



 

(E)  any other form prescribed by applicable laws as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States federal withholding tax together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable laws to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

 

(f)            If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this Section 2.17(f), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

(g)           Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within 10 days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and Other Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to the Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this Section 2.17(g).

 

(h)           If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

 

SECTION 2.18.  Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs.  (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder (whether of principal,

 

37



 

interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set off or counterclaim.  Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon.  All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 10 South Dearborn Street, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto.  The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof.  If any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.  All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.

 

(b)           Any proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent (i) constituting a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents shall be applied as specified by the Borrower, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct (provided that no such election or direction shall be required if the Commitments have terminated and the Loans have become due and payable), such funds shall be applied ratably first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements including amounts then due to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank from the Borrower, second, to pay any fees or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the Borrower, third, to pay interest then due and payable on the Loans ratably, fourth, to prepay principal on the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements and any other amounts owing with respect to Banking Services Obligations and Swap Obligations ratably, fifth, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the aggregate undrawn face amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit and the aggregate amount of any unpaid LC Disbursements, to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations and sixth, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Borrower.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, unless so directed by the Borrower, or unless a Default is in existence, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall apply any payment which it receives to any Eurodollar Loan of a Class, except (a) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable to any such Eurodollar Loan or (b) in the event, and only to the extent, that there are no outstanding ABR Loans of the same Class and, in any event, the Borrower shall pay the break funding payment required in accordance with Section 2.16.  The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to any portion of the Secured Obligations.

 

(c)           At the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder whether made following a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.03 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agrees that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans (including Swingline Loans), and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Sections 2.03, 2.04 or 2.05, as applicable and (ii) the Administrative Agent to charge any deposit account of the Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.

 

38



 

(d)           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 or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered,  such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by 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 or participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline 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 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)           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 the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank 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 or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.19.  Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.  (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall, at the request of the Borrower, use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case

 

39



 

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)           If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17 or (iii) any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, 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 the Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and if a Commitment is being assigned, the Issuing Bank), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments.  A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

SECTION 2.20.  Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

 

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

 

(b)           the Commitment and Revolving Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02); provided, that this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender affected thereby;

 

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

 

(i)            all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Commitments;

 

(ii)           if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within two (2) Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize for the benefit of the Issuing Bank only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s

 

40



 

LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(d)           so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.20(c), and participating interests in any such newly made Swingline Loan or any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

 

If (i) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to a Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrower or such Lender, satisfactory to the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

 

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

 

41



 

ARTICLE III

 

Representations and Warranties

 

The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 3.01.  Organization; Powers.  Each Loan Party 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 each Loan Party’s corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action.  The Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party have been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

SECTION 3.03.  Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts.  The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law applicable to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (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 its assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 3.04.  Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.  (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 reported on by Ernst & Young LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, certified as to the matters set forth in the immediately following sentence by a Financial Officer on behalf of the Borrower.  Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to year end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

 

(b)           Since December 31, 2010, there has been no material adverse change in the business, assets, property or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

SECTION 3.05.  Properties.  (a) Each of the Loan Parties has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal property (except for defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes) free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02.

 

(b)           The Loan Parties own, or are licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to their business as currently conducted, and the use thereof by the Loan Parties does not infringe in any material respect upon the rights of any other Person.

 

42



 

SECTION 3.06.  Litigation and Environmental Matters.  (a) 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) 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 result in a Material Adverse Effect (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.

 

(b)           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, none of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability, (ii) 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, or (iii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability.

 

(c)           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 materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 3.07.  Compliance with Laws and Agreements.  Each of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Requirements of Law 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.

 

SECTION 3.08.  Investment Company Status.  Neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

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 the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not 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.  Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the other 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 any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) or delivered hereunder 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; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered.

 

43



 

SECTION 3.12.  Solvency.  (a)  Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Borrower, at a fair valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Borrower will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Borrower will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Borrower will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date.

 

(b)           The Borrower does not intend to, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, and the Borrower does not believe that it or any of its Subsidiaries will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it or any such Subsidiary and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness or the Indebtedness of any such Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 3.13.  Insurance.  The Borrower maintains, and has caused each Subsidiary to maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance on all their real and personal property in such amounts, subject to such deductibles and self-insurance retentions and covering such properties and risks as are adequate and customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

 

SECTION 3.14.  Capitalization and SubsidiariesSchedule 3.14 sets forth (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Borrower of each and all of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries, (b) a true and complete listing of each class of each of the Borrower’s authorized Equity Interests, of which all of such issued shares are validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and owned beneficially and of record by the Persons identified on Schedule 3.14, and (c) the type of entity of the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries.  All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party has been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and is fully paid and non-assessable.

 

SECTION 3.15.  Security Interest in Collateral.  The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on all the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations, and, in the case Liens which can be perfected by the filing of UCC financing statements, upon the filing of the financing statements identified in Schedule 3.15, such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party and all third parties, and having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) any Liens permitted under Section 6.02 and (b) Liens perfected only by possession or control to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain possession or control of such Collateral in accordance with applicable law.

 

SECTION 3.16.  Labor Disputes.  As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened.  There are no labor controversies pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (i) which could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that involve this Agreement or the Transactions.

 

SECTION 3.17.  No Default.  No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

44



 

ARTICLE IV

 

Conditions

 

SECTION 4.01.  Effective Date.  The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):

 

(a)           Credit Agreement and Loan Documents.  The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement and (ii) duly executed copies of the Loan Documents and such other legal opinions, certificates, documents, instruments and agreements as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including any promissory notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.10 payable to the order of each such requesting Lender, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel and as further described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit B.

 

(b)           Financial Statements and Projections.  The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the 2008, 2009 and 2010 fiscal years, (ii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for each fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Borrower, as reflected in the financial statements or projections contained in the Information Memorandum and (iii) satisfactory projections through 2016.

 

(c)           No Default Certificate.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by the chief financial officer of the Borrower, on the initial Borrowing date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in Article III are true and correct as of such date, and (iii) certifying any other factual matters as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)           Fees.  The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel to the Administrative Agent), on or before the Effective Date.  All such amounts will be paid with proceeds of Loans made on the Effective Date and will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on or before the Effective Date.

 

(e)           Lien Searches.  The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search of the Uniform Commercial Code records of each jurisdiction and office identified on Schedule 3.15, and such search shall reveal no liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a pay-off letter or other documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(f)            Pay-Off Letter.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a reasonably satisfactory pay-off letter in respect of the Existing Credit Agreement.

 

45



 

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.

 

SECTION 4.02.  Each Credit Event.  The obligation of each Lender to make (but not convert, continue or extend) a Loan (other than a Loan which refinances a LC Disbursement in accordance with Section 2.06(e)), and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:

 

(a)           The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Loan or the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, except to the extent that any such representation or warranty relates solely to an earlier date, in which case it shall have been true and correct as of such earlier date, or, after prior notice to the Administrative Agent, is untrue or incorrect as a result of transactions permitted by the Loan Documents.

 

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

 

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

 

ARTICLE V

 

Affirmative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or been terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have expired, terminated, been cash collateralized or otherwise covered by letters of credit as permitted herein and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, 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)           within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, its audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by 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 consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, accompanied by any management letter prepared by said accountants;

 

(b)           within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of the Borrower, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding

 

46



 

period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated 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) above, a certificate of the Borrower executed on its behalf of a Financial Officer in substantially the form of Exhibit D (i) certifying, in the case of the financial statements delivered under clause (b), as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) 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, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 and (iv) 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)           as soon as available (following approval by the Borrower’s board of directors, if such approval is obtained in the ordinary course), but in any event not more than 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and funds flow statement) of the Borrower for each quarter of the upcoming fiscal year (the “Projections”) substantially in form of the projections delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(b);

 

(e)           promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials 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 Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, 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;

 

(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 Affiliate thereof that has a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, 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; and

 

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

 

47



 

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 Material Subsidiaries to, (a) 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, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits material to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03 and (b) carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted.

 

SECTION 5.04.  Payment of Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay or discharge all Material Indebtedness and all other material liabilities and obligations, including Taxes, 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.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

 

SECTION 5.06.  Books and Records; Inspection Rights.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) keep proper books of record and account in accordance with prudent practices and (ii) 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.  The Borrower acknowledges that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain reports pertaining to the assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.  The Administrative Agent agrees to use reasonable efforts to minimize, to the extent practicable and so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the number of separate requests from the Lenders to exercise their rights under this Section 5.06 and to coordinate the exercise by the Lenders of such rights.

