EX-10.1 2 d871322dex101.htm EX-10.1 EX-10.1

Exhibit 10.1

Published CUSIP Numbers:

Deal: 34354LAY0

Revolver: 34354LAZ7

Term Loan: 34354LBA1

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

Dated as of October 10, 2024

among

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION,

as the Borrower,

THE SUBSIDIARIES OF THE BORROWER IDENTIFIED HEREIN,

as the Guarantors,

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and an L/C Issuer,

BNP PARIBAS,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

and

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.,

as Co-Syndication Agents,

CITIBANK, N.A.,

CRÉDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT BANK,

MUFG BANK, LTD.

and

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Co-Documentation Agents

and

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

Arranged By:

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.,

BNP PARIBAS SECURITIES CORP.,

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

and

MIZUHO BANK, LTD.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS      5  

1.01

   Defined Terms      5  

1.02

   Other Interpretive Provisions      35  

1.03

   Accounting Terms      36  

1.04

   Rounding      36  

1.05

   Times of Day      36  

1.06

   Letter of Credit Amounts      37  

1.07

   Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents      37  

1.08

   Additional Alternative Currencies      37  

1.09

   Change of Currency      38  

1.10

   Interest Rates      39  
ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS      39  

2.01

   Revolving Loans and Term Loan      39  

2.02

   Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans      41  

2.03

   Letters of Credit      43  

2.04

   Swing Line Loans      52  

2.05

   Prepayments      55  

2.06

   Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments      57  

2.07

   Repayment of Loans      57  

2.08

   Interest      58  

2.09

   Fees      59  

2.10

   Computation of Interest and Fees      60  

2.11

   Evidence of Debt      60  

2.12

   Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback      60  

2.13

   Sharing of Payments by Lenders      62  

2.14

   Cash Collateral      63  

2.15

   Defaulting Lenders      64  

2.16

   [Reserved]      66  
ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY      66  

3.01

   Taxes      66  

3.02

   Illegality      71  

3.03

   Inability to Determine Rates      71  

3.04

   Increased Costs      75  

3.05

   Compensation for Losses      76  

3.06

   Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders      77  

3.07

   Survival      77  
ARTICLE IV GUARANTY      77  

4.01

   The Guaranty      77  

4.02

   Obligations Unconditional      78  

4.03

   Reinstatement      79  

4.04

   Certain Additional Waivers      79  

4.05

   Remedies      79  

4.06

   Rights of Contribution      79  

4.07

   Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee      79  

4.08

   Keepwell      79  


ARTICLE V CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS      80  

5.01

   Conditions of Effectiveness      80  

5.02

   Conditions to all Credit Extensions.      82  
ARTICLE VI REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES      82  

6.01

   Organization; Powers      82  

6.02

   Authorization      83  

6.03

   Enforceability      83  

6.04

   Governmental Approvals      83  

6.05

   Financial Statements      83  

6.06

   No Material Adverse Change      83  

6.07

   Title to Properties; Possession Under Leases      83  

6.08

   Subsidiaries      84  

6.09

   Litigation; Compliance with Laws      84  

6.10

   Agreements      84  

6.11

   Federal Reserve Regulations      84  

6.12

   Investment Company Act      85  

6.13

   Use of Proceeds      85  

6.14

   Tax Returns      85  

6.15

   No Material Misstatements      85  

6.16

   Employee Benefit Plans      85  

6.17

   Environmental Matters      86  

6.18

   Insurance      86  

6.19

   Labor Matters      86  

6.20

   Solvency      86  

6.21

   Existing Liens      86  

6.22

   OFAC      87  

6.23

   Anti-Corruption Laws      87  

6.24

   No Affected Financial Institutions      87  
ARTICLE VII AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS      87  

7.01

   Existence; Businesses and Properties      87  

7.02

   Insurance      88  

7.03

   Obligations and Taxes      88  

7.04

   Financial Statements, Reports, etc.      88  

7.05

   Litigation and Other Notices      90  

7.06

   Information Regarding Subsidiaries      90  

7.07

   Maintaining Records; Access to Properties and Inspections      91  

7.08

   Use of Proceeds      91  

7.09

   Debt Ratings      91  
ARTICLE VIII NEGATIVE COVENANTS      91  

8.01

   Indebtedness      92  

8.02

   Liens      93  

8.03

   [Reserved]      95  

8.04

   Investments      95  

8.05

   Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets      96  

8.06

   Restricted Payments; Restrictive Agreements      97  

 

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8.07

   Transactions with Affiliates      97  

8.08

   Business of Borrower and Subsidiaries      98  

8.09

   Other Indebtedness and Agreements      98  

8.10

   Fiscal Year      98  

8.11

   Financial Covenants      98  

8.12

   Use of Proceeds      99  
ARTICLE IX EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES      99  

9.01

   Events of Default      99  

9.02

   Remedies Upon Event of Default      101  

9.03

   Application of Funds      102  
ARTICLE X ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT      103  

10.01

   Appointment and Authority      103  

10.02

   Rights as a Lender      103  

10.03

   Exculpatory Provisions      103  

10.04

   Reliance by Administrative Agent      104  

10.05

   Delegation of Duties      105  

10.06

   Resignation of Administrative Agent      105  

10.07

   Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders      106  

10.08

   No Other Duties; Etc.      107  

10.09

   Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim      107  

10.10

   Guaranty Matters      108  

10.11

   ERISA Matters      108  

10.12

   Recovery of Erroneous Payments      109  
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS      110  

11.01

   Amendments, Etc.      110  

11.02

   Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications      112  

11.03

   No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement      114  

11.04

   Expenses; Indemnity; and Damage Waiver      114  

11.05

   Payments Set Aside      117  

11.06

   Successors and Assigns      117  

11.07

   Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality      121  

11.08

   Set-off      122  

11.09

   Interest Rate Limitation      123  

11.10

   Integration; Effectiveness      123  

11.11

   Survival of Representations and Warranties      123  

11.12

   Severability      124  

11.13

   Replacement of Lenders      124  

11.14

   Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.      125  

11.15

   Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury      126  

11.16

   No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility      126  

11.17

   Electronic Execution      127  

11.18

   USA PATRIOT Act Notice      128  

11.19

   Judgment Currency      128  

11.20

   Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions      128  

11.21

   Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs      129  

11.22

   Amendment and Restatement      130  

11.23

   Entire Agreement      130  

 

iii


SCHEDULES

  

1.01(a)

   Existing Letters of Credit

2.01

   Commitments and Applicable Percentages

6.08

   Subsidiaries

8.02

   Liens Existing on the Closing Date

8.04

   Investments Existing on the Closing Date

8.06

   Restrictive Agreements

8.09

   Other Indebtedness

11.02

   Certain Addresses for Notices

EXHIBITS

  

2.02

   Form of Loan Notice

2.04

   Form of Swing Line Loan Notice

2.05

   Form of Notice of Loan Prepayment

2.11(a)

   Form of Note

3.01

   Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates

7.04

   Form of Compliance Certificate

7.10

   Form of Joinder Agreement

11.06(b)

   Form of Assignment and Assumption

11.06(b)(iv)

   Form of Administrative Questionnaire

 

 

iv


SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

This SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of October 10, 2024 among FLOWSERVE CORPORATION, a New York corporation (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors (defined herein), the Lenders (defined herein) and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer.

The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide $1,300,000,000 senior credit facilities for the purposes set forth herein, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

1.01 Defined Terms.

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

Acquisition”, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of either (a) all or any substantial portion of the property of, or a line of business or division of, another Person or (b) all of the Voting Stock of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person.

Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.18.

Administrative Agent” means Bank of America (or any of its designated branch offices or affiliates) in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

Administrative Agent’s Office” means, with respect to any currency, the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02 with respect to such currency, or such other address or account with respect to such currency as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b)(iv) or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

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

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

Agent Parties” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.02(c).


Aggregate Revolving Commitments” means the Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders. The initial amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in effect on the Closing Date is $800,000,000.

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.

Agreement Currency” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.19.

Alternative Currency” means each of Euro, Sterling and each other currency (other than Dollars) that is approved in accordance with Section 1.08; provided that for each Alternative Currency, such requested currency is an Eligible Currency at the time of the applicable Credit Extension.

Alternative Currency Daily Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any Credit Extension:

(a) denominated in Sterling, the rate per annum equal to SONIA determined pursuant to the definition thereof; and

(b) denominated in any other Alternative Currency (to the extent such Loans denominated in such currency will bear interest at a daily rate), the daily rate per annum as designated with respect to such Alternative Currency at the time such Alternative Currency is approved by the Administrative Agent and the relevant Lenders pursuant to Section 1.08 plus the adjustment (if any) determined by the Administrative Agent and the relevant Lenders pursuant to Section 1.08;

provided that if any Alternative Currency Daily Rate shall be less than 0%, then such rate shall be deemed 0% for purposes of this Agreement. Any change in an Alternative Currency Daily Rate shall be effective from and including the date of such change without further notice.

Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the definition of “Alternative Currency Daily Rate.” All Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loans must be denominated in an Alternative Currency.

Alternative Currency Equivalent” means, at any time, with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the equivalent amount thereof in the applicable Alternative Currency as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, by reference to Bloomberg (or such other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates), to be the exchange rate for the purchase of such Alternative Currency with Dollars at approximately 11:00 a.m. on the date two (2) Business Days prior to the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made; provided, however, that if no such rate is available, the “Alternative Currency Equivalent” shall be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, using any reasonable method of determination it deems appropriate in its sole discretion (and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error).

Alternative Currency Loan” means an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan or an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, as applicable.

Alternative Currency Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and $350,000,000. The Alternative Currency Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

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Alternative Currency Term Rate” means, for any Interest Period, with respect to any Credit Extension:

(a) denominated in Euros, the rate per annum equal to the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (“EURIBOR”), as published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) on the day that is two TARGET Days preceding the first day of such Interest Period with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

(b) denominated in any other Alternative Currency (to the extent such Loans denominated in such currency will bear interest at a term rate), the term rate per annum as designated with respect to such Alternative Currency at the time such Alternative Currency is approved by the Administrative Agent and the relevant Lenders pursuant to Section 1.08 plus the adjustment (if any) determined by the Administrative Agent and the relevant Lenders pursuant to Section 1.08;

provided that if any Alternative Currency Term Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the definition of “Alternative Currency Term Rate.” All Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans must be denominated in an Alternative Currency.

Applicable Authority” means, with respect to any Alternative Currency, the applicable administrator for the Relevant Rate for such Alternative Currency or any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent or such administrator.

Applicable Local Time” means, with respect to any borrowings and payments in any Alternative Currency, the local time in the place of settlement for such Alternative Currency, as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be necessary for timely settlement on the relevant date in accordance with normal banking procedures in the place of payment.

Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, (a) with respect to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time; provided that if the commitment of each Lender to make Revolving Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02 or if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments, and (b) with respect to such Lender’s portion of the outstanding Term Loan at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan held by such Lender at such time. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable. The Applicable Percentages shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15.

 

7


Applicable Rate” means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Debt Rating as set forth below:

 

Pricing Level

   Debt Rating    Commitment
Fee
    Term SOFR
Loans,
Alternative
Currency
Daily Rate
Loans and
Alternative
Currency
Term Rate
Loans
    Base Rate
Loans
    Letter of Credit Fees  
  Financial     Performance     Commercial  

1

   A3/A- or better      0.080     1.000     0.000     1.000     0.500     0.250

2

   Baa1/BBB+      0.100     1.125     0.125     1.125     0.550     0.300

3

   Baa2/BBB      0.125     1.250     0.250     1.250     0.625     0.375

4

   Baa3/BBB-      0.175     1.375     0.375     1.375     0.750     0.450

5

   Ba1/BB+      0.225     1.500     0.500     1.500     0.875     0.500

6

   Ba2/BB or worse      0.250     1.750     0.750     1.750     1.000     0.600

Debt Rating” means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moody’s (collectively, the “Debt Ratings”) of the Borrower’s non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt; provided that (a) if the respective Debt Ratings issued by foregoing rating agencies differ by one level, then the Pricing Level for the higher of such Debt Ratings shall apply (with the Debt Rating for Pricing Level 1 being the highest and the Debt Rating for Pricing Level 6 being the lowest); (b) if there is a split in Debt Ratings of more than one level, then the Pricing Level that is one level lower than the Pricing Level of the higher Debt Rating shall apply; (c) if the Borrower has only one Debt Rating, the Pricing Level that is one level lower than that of such Debt Rating shall apply; and (d) if the Borrower does not have any Debt Rating, Pricing Level 6 shall apply.

Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be determined based upon Pricing Level 4. Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective, in the case of an upgrade, during the period commencing on the date of delivery by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent of notice thereof pursuant to Section 7.05(d) and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change and, in the case of a downgrade, during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.

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

Asset Sale” means the sale, transfer or other disposition of any property by the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries other than (a) sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business, (b) dispositions of damaged, obsolete or worn-out assets, scrap that are disposed of in the ordinary course of business, (c) the sale of Program Receivables pursuant to the Receivables Program, (d) dispositions between or among Loan Parties, (e) dispositions from Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties to Loan Parties, (f) dispositions between or among Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties, (g) dispositions from Loan Parties to Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties of assets having an aggregate value not in excess of 10% of Consolidated Tangible Assets (determined as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available) from and after the Closing Date, (h) dispositions of delinquent accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof, (i) the sale or disposition of Permitted Investments for fair market value, (j) to the extent constituting dispositions of property, Investments

 

8


permitted by Section 8.04, (k) dispositions by a Loan Party of the Equity Interests of a direct Foreign Subsidiary of such Loan Party to a direct or indirect wholly-owned Foreign Subsidiary of the Borrower (the “transferee”), (l) 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 asset of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (m) other sales, transfers or other dispositions in any fiscal year of the Borrower of assets having an aggregate value not in excess of $20,000,000. For purposes of clarification, Restricted Payments and Asset Swaps shall not be treated as Asset Sales for purposes of this Agreement.

Asset Swap” means any transfer of assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary to any Person (other than the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower) in exchange for assets of such Person if such exchange would qualify, whether in part or in full, as a like-kind exchange pursuant to Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. Nothing in this definition shall require the Borrower or any Subsidiary to elect that Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code be applicable to any Asset Swap.

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b) or any other form (including an electronic documentation form generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.

Auto-Extension Letter of Credit” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(b)(iii).

Availability Period” means, with respect to the Revolving Commitments, the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 9.02.

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

Bail-In Legislation” means (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, rule, regulation or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

Bankruptcy Code” means Title 11 of the United States Code entitled “Bankruptcy”, as now and hereafter in effect, or any successor statute.

BAS” means BofA Securities, Inc., in its capacity as a joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner.

 

9


Base Rate” means, for any day, a fluctuating rate of interest per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) Term SOFR plus 1.0%, subject to the interest rate floors set forth in the definition of “Federal Funds Rate” or “Term SOFR”, as applicable; provided that if the Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such “prime rate” announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change. If the Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 3.03 hereof, then the Base Rate shall be the greater of clauses (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above.

Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate. All Base Rate Loans shall be denominated in Dollars.

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

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

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

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

Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04.

Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type, in the same currency and, in the case of Term SOFR Loans and Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located; provided that:

(a) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to an Alternative Currency Loan denominated in Euro, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in Euro in respect of any such Alternative Currency Loan, or any other dealings in Euro to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Alternative Currency Loan, “Business Day” means any TARGET Day which is also a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located;

 

10


(b) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to an Alternative Currency Loan denominated in Sterling, “Business Day” means a day other than a day banks are closed for general business in London because such day is a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday under the laws of the United Kingdom; and

(c) if such day relates to any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in a currency other than Euro in respect of an Alternative Currency Loan denominated in a currency other than Euro, or any other dealings in any currency other than Euro to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Alternative Currency Loan (other than any interest rate settings), “Business Day” means any such day on which banks are open for foreign exchange business in the principal financial center of the country of such currency.

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

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

Cash Restructuring Expenses” means restructuring and/or realignment expenses as disclosed in the Borrower’s realignment footnote(s) published within its financial statements and filed with the SEC.

Cash Restructuring Limit” means, with respect to any four fiscal quarter period, $100,000,000; provided that (i) to the extent Cash Restructuring Expenses added back in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA for any four fiscal quarter period are less than $100,000,000, such unused amount (not to exceed $75,000,000) may be carried forward to increase the Cash Restructuring Limit in the following four fiscal quarter period, and (ii) the aggregate amount of all Cash Restructuring Expenses added back in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA may not exceed $200,000,000 during the term of this Agreement.

CERCLA” means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. Sect. 9601 et seq.).

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

 

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Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which: (a) any person or group (within the meaning of Rule 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as in effect on the Closing Date) shall beneficially own (within the meaning of Rules 13d-3 and13d-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as in effect on the Closing Date) directly or indirectly, shares representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower; (b) a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower shall at any time be occupied by persons who were neither (i) nominated, appointed or approved for election by the board of directors of the Borrower, nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated, appointed or approved for election; or (c) any change in control (or similar event, however denominated) with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall occur under and as defined in any indenture or agreement in respect of Material Indebtedness to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party.

Closing Date” means October 10, 2024.

CME” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited.

Commitment” means, as to each Lender, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender and/or the Term Loan Commitment of such Lender.

Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(a).

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

Communication” means this Agreement, any Loan Document and any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice, certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to any Loan Document.

Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.04.

Conforming Changes” means, with respect to the use, administration of or any conventions associated with SOFR, Term SOFR, SONIA or any proposed Successor Rate or Successor Term SOFR Rate, as applicable, any conforming changes to the definitions of “Base Rate”, “SOFR”, “Term SOFR”, “SONIA”, and “Interest Period”, the timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other technical, administrative or operational matters (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the definitions of “Business Day” and “U.S. Government Securities Business Day”, the timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices and length of lookback periods) as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption and implementation of such applicable rate(s) and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice for such Alternative Currency (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such rate for such Alternative Currency exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and any other Loan Document).

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

 

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Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) consolidated income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization for such period, (iv) any unusual or non-recurring charges or losses for such period, (v) the amount of premium payments paid by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, and charges in respect of unamortized fees and expenses, in each case associated with the repayment of Indebtedness, (vi) any expenses, charges or other costs related to any equity offering, debt offering, acquisition, other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by this Agreement, or the refinancing of any other Indebtedness, in each case whether or not consummated, (vii) charges in respect of unamortized fees and expenses associated with the amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement, and all costs, fees and expenses paid by the Borrower in connection with the amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement, (viii) the amount of post-retirement health benefits accrued in such period less the amount of post-retirement health benefits paid in such period, in an amount of up to $5,000,000, (ix) expenses relating to stock-based compensation plans resulting from the application of FASB ASC 718, and (x) Cash Restructuring Expenses during such period not to exceed the Cash Restructuring Limit (provided that such Cash Restructuring Expenses are reasonably identified and set forth in the Compliance Certificate), and minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in determining such Consolidated Net Income, any unusual or non-recurring income or gains for such period, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, the total consolidated Indebtedness of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (excluding (a) Guarantees under Section 8.04(j), and (b) Indebtedness of the type described in clause (i) of the definition of “Indebtedness” and under Sections 8.01(f) and (g), except, in each case, to the extent of any unreimbursed drawings or payments thereunder).

Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, the interest expense for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus, without duplication, all fees, discounts, premiums, expenses or similar amounts incurred by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Receivables Program for such period, including purchase discounts (net of any loss reserves), purchase premiums, operating expense fees, structuring fees, collection agent fees, unutilized purchase limit fees and other similar fees and expenses.

Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters to (b) Consolidated Interest Charges for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters; provided, however, that if as of any date the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio is being determined, the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have completed a Permitted Acquisition or an Asset Sale during the relevant four fiscal quarter period, Consolidated EBITDA shall be computed (for purposes of such determination) on a Pro Forma Basis as if such transaction(s) and any related incurrence of Indebtedness, had occurred at the beginning of such period.

Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the net income or loss of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income of any Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by the Subsidiary of that income is not at the time permitted by operation of the terms of its Organization Documents or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, statute, rule or regulation applicable to such Subsidiary, (b) the income or loss of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or the date that such Person’s assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, and (c) after tax gains and losses attributable to sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business.

 

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Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date less the aggregate amount of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in excess of $250,000,000 included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters; provided, however, that if as of any date the Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio is being determined, the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall have completed a Permitted Acquisition or an Asset Sale during the relevant four fiscal quarter period, Consolidated EBITDA shall be computed (for purposes of such determination) on a Pro Forma Basis as if such transaction(s) and any related incurrence of Indebtedness, had occurred at the beginning of such period.

Consolidated Tangible Assets” means, as of any date, total assets (excluding treasury stock, unamortized debt discount and expense, goodwill, trademarks, trade names, patents, deferred charges and other intangible assets) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, as determined in accordance with GAAP.

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

Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.

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

Covered Party” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.

Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

Daily Simple SOFR” with respect to any applicable determination date means SOFR published on such date on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s website (or any successor source).

Debt Rating” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Applicable Rate”.

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

Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Term SOFR Loan or Alternative Currency Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.

 

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

Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(d), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swing Line Loans) within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity, or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(d)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender and each Lender promptly following such determination.

Designated Jurisdiction” means any region, country or territory to the extent that such region, country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.

Disqualifying Event” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Eligible Currency”.

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

 

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Dollar Equivalent” means, for any amount, at the time of determination thereof, (a) if such amount is expressed in Dollars, such amount, (b) if such amount is expressed in an Alternative Currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars determined by using the rate of exchange for the purchase of Dollars with the Alternative Currency last provided (either by publication or otherwise provided to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable) by the applicable Bloomberg source (or such other publicly available source for displaying exchange rates) on the date that is two (2) Business Days immediately preceding the date of determination (or if such service ceases to be available or ceases to provide such rate of exchange, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, using any method of determination it deems appropriate in its sole discretion) and (c) if such amount is denominated in any other currency, the equivalent of such amount in Dollars as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, using any method of determination it deems appropriate in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer pursuant to clauses (b) or (c) above shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.

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

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

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

Electronic Copy” has the meaning specified in Section 11.17.

Electronic Record” and “Electronic Signature” shall have the meanings assigned to them, respectively, by 15 U.S.C. §7006, as it may be amended from time to time.

Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 11.06(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).

Eligible Currency” means any lawful currency other than Dollars that is readily available, freely transferable and convertible into Dollars in the international interbank market available to the Lenders in such market and as to which a Dollar Equivalent may be readily calculated. If, after the designation by the Lenders of any currency as an Alternative Currency, any change in currency controls or exchange regulations or any change in the national or international financial, political or economic conditions that are imposed in the country in which such currency is issued, result in, in the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders (in the case of any Loans to be denominated in an Alternative Currency) or the L/C Issuer (in the case of any Letter of Credit to be denominated in an Alternative Currency), (a) such currency no longer being readily available, freely transferable and convertible into Dollars, (b) a Dollar Equivalent no longer being readily calculable with respect to such currency, (c) it being impracticable for the Lenders, in their reasonable business judgment, to provide such currency or (d) such currency no longer being a currency in which the Required Lenders are willing to make such Credit Extensions (each

 

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of (a), (b), (c), and (d) a “Disqualifying Event”), then the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders and the Borrower, and such country’s currency shall no longer be an Alternative Currency until such time as the Disqualifying Event(s) no longer exist. Within, five (5) Business Days after receipt of such notice from the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall repay all Loans in such currency to which the Disqualifying Event applies or convert such Loans into the Dollar Equivalent of Loans in Dollars, subject to the other terms contained herein.

Environmental Laws” means all applicable federal, state, local and foreign Laws (including common law), treaties, regulations, rules, ordinances, codes, decrees, judgments and orders (including consent orders), in each case, relating to protection of the environment, natural resources, or public health as related to (i) hazardous substances (as that term is defined in CERCLA) or petroleum products, (ii) the presence, Release of, or exposure to, such hazardous substances or petroleum products or (iii) the generation, manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, transport, recycling or handling of, or the arrangement for such activities with respect to, hazardous substances or petroleum products.

Environmental Liability” means liabilities, obligations, claims, actions, suits, judgments or orders under or relating to any Environmental Law for any damages, injunctive relief, losses, fines, penalties, fees, expenses (including fees and expenses of attorneys and consultants) or costs, including those arising from or relating to: (a) any action to address the on- or off-site presence, Release of, or exposure to, Hazardous Materials; (b) permitting and licensing, administrative oversight, insurance premiums and financial assurance requirements; (c) any personal injury (including death), property damage (real or personal) or natural resource damage; and (d) the compliance or non-compliance with any Environmental Law.

Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

Equity Notes Payable” means notes payable or similar instruments issued by a Foreign Subsidiary to its parent to evidence a distribution of retained earnings or return of capital to such parent or a reclassification of an earlier equity Investment by such parent in such Foreign Subsidiary, in each case entered into for repatriation planning purposes and not issued or created in connection with a substantially concurrent Investment by the parent to such Foreign Subsidiary.

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

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 Internal Revenue Code, or solely for purposes of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code, is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Internal Revenue 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 determination that any Plan is considered an “at-risk plan” within the meaning of Section 430 of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 303 of ERISA; (c) the filing pursuant to Section

 

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412(c) of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the imposition on the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any Plan or the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from any Multiemployer Plan; (e) the receipt by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates from the PBGC or a plan administrator of any notice relating to the intention to terminate any Plan or Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the receipt by the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any notice from any Multiemployer Plan concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA that results in any additional contributions by or the imposition of any excise taxes on the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates; (g) the occurrence of a “prohibited transaction” (within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code) with respect to which the Borrower or any such Subsidiary incurs liability; or (h) any Foreign Benefit Event.

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

Euro” and “EUR” mean the single currency of the Participating Member States.

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant under a Loan Document by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 4.08 and any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or grant by such Guarantor of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply to only the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such Guaranty or security interest is or becomes illegal.

Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 11.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii) or 3.01(c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

 

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Existing Credit Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of September 13, 2021, as amended, restated, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time prior to the date hereof, among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and Bank of America, as administrative agent.

Existing Letters of Credit” means those letters of credit identified on Schedule 1.01(a).

FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as of the Closing Date (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 interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Internal Revenue Code.

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated September 18, 2024, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and BAS.

Financial Officer” of any Person means the principal financial officer, chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, financial vice president, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of such Person.

Finsub” means any bankruptcy-remote, wholly owned subsidiary of the Borrower, organized and existing solely for the purpose of engaging in the Receivables Program.

Foreign Benefit Event” means, with respect to any Foreign Pension Plan, (a) the existence of unfunded liabilities in excess of the amount permitted under any applicable Law, or in excess of the amount that would be permitted absent a waiver from a Governmental Authority, (b) the failure to make the required contributions or payments, under any applicable Law, on or before the due date for such contributions or payments, (c) the receipt of a notice by a Governmental Authority relating to the intention to terminate any such Foreign Pension Plan or to appoint a trustee or similar official to administer any such Foreign Pension Plan, or alleging the insolvency of any such Foreign Pension Plan, in any such case, that results in the incurrence of any liability by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or the imposition on the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any fine, excise tax or penalty, in each case, in excess of $10,000,000 (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof in another currency) and (d) the incurrence of any liability in excess of $10,000,000 (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof in another currency) by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under applicable Law on account of the complete or partial termination of such Foreign Pension Plan or the complete or partial withdrawal of any participating employer therein, or (e) the occurrence of any transaction that is prohibited under any applicable Law that results in the incurrence of any liability by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or the imposition on the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any fine, excise tax or penalty resulting from any noncompliance with any applicable Law, in each case, in excess of $10,000,000 (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof in another currency).

 

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Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

Foreign Pension Plan” means any benefit plan which under applicable foreign Law is required to be funded through a trust or other funding vehicle other than a trust or funding vehicle maintained exclusively by a Governmental Authority.

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

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

Fronting Exposure” means, at any time that there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swing Line Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swing Line Loans other than Swing Line Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

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

GAAP” means, subject to Section 1.03, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, consistently applied and as in effect from time to time.

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

Guarantee” of or by any Person means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person 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 such Person, 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 of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (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 of such Indebtedness or other obligation or (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;

 

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provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.

Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) each Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that, at the Borrower’s option, joins as a Guarantor by execution and delivery of a Joinder Agreement, together with supporting documentation, (b) with respect to (i) Obligations of a Subsidiary of the Borrower under any Swap Contract, (ii) Obligations of a Subsidiary of the Borrower under any Treasury Management Agreement and (iii) any Swap Obligation of a Specified Loan Party (determined before giving effect to Sections 4.01 and 4.08) under the Guaranty which is a Subsidiary of the Borrower, the Borrower, and (c) the successors and permitted assigns of the foregoing.

Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, each Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Swap Contract or a Treasury Management Agreement with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof and each other holder of the Obligations pursuant to Article IV.

Hazardous Materials” mean (a) any petroleum products or byproducts and all other hydrocarbons, coal ash, asbestos in friable form, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorofluorocarbons and all other ozone-depleting substances, in each case, regulated by any Environmental Law, and (b) any chemical, material, substance or waste that is prohibited, limited or regulated by or pursuant to any Environmental Law due to its effect or potential effect on public health and the environment.

Honor Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c)(i).

IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.

Immaterial Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that (i) has not conducted any business during the twelve-month period preceding the date of determination and (ii) has less than $50,000 in assets and (b) any Foreign Subsidiary whose (i) assets (together with the assets of its Subsidiaries) represent less than 2% of consolidated assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) revenue (together with the revenue of its Subsidiaries) represent less than 2% of consolidated revenue of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property or assets purchased by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade accounts payable and accrued obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business), (e) 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 obligations secured thereby have been assumed (but, in cases where recourse is limited to such property, only to the extent of the lesser of (1) the amount of such Indebtedness and (2) the fair market value of such property), (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of third parties, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) the principal portion of all obligations of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit, (i) the principal portion of all obligations of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, and (j) all Receivables Program Indebtedness of such Person. The Indebtedness of any Person shall (i) include the Indebtedness of any partnership in which such Person is a general partner, except to the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Indebtedness is not recourse to such Person and (ii) shall exclude Equity Notes Payable.

 

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

Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).

Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.

Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Term SOFR Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, as applicable, exceeds three (3) months, the respective dates that fall every three (3) months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall be Interest Payment Dates; (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swing Line Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date; (c) as to any Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan (except as provided in clause (d) below), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date; (d) as to any Loan that bears interest at a rate based on SONIA, the last Business Day of each month and the Maturity Date; and (e) as to any Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan exceeds three (3) months, the respective dates that fall every three (3) months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall be Interest Payment Dates.

Interest Period” means, as to each Term SOFR Loan and each Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, as applicable, and ending on the date one month, three months or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability for the interest rate applicable to the relevant currency), as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:

(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

(b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, or (c) an Acquisition. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases, write-downs or write-offs in the value of such Investment; provided, however, that (i) Investments which are capital contributions or acquisitions of

 

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Equity Interests shall be valued at the amount actually contributed or paid to acquire such Equity Interests as of the date of such contribution or payment less all cash distributions and returns of capital from the date such Investment is made through and including the date of calculation and (ii) Investments which are loans, advances, extensions of credit or Guarantees shall be valued at the principal amount of such loan, advance or extension of credit outstanding as of the date of determination or, as applicable, the principal amount of the loan or advance outstanding as of the date of determination actually Guaranteed.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

ISP” means the International Standby Practices, International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 590 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the applicable time).

Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 7.10 executed and delivered by a Domestic Subsidiary.

Joint Venture” means a joint venture, partnership or other similar arrangement entered into by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, whether in corporate, partnership or other legal form, but excluding any Subsidiary of the Borrower.

Judgment Currency” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.19.

Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the legally binding interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority having the force of law.

L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. All L/C Advances shall be denominated in Dollars.

L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Borrowing of Revolving Loans. All L/C Borrowings shall be denominated in Dollars.

L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

L/C Issuer” means, individually and collectively (as the context requires), each of (a) Bank of America, in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, (b) JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, (c) BNP Paribas, in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, (d) Mizuho Bank, Ltd., in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, (e) any other Lender with a Revolving Commitment that upon request of the Borrower agrees to issue one or more Letters of Credit hereunder and (f) any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder. The term “L/C Issuer” when used with respect to a Letter of Credit or the L/C Obligations relating to a Letter of Credit shall refer to the L/C Issuer that issued such Letter of Credit.

 

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L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

Lender Parties” means, collectively, the Lenders, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer.

Lenders” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swing Line Lender.

Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices, branch or Affiliate of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit or bank guarantee that constitutes an “independent undertaking” (as described in 12 C.F.R. § 7.1016) issued hereunder and shall include the Existing Letters of Credit. A Letter of Credit may be a sight commercial letter of credit or a standby letter of credit (either financial or performance). Bank guarantees shall be deemed to be standby Letters of Credit for purposes of this Agreement. Letters of Credit may be denominated in Dollars or in an Alternative Currency. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, a letter of credit issued by an L/C Issuer other than Bank of America shall not be a “Letter of Credit” for purposes of the Loan Documents until such time as the Administrative Agent has been notified of the issuance thereof by the applicable L/C Issuer and has confirmed availability under the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the Letter of Credit Sublimit with the applicable L/C Issuer. Letters of Credit may be issued in Dollars or in an Alternative Currency.

Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a letter of credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven (7) days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).

Letter of Credit Sublimit” means $750,000,000; provided that the sublimit shall be (a) $250,000,000 in the case of commercial Letters of Credit and (b) $125,000,000 in the case of financial standby Letters of Credit; provided, further, that with respect to each of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., BNP Paribas and Mizuho Bank, Ltd., each in its capacity as an L/C Issuer, such L/C Issuer shall not be obligated to issue Letters of Credit in an amount greater than the amount set forth on part (b) of Schedule 2.01 (unless otherwise agreed in writing between the Borrower and the applicable L/C Issuer(s)). The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

Leverage Increase Period” has the meaning specified in Section 8.11(a).

 

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Lien” means with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, encumbrance, charge or security interest in or on 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” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Revolving Loan, a Swing Line Loan or the Term Loan.

Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, each Joinder Agreement, any agreement entered into by a Loan Party creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.14 and the Fee Letter.

Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing of Revolving Loans or the Term Loan, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Term SOFR Loans and Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, in each case, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent) appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

Material Acquisition” mean any Permitted Acquisition that the aggregate consideration therefor (including Indebtedness assumed in connection therewith) equals or exceeds $200,000,000.

Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under any Loan Document or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, of any Loan Document.

Material Indebtedness” shall mean Indebtedness (other than the Obligations), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap Contracts, of any one or more of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $100,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Contract 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 Contract were terminated at such time.

Maturity Date” means October 10, 2029; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during the existence of a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to 105% of the Fronting Exposure of the L/C Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, (b) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.14(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii), an amount equal to 105% of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, and (c) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer in their sole discretion.

 

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Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

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

Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

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

Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

Notice of Loan Prepayment” means a notice of prepayment with respect to a Loan, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.05 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Obligations” means (i) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, (ii) all obligations under any Swap Contract between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender (but with respect to any Loan Party, excluding Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Loan Party) and (iii) all obligations under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender or Affiliate of a Lender, in the case of immediately preceding clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.

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

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

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

 

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Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).

Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to any Loans on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of any Loans occurring on such date; (b) with respect to Swing Line Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of such Swing Line Loans occurring on such date and (c) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the Dollar Equivalent amount of the aggregate outstanding amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

Overnight Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Rate and (ii) an overnight rate reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, or the Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in an Alternative Currency, an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

Participating Member State” means each member state of the European Union that has the Euro as its lawful currency in accordance with the legislation of the European Union relating to Economic and Monetary Union.

PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.

Permitted Acquisition” means an Acquisition by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that (i) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of another Person, such Acquisition was not preceded by an unsolicited tender offer for such Equity Interests by, or proxy contest initiated by, the Borrower or any Subsidiary; (ii) the property acquired (or the property of the Person acquired) in such Acquisition is used or useful in a line of business permitted by Section 8.08; and (iii) at the time of such transaction (A) both before and after giving effect thereto, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (B) the Borrower would be in compliance with the covenants set forth in Section 8.11 (tested at the levels applicable to a Leverage Increase Period) on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect to such Acquisition.