 

SECTION 5.07.  Compliance with Laws.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all Requirements of Law 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.

 

SECTION 5.08.  Use of Proceeds.  The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will be used to finance Permitted Acquisitions, Permitted Joint Ventures, working capital needs and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.  No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X.

 

48



 

SECTION 5.09.  Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks (including loss or damage by fire and loss in transit; theft, burglary, pilferage, larceny, embezzlement, and other criminal activities; business interruption; and general liability) and such other hazards, as is customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents.  The Borrower will furnish to the Lenders, upon request of the Administrative Agent, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.  The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent endorsements (x) to all “All Risk” physical damage or casualty insurance policies in respect of Collateral naming the Administrative Agent as loss payee, and (y) to all general liability and other liability policies naming the Administrative Agent an additional insured.  In the event the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries at any time or times hereafter shall fail to obtain or maintain any of the policies or insurance required herein or to pay any premium in whole or in part relating thereto, then the Administrative Agent, without waiving or releasing any obligations or resulting Default hereunder, may at any time or times thereafter (but shall be under no obligation to do so) obtain and maintain such policies of insurance and pay such premiums and take any other action with respect thereto which the Administrative Agent deems advisable.  All sums so disbursed by the Administrative Agent shall constitute part of the Obligations, payable as provided in this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.10.  Casualty and Condemnation.  The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders prompt written notice of any casualty or other insured damage (to the extent representing a loss of in excess of $1,000,000 per occurrence to any property) or the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any property of the Loan Parties or interest therein (with a value in excess of $1,000,000 per action or proceeding) under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding.

 

SECTION 5.11.  Subsidiary Guarantors; Pledges; Additional Collateral; Further Assurances.  (a) As promptly as possible but in any event within thirty (30) days (or such later date as may be agreed upon by the Administrative Agent) after any Person becomes a Material Subsidiary, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent with written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing the material assets of such Person and shall cause each such Material Subsidiary to deliver to the Administrative Agent the Subsidiary Guaranty and the Security Agreement pursuant to which such Material Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions thereof, such Subsidiary Guaranty and Security Agreement to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions, other corporate documentation and legal opinions in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

 

(b)           The Borrower will cause, and will cause each other Loan Party to cause, all of its owned property (constituting personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed, but excluding Excluded Assets) to be subject at all times to first priority, perfected Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations to secure the Secured Obligations in accordance with and to the extent required by the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents, subject in any case to Liens permitted by Section 6.02.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower will (i) cause the Applicable Pledge Percentage of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Pledge Subsidiary directly owned by the Borrower or any other Loan Party to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent to secure the Secured Obligations in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents or such other security documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request and (ii) will, and will cause each Subsidiary Guarantor to, deliver deposit account control agreements or blocked account agreements with respect to deposit accounts maintained by, the Borrower or such Guarantor to the extent, and within such time period as is, reasonably required by the Administrative Agent, in each case in accordance with the terms

 

49



 

and conditions of the Security Agreement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no pledge agreement in respect of the Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary shall be required hereunder to the extent the Administrative Agent or its counsel reasonably determines that such pledge would not provide material credit support for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations pursuant to legally valid, binding and enforceable pledge agreements.

 

(c)           Without limiting the foregoing, the Borrower will, and will cause each Loan Party to, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative Agent such documents, agreements and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by law or which the Administrative Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all at the expense of the Borrower.

 

(d)           Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything else in this Agreement to the contrary, no Permitted Joint Venture shall be required to become a Subsidiary Guarantor or Pledge Subsidiary hereunder.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Negative Covenants

 

Until the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees, expenses and other amounts payable under any Loan Document have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired, terminated, been cash collateralized or otherwise covered by letters of credit as permitted herein and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:

 

SECTION 6.01.  Indebtedness.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)           the Secured Obligations;

 

(b)           Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

(c)           Indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04;

 

(d)           Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary or Permitted Joint Venture and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or Permitted Joint Venture, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01 and (ii) Guarantees by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is a Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party or of any Permitted Joint Venture shall be subject to Section 6.04;

 

(e)           Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction, improvement, alteration or repair of any fixed or capital assets (whether

 

50



 

or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction, improvement, alteration or repair and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed $40,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f)            Indebtedness owed to any Person providing workers’ compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)           Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of Bonding Obligations;

 

(h)           Indebtedness under any Swap Agreement entered into for bona fide hedging purposes and not for speculative or investment purposes;

 

(i)            Indebtedness constituting Affiliated Subordinated Debt; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (i) shall not exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(j)            Indebtedness constituting Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness; and

 

(k)           other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $7,500,000 at any time outstanding.

 

SECTION 6.02.  Liens.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary 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 thereof, except:

 

(a)           Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

(b)           Permitted Encumbrances;

 

(c)           any Lien on any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Borrower or Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

 

(d)           Liens on assets acquired, constructed, improved, altered or repaired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such security interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction, improvement, alteration or repair,  (iii) the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost of acquiring, constructing, improving, altering or repairing such assets and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets

 

51



 

of the Borrower or Subsidiary (other than, in respect of any lease, under any one or more master lease agreements with same lessor or an Affiliate thereof);

 

(e)           any Lien existing on any property or asset (other than accounts receivable and inventory) prior to the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset (other than accounts receivable and inventory) of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party 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 Loan Party, as the case may be;

 

(f)            Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

 

(g)           Liens arising out of sale and leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

(h)           Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of the Borrower or another Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness owed by such Subsidiary; and

 

(i)            Liens granted by a Loan Party in Equity Interests in a Permitted Joint Venture (including associated proceeds thereof).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section 6.02 may at any time attach to any Loan Party’s (1) accounts receivable, other than those permitted under clauses (a) and (d) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrance and clause (a) above and (2) inventory, other than those permitted under clauses (a), (b) and (d) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrance and clause (a) above.

 

SECTION 6.03.  Fundamental Changes.  (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Material Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, 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 Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Loan Party (other than the Borrower) may merge into any Loan Party in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Loan Party, (iii) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party 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; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04 and (iv) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may consummate Permitted Acquisitions.

 

(b)           The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, engage 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.

 

SECTION 6.04.  Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a Loan Party and a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or

 

52



 

other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit (whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise), except:

 

(a)           Permitted Investments and Permitted Acquisitions;

 

(b)           investments in existence on the date of this Agreement and described in Schedule 6.04;

 

(c)           investments by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (other than Permitted Joint Ventures) in Equity Interests in their respective Subsidiaries (other than Permitted Joint Ventures), provided that (A) any such Equity Interests held by a Loan Party shall be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement (subject to the limitations applicable to common stock of a Foreign Subsidiary referred to in Section 5.11) and (B) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in Subsidiaries (other than Permitted Joint Ventures) that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(d)           loans or advances made by the Borrower to any Subsidiary (other than Permitted Joint Ventures), Guarantees by the Borrower of the obligations (other than Indebtedness) of any Subsidiary (other than Permitted Joint Ventures), loans or advances made by any Subsidiary (other than Permitted Joint Ventures) to the Borrower or to any other Subsidiary (other than Permitted Joint Ventures), or Guarantees by any Subsidiary (other than Permitted Joint Ventures) of the obligations (other than Indebtedness) of the Borrower or of any Subsidiary (other than Permitted Joint Ventures), provided that the amount of such loans and advances made by Loan Parties to, or Guarantees made by Loan Parties of the obligations of, Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(e)           Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of Subsidiaries (other than Permitted Joint Ventures) that are not Loan Parties that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party shall (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding;

 

(f)            loans or advances made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to its employees on an arms-length basis in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices for travel and entertainment expenses, relocation costs and similar purposes up to a maximum of $500,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;

 

(g)           investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower or consolidates or merges with the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition) so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;

 

53



 

(h)           investments received in connection with the dispositions of assets permitted by Section 6.05;

 

(i)            investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Encumbrances”;

 

(j)            (i) acquisitions, formation or ownership of Equity Interests in one or more Permitted Joint Ventures, (ii) Guarantees of the obligations of one or more Permitted Joint Ventures, or (iii) investments in, or loans or advances to, one or more Permitted Joint Ventures; provided that upon the making of any such investment, loan or advance, the positive difference, if any, between (x) the aggregate of all cash that has been invested in, or loaned or advanced to, Permitted Joint Ventures minus (y) the aggregate of all cash payments or repayments of loans or advances that have been received from Permitted Joint Ventures as of such date, shall not in the aggregate exceed 20% of Consolidated Net Worth (calculated as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and determined at the time of making such investment, loan or advance by reference to the Borrower’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) or, if prior to the date of the delivery of the first financial statements to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), the most recent financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a)); and

 

(k)           any other investment, loan or advance (other than acquisitions) so long as the aggregate amount of all such investments, loans or advances does not exceed 7.5% of Consolidated Net Worth (in each case as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter and determined at the time of making such investment by reference to the Borrower’s financial statements most recently delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) or, if prior to the date of the delivery of the first financial statements to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b), the most recent financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a)).