Permitted Investments” shall mean: (a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States), in each case maturing within one (1) year from the date of acquisition thereof; (b) investments in commercial paper maturing

 

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within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, one of the three highest credit ratings obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s; (c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within one (1) year 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 or any State thereof that 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 thirty (30) days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria of clause (c) above; (e) investments in “money market funds” within the meaning of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, substantially all of whose assets are invested in investments of the type described in clauses (a) through (d) above; and (f) other short-term investments utilized by Foreign Subsidiaries in accordance with normal investment practices for cash management in investments of a type analogous to the foregoing.

Permitted Liens” means, at any time, Liens in respect of property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary permitted to exist at such time pursuant to the terms of Section 8.02.

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, Section 412 of the Internal Revenue 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.

Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04.

Priority Debt” means, as of any date of determination thereof, the sum (without duplication) of (a) Indebtedness of Subsidiaries on such date, other than Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is a Guarantor, and (b) Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries secured by Liens; provided that Priority Debt shall not include Indebtedness permitted by Sections 8.01(a) through 8.01(j) and any Guarantees of such Indebtedness permitted by Section 8.01(l).

Pro Forma Basis” means, with respect to any Acquisition, incurrence of Indebtedness, Restricted Payment or Asset Sale (as the context requires), for purposes of calculating the financial covenants set forth in Section 8.11, such transaction (and all other such Acquisitions, incurrences of Indebtedness, Restricted Payments and Asset Sales consummated during the applicable period) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recently completed period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to such transaction for which the financial statements and certificates required by Section 7.04(a) or 7.04(b) have been delivered or for which comparable financial statements have been filed with the SEC. All calculations referred to in this definition shall (i) with respect to any Acquisition or Asset Sale, include only those adjustments that would be permitted or required by Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, are reviewed by the Borrower’s independent certified public accountants and are based on reasonably detailed written assumptions reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) be certified to by a Financial Officer of the Borrower as having been prepared in good faith based upon reasonable assumptions.

Program Receivables” shall mean all trade receivables and related contract rights originated and owned by the Borrower or any Subsidiary and sold pursuant to the Receivables Program.

 

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

Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04.

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

QFC Credit Support” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under and as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under and as defined in Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Receivables Program” shall mean the Program Receivables facility established pursuant to the Receivables Program Documentation.

Receivables Program Documentation” means any facility or arrangement involving (a) the sale of, or transfer of interests in, Program Receivables to Finsub in a “true sale” transaction and (b) the financing by Finsub of such Program Receivables, either through the sale of, or transfer of interests in, such Program Receivables to Persons that are not Affiliates of the Borrower, the incurrence of Indebtedness by Finsub or otherwise; provided that the terms and conditions of such other facility or arrangement (including those providing for recourse to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries other than Finsub) shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Administrative Agent (not to be unreasonably withheld).

Receivables Program Indebtedness” means all consideration or other amounts received by Finsub from the purchaser or financier of Program Receivables under the Receivables Program less any amounts collected with respect to the Program Receivables sold or transferred to or financed by such purchaser or financier, regardless of whether such amount is required to be reflected as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP (it being the intent of the parties that the amount of Receivables Program Indebtedness at any time outstanding approximates as closely as possible the principal amount of Indebtedness that would be outstanding at such time under the Receivables Program if the same were structured as a secured lending agreement).

Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).

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

Release” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into or through the environment.

Relevant Rate” means with respect to any Credit Extension denominated in (a) Dollars, Term SOFR, (b) Sterling, SONIA, and (c) Euros, EURIBOR, as applicable.

 

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Removal Effective Date” has the meaning as defined in Section 10.06(b).

Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swing Line Loan, a Swing Line Loan Notice.

Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than 50% of (a) the unfunded Commitments and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein or (b) if the Commitments have been terminated, the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein. The unfunded Commitments of, and the outstanding Loans, L/C Obligations and participations therein held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders; provided that the amount of any participation in any Swing Line Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swing Line Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination.

Rescindable Amount” has the meaning as defined in Section 2.12(b)(ii).

Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning as defined in Section 10.06(a).

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

Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, any vice president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, chief legal officer, any associate general counsel or controller of a Loan Party, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 5.01, the secretary, any corporate secretary, any assistant corporate secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

Restricted Payment” means, with respect to any Person, (a) any dividend or other distribution (by reduction of capital or otherwise), whether in cash, property, securities or a combination thereof, in respect of the Equity Interests issued by such Person, (b) any redemption, purchase, retirement or other acquisition for value of any Equity Interests issued by such Person or (c) the setting aside of any amount for any such purpose described in clauses (a) and (b).

Revaluation Date” means (a) with respect to any Loan, each of the following: (i) each date of a Borrowing of an Alternative Currency Loan, (ii) each date of a continuation of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan pursuant to Section 2.02, (iii) with respect to an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan, each Interest Payment Date and (iv) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require; and (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit, each of the following: (i) each date of issuance, amendment and/or extension of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (ii) each date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, (iii) in the case of the Existing Letters of Credit, the Closing Date and (iv) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer shall determine or the Required Lenders shall require.

 

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Revolving Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a), (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swing Line Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto or in any documentation executed by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.01(b), as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.

Revolving Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc. and any successor thereto.

Same Day Funds” means (a) with respect to disbursements and payments in Dollars, immediately available funds, and (b) with respect to disbursements and payments in an Alternative Currency, same day or other funds as may be determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to be customary in the place of disbursement or payment for the settlement of international banking transactions in the relevant Alternative Currency.

Sanction” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government, including OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, His Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

Scheduled Term SOFR Unavailability Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(b)(ii).

Scheduled Unavailability Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(c)(ii).

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

SOFR” means the Secured Overnight Financing Rate as administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator).

SOFR Adjustment” means 0.10% (10 basis points).

SONIA” means, with respect to any applicable determination date, the Sterling Overnight Index Average Reference Rate published on the fifth (5th) Business Day preceding such date on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time); provided, however, that if such determination date is not a Business Day, then “SONIA” means such rate that applied on the first (1st) Business Day immediately prior thereto.

Special Notice Currency” means, at any time, an Alternative Currency, other than the currency of a country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development at such time located in North America or Europe.

Specified Loan Party” has the meaning specified in Section 4.08.

 

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Sterling” means the lawful currency of the United Kingdom.

Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the ability to appoint a majority of the members of the board of directors (or other equivalent governing body) is held by, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.

Successor Rate” means a Successor Term SOFR Rate or Successor Relevant Rate, as the context may require.

Successor Relevant Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(c).

Successor Term SOFR Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(b).

Supported QFC” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.

Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Swing Line Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swing Line Loans, or any successor swing line lender hereunder.

Swing Line Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

Swing Line Loan Notice” means a notice of a Borrowing of Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.04 or such other form as approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

Swing Line Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $30,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Swing Line Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. As of the Closing Date, the Swing Line Sublimit is set forth on part (b) of Schedule 2.01.

 

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TARGET Day” means any day on which TARGET2 (or, if such payment system ceases to be operative, such other payment system, if any, determined by the Administrative Agent to be a suitable replacement) is open for the settlement of payments in Euro.

TARGET2” means the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer payment system which utilizes a single shared platform and which was launched on November 19, 2007.

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

Term Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(d).

Term Loan Commitment” means, as to any Lender, such Lender’s obligation to make its portion of the Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(d), in the principal amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01. The aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan Commitments of all of the Lenders as in effect on the Closing Date is $500,000,000.

Term SOFR” means:

(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Term SOFR Loan, the rate per annum equal to the Term SOFR Screen Rate two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; provided that if the rate is not published prior to 11:00 a.m. on such determination date then Term SOFR means the Term SOFR Screen Rate on the first U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately prior thereto, in each case, plus the SOFR Adjustment; and

(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the Term SOFR Screen Rate two U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such date with a term of one month commencing that day; provided that if the rate is not published prior to 11:00 a.m. on such determination date then Term SOFR means the Term SOFR Screen Rate on the first U.S. Government Securities Business Day immediately prior thereto, in each case, plus the SOFR Adjustment;

provided that if the Term SOFR determined in accordance with either of the foregoing provisions (a) or (b) of this definition would otherwise be less than zero, the Term SOFR shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Term SOFR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of Term SOFR. All Term SOFR Loans shall be denominated in Dollars.

Term SOFR Replacement Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.03(b).

Term SOFR Screen Rate” means the forward-looking SOFR term rate administered by CME (or any successor administrator satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) and published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

Total Revolving Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans, all Swing Line Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

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Treasury Management Agreement” means any agreement governing the provision of treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, overnight draft, credit or debit cards, funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services and other cash management services.

Type” means, with respect to any Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Term SOFR Loan.

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

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

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

United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).

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

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

U.S. Special Resolution Regimes” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).

Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

Withdrawal Liability” shall mean 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.

 

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

1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions.

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) 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.

(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

(d) Any reference herein to a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, in Sections 8.05 and 8.07 shall be deemed to apply to a division of or by a limited liability company or limited partnership, or an allocation of assets to a series of a limited liability company or limited partnership (or the unwinding of such a division or allocation), as if it were a merger, transfer, consolidation, amalgamation, consolidation, assignment, sale, disposition or transfer, or similar term, as applicable, to, of or with a separate Person. Any division of a limited liability company or limited partnership shall constitute a separate Person hereunder (and each division of any limited liability company or limited partnership that is a Subsidiary, Joint Venture or any other like term shall also constitute such a Person or entity).

 

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1.03 Accounting Terms.

(a) Generally. Except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein, all accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, and applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP (including the adoption of IFRS) would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

(c) Operating Lease Treatment. Notwithstanding the forgoing or any provision herein to the contrary, any lease that was, or would have been, characterized as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP prior to the Borrower’s adoption of FASB ASC 842 (regardless of the date on which such lease has been entered into) shall not be a capital or finance lease, and any such lease shall be, for all purposes of this Agreement, treated as though it were reflected on the Borrower’s consolidated financial statements in the same manner as an operating lease would have been reflected prior to the Borrower’s adoption of FASB ASC 842.

1.04 Rounding.

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

1.05 Times of Day.

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

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1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts.

Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

1.07 Exchange Rates; Currency Equivalents.

(a) The Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall determine the Dollar Equivalent amounts of Credit Extensions and Outstanding Amounts denominated in Alternative Currencies. Such Dollar Equivalent shall become effective as of such Revaluation Date and shall be the Dollar Equivalent of such amounts until the next Revaluation Date to occur. Except for purposes of financial statements delivered by the Borrower hereunder or calculating financial covenants hereunder or except as otherwise provided herein, the applicable amount of any currency (other than Dollars) for purposes of the Loan Documents shall be such Dollar Equivalent amount as so determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable.

(b) Wherever in this Agreement in connection with a Borrowing, conversion, continuation or prepayment of an Alternative Currency Loan or the issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit, an amount, such as a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but such Borrowing, Loan or Letter of Credit is denominated in an Alternative Currency, such amount shall be the relevant Alternative Currency Equivalent of such Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest unit of such Alternative Currency, with 0.5 of a unit being rounded upward), as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.

1.08 Additional Alternative Currencies.

(a) The Borrower may from time to time request that Alternative Currency Loans be made and/or Letters of Credit be issued in a currency other than those specifically listed in the definition of “Alternative Currency;” provided that such requested currency is an Eligible Currency. In the case of any such request with respect to the making of Alternative Currency Loans, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders obligated to make Credit Extensions in such currency; and in the case of any such request with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer.

(b) Any such request shall be made to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., fifteen (15) Business Days prior to the date of the desired Credit Extension (or such other time or date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the L/C Issuer, in its or their sole discretion). In the case of any such request pertaining to Alternative Currency Loans, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each affected Lender thereof; and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the L/C Issuer thereof. Each Lender (in the case of any such request pertaining to Alternative Currency Loans) or the L/C Issuer (in the case of a request pertaining to Letters of Credit) shall notify the Administrative Agent, not later than 11:00 a.m., seven (7) Business Days after receipt of such request whether it consents, in its sole discretion, to the making of Alternative Currency Loans or the issuance of Letters of Credit, as the case may be, in such requested currency.

 

 

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(c) Any failure by a Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to respond to such request within the time period specified in the last sentence of Section 1.08(b) shall be deemed to be a refusal by such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to permit Alternative Currency Loans to be made or Letters of Credit to be issued in such requested currency. If the Administrative Agent and all the Lenders consent to making Alternative Currency Loans in such requested currency and the Administrative Agent and such Lenders reasonably determine that an appropriate interest rate is available to be used for such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and (i) the Administrative Agent and such Lenders may amend the definitions of “Alternative Currency Daily Rate” or “Alternative Currency Term Rate” to the extent necessary to add the applicable rate for such currency and any applicable adjustment for such rate and (ii) to the extent that the definition of “Alternative Currency Daily Rate” or “Alternative Currency Term Rate”, as applicable, reflects the appropriate interest rate for such currency or has been amended to reflect the appropriate rate for such currency, such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency for purposes of any Borrowings of Alternative Currency Loans. If the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer consent to the issuance of Letters of Credit in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and (x) the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may amend the definition of “Alternative Currency Daily Rate” or “Alternative Currency Term Rate”, as applicable, to the extent necessary to add the applicable rate for such currency and any applicable adjustment for such rate and (y) to the extent the definition of “Alternative Currency Daily Rate” or “Alternative Currency Term Rate”, as applicable, has been amended to reflect the appropriate rate for such currency, such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternative Currency, for purposes of any Letter of Credit issuances. If the Administrative Agent shall fail to obtain consent to any request for an additional currency under this Section 1.08, the Administrative Agent shall promptly so notify the Borrower.

1.09 Change of Currency.

(a) Each obligation of the Borrower to make a payment denominated in the national currency unit of any member state of the European Union that adopts the Euro as its lawful currency after the date hereof shall be redenominated into Euro at the time of such adoption. If, in relation to the currency of any such member state, the basis of accrual of interest expressed in this Agreement in respect of that currency shall be inconsistent with any convention or practice in the interbank market for the basis of accrual of interest in respect of the Euro, such expressed basis shall be replaced by such convention or practice with effect from the date on which such member state adopts the Euro as its lawful currency; provided that if any Borrowing in the currency of such member state is outstanding immediately prior to such date, then such replacement shall take effect, with respect to such Borrowing, at the end of the then current Interest Period.

(b) Each provision of this Agreement shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify in a written notice to the Borrower to be appropriate to reflect the adoption of the Euro by any member state of the European Union and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the Euro.

(c) Each provision of this Agreement also shall be subject to such reasonable changes of construction as the Administrative Agent may from time to time specify in a written notice to the Borrower to be appropriate to reflect a change in currency of any other country and any relevant market conventions or practices relating to the change in currency.

 

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1.10 Interest Rates.

The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to any reference rate referred to herein or with respect to any rate (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the selection of such rate and any related spread or other adjustment) that is an alternative or replacement for or successor to any such rate (including, without limitation, any Successor Rate) (or any component of any of the foregoing) or the effect of any of the foregoing, or of any Conforming Changes. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions or other activities that affect any reference rate referred to herein, or any alternative, successor or replacement rate therefor (including, without limitation, any Successor Rate) (or any component of any of the foregoing) or any related spread or other adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain any reference rate referred to herein or any alternative, successor or replacement rate therefor (including, without limitation, any Successor Rate) (or any component of any of the foregoing), in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or other action or omission related to or affecting the selection, determination, or calculation of any rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.

ARTICLE II

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

2.01 Revolving Loans and Term Loan.

(a) Revolving Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and (iii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations denominated in Alternative Currencies shall not exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit. Within the limits of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans, Term SOFR Loans, Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein, provided, however, that all Borrowings made on the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a funding indemnity letter not less than two (2) Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent.

 

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(b) Increases of the Commitments. The Borrower shall have the right no more than five (5) times during the term of this Agreement, upon at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, to increase the Aggregate Revolving Commitments at any time prior to the date that is six (6) months prior to the Maturity Date, subject, however, in any such case, to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(i) the sum of the aggregate amount of all increases in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.01(b) shall not exceed $400,000,000;

(ii) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date on which such increase is to become effective;

(iii) the representations and warranties set forth in Article VI shall be true and correct on and as of the date on which such increase is to become effective, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date;

(iv) such increase shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $5,000,000 in excess thereof;

(v) such requested increase shall only be effective upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of (A) additional Revolving Commitments in a corresponding amount of such requested increase from either existing Lenders and/or one or more other institutions that qualify as Eligible Assignees (it being understood and agreed that no existing Lender shall be required to provide an additional Revolving Commitment) and (B) documentation from each institution providing an additional Revolving Commitment evidencing its additional Revolving Commitment and its obligations under this Agreement in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(vi) the Administrative Agent shall have received all documents (including resolutions of the board of directors of the Borrower and the Guarantors) it may reasonably request relating to the corporate or other necessary authority for such increase and the validity of such increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and any other matters relevant thereto, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and

(vii) if the reallocation, if any, of outstanding Loans among the Lenders in connection with such increase results in the prepayment of Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans on a day which is not the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto, the Borrower shall have paid to each affected Lender such amounts, if any, as may be required pursuant to Section 3.05.

(c) Upon the effectiveness of any increase in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.01(b) above, (i) the Applicable Percentages of the Lenders shall be automatically adjusted to give effect to such increase, provided that the amount of each Lender’s Commitments (other than a Lender whose Commitments shall have been increased in connection with such increase) shall remain unchanged and (ii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders will use all commercially reasonable efforts to assign and assume outstanding Loans

 

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of the affected category to conform the respective amounts thereof held by each Lender to the Applicable Percentages as so adjusted, it being understood that the parties hereto shall use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid prepayment or assignment of any affected Loan that is a Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

(d) Term Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make its portion of a term loan (the “Term Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars on the Closing Date in an amount not to exceed such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment. Amounts repaid on the Term Loan may not be reborrowed. The Term Loan may consist of Base Rate Loans or Term SOFR Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein, provided, however, that all Borrowings made on the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a funding indemnity letter not less than two (2) Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing.

2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone, or (B) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice. Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00p.m. (i) two Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans or of any conversion of Term SOFR Loans to Base Rate Loans, (ii) in the case of Alternative Currency Loans, four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of a Special Notice Currency) prior to the requested date of any Borrowing or continuation of Alternative Currency Loans, and (iii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Loans, as applicable, shall be in a principal amount of the Dollar Equivalent of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of the Dollar Equivalent of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, in connection with any conversion or continuation of the Term Loan, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c) or with respect to a Borrowing of the remaining available amount under the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, in connection with any conversion or continuation of the Term Loan, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto, and (vi) if applicable, the currency of the Loans to be borrowed (it being understood that Term SOFR Loans and Base Rate Loans can only be made in Dollars). If the Borrower fails to specify a currency in a Loan Notice requesting a Borrowing, then the Loans so requested shall be made in Dollars. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of a Loan in a Loan Notice or, in the case of a Term SOFR Loan, if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans; provided, however, that in the case of a failure to timely request a continuation of Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, such Loans shall be continued as Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans in their original currency with an Interest Period of one

 

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month. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Term SOFR Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Term SOFR Loans in any Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month. No Loan may be converted into or continued as a Loan denominated in a different currency, but instead must be prepaid in the original currency of such Loan and reborrowed in the other currency.

(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount (and currency) of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans or continuation of Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, in each case as described in Section 2.02(a). In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office for the applicable currency not later than 2:00 p.m., in the case of any Loan denominated in Dollars, and not later than the Applicable Local Time specified by the Administrative Agent in the case of any Alternative Currency Loan, in each case on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 5.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date the Loan Notice with respect to a Borrowing of Revolving Loans denominated in Dollars is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.

(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be converted to or continued as Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, as applicable, without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the then outstanding Term SOFR Loans be converted immediately to Base Rate Loans or then outstanding Alternative Currency Loans be prepaid, or redenominated into Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof, on the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto.

(d) Each determination of an interest rate by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrowers and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error.

(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect with respect to the Loans.

 

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(f) With respect to any Alternative Currency Daily Rate, SOFR or Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent will have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document; provided that, with respect to any such amendment effected, the Administrative Agent shall post each such amendment implementing such Conforming Changes to the Borrower and the Lenders reasonably promptly after such amendment becomes effective.

(g) This Section 2.02 shall not apply to Swing Line Loans.

2.03 Letters of Credit.

(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.

(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars or (subject to the limitation set forth below) in one or more Alternative Currencies for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries and any drawings thereunder; provided that, after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (w) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (x) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (y) the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations and all Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies shall not exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed. All Existing Letters of Credit shall be deemed to have been issued pursuant hereto, and from and after the Closing Date shall be subject to and governed by the terms and conditions hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Letters of Credit denominated in Alternative Currencies may only be issued by Bank of America and up to two other Lenders, in their capacities as L/C Issuer.

(ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders that have Revolving Commitments have approved such expiry date.

 

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(iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

(B) the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to borrowers generally, consistently applied;

(C) such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars or any Alternative Currency;

(D) the L/C Issuer does not as of the issuance date of such requested Letter of Credit issue Letters of Credit in the requested currency;

(E) such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder; or

(F) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Defaulting Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(b)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion.

(iv) [Reserved].

(v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.

(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article X with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article X included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

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(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least three (3) Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount and currency thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; (H) the type of the requested Letter of Credit (financial standby, performance standby or commercial) and (I) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one (1) Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article V shall not be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

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(iii) If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension. Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five (5) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 5.02 is not then satisfied, and in each case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

(iv) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. In the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer in such Alternative Currency, unless (A) the L/C Issuer (at its option) shall have specified in such notice that it will require reimbursement in Dollars, or (B) in the absence of any such requirement for reimbursement in Dollars, the Borrower shall have notified the L/C Issuer promptly following receipt of the notice of drawing that the Borrower will reimburse the L/C Issuer in Dollars. In the case of any such reimbursement in Dollars of a drawing under a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower of the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of the drawing promptly following the determination thereof. Not later than 12:00p.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in Dollars, or the Applicable Local Time on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit to be reimbursed in an Alternative Currency (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing and in the applicable currency. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (expressed in Dollars in the amount of the Dollar Equivalent thereof in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternative Currency) (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to

 

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have requested a Borrowing of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice) and provided that, after giving effect to such Borrowing, the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

(ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer, in Dollars, at the Administrative Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Dollar Equivalent of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer in Dollars.

(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

(iv) Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

(v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

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(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.03(c)(vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in Dollars and in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section 2.03(d)(ii) shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that any Loan Party or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

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(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

(iv) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

(v) waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower;

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

(vii) any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of such Letter of Credit, or the date by which documents must be received under such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable;

(viii) any adverse change in the relevant exchange rates or in the availability of the relevant Alternative Currency to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or in the relevant currency markets generally; or

(ix) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.

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

(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by such Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required

 

49


Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower from pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (ix) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit unless the L/C Issuer is prevented or prohibited from so paying as a result of any order or directive of any court or other Governmental Authority. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason. The L/C Issuer shall provide to the Administrative Agent a list of outstanding Letters of Credit (together with type, amounts and denominated currency) issued by it on a monthly basis. The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

(g) Applicability of ISP and UCP; Limitation of Liability. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued (including any such agreement applicable to an Existing Letter of Credit), (i) the rules of the ISP shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the UCP shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required or permitted under any Law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade—International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such Law or practice.

(h) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance, subject to Section 2.15, with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the Dollar Equivalent of the actual daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with

 

50


Section 1.06. Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate. With respect to Letter of Credit Fees attributable to Letters of Credit issued by institutions other than Bank of America, the Administrative Agent shall compute such Letter of Credit Fees using the information provided in Section 2.03(l)(iv) and any related Letter of Credit activity that posts subsequent to the date of such information but prior to the end of the calendar quarter shall be moved to the subsequent billing cycle.