 

SECTION 6.05.  Asset Sales.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will the Borrower permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to the Borrower or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except:

 

(a)           sales, transfers, leases and dispositions of (i) inventory in the ordinary course of business, (ii) used, obsolete, worn out or surplus equipment or property in the ordinary course of business and (iii) any equipment or property subject to any lease or right-of-use agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business, in accordance with the terms of such agreement;

 

(b)           sales, transfers, leases and dispositions to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be made in compliance with Section 6.08;

 

(c)           sales, transfers and dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;

 

(d)           sales, transfers and dispositions of investments permitted by clauses (i) and (k) of Section 6.04;

 

(e)           sale and leaseback transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

 

54



 

(f)            dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; and

 

(g)           sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other paragraph of this Section, provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in reliance upon this paragraph (g) shall not exceed $7,500,000 during any fiscal year of the Borrower.

 

SECTION 6.06.  Sale and Leaseback Transactions.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets or equipment by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset or equipment (or, if acquired by the Borrower or such Subsidiary within 90 days prior to entering into such sale, not less than the prior purchase price of such asset or equipment) and is consummated within 90 days after the Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset or equipment; provided that the net book value of the assets that are the subject of any such transaction (excluding any such transaction solely between Loan Parties) shall not, in the aggregate, when taken together with the aggregate net book value (determined at the time of the consummation of the instant transaction) of the assets that are the subject of all other such transactions then outstanding, exceed $50,000,000.

 

SECTION 6.07.  Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness.  (a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) the Borrower may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interest payable solely in additional units of its Equity Interests, (ii) Subsidiaries of the Borrower may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) the Borrower may make any other Restricted Payments so long as (A) no Event of Default has then occurred and is continuing or would arise after giving effect thereto and (B) at the time thereof and after giving pro forma effect thereto, the Leverage Ratio (as calculated pursuant to Section 6.12(b)) is, and would be, less than 2.25 to 1.0.

 

(b)           The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness, or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Indebtedness, except:

 

(i)            payment of Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents;

 

(ii)           any payment in respect of Affiliated Subordinated Debt to the extent such payment is made from funds permitted to be paid as a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.07(a)(iii) and otherwise in conformity with the terms of subordination applicable thereto;

 

(iii)          any payment in respect of Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness made in accordance with the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents and Section 6.10;

 

55



 

(iv)          payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Indebtedness, other than payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof;

 

(v)           refinancings of Indebtedness to the extent permitted by Section 6.01; and

 

(vi)          payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness.

 

SECTION 6.08.  Transactions with Affiliates.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary 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 that (i) are in the ordinary course of business and (ii) are 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 any Loan Party and any Pledge Subsidiary not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any investment, loan, advance or Guarantee permitted by Sections 6.04(c), 6.04(d) or 6.04(j), (d) any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c) or (i), (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.07, (f) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04, (g) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of the Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business and (h) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by the Borrower’s board of directors.

 

SECTION 6.09.  Restrictive Agreements.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets (other than any Lien permitted by Section 6.02), or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness and (iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.

 

SECTION 6.10.  Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness and Amendments to Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly voluntarily prepay, defease or in substance defease, purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire, any Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness or any Indebtedness from time to time outstanding under the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents.  Furthermore, the Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or any document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Indebtedness incurred pursuant to the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents (or any replacements, substitutions, extensions or renewals thereof) or pursuant to which such Indebtedness is issued where

 

56



 

such amendment, modification or supplement provides for the following or which has any of the following effects:

 

(a)           increases the overall principal amount of any such Indebtedness or increases the amount of any single scheduled installment of principal or interest;

 

(b)           shortens or accelerates the date upon which any installment of principal or interest becomes due or adds any additional mandatory redemption provisions;

 

(c)           shortens the final maturity date of such Indebtedness or otherwise accelerates the amortization schedule with respect to such Indebtedness;

 

(d)           increases the rate of interest accruing on such Indebtedness;

 

(e)           provides for the payment of additional fees or increases existing fees;

 

(f)            amends or modifies any financial or negative covenant (or covenant which prohibits or restricts the Borrower or any Subsidiary from taking certain actions) in a manner which is more onerous or more restrictive in any material respect to the Borrower or such Subsidiary or which is otherwise materially adverse to the Borrower, any Subsidiary and/or the Lenders or, in the case of any such covenant, which places material additional restrictions on the Borrower or such Subsidiary or which requires the Borrower or such Subsidiary to comply with more restrictive financial ratios or which requires the Borrower to better its financial performance, in each case from that set forth in the existing applicable covenants in the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or the applicable covenants in this Agreement; or

 

(g)           amends, modifies or adds any affirmative covenant in a manner which (i) when taken as a whole, is materially adverse to the Borrower, any Subsidiary and/or the Lenders or (ii) is more onerous than the existing applicable covenant in the Unaffiliated Subordinated Indebtedness Documents or the applicable covenant in this Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.11.  Capital Expenditures.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, incur or make any Capital Expenditures, during any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of the Borrower, in an amount exceeding $45,000,000; provided, that this Section 6.11 shall not apply if the Borrower’s Leverage Ratio (as most recently demonstrated pursuant to the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c)) is less than 2.75 to 1.0.

 

SECTION 6.12.  Financial Covenants.

 

(a)           Interest Coverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the Interest Coverage Ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, to be less than 3.0 to 1.0.

 

(b)           Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio, determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, to be greater than 3.0 to 1.0; provided that the reimbursement obligations of the account party in respect of Letters of Credit with a maturity of one year or less (in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the amount of Consolidated EBITDA for such period as of the end of such fiscal quarter) shall not be included in determining Consolidated Total Indebtedness for calculating the Leverage Ratio in accordance with this clause (b).

 

57



 

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 or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;

 

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

 

(c)           any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, 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), 5.03 (with respect to the Borrower’s existence), 5.08 or 5.11 or in Article VI;

 

(e)           the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable, shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those which constitute a default under another Section of this Article) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after the earlier of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);

 

(f)            the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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;

 

(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, the lapse of time or both) 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 secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;

 

(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 Subsidiary 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

 

58



 

Borrower or any Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

 

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

 

(j)            the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 $5,000,000 (to the extent not covered by a creditworthy insurer which has not denied coverage and subject to customary deductibles) shall be rendered against the Borrower or any Subsidiary 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 Subsidiary 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)          a Change in Control shall occur;

 

(n)           the occurrence of any “default”, as defined in any Loan Document (other than this Agreement) or the breach of any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document (other than this Agreement), which default or breach continues beyond any period of grace therein provided;

 

(o)           the Subsidiary Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Subsidiary Guaranty, or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the relevant Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party, or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under the Subsidiary Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect;

 

(p)           any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid and perfected first priority security interest in any Collateral purported to be covered thereby, except as permitted by the terms of any Collateral Document, or any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document, or any Loan Party shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of any Collateral Document, or the Borrower, any Subsidiary or any holder of Affiliated Subordinated Debt shall fail to comply with the terms and conditions set forth in Schedule 1.01, or any such terms and conditions shall fail to remain in full force or effect or

 

59



 

any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of such terms and conditions; or

 

(q)           any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction based on any such assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms);

 

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 Secured Obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, 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 Secured Obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, 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.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

The Administrative Agent

 

Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf, including execution of the other Loan Documents, and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, and the Lenders, and neither the Borrower nor any other Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of such provisions.

 

The bank 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 bank 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 in the 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

 

60



 

action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise in writing as directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth in the 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 consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the 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 any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection with any Loan Document, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral or the existence of the Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, 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.