(i) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, a fronting fee (i) with respect to each commercial Letter of Credit, at the rate separately agreed between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such Letter of Credit, and payable upon the issuance thereof, (ii) with respect to any amendment of a commercial Letter of Credit increasing the amount of such Letter of Credit, at a rate separately agreed between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such increase, and payable upon the effectiveness of such amendment, and (iii) with respect to each standby Letter of Credit, at a rate separately agreed between the Borrower and the L/C Issuer, computed on the Dollar Equivalent of the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit and on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect, in Dollars or such Alternative Currency as shall be separately agreed. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

(j) Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

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

 

51


(l) L/C Issuer Reports to the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the L/C Issuer shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section 2.03, provide the Administrative Agent the following information:

(i) not later than one (1) Business Day following the date that the L/C Issuer issues, amends, renews, increases or extends a Letter of Credit: (A) the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal, increase or extension, (B) the currency of such Letter of Credit and (C) the Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed);

(ii) not later than one (1) Business Day following the expiration or termination of a Letter of Credit, the date of such expiration or termination;

(iii) not later than the third (3rd) Business Day of each month, a report containing (A) a list of all outstanding Letters of Credit as of the last day of the immediately preceding month and (B) the face amount of such Letter of Credit (which, in the case of Letters of Credit denominated in Alternate Currencies, shall include the Dollar Equivalent amount thereof);

(iv) not later than 9:00 a.m. on the third (3rd) Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, a report containing (A) a list of all outstanding Letters of Credit during the immediately preceding quarter with a description of all activity with respect to such Letters of Credit during such quarter and (B) the face amount of such Letter of Credit (which, in the case of Letters of Credit denominated in Alternate Currencies, shall include the Dollar Equivalent amount thereof);

(v) not later than one (1) Business Day following the date on which the L/C Issuer makes a payment pursuant to a Letter of Credit, the date and amount of such payment;

(vi) not later than one (1) Business Day following the date on which the Borrower fails to reimburse a payment made pursuant to a Letter of Credit required to be reimbursed on such day, the date of such failure and the amount of such payment; and

(vii) on any other Business Day, such other information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request as to the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer.

2.04 Swing Line Loans.

(a) Swing Line Facility. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swing Line Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, shall make loans (each such loan, a “Swing Line Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swing Line Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swing Line Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swing Line Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that (i) after giving effect to any Swing Line Loan, (A) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (B) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Revolving Loans of any Lender, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, plus such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding

 

52


Amount of all Swing Line Loans shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (ii) the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swing Line Loan to refinance any outstanding Swing Line Loan and (iii) the Swing Line Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swing Line Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Credit Extension may have, Fronting Exposure. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04. Each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest only at a rate based on the Base Rate. Immediately upon the making of a Swing Line Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swing Line Lender a risk participation in such Swing Line Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swing Line Loan.

(b) Borrowing Procedures. Each Borrowing of Swing Line Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone or (B) a Swing Line Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent of a Swing Line Loan Notice. Each such Swing Line Loan Notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum principal amount of $500,000 and integral multiples of $100,000 in excess thereof, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Promptly after receipt by the Swing Line Lender of any telephonic Swing Line Loan Notice, the Swing Line Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swing Line Loan Notice and, if not, the Swing Line Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Unless the Swing Line Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing of Swing Line Loans (A) directing the Swing Line Lender not to make such Swing Line Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B) that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article V is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swing Line Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swing Line Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swing Line Loan available to the Borrower.

(c) Refinancing of Swing Line Loans.

(i) The Swing Line Lender at any time in its sole and absolute discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swing Line Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swing Line Loans then outstanding. Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice) and provided that, after giving effect to such Borrowing, the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The Swing Line Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent. Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Loan Notice available to the

 

53


Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swing Line Loan) for the account of the Swing Line Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office for Dollar-denominated payments not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swing Line Lender.

(ii) If for any reason any Swing Line Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Borrowing of Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swing Line Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swing Line Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

(iii) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swing Line Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swing Line Lender at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swing Line Loan, as the case may be. A certificate of the Swing Line Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(iv) Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender may have against the Swing Line Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 5.02. No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swing Line Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

(d) Repayment of Participations.

(i) At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swing Line Loan, if the Swing Line Lender receives any payment on account of such Swing Line Loan, the Swing Line Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage (appropriately adjusted, in the case of interest payments, to reflect the period of time during which such Lender’s risk participation was funded) thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swing Line Lender.

 

54


(ii) If any payment received by the Swing Line Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swing Line Loan is required to be returned by the Swing Line Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swing Line Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swing Line Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate. The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swing Line Lender. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

(e) Interest for Account of Swing Line Lender. The Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swing Line Loans. Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swing Line Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swing Line Lender.

(f) Payments Directly to Swing Line Lender. The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swing Line Loans directly to the Swing Line Lender.

2.05 Prepayments.

(a) Voluntary Prepayments.

(i) Revolving Loans and Term Loan. The Borrower may, upon delivery of a Notice of Loan Prepayment from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Revolving Loans or the Term Loan in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) two Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Term SOFR Loans, (2) four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of a Special Notice Currency) prior to any date of prepayment of Alternative Currency Loans and (3) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any such prepayment of Term SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); (C) any prepayment of Alternative Currency Loans shall be in a minimum principal amount of the Dollar Equivalent of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of the Dollar Equivalent of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); (D) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); and (E) any prepayment of the Term Loan shall be applied as directed by the Borrower. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

 

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(ii) Swing Line Loans. The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swing Line Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swing Line Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Swing Line Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding). Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Swing Line Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.

(b) Mandatory Prepayments.

(i) Total Revolving Outstandings. If for any reason the Total Revolving Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans and/or Swing Line Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i) unless, after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans, the Total Revolving Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect.

(ii) Alternative Currency Sublimit. If for any reason the Outstanding Amount of all Loans and L/C Obligations denominated in Alternative Currencies at such time exceeds 105% of the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect, then the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans and/or the Borrower shall Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Outstanding Amount as of such date of payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect; provided, however, that, the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(ii) unless, after the prepayment in full of the Loans, the Total Revolving Outstandings denominated in Alternative Currencies exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit then in effect. The Administrative Agent may, at any time and from time to time after the initial deposit of such Cash Collateral, request that additional Cash Collateral be provided in order to protect against the results of further exchange rate fluctuations.

(iii) Application of Mandatory Prepayments. All amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied as follows:

(A) with respect to all amounts prepaid pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(i), to Revolving Loans and Swing Line Loans and (after all Revolving Loans and all Swing Line Loans have been repaid) to Cash Collateralize L/C Obligations; and

(B) with respect to all amounts prepaid pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(ii), to Revolving Loans and (after all Revolving Loans have been repaid) to Cash Collateralize L/C Obligations.

 

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Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans, then to Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loans, then to Term SOFR Loans and lastly to Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities. All prepayments under this Section 2.05(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but are otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.

2.06 Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments to an amount not less than the Total Revolving Outstandings; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00p.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (iii) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit, the Swing Line Sublimit or the Alternative Currency Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. The amount of any such Aggregate Revolving Commitment reduction shall not be applied to the Alternative Currency Sublimit or the Letter of Credit Sublimit unless otherwise specified by the Borrower. Any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Revolving Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued with respect thereto until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

2.07 Repayment of Loans.

(a) Revolving Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans outstanding on such date.

(b) Swing Line Loans. The Borrower shall repay each Swing Line Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten (10) Business Days after such Swing Line Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.

(c) Term Loan. The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan in installments on the dates and in the amounts set forth in the table below (as such installments may hereafter be adjusted as a result of prepayments made pursuant to Section 2.05), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 9.02:

 

Payment Dates

   Principal Amortization
Payment
 

December 31, 2024

     $ 9,375,000  

March 31, 2025

     $ 9,375,000  

June 30, 2025

     $ 9,375,000  

September 30, 2025

     $ 9,375,000  

December 31, 2025

     $ 9,375,000  

March 31, 2026

     $ 9,375,000  

June 30, 2026

     $ 9,375,000  

September 30, 2026

     $ 9,375,000  

December 31, 2026

     $12,500,000  

 

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March 31, 2027

     $12,500,000  

June 30, 2027

     $12,500,000  

September 30, 2027

     $12,500,000  

December 31, 2027

     $18,750,000  

March 31, 2028

     $18,750,000  

June 30, 2028

     $18,750,000  

September 30, 2028

     $18,750,000  

December 31, 2028

     $18,750,000  

March 31, 2029

     $18,750,000  

June 30, 2029

     $18,750,000  

September 30, 2029

     $18,750,000  

Maturity Date

     Remaining balance  

provided, however, that (i) if any principal repayment installment to be made by the Borrower (other than principal repayment installments on Term SOFR Loans) shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, such principal repayment installment shall be due on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be and (ii) if any principal repayment installment to be made by the Borrower on a Term SOFR Loan shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, such principal repayment installment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such principal repayment installment into another calendar month, in which event such principal repayment installment shall be due on the immediately preceding Business Day.

2.08 Interest.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Term SOFR Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) Term SOFR for such Interest Period plus (B) the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Alternative Currency Daily Rate plus (B) the Applicable Rate; (iii) each Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Alternative Currency Term Rate for such Interest Period plus (B) the Applicable Rate; (iv) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Base Rate plus (B) the Applicable Rate; and (v) each Swing Line Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Base Rate plus (B) the Applicable Rate. To the extent that any calculation of interest or any fee required to be paid under this Agreement shall be based on (or result in) a calculation that is less than zero, such calculation shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

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(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

2.09 Fees.

In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:

(a) Commitment Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee (the “Commitment Fee”) in Dollars equal to the product of (i) the Applicable Rate times (ii) the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments exceed the sum of (y) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and (z) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15. The Commitment Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article V is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The Commitment Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. For purposes of clarification, Swing Line Loans shall not be considered outstanding for purposes of determining the unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments. When determining the Outstanding Amount of Letters of Credit for Letters of Credit issued by Lenders other than Bank of America for purposes of calculating the commitment fee, the Administrative Agent shall make such determinations using the information provided in Section 2.03(l)(iv) and any related Letter of Credit activity that posts subsequent to the date of such information but prior to the end of the calendar quarter shall be reflected in adjustments to the commitment fee for the next billing cycle.

(b) Fee Letter. The Borrower shall pay to BAS and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts, in Dollars, fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

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2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees.

All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to Term SOFR) and for Alternative Currency Loans shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed or, in the case of interest in respect of Alternative Currency Loans as to which market practice differs from the foregoing, in accordance with such market practice. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

2.11 Evidence of Debt.

(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each such promissory note shall be in the form of Exhibit 2.11(a) (a “Note”). Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount, currency and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a), each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agents Clawback.

(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and except with respect to principal of and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder with respect to principal and interest on Loans

 

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denominated in an Alternative Currency shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the applicable Administrative Agent’s Office in such Alternative Currency and in Same Day Funds not later than the Applicable Local Time specified by the Administrative Agent on the dates specified herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent may require that any payments due under this Agreement be made in the United States. If, for any reason, the Borrower is prohibited by any Law from making any required payment hereunder in an Alternative Currency, the Borrower shall make such payment in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent of the Alternative Currency payment amount. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent (i) after 2:00 p.m., in the case of payments in Dollars, or (ii) after the Applicable Local Time specified by the Administrative Agent in the case of payments in an Alternative Currency, shall in each case shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 1:00 p.m. on the date of such 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 Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) 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 in Same Day Funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the Overnight Rate, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans or in the case of Alternative Currencies, an interest rate in accordance with market practice for such Alternative Currency, in each case, or as applicable. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the time at which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such

 

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date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. With respect to any payment that the Administrative Agent makes for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder as to which the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that any of the following applies (such payment referred to as the “Rescindable Amount”): (1) the Borrower has not in fact made such payment; (2) the Administrative Agent has made a payment in excess of the amount so paid by the Borrower (whether or not then owed); or (3) the Administrative agent has for any reason otherwise erroneously made such payment; then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the Rescindable Amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in Same Day Funds 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 Overnight Rate.

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swing Line Loans held by it resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

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

 

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(ii) the provisions of this Section 2.13 shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (B) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.14, or (C) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swing Line Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

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

2.14 Cash Collateral.

(a) Certain Credit Support Events. If (i) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (ii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 9.02(c) or (iii) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (ii) above) or within one (1) Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iii) above, after giving effect to Section 2.15(b) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

(b) Grant of Security Interest. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.14(c). If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer as herein provided (other than normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions) or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, then the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency. The Borrower shall pay on demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.

 

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(c) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.14 or Sections 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.15 or 9.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

(d) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 11.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the good faith determination by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, that (x) any such release shall be without prejudice to, and any disbursement or other transfer of Cash Collateral shall be and remain subject to, any other Lien conferred under the Loan Documents and the other applicable provisions of the Loan Documents, and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

2.15 Defaulting Lenders.

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

(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 11.01.

(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article IX or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.14; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.14; sixth, to the payment of any amounts then owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or

 

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the Swing Line Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts then owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 5.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.15(b). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

(iii) Certain Fees.

(A) No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

(B) Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.14.