 

Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the 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 may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank.  Upon the acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its

 

61



 

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.

 

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 other Loan Document or related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

None of the Lenders, if any, identified in this Agreement as a Syndication Agent or a Documentation Agent shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement other than those applicable to all Lenders as such.  Without limiting the foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary relationship with any Lender.  Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments with respect to the relevant Lenders in their respective capacities as Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent, as applicable, as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.

 

Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights of any Lender, in accordance with Section 9.08, the proceeds of which are applied in accordance with this Agreement, each Lender agrees that it will not take any action, nor institute any actions or proceedings, against the Borrower or with respect to any Loan Document, without the prior written consent of the Required Lenders or, as may be provided in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, with the consent of the Administrative Agent.

 

The Lenders are not partners or co-venturers, and no Lender shall be liable for the acts or omissions of, or (except as otherwise set forth herein in case of the Administrative Agent) authorized to act for, any other Lender.  The Administrative Agent shall have the exclusive right on behalf of the Lenders to enforce the payment of the principal of and interest on any Loan after the date such principal or interest has become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

In its capacity, the Administrative Agent is a “representative” of the Holders of Secured Obligations within the meaning of the term “secured party” as defined in the New York Uniform Commercial Code.  Each Lender authorizes the Administrative Agent to enter into each of the Collateral Documents to which it is a party and to take all action contemplated by such documents.  Each Lender agrees that no Holder of Secured Obligations (other than the Administrative Agent) shall have the right individually to seek to realize upon the security granted by any Collateral Document, it being understood and agreed that such rights and remedies may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations upon the terms of the Collateral Documents.  In the event that any Collateral is hereafter pledged by any Person as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and deliver on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations any Loan Documents necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations.  The Lenders hereby authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Lien granted to or held by the Administrative Agent upon any Collateral (i) as described in Section 9.02(d); (ii) as permitted by, but only in accordance with, the terms of the applicable Loan Document; or (iii) if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, unless such release is required to be approved by all of the Lenders hereunder.  Upon request by the

 

62



 

Administrative Agent at any time, the Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release particular types or items of Collateral pursuant hereto.  Upon any sale or transfer of assets constituting Collateral which is permitted pursuant to the terms of any Loan Document, or consented to in writing by the Required Lenders or all of the Lenders, as applicable, and upon at least two Business Days’ prior reasonably detailed written request by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by the Lenders to) execute such documents as may be necessary to evidence the release of the Liens granted to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations herein or pursuant hereto upon the Collateral that was sold or transferred; provided, however, that (i) the Administrative Agent shall not be required to execute any such document on terms which, in the Administrative Agent’s opinion, would expose the Administrative Agent to liability or create any obligation or entail any consequence other than the release of such Liens without recourse or warranty, and (ii) such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect or impair the Secured Obligations or any Liens upon (or obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of) all interests retained by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, including (without limitation) the proceeds of the sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral.

 

The Borrower, on its behalf and on behalf of its Subsidiaries, and each Lender, on its behalf and on the behalf of its affiliated Holders of Secured Obligations, hereby irrevocably constitute the Administrative Agent as the holder of an irrevocable power of attorney (fondé de pouvoir within the meaning of Article 2692 of the Civil Code of Québec) in order to hold hypothecs and security granted by the Borrower or any Subsidiary on property pursuant to the laws of the Province of Quebec to secure obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary under any bond, debenture or similar title of indebtedness issued by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with this Agreement, and agree that the Administrative Agent may act as the bondholder and mandatary with respect to any bond, debenture or similar title of indebtedness that may be issued by the Borrower or any Subsidiary and pledged in favor of the Holders of Secured Obligations in connection with this Agreement.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 32 of the An Act respecting the special powers of legal persons (Quebec), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent may acquire and be the holder of any bond issued by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with this Agreement (i.e., the fondé de pouvoir may acquire and hold the first bond issued under any deed of hypothec by the Borrower or any Subsidiary).

 

The Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to execute and deliver any documents necessary or appropriate to create and perfect the rights of pledge for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations including a right of pledge with respect to the entitlements to profits, the balance left after winding up and the voting rights of the Borrower as ultimate parent of any subsidiary of the Borrower which is organized under the laws of the Netherlands and the Equity Interests of which are pledged in connection herewith (a “Dutch Pledge”).  Without prejudice to the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree with the creation of parallel debt obligations of the Borrower or any relevant Subsidiary as will be described in any Dutch Pledge (the “Parallel Debt”), including that any payment received by the Administrative Agent in respect of the Parallel Debt will — conditionally upon such payment not subsequently being avoided or reduced by virtue of any provisions or enactments relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, preference, liquidation or similar laws of general application — be deemed a satisfaction of a pro rata portion of the corresponding amounts of the Obligations, and any payment to the Holders of Secured Obligations in satisfaction of the Obligations shall — conditionally upon such payment not subsequently being avoided or reduced by virtue of any provisions or enactments relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, preference, liquidation or similar laws of general application — be deemed as satisfaction of the corresponding amount of the Parallel Debt.  The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of a Dutch Pledge, any resignation by the Administrative Agent is not effective until its rights under the Parallel Debt are assigned to the successor Administrative Agent.

 

63



 

The parties hereto acknowledge and agree for the purposes of taking and ensuring the continuing validity of German law governed pledges (Pfandrechte) with the creation of parallel debt obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as will be further described in a separate German law governed parallel debt undertaking.  The Administrative Agent shall (i) hold such parallel debt undertaking as fiduciary agent (Treuhaender) and (ii) administer and hold as fiduciary agent (Treuhaender) any pledge created under a German law governed Collateral Document which is created in favor of any Holder of Secured Obligations or transferred to any Holder of Secured Obligations due to its accessory nature (Akzessorietaet), in each case in its own name and for the account of the Holders of Secured Obligations.  Each Lender, on its own behalf and on behalf of its affiliated Holders of Secured Obligations, hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to enter as its agent in its name and on its behalf into any German law governed Collateral Document, to accept as its agent in its name and on its behalf any pledge under such Collateral Document and to agree to and execute as agent in its name and on its behalf any amendments, supplements and other alterations to any such Collateral Document and to release any such Collateral Document and any pledge created under any such Collateral Document in accordance with the provisions herein and/or the provisions in any such Collateral Document.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 9.01.  Notices.  (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:

 

(a)           if to the Borrower, to it at MYR Group Inc., Three Continental Towers, 1701 Golf Road, Suite 3-1012, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008, Attention of Marco A. Martinez, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Telecopy No. (847) 290-1892; Telephone No. (847) 290-1891, Extension 216);

 

(b)           if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Attention of Yuvette Owens (Telecopy No. (312) 385-7103),with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Mail Code IL1-1205, 10 S. Dearborn Street, 35th Floor, Chicago, Illinois, 60603, Attention of Jeffrey Puro (Telecopy No. (312) 386-7604);

 

(c)           if to the Issuing Bank, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Attention of Cassandra Groves (Telecopy No. (312) 732-2729);

 

(d)           if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South Dearborn, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Attention of Yuvette Owens (Telecopy No. (312) 385-7103); and

 

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

 

All such notices and other communications (i) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received or (ii) sent by telecopy shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours

 

64



 

for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.

 

(b)           Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications (including e-mail 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.  All such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (b)(i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

 

(c)           Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

SECTION 9.02.  Waivers; Amendments.  (a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document 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, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have.  No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document 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 or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

 

(b)           Except as provided in Section 2.04 with respect to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or, (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (iii) postpone any scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest, fees or other Obligations 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 directly affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the manner in which

 

65



 

payments are shared, without the written consent of each Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (it being understood that, solely with the consent of the parties prescribed by Section 2.04 to be parties to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment, Incremental Term Loans may be included in the determination of Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the Commitments and the Revolving Loans are included on the Effective Date), (vi) release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their obligation under the Subsidiary Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents), without the written consent of each Lender, or (viii) except as provided in clauses (d) and (e) of this Section or in any Collateral Document, release all or substantially all of the Collateral, without the written consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.  The Administrative Agent may also amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.04.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower to each relevant Loan Document (x) to add one or more credit facilities (in addition to the Incremental Term Loans pursuant to an Incremental Term Loan Amendment) to this Agreement and to permit extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Revolving Loans, Incremental Term Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (y) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders and Lenders, provided that no such amendment (or amendment or restatement) shall increase the Commitment or change the Applicable Percentage of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender.

 

(d)           The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to release any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral (i) upon the termination of the Commitments, payment and satisfaction in full in cash of all Secured Obligations (other than Unliquidated Obligations), and the cash collateralization of all Unliquidated Obligations in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if the Borrower certifies to the Administrative Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), (iii) constituting property leased to the Borrower or any Subsidiary under a lease which has expired or been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, or (iv) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of such Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article VII.  Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly being released) upon (or obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral.

 

(e)           If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of “each Lender” or “each Lender affected thereby,” the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but not obtained being referred to herein as a “Non-Consenting Lender”), then the Borrower may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to

 

66



 

the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrower shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non-Consenting Lender by the Borrower hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender.

 

(f)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.

 

SECTION 9.03.  Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.  (a) 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 initial general syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through a service such as Intralinks) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

(b)           The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities and related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, (other than in respect of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes, in respect of which Section 2.17 shall govern), 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 any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, relating to (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit) or (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; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent

 

67



 

jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from (x) the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee (or any Related Party thereof) or (y) a claim made by the Borrower against an Indemnitee for breach by such Indemnitee (or any Related Party thereof) of its obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

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

 

(d)           To the extent permitted by applicable law, each party hereto shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any other party hereto and its Related Parties, 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 Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided, that nothing contained in this sentence shall limit the Borrower’s indemnity obligations to Indemnitees to the extent set forth in Section 9.03(b) above for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages claimed against such Indemnitees in respect of any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding made by a party other than the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in Section 9.03(b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for damages arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment.

 

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

 

SECTION 9.04.  Successors and Assigns.  (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) 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.  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)(i)       Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more 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) of:

 

68



 

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

 

(B) the Administrative Agent; and

 

(C) the Issuing Bank.

 

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

 

(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;

 

(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500, such fee to be paid by either the assigning Lender or the assignee Lender or shared between such Lenders; and

 

(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain, subject to Section 9.12, material non-public information about the Borrower and its Subsidiaries) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws; and

 

(E) no assignment shall be made to a natural Person or to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:

 

Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

(iii)          Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee

 

69



 

thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 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 (c) of this Section.

 

(iv)          The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank 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, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

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

 

(c)(i)        Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (other than the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant.  Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be

 

70



 

entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a Lender.

 

(ii)           A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 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 2.17 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 2.17(e) as though it were a Lender (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(e) shall be delivered to the participating Lender).  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

(d)           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 without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

SECTION 9.05.  Survival.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank 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 or any other Loan Agreement is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated.  The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.

 

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

 

71



 

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

 

SECTION 9.07.  Severability.  Any provision of any Loan Document 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 thereof; 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 and in whatever currency denominated) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor against any of and all the Secured Obligations held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be unmatured.  The applicable Lender shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of such set-off or application, provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such set-off or application under this Section.  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; Consent to Service of Process.  (a)The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

 

(b)           The Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any 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 New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court.  Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

 

(c)           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

 

72



 

of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)           Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01.  Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document 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 IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER 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 AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS 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.  Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ Related Parties, 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), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by Requirement of Law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies under this Agreement or 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, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction relating to the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their obligations, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with the rating of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or this Agreement or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to this Agreement, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, or any of their respective Affiliates, 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, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with

 

73



 

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.  Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law.  The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein.  Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrower in violation of any Requirement of Law.

 

SECTION 9.14.  USA PATRIOT Act.  Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the Act.

 

SECTION 9.15.  Disclosure.  The Borrower and each Lender hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with any of the Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective Affiliates.

 

SECTION 9.16.  Appointment for Perfection.   Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable law can be perfected only by possession.  Should any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) obtain possession of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s instructions.

 

SECTION 9.17.  Releases of Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

(a)           A Subsidiary Guarantor shall automatically be released from its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary; provided that, if so required by this Agreement, the Required Lenders shall have consented to such transaction and the terms of such consent shall not have provided otherwise.  In connection with any termination or release pursuant to this Section, the Administrative Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender to) execute and deliver to any Loan Party, at such Loan Party’s expense, all documents that such Loan Party shall reasonably request to evidence such termination or release.  Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)           Further, the Administrative Agent may (and is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Lender to), upon the request of the Borrower, release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Subsidiary Guaranty if such Subsidiary Guarantor is no longer a Material Subsidiary.

 

(c)           At such time as the principal and interest on the Loans, all LC Disbursements, the fees, expenses and other amounts payable under the Loan Documents and the other Obligations (other than Banking Services Obligations, Swap Obligations, and other Obligations expressly stated to survive

 

74



 

such payment and termination) shall have been paid in full, the Commitments shall have been terminated and no Letters of Credit shall be outstanding, the Subsidiary Guaranty and all obligations (other than those expressly stated to survive such termination) of each Subsidiary Guarantor thereunder shall automatically terminate, all without delivery of any instrument or performance of any act by any Person.

 

SECTION 9.18.  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 9.19.  No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.  In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Lenders and their Affiliates, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) each of the Lenders and their Affiliates is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) no Lender or any of its Affiliates has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except, in the case of a Lender, those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) each of the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and no Lender or any of its Affiliates has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against each of the Lenders and their Affiliates with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

75



 

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

 

 

MYR GROUP INC., as the Borrower

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ William A. Koertner

 

 

Name:

William A. Koertner

 

 

Title:

President and CEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually as a Lender, as the Swingline Lender, as the Issuing Bank and as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Kristen M. Timson

 

 

Name:

Kristen M. Timson

 

 

Title:

Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., individually as a Lender and as Syndication Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ George Linhart

 

 

Name:

George Linhart

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, individually as a Lender and as Documentation Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Patrick D. Flaherty

 

 

Name:

Patrick D. Flaherty

 

 

Title:

Assistant Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMO HARRIS BANK N.A., as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Shahrokh Z. Shah

 

 

Name:

Shahrokh Z. Shah

 

 

Title:

Managing Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Michael Bromfield

 

 

Name:

Michael Bromfield

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President

 

Signature Page to Credit Agreement

MYR Group Inc.

 



 

COMMITMENT SCHEDULE

 

Lender

 

Commitment

 

 

 

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

 

$

45,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

Bank of America, N.A.

 

$

45,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

PNC Bank, National Association

 

$

35,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

BMO Harris Bank N.A.

 

$

25,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

 

$

25,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

175,000,000

 

 



 

Schedule 1.01 — Affiliated Subordinated Debt

 

TERMS OF SUBORDINATION FOR AFFILIATED SUBORDINATED DEBT

 

All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings attributed to them in the Credit Agreement, dated as of December     , 2011 (as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among MYR Group Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

No payment on account of principal, premium, interest, fees or otherwise on or in respect of any Affiliated Subordinated Debt shall be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries unless such payment is made from funds permitted to be paid as a Restricted Payment pursuant to Section 6.07(a)(iii) of the Credit Agreement. Any such payment permitted pursuant to this paragraph is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Payment”.

 

Upon any payment, division, application or distribution of any or all of the assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, whether in cash, property or securities, to creditors upon any dissolution or winding up or total or partial liquidation or reorganization of any such Person, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings or any assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshaling of assets and liabilities of any such Person (an “Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding”), then and in any such event all principal, premium and interest and all other amounts due then or to become due in respect of all Secured Obligations shall first be paid in full before any of the holders of the Affiliated Subordinated Debt (the “Noteholders”) shall be entitled to retain any assets so paid or distributed in respect of the Affiliated Subordinated Debt other than any Permitted Payment received prior to such event, and upon any such dissolution or winding up or liquidation or reorganization, any payment or distribution of assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries following such dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which the Noteholders would be entitled, except as otherwise provided herein, shall be paid by such Person or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other person making such payment or distribution, or by the Noteholders if received by them, directly to the Administrative Agent for application in accordance with the Credit Agreement. Except for Permitted Payments received by the Noteholders, should any payment or distribution or security or instrument or proceeds thereof be received by any such Noteholder upon or with respect to the Affiliated Subordinated Debt prior to the indefeasible payment in full in cash of all of the Secured Obligations and termination of the Commitments, such Noteholders shall receive and hold the same in a segregated account in trust, as trustee, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations, and shall forthwith deliver the same to the Administrative Agent, in precisely the form received (except for the endorsement or assignment of such Noteholders where necessary), for application on any of Secured Obligations, due or not due, and, until so delivered, the same shall be held in trust by such Noteholders as the property of the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations. In the event of the failure of any such Noteholder to make any such endorsement or assignment to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent, or any of its officers or employees, is hereby irrevocably authorized to make the same (which authorization, being coupled with an interest, is irrevocable).