(C) With respect to any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.15(a)(iii)(B), the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.15(b), (y) pay to the L/C Issuer the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

(b) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause any Non-Defaulting Lender’s share of the Total Revolving Outstandings to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Commitment. Subject to Section 11.20, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

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(c) Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swing Line Loans. If the reallocation described in Section 2.15(b) cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, (x) first, prepay Swing Line Loans in an amount equal to the Swing Line Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.14.

(d) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.15(b)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

2.16 [Reserved].

ARTICLE III

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

3.01 Taxes.

(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.

 

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(ii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to Section 3.01(e), (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(iii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to Section 3.01(e), (B) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(a), the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

(c) Tax Indemnifications. (i) Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(ii) Each Lender and the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten (10) days after demand therefor, the Administrative Agent against (x) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (y) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in

 

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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 and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).

(d) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by such Loan Party or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to such Loan Party, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.

(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, respectively, to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B) and Section 3.01(e)(ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

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

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

(2) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-A to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN (or W-8BEN-E, as applicable); or

(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN (or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-B or Exhibit 3.01-C, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, then such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-D on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies (or originals, as required) of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, respectively, to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

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(D) 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 Internal Revenue 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, respectively, such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, respectively, as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, respectively, to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Closing Date.

(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by a Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This Section 3.01(f) shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

(g) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 3.01, references to “applicable Law” includes FATCA.

 

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(h) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

3.02 Illegality.

If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to a Relevant Rate or SOFR or to determine or charge interest rates based upon a Relevant Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars or any Alternative Currency in the applicable interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (a) any obligation of such Lender to make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Credit Extension or continue Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies or to convert Base Rate Loans to Term SOFR Loans shall be suspended and (b) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, in each case, until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice by the Borrower, (i) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay all Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Loans, as applicable in the affected currency or currencies or, if applicable in the case of Term SOFR Loans, convert all such Term SOFR Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Loans to such day, or immediately if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Loans and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Term SOFR component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon Term SOFR. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

Each Lender at its option may make any Credit Extension to the Borrower by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Credit Extension; provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay such Credit Extension in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.

(a) If, in connection with any request for a Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Loan or a conversion of Base Rate Loans to Term SOFR Loans or a continuation of any of such Loans, as applicable, (i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) that (A) no Successor Rate for the Relevant Rate for the applicable currency has been determined in accordance with (x) in the case of Term SOFR Loans, Section 3.03(b) and the circumstances under clause (i) of Section 3.03(b) or the Scheduled Term SOFR Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable) or (y) in the case of Alternative Currency

 

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Loans, Section 3.03(c), and the circumstances under Section 3.03(c)(i) or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred with respect to such Relevant Rate (as applicable) or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not otherwise exist for determining the Relevant Rate for the applicable currency for any determination date(s) or requested Interest Period, as applicable, with respect to a proposed Term SOFR Loan or an Alternative Currency Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason that the Relevant Rate with respect to a proposed Loan denominated in an currency for any requested Interest Period or determination date(s) does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Loan, then the Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and all Lenders.

Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Loans in the affected currency or currencies, as applicable, or to convert Base Rate Loans to Term SOFR Loans, shall be suspended in each case to the extent of the affected Loans or Interest Periods or determination date(s), as applicable, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Term SOFR component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a determination by the Required Lenders described in Section 3.03(a)(ii), until the Administrative Agent upon instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.

Upon receipt of such notice, (1) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans, or Borrowing of, or a continuation of Alternative Currency Loans to the extent of the affected Alternative Currency Loans or Interest Period or determination date(s), as applicable or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the Dollar Equivalent of the amount specified therein and (2) (A) any outstanding Term SOFR Loans shall be deemed to have been converted to Base Rate Loans at the end of their respective applicable Interest Period and (B) any outstanding affected Alternative Currency Loans, at the Borrower’s election, shall either (x) be converted into a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such outstanding Alternative Currency Loan immediately, in the case of an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan, or at the end of the applicable Interest Period, in the case of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, or (y) be prepaid in full immediately, in the case of an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan, or at the end of the applicable Interest Period, in the case of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan; provided that if no election is made by the Borrower (x) in the case of an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan, by the date that is three (3) Business Days after receipt by the Borrower of such notice or (y) in the case of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, by the last day of the current Interest Period for the applicable Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, then the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected clause (x) above.

(b) Replacement or Successor of Term SOFR. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties hereto absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to the Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:

(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining one month, three month and six month interest periods of Term SOFR, including, without limitation, because the Term SOFR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or

 

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(ii) CME or any successor administrator of the Term SOFR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent or such administrator with respect to its publication of Term SOFR, in each case acting in such capacity, has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which one month, three month and six month interest periods of Term SOFR or the Term SOFR Screen Rate shall or will no longer be made available, or permitted to be used for determining the interest rate of Dollar denominated syndicated loans, or shall or will otherwise cease, provided that, at the time of such statement, there is no successor administrator that is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that will continue to provide such interest periods of Term SOFR after such specific date (the latest date on which one month, three month and six month interest periods of Term SOFR or the Term SOFR Screen Rate are no longer available permanently or indefinitely, the “Scheduled Term SOFR Unavailability Date”);

then, on a date and time determined by the Administrative Agent (any such date, the “Term SOFR Replacement Date”), which date shall be at the end of an Interest Period or on the relevant interest payment date, as applicable, for interest calculated and, solely with respect to clause (ii) above, no later than the Scheduled Term SOFR Unavailability Date, Term SOFR will be replaced hereunder and under any Loan Document with Daily Simple SOFR plus the SOFR Adjustment for any payment period for interest calculated that can be determined by the Administrative Agent, in each case, without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “Successor Term SOFR Rate”).

If the Successor Term SOFR Rate is Daily Simple SOFR plus the SOFR Adjustment, all interest payments will be payable on a quarterly basis.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) if the Administrative Agent determines that Daily Simple SOFR is not available on or prior to the Term SOFR Replacement Date, or (ii) if the events or circumstances of the type described in Section 3.03(b)(i) or (ii) have occurred with respect to the Successor Term SOFR Rate then in effect, then in each case, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing Term SOFR or any then current Successor Term SOFR Rate in accordance with this Section 3.03 at the end of any Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, as applicable, with an alternative benchmark rate giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated credit facilities syndicated and agented in the U.S. for such alternative benchmark. and, in each case, including any mathematical or other adjustments to such benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated credit facilities syndicated and agented in the U.S. for such benchmark. For the avoidance of doubt, any such proposed rate and adjustments shall constitute a “Successor Term SOFR Rate”. Any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders object to such amendment.

For purposes of this Section 3.03(b), those Lenders that either have not made, or do not have an obligation under this Agreement to make, the relevant Loans in Dollars shall be excluded from any determination of Required Lenders.

 

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(c) Alternative Currencies. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent (with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to the Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:

(i) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency because none of the tenors of such Relevant Rate (including any forward-looking term rate thereof) is available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary; or

(ii) the Applicable Authority has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which all tenors of the Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency (including any forward-looking term rate thereof) shall or will no longer be representative or made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans denominated in such Alternative Currency, or shall or will otherwise cease, provided that, in each case, at the time of such statement, there is no successor administrator that is satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that will continue to provide such representative tenor(s) of the Relevant Rate for such Alternative Currency (the latest date on which all tenors of the Relevant Rate for such Alternative Currency (including any forward-looking term rate thereof) are no longer representative or available permanently or indefinitely, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”); or

(iii) syndicated loans currently being executed and agented in the U.S. are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace the Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency;

or if the events or circumstances of the type described in Section 3.03(c)(i), (ii) or (iii) have occurred with respect to the Successor Relevant Rate then in effect, then, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing the Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency or any then current Successor Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency in accordance with this Section 3.03 with an alternative benchmark rate giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar credit facilities syndicated and agented in the U.S. and denominated in such Alternative Currency for such alternative benchmarks, and, in each case, including any mathematical or other adjustments to such benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar credit facilities syndicated and agented in the U.S. and denominated in such Alternative Currency for such benchmarks, and may be periodically updated (and any such proposed rate, including for the avoidance of doubt, any adjustment thereto, a “Successor Relevant Rate”), and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders object to such amendment.

(d) Successor Rates Generally.

The Administrative Agent will promptly (in one or more notices) notify the Borrower and each Lender of the implementation of any Successor Rate. Any Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything else herein, if at any time any Successor Rate as so determined would otherwise be less than zero percent (0%), the Successor Rate will be deemed to be zero percent (0%) for the

 

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purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In connection with the implementation of a Successor Rate, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement; provided that, with respect to any such amendment effected, the Administrative Agent shall post each such amendment implementing such Conforming Changes to the Borrower and the Lenders reasonably promptly after such amendment becomes effective.

3.04 Increased Costs.

(a) Increased Costs Generally. 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 or the L/C Issuer;

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

(iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or any applicable interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount), then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

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

 

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(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth, with supporting calculations in reasonable detail, the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in Section 3.04(a) or (b) and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than six (6) months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, 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 L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the six-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

3.05 Compensation for Losses.

Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a Base Rate Loan) on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower;

(c) any failure by the Borrower to make a payment of any Loan or any drawing under a Letter of Credit (or interest due thereon) denominated in an Alternative Currency on its scheduled due date or any payment thereof in a different currency; or

(d) any assignment of a Term SOFR Loan or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13; or

including any loss of anticipated profits, foreign exchange losses and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained or from the performance of any foreign exchange contract. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.

 

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For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05 each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan made by it by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the offshore interbank market for such currency for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then, at the request of the Borrower, such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.

(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if 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 3.01, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.

3.07 Survival.

All of the Loan Parties’ obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.

ARTICLE IV

GUARANTY

4.01 The Guaranty.

Each of the Guarantors, if any, hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, the L/C Issuer, each Affiliate of a Lender that enters into a Swap Contract or a Treasury Management Agreement with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, the Administrative Agent and each other holder of the Obligations as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof. The Guarantors, if any, hereby further agree that if any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

 

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Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents, Swap Contracts or Treasury Management Agreements, the obligations of each Guarantor (in its capacity as such), if any, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under applicable Debtor Relief Laws.

4.02 Obligations Unconditional.

The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 4.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 4.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower or any other Guarantor for amounts paid under this Article IV until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitments have expired or terminated. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

(a) at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

(b) any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be done or omitted;

(c) the maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

(d) any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations as security for any of the Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or

(e) any of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including, without limitation, for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including, without limitation, any creditor of any Guarantor).

With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Loan Documents or any other document relating to the Obligations, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.

 

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4.03 Reinstatement.

The obligations of the Guarantors under this Article IV shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, and each Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each other holder of the Obligations on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including, without limitation, the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such holder of the Obligations in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any Debtor Relief Law.

4.04 Certain Additional Waivers.

Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 4.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 4.06.

4.05 Remedies.

The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the other holders of the Obligations, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as specified in Section 9.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances specified in said Section 9.02) for purposes of Section 4.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 4.01.

4.06 Rights of Contribution.

The Guarantors agree among themselves that, in connection with payments made hereunder, each Guarantor shall have contribution rights against the other Guarantors as permitted under applicable Law. Such contribution rights shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the obligations of such Guarantors under the Loan Documents and no Guarantor shall exercise such rights of contribution until all Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitments have terminated.

4.07 Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.

The guarantee in this Article IV is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to all Obligations whenever arising.

4.08 Keepwell.

Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty in this Article IV by any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (a “Specified Loan Party”) or the grant of a security interest under the Loan Documents by any such Specified Loan Party, in either case, becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by

 

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such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Article IV voidable under applicable Debtor Relief Laws, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 4.08 shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section 4.08 to constitute, and this Section 4.08 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

ARTICLE V

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

5.01 Conditions of Effectiveness.

This Agreement shall be effective upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

(a) Loan Documents. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of executed counterparts of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party and, in the case of this Agreement, by each Lender.

(b) Opinions of Counsel. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date, and in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(c) No Material Adverse Change. There shall not have occurred a material adverse change since December 31, 2023 in the business, assets, liabilities (actual or contingent), operations or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(d) Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

(i) copies of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;

(ii) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party; and

(iii) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation.

 

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(e) Closing Certificate. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that (i) the condition specified in Section 5.01(c) has been satisfied, (ii) the representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article VI or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, are true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it is true and correct in all respects as drafted) on and as of the Closing Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it is true and correct in all respects as drafted) as of such earlier date and (iii) no Default exists.