 



 

So long as any Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations) are outstanding or the Commitments have not terminated, no Noteholder shall (i) commence, or join with any. creditor other than the Administrative Agent in commencing, or directly or indirectly causing the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to commence, or assist any such Person in commencing, any proceeding referred to in the preceding paragraph; or (ii) exercise any right of set-off or any right to terminate any instrument or agreement evidencing any Affiliated Subordinated Debt or to terminate or suspend any commitment, obligation or performance thereunder as the result of any non-payment thereunder.

 

No Noteholder shall, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, have any right to accelerate payment of, or institute any proceedings to enforce the Affiliated Subordinated Debt so long as any Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations) are outstanding and the Commitments have not terminated; provided that any Affiliated Subordinated Debt may accrue overdue interest.

 

In the event of the occurrence of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, and in order to enable the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations to enforce their rights hereunder in any of the aforesaid actions or proceedings, the Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized and empowered, in the Administrative Agent’s discretion, to file, make and present for and on behalf of each Noteholder such proofs of claims of such Noteholder against the Borrower or any Subsidiary on account of the Affiliated Subordinated Debt or other motions or pleadings as the Administrative Agent may deem expedient or proper and to vote such proofs of claims of such Noteholder in any such proceeding and to receive and collect any and all dividends or other payments or disbursements made thereon in whatever form the same may be paid or issued and to apply the same on account of any portion of the Secured Obligations. In voting such proofs of claim in any proceeding, the Administrative Agent may act in a manner consistent with the sole interest of the Holders of Secured Obligations except to the extent required under applicable law, and the Administrative Agent shall have no duty to take any action to optimize or maximize the Noteholders’ recovery with respect to its claim. Subject to the terms of this paragraph, the Noteholders each irrevocably authorizes and empowers the Administrative Agent to demand, sue for, collect and receive any payments and distributions which the Noteholders would otherwise be entitled thereto and give acquaintance therefor and to file claims and take such other actions, in the Administrative Agent’s own name or in the name of the Noteholders or otherwise, as the Administrative Agent may deem necessary or advisable in connection with any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding. To the extent that payments or distributions are made to the Noteholders in connection with any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding in property other than cash, each of the Noteholders authorizes the Administrative Agent to sell such property to such buyers and on such terms as the Administrative Agent, in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, shall determine. In connection with any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding, each of the Noteholders will execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent such powers of attorney, assignments and other instruments or documents, including notes and stock certificates (together with such assignments or endorsements as the Administrative Agent shall deem necessary), as may be requested by the Administrative Agent in order to enable the Administrative Agent to enforce any and all claims of the Administrative Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations upon or with respect to any or all of the Affiliated Subordinated Debt and to collect and receive any and all payments and distributions which may be payable or deliverable at any time upon or with respect to the Affiliated Subordinated Debt, all for the

 



 

Administrative Agent’s and the other Holders of Secured Obligations’ own benefit. Following the indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Secured Obligations and termination of the Commitments, the Administrative Agent will remit to the Noteholders, to the extent of the Noteholders’ respective interest therein, all dividends or other payments or distributions paid to and held by the Administrative Agent in excess of the Secured Obligations. Each of the powers and authorizations granted to the Administrative Agent in this paragraph, being coupled with an interest, is irrevocable.

 

Any instrument evidencing any of the Affiliated Subordinated Debt, or any portion thereof, which is executed by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, will, on the date thereof, be inscribed with the following legend and a copy thereof will be delivered to the Administrative Agent on the date of its execution or within five (5) business days thereafter.:

 

THIS [NOTE] AND THE INDEBTEDNESS EVIDENCED HEREBY ARE SUBORDINATE IN THE MANNER AND TO THE EXTENT SET FORTH IN SCHEDULE 1.01 TO THAT CERTAIN CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER     , 2011, AMONG MYR GROUP INC., THE LENDERS PARTY THERETO AND JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, TO THE SECURED OBLIGATIONS (INCLUDING INTEREST) OWED BY THE BORROWER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY TO THE HOLDERS OF SECURED OBLIGATIONS (AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED IN SAID CREDIT AGREEMENT), AND EACH HOLDER OF THIS NOTE BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF SHALL BE BOUND BY SUCH SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND SUCH HOLDERS OF SECURED OBLIGATIONS SHALL, AND ARE INTENDED TO, CONSTITUTE THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES THEREOF AND ANY AMENDMENTS TO THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE NULL AND VOID AND OF NO EFFECT WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF SUCH ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT.

 

All of the Secured Obligations shall be deemed to have been made or incurred in reliance upon this Agreement. The Noteholders expressly waive all notice of the acceptance by the Administrative Agent or any other Holder of Secured Obligations of the subordination and other provisions of this Agreement and all other notices not specifically required pursuant to the terms of these subordination provisions whatsoever, and the Noteholders expressly waive reliance by the Administrative Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations upon the subordination and other agreements as herein provided. In the event that the Noteholders have or at any time acquire any lien upon or security interest in the assets securing the Secured Obligations, or any part thereof, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Noteholders hereby waive any right that the Noteholders may have whether such right arises under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code or other applicable law, to receive notice of the Administrative Agent’s or other Holders of Secured Obligations’ intended sale or other disposition of such assets (or a portion thereof) or of the other Holder of Secured Obligations’

 



 

proposed retention of such assets in satisfaction of the Secured Obligations (or a portion thereof), and the Noteholders consent to any such sale or disposition free and clear of any lien or security interest in favor of any Noteholder.  The Noteholders further agree that in the event any Loan Party consents or fails to object to a proposed retention of such assets (or a portion thereof) by the Administrative Agent or the other Holders of Secured Obligations in satisfaction of the Secured Obligations (or a portion thereof), the Noteholders hereby consent to such proposed retention regardless of whether the Noteholders are provided with notice of such proposed retention.  The Noteholders agree that the Noteholders will not interfere with or in any manner oppose a sale or other disposition of any assets securing the Secured Obligations by the Administrative Agent or any other Holder of Secured Obligations.  The Noteholders hereby agree that all payments received by any other Holder of Secured Obligations may be applied, reversed, and reapplied, in whole or in part, to any portion of the Secured Obligations in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, and assent to any extension or postponement of the time of payment of the Secured Obligations or to any other indulgence with respect thereto, to any substitution, exchange or release of collateral which may at any time secure the Secured Obligations and to the addition or release of any other party or person primarily or secondarily liable therefor.

 

To the extent that the Holders of Secured Obligations receive payments on, or proceeds of collateral for, the Secured Obligations which are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, avoided and/or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law, or equitable cause, then for purposes of the terms of subordination set forth herein, to the extent of such payment or proceeds received, the Secured Obligations, or part thereof, intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continue in full force and effect as if such payments or proceeds had not been received by the Holders of Secured Obligations. Each of the Noteholders agrees that the Administrative Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations, or any one of them may consent to the use of cash collateral or provide financing to the Borrower or any Subsidiary (under Section 363 or Section 364 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or otherwise) on such terms and conditions and in such amounts as the Holders of Secured Obligations, in their sole discretion, may decide and that, in connection with such cash collateral usage or such financing, the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (or a trustee appointed for the estate any such entities) may grant to the Administrative Agent or the Holders of Secured Obligations liens and security interests upon all assets of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries, which liens and security interests (i) shall secure payment of all Secured Obligations (whether such Secured Obligations arose prior to the filing of the petition for relief or arises thereafter); and (ii) shall be superior in priority to the liens and security interests, if any, held by any of the Noteholders on or in the assets of the Loan Parties (it being understood and agreed that no such liens and security interests are permitted under the terms of the Affiliated Subordinated Debt). All allocations of payments between the Holders of Secured Obligations and the Noteholders shall, subject to any court order, continue to be made after the filing or other commencement of any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding on the same basis that the payments were to be allocated prior to the date of such filing or commencement. Each of the Noteholders agrees that it will not object to or oppose a sale or other disposition of any assets securing the Secured Obligations (or any portion thereof) free and clear of security interests, liens or other claims of the Noteholders, if any, under Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or any other provision of the United States Bankruptcy Code if the Holders of Secured Obligations have consented to such sale or

 



 

disposition of such assets. In the event that the Noteholders have or at any time acquire any security for the Affiliated Subordinated Debt, each of the Noteholders agrees not to assert any right it may have to “adequate protection” of its interest in such security in any Insolvency or Liquidation Proceeding and agrees that it will not seek to have the automatic stay lifted with respect to such security, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent. Each of the Noteholders waives any claim it may now or hereafter have arising out of the Holders of Secured Obligations’ election, in any proceeding instituted under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, of the application of Section 1111(b)(2) of the United States Bankruptcy Code, and/or any borrowing or grant of a security interest under Section 364 of the United States Bankruptcy Code by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, as debtor in possession. Each of the Noteholders agrees not to initiate or prosecute or encourage any other person to initiate or prosecute any claim, action or other proceeding (i) challenging the enforceability of any Holder of Secured Obligations’ claim, (ii) challenging the enforceability of any liens or security interests in assets securing the Secured Obligations or (iii) asserting any claims which any the Borrower or any Subsidiary may hold with respect to the Administrative Agent or any other Holder of Secured Obligations.

 

The subordination effected by these provisions, and the rights of the Holders of Secured Obligations, shall not be affected by (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document, (ii) any amendment of, or addition or supplement to, the Loan Document or any other document evidencing or securing the Secured Obligations, including, without limitation, any change in the time, manner or place or payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Secured Obligations, (iii) any exercise or nonexercise of any right, power or remedy under or in respect of the Loan Document or any other document evidencing or securing the Secured Obligations or (iv) any waiver, consent, release, indulgence, extension, renewal, modification, delay, departure from or other action, inaction or omission, or non-perfection of any Collateral, in respect of the Loan Document or any other document evidencing or securing the Secured Obligations, whether or not any Noteholder shall have had notice or knowledge of any of the foregoing. No failure on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise, of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise, thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

 

The provisions of these terms of subordination constitute a continuing agreement and shall (i) remain in full force and effect until the payment in full of the Secured Obligations (other than contingent indemnity obligations), (ii) be binding upon each Noteholder, the Loan Parties and their respective successors, transferees and assignees, (iii) inure to the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations, and be enforceable by the Administrative Agent and (iv) may not be amended, waived or otherwise modified without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing clause (iii), the Administrative Agent and any Lender may assign or otherwise transfer all or any portion of its rights and obligations under all or any of the Loan Documents to any other Person (to the extent permitted by the Loan Documents), and such other Person shall thereupon become vested with all the rights in respect thereof granted to the Administrative Agent or such Lender herein or otherwise.



 

Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed Matters

 

None.

 



 

Schedule 3.14 — Capitalization and Subsidiaries

 

(a)           Borrower’s Subsidiaries

 

Name

 

Type of Entity

 

 

 

MYR Group Inc.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

The L. E. Myers Co.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

Harlan Electric Company

 

Michigan Corporation

 

 

 

Hawkeye Construction, Inc.

 

Oregon Corporation

 

 

 

Great Southwestern Construction, Inc.

 

Colorado Corporation

 

 

 

MYR Transmission Services, Inc. (formerly MYRcom, Inc.)

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

Sturgeon Electric Company, Inc.

 

Michigan Corporation

 

 

 

Myers International, Inc.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

Parkway on the Lake, Inc.

 

Michigan Corporation

 

 

 

Comtel Technology Inc.

 

Colorado Corporation

 

 

 

MYRpower, Inc.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

(b)           Borrower’s Equity Interests

 

Authorized Shares

 

Shares Issued

 

Stock Ownership

 

 

 

 

 

4,000,000 preferred shares ($0.01 par value)

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100,000,000 common shares ($0.01 par value)

 

20,405,044 issued and 20,401,734 outstanding

 

380,407 – Management and Director Ownership

 



 

(c)           Type of Entity

 

Name

 

Type of Entity

 

 

 

MYR Group Inc.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

The L. E. Myers Co.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

Harlan Electric Company

 

Michigan Corporation

 

 

 

Hawkeye Construction, Inc.

 

Oregon Corporation

 

 

 

Great Southwestern Construction, Inc.

 

Colorado Corporation

 

 

 

MYR Transmission Services, Inc. (formerly MYRcom, Inc.)

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

Sturgeon Electric Company, Inc.

 

Michigan Corporation

 

 

 

Myers International, Inc.

 

Delaware Corporation

 

 

 

Parkway on the Lake, Inc.

 

Michigan Corporation

 

 

 

Comtel Technology Inc.

 

Colorado Corporation

 

 

 

MYRpower, Inc.

 

Delaware Corporation

 



 

Schedule 3.15 — Financing Statements

 

See attached.

 



 

Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness

 

None.

 



 

Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens

 

Existing Liens arising in connection with the lease agreements (as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time) with the parties listed below and existing Liens otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 6.02.

 

LaSalle National Leasing Company

·                                          Master Lease Agreement dated August 28, 2001

 

General Electric Capital Corporation

·                                          Master Lease Agreement dated April 16, 1999

 

Altec Capital Services, LLC

·                                          Master Vehicle Lease (Number RL-20352) dated September 24, 2001

 

Lease Plan U.S.A.

·                                          Vehicle Lease Agreement dated January 13, 2004

 

MHC Truck Leasing

·                                          Truck Lease Agreement dated May 26, 2005

 

NationsBanc Leasing Corporation

·                                          Master Automobile Lease Agreement (Number 05401-00100) dated October 6, 1998

 

Union Leasing, Inc.

·                                          Master Motor Lease Agreement dated August 16, 2000

 

Glesby-Marks/Colorado

·                                          Vehicle Lease Agreement dated July 20, 1992

 

CC&R Enterprises, LLC

·                                          Rental Agreement dated November 27, 2009

 

Bankers Leasing Company

·                                          Equipment Lease No. 41311 dated June 27, 2008

 



 

Schedule 6.04 — Existing Investments

 

None.

 



 

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 Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Credit 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 Credit 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 Credit 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 (including any letters of credit, guarantees, and swingline loans included in such facilities) 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 Credit 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:

 

MYR Group Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

4.

 

Administrative Agent:

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

5.

 

Credit Agreement:

 

The Credit Agreement dated as of December 21, 2011 among MYR Group Inc., as the Borrower, the Lenders parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

6.

 

Assigned Interest:

 

 

 


(1)  Select as applicable.

 



 

Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans for all
Lenders

 

Amount of
Commitment/Loans Assigned

 

Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans(2)

 

$

 

$

 

 

%

$

 

$

 

 

%

$

 

$

 

 

%

 

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 Assignee agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower,[, the Loan Parties] and [its] [their] related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

 

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

 

 

 

Consented to and Accepted:

 

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as

 

 

Administrative Agent and Issuing Bank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

 

Title

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Consented to:](3)

 

 

 


(2)  Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

(3)  To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 



 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

 

Title

 

 

 



 

ANNEX 1

 

[                                    ](4)

 

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 Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents 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 any Loan Document 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 any Loan Document.

 

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 Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit 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 Credit 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 Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section        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, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed 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 Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

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

 


(4)  Describe Credit Agreement at option of Administrative Agent.

 



 

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 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 New York.

 



 

EXHIBIT B

 

LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS

 

$175,000,000

 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

December 21, 2011

 

LIST OF CLOSING DOCUMENTS(5)

 

A.            LOAN DOCUMENTS

 

1.             Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) by and among MYR Group Inc. (the “Borrower”), the institutions from time to time parties thereto as Lenders (the “Lenders”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for itself and the other Lenders (the “Administrative Agent”), evidencing a revolving credit facility in an initial aggregate principal amount of $175,000,000.

 

SCHEDULES

 

Commitment Schedule

 

Schedule 1.01

Affiliated Subordinated Debt

Schedule 2.06

Existing Letters of Credit

Schedule 3.06

Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.14

Capitalization and Subsidiaries

Schedule 3.15

Financing Statements

Schedule 6.01

Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02

Existing Liens

Schedule 6.04

Existing Investments

 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A

Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B

List of Closing Documents

Exhibit C-1

Form of Increasing Lender Supplement

Exhibit C-2

Form of Augmenting Lender Supplement

Exhibit D

Form of Compliance Certificate

 

2.             Notes executed by the Borrower in favor of each of the Lenders, if any, which has requested a note pursuant to Section 2.10(e) of the Credit Agreement.

 

3.             Guaranty executed by the initial Subsidiary Guarantors identified on Appendix A hereto (collectively with the Borrower, the “Loan Parties”) in favor of the Administrative Agent.

 


(5)           Each capitalized term used herein and not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the above-defined Credit Agreement.  Items appearing in bold and italics shall be prepared and/or provided by the Borrower and/or Borrower’s counsel.

 



 

4.             Pledge and Security Agreement executed by the Loan Parties, together with, pledged instruments and allonges, stock certificates, stock powers executed in blank, pledge instructions and acknowledgments, as appropriate.

 

Exhibit A

Place of Business or Chief Executive Office

Exhibit B

Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks

Exhibit C

[Reserved]

Exhibit D

Equity Interests in Pledge Subsidiaries

Exhibit E

UCC Financing Statement Filing Locations

Exhibit F

Commercial Tort Claims

 

5.             Certificates of Insurance listing the Administrative Agent as (x) lender loss payee for the property and casualty insurance policies of the Initial Loan Parties, together with long-form lender loss payable, as appropriate, and (y) additional insured with respect to the liability insurance of the Loan Parties, together with additional insured endorsements, in each case to the extent required by Section 5.09 of the Credit Agreement.

 

B.            UCC DOCUMENTS

 

6.             UCC, tax lien and name variation search reports naming each Loan Party from the appropriate offices in relevant jurisdictions.

 

7.             UCC financing statements naming each Loan Party as debtor and the Administrative Agent as secured party as filed with the appropriate offices in those jurisdictions set forth in Appendix B hereto.

 

C.            CORPORATE DOCUMENTS

 

8.             Certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of each Loan Party certifying (i) that there have been no changes in the Certificate of Incorporation or other charter document of such Loan Party, as attached thereto and as certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State (or analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization, since the date of the certification thereof by such governmental entity, (ii) the By-Laws or other applicable organizational document, as attached thereto, of such Loan Party as in effect on the date of such certification, (iii) resolutions of the Board of Directors or other governing body of such Loan Party authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of each Loan Document to which it is a party, and (iv) the names and true signatures of the incumbent officers of each Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (in the case of the Borrower) authorized to request a Borrowing or the issuance of a Letter of Credit under the Credit Agreement.

 

9.             Good Standing Certificate for each Loan Party from the Secretary of State (or analogous governmental entity) of the jurisdiction of its organization.

 

D.            LEGAL OPINIONS

 

10.           Opinion letter of McDermott Will & Emery, LLP, counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations.

 



 

E.             CLOSING CERTIFICATES AND MISCELLANEOUS

 

11.           Initial Compliance certificate signed by a Financial Officer, setting forth calculations (A) demonstrating compliance with Section 6.12 of the Credit Agreement and (B) 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 of the Credit Agreement and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate.

 

12.           Payoff documentation providing evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that the Existing Credit Agreement has been terminated and cancelled (along with all of the agreements, documents and instruments delivered in connection therewith) and all Indebtedness owing thereunder has been repaid and any and all liens thereunder have been terminated.

 



 

EXHIBIT C-1

 

FORM OF INCREASING LENDER SUPPLEMENT

 

INCREASING LENDER SUPPLEMENT, dated                     , 20       (this “Supplement”), by and among each of the signatories hereto, to the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 21, 2011 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among MYR Group Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower has the right, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, to effectuate from time to time an increase in the Aggregate Commitment and/or one or more tranches of Incremental Term Loans under the Credit Agreement by requesting one or more Lenders to increase the amount of its Commitment and/or to participate in such a tranche;

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has given notice to the Administrative Agent of its intention to [increase the Aggregate Commitment] [and] [enter into a tranche of Incremental Term Loans] pursuant to such Section 2.04; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.04 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned Increasing Lender now desires to [increase the amount of its Commitment] [and] [participate in a tranche of Incremental Term Loans] under the Credit Agreement by executing and delivering to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent this Supplement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto hereby agrees as follows:

 

1.             The undersigned Increasing Lender agrees, subject to the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement, that on the date of this Supplement it shall [have its Commitment increased by $[                    ], thereby making the aggregate amount of its total Commitments equal to $[                    ]] [and] [participate in a tranche of Incremental Term Loans with a commitment amount equal to $[                    ] with respect thereto].

 

2.             The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.

 

3.             Terms defined in the Credit Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used herein.

 

4.             This Supplement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

 

5.             This Supplement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same document.

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Supplement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on the date first above written.

 

 

 

[INSERT NAME OF INCREASING LENDER]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above:

 

 

 

 

 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledged as of the date first written above:

 

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

 

 

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 



 

EXHIBIT C-2

 

FORM OF AUGMENTING LENDER SUPPLEMENT

 

AUGMENTING LENDER SUPPLEMENT, dated                     , 20       (this “Supplement”), to the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 21, 2011 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among MYR Group Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, the Credit Agreement provides in Section 2.04 thereof that any bank, financial institution or other entity may [extend Commitments] [and] [participate in tranches of Incremental Term Loans] under the Credit Agreement subject to the approval of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, by executing and delivering to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a supplement to the Credit Agreement in substantially the form of this Supplement; and

 

WHEREAS, the undersigned Augmenting Lender was not an original party to the Credit Agreement but now desires to become a party thereto;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, each of the parties hereto hereby agrees as follows:

 

1.             The undersigned Augmenting Lender agrees to be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and agrees that it shall, on the date of this Supplement, become a Lender for all purposes of the Credit Agreement to the same extent as if originally a party thereto, with a [Commitment with respect to Revolving Loans of $[                    ]] [and] [a commitment with respect to Incremental Term Loans of $[                    ]].

 

2.             The undersigned Augmenting Lender (a) represents and warrants that it is legally authorized to enter into this Supplement; (b) confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and has reviewed such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Supplement; (c) agrees 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 deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (d) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are incidental thereto; and (e) agrees that it will be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and will perform in accordance with its terms all the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

3.             The undersigned’s address for notices for the purposes of the Credit Agreement is as follows:

 

[                      ]

 

4.             The Borrower hereby represents and warrants that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on and as of the date hereof.

 



 

5.             Terms defined in the Credit Agreement shall have their defined meanings when used herein.

 

6.             This Supplement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

 

7.             This Supplement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same document.

 

[remainder of this page intentionally left blank]

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has caused this Supplement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on the date first above written.

 

 

 

[INSERT NAME OF AUGMENTING LENDER]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first written above:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledged as of the date first written above:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

 

 

 

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 



 

EXHIBIT D

 

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

To:

The Lenders parties to the

 

Credit Agreement Described Below

 

This Compliance Certificate is furnished pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of December 21, 2011 (as amended, modified, renewed or extended from time to time, the “Agreement”) among MYR Group Inc. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders and as the Issuing Bank.  Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Compliance Certificate have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.

 

THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT:

 

1.             I am the duly elected                      of the Borrower;

 

2.             The attached financial statements [for quarterly or monthly financial statements add: and such financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes];

 

3.             I have no knowledge of (i) the existence of any condition or event which constitutes a Default during or at the end of the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements or as of the date of this Compliance Certificate or (ii) any change in GAAP or in the application thereof that would impact the covenant calculations under Section 6.12 of the Agreement that has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 of the Agreement;

 

4.             Schedule I attached hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the Borrower’s compliance with Section 6.12 of the Agreement, all of which data and computations are true, complete and correct;  and

 

5.             Schedule II hereto sets forth the computations necessary to determine the Applicable Rate commencing on the Business Day this Compliance Certificate is delivered.

 

Described below are the exceptions, if any, to paragraph 3 by listing, in detail, the (i) nature of the condition or event, the period during which it has existed and the action which the Borrower has taken, is taking, or proposes to take with respect to each such condition or event or (i) the change in GAAP or the application thereof and the effect of such change on the attached financial statements:

 

 

 

The foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedule I and Schedule II hereto and the financial statements delivered with this Compliance Certificate in support hereof, are made and delivered this          day of           ,       .

 



 

 

MYR GROUP INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 



 

SCHEDULE I

 

Compliance as of                   ,          with
Provisions of          and          of
the Agreement

 



 

SCHEDULE II

 

Borrower’s Applicable Rate Calculation