(f) KYC Information.

(i) Upon the reasonable request by any Lender to the Borrower at least ten (10) days prior to the Closing Date, receipt by such Lender of the documentation and other information so requested in connection with applicable “know your customer” and anti-money-laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act, in each case, at least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date.

(ii) At least five (5) days prior to the Closing Date, if a Loan Party qualifies as a “legal entity customer” under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to such Loan Party.

(g) Fees. Receipt by the Administrative Agent, BAS and the Lenders of any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date to the extent invoiced prior to the Closing Date.

(h) Attorney Costs. Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the payment by the Borrower of all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute the Administrative Agent’s reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings to the extent provided by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.04, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

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5.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions.

The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a conversion of the Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Term SOFR Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:

(a) The representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article VI or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if any such representation or warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct in all respects as drafted) as of such earlier date, except that for purposes of this Section 5.02(a), the representations contained in Section 6.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to Section 7.04(a) and Section 7.04(b).

(b) No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

(c) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

(d) In the case of a Credit Extension to be denominated in an Alternative Currency, such currency remains an Eligible Currency.

Each Request for Credit Extension submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 5.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

ARTICLE VI

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

The Loan Parties represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

6.01 Organization; Powers.

The Borrower and each of the Subsidiaries (a) (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (ii) has all requisite power and authority to own its property and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted and (iii) is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required, except where any such failure, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (b) has the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under each of the Loan Documents and each other agreement or instrument contemplated hereby to which it is or will be a party and, in the case of the Borrower, to borrow and receive other Credit Extensions hereunder.

 

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6.02 Authorization.

The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party (a) have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate or other organizational action and, if required, equity holder action and (b) will not (i) violate (A) any provision of Law or of the Organization Documents of such Loan Party, (B) any order of any Governmental Authority or (C) any provision of any indenture, agreement or other instrument to which such Loan Party is a party or by which any of them or any of their property is or may be bound, (ii) be in conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute (alone or with notice or lapse of time or both) a default under, or give rise to any right to accelerate or to require the prepayment, repurchase or redemption of any obligation under any such indenture, agreement or other instrument, or (iii) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than any Lien created hereunder).

6.03 Enforceability.

This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party and constitutes, and each other Loan Document when executed and delivered by each Loan Party thereto will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by applicable Debtor Relief Laws or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

6.04 Governmental Approvals.

No action, consent or approval of, registration or filing with or any other action by any Governmental Authority is or will be required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except for such as have been made or obtained and are in full force and effect.

6.05 Financial Statements.

The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its Audited Financial Statements and its unaudited consolidated balance sheets and statements of income, stockholders’ equity (in the case of the Borrower) and cash flows as of and for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2024. Subject to normal year-end audit adjustments (in the case of unaudited statements), (i) such financial statements present fairly the financial condition and results of operations and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods, (ii) such balance sheets and the notes thereto disclose all material liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof to the extent required in accordance with GAAP and (iii) such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP.

6.06 No Material Adverse Change.

Since December 31, 2023, no event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

6.07 Title to Properties; Possession Under Leases.

Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries has valid title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its material properties and assets, except for defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties and assets for their intended purposes. All such material properties and assets are free and clear of Liens, other than Permitted Liens.

 

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6.08 Subsidiaries.

Schedule 6.08 sets forth as of the Closing Date a list of all Subsidiaries and the percentage ownership interest of the Borrower therein.

6.09 Litigation; Compliance with Laws.

(a) There are not any actions, suits or proceedings at law or in equity or by or before any Governmental Authority now pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened against or affecting the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any business, property or rights of any such Person (i) that involve any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated thereby or (ii) which could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) None of the Borrower, any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective material properties or assets is in violation of any Law, or is in default with respect to any judgment, writ, injunction, decree or order of any Governmental Authority, where such violation or default could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification, if applicable, is true and correct in all respects, to the knowledge of the Borrower.

6.10 Agreements.

(a) Neither the Borrower nor any of the Subsidiaries is subject to any Contractual Obligation or subject to any corporate or similar restriction that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Neither the Borrower nor any of the Subsidiaries is in default in any manner under any provision of any indenture or other agreement or instrument evidencing Indebtedness, or any other material Contractual Obligation to which it is subject or by which it or any of its properties or assets are or may be bound, where such default could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

6.11 Federal Reserve Regulations.

(a) Neither the Borrower nor any of the Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of buying or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB).

(b) No part of the proceeds of any Loan or any Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, for any purpose that entails a violation of, or that is inconsistent with, the provisions of the regulations issued by the FRB, including Regulation T, U or X.

 

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6.12 Investment Company Act.

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

6.13 Use of Proceeds.

The Borrower will use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions to finance working capital, capital expenditures and other lawful corporate purposes.

6.14 Tax Returns.

Each of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries (a) has filed or caused to be filed all Federal, state, local and foreign tax returns or materials required to have been filed by it except for filings the delinquency of which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (b) has paid or caused to be paid all taxes due and payable by it and all material written assessments received by it, except taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as applicable, shall have set aside on its books adequate reserves or where the failure to so pay could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

6.15 No Material Misstatements.

None of the information, reports, financial statements, exhibits or schedules furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, BAS or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of any Loan Document or included therein or delivered pursuant thereto contained, contains or will contain any material misstatement of fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were, are or will be made, not misleading; provided that to the extent any such information, report, financial statement, exhibit or schedule was based upon or constitutes a forecast or projection, the Loan Parties represent only that they acted in good faith and utilized reasonable assumptions and due care in the preparation of such information, report, financial statement, exhibit or schedule.

6.16 Employee Benefit Plans.

(a) Each of the Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates is in compliance in all respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder, except where such non-compliance, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) The Borrower is not and will not be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 C.F.R. § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments.

 

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6.17 Environmental Matters.

Except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Borrower nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) has received written notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (iii) knows of any Release of any Hazardous Materials at any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any Subsidiary requiring any reporting, investigative, cleanup, removal or response action pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law, which action has not been completed, except for Releases occurring pursuant to permits, licenses or approvals issued pursuant to Environmental Laws.

6.18 Insurance.

The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have insurance in such amounts and covering such risks and liabilities as are in accordance with normal industry practice.

6.19 Labor Matters.

As of the Closing Date, there are no material strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against the Borrower or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened. Except with respect to any violations that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Federal, state, local or foreign Law dealing with such matters. All payments due from the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against the Borrower or any Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of the Borrower or such Subsidiary except where the failure to make or accrue any such payments, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents will not give rise to any right of termination or right of renegotiation on the part of any union under any collective bargaining agreement to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is bound.

6.20 Solvency.

Immediately following the making of each Credit Extension and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of thereof, (a) the fair value of the assets of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, at a fair valuation, will exceed the debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole; (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of the debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (c) the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will be able to pay the debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (d) the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, are engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted following the Closing Date.

6.21 Existing Liens.

(a) [Reserved].

(b) Set forth on Schedule 8.02 is a list of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens under Sections 8.02(a) through 8.02(o) and Section 8.02(q)) existing as of the Closing Date with respect to any property or assets owned by a Loan Party or any Subsidiary or any income, revenues or rights in respect of any thereof.

 

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6.22 OFAC.

None of the Loan Parties, nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer or employee thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is, (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, operating, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction. The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Sanctions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries with such Sanctions.

6.23 Anti-Corruption Laws.

The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in all material respects in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

6.24 No Affected Financial Institutions.

No Loan Party is an Affected Financial Institution.

ARTICLE VII

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, each Loan Party shall and shall cause each Subsidiary to:

7.01 Existence; Businesses and Properties.

(a) Do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence, except as otherwise expressly permitted under Section 8.05 and except, with respect to any Subsidiary, where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) (1) Do or cause to be done all things necessary to obtain, preserve, renew, extend and keep in full force and effect the rights, licenses, permits, franchises, authorizations, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (2) maintain and operate such business in substantially the manner in which it is presently conducted and operated; (3) comply in all material respects with all applicable Laws, whether now in effect or hereafter enacted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (4) at all times, maintain and preserve all property material to the conduct of such business and keep such property in good repair, working order and condition, and from time to time make, or cause to be made, all needful and proper repairs, renewals, additions, improvements and replacements thereto necessary in order that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly conducted at all times, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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7.02 Insurance.

(1) Keep its insurable properties adequately insured at all times by financially sound and reputable insurers (after giving effect to any self-insurance in amounts customary in the Borrower’s industry); (2) maintain such other insurance, to such extent and against such risks, including fire and other risks insured against by extended coverage, as is customary with companies in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations, including public liability insurance against claims for personal injury or death or property damage occurring upon, in, about or in connection with the use of any properties owned, occupied or controlled by it; and (3) maintain such other insurance as may be required by Law.

7.03 Obligations and Taxes.

Pay its Indebtedness promptly and in accordance with its terms and pay and discharge promptly when due all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it or upon its income or profits or in respect of its property, before the same shall become delinquent or in default, as well as all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies or otherwise that, if unpaid, might give rise to a Lien upon such properties or any part thereof; provided, however, that such payment and discharge shall not be required with respect to any such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim so long as (a) (i) the validity or amount thereof shall be contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (ii) the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall have set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP, and (iii) such contest operates to suspend collection of the contested obligation, tax, assessment or charge and enforcement of a Lien or (b) the failure to so pay or discharge could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

7.04 Financial Statements, Reports, etc.

In the case of the Borrower, furnish to the Administrative Agent:

(a) within 100 days after the end of each fiscal year commencing with Borrower’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2024, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows showing the financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal year and the results of its operations and the operations of such Subsidiaries during such year, all audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing and accompanied by an opinion of such accountants (which shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements fairly present the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;

(b) within 50 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, its consolidated balance sheet and related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows showing the financial condition of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and the results of its operations and the operations of such

 

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Subsidiaries during such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, compared with the results of its operations and the operations of its Subsidiaries in the corresponding quarter from the prior fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as fairly presenting the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments;

(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under Section 7.04(a) or 7.04(b) above, a duly completed Compliance Certificate, signed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower;

(d) [reserved];

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

(f) promptly after the receipt thereof by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, a copy of any final “management letter” received by any such Person from its certified public accountants and management’s response thereto;

(g) promptly following any request therefor, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act, the Beneficial Ownership Regulation or other applicable anti-money laundering laws; and

(h) promptly, from time to time, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of any Loan Document, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.04(a), 7.04(b) or 7.04(e) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto, on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent (which shall notify each Lender) of the posting of any such document and, promptly upon request by the Administrative Agent, provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail an electronic version (i.e., a soft copy) of any such document specifically requested by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or BAS may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on ClearPar, IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another similar electronic transmission system

 

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(as applicable, the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, BAS, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and BAS shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated as “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”

7.05 Litigation and Other Notices.

Furnish to the Administrative Agent, for distribution to the Lenders, prompt written notice of the following:

(a) any Default, specifying the nature and extent thereof and the corrective action (if any) taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto;

(b) the filing or commencement of, or any threat or notice of intention of any Person to file or commence, any action, suit or proceeding, whether at law or in equity or by or before any Governmental Authority, against the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower and the Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000,000;

(d) any notice from S&P or Moody’s indicating the possibility of an adverse change in the credit ratings applicable to the Borrower or any of its Indebtedness assigned by S&P or Moody’s and promptly after the Borrower obtains knowledge of any change in the rating established by S&P or Moody’s, as applicable, with respect to the Debt Rating, a notice of such change, which notice shall specify the new rating, the date on which such change was publicly announced, and such other information with respect to such change as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request; and

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

7.06 Information Regarding Subsidiaries.

Each year, at the time of delivery of the annual financial statements with respect to the preceding fiscal year pursuant to Section 7.04(a), deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer setting forth supplements to Schedule 6.08 as are necessary such that, as supplemented, such Schedule would be accurate and complete as of the date of the most recent certificate delivered pursuant to this Section 7.06.

 

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7.07 Maintaining Records; Access to Properties and Inspections.

(a) Keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries, in all material respects, in conformity with GAAP and all requirements of Law are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities.

(b) Permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to visit and inspect the financial records and the properties of the Borrower or any Subsidiary at reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested and to make extracts from and copies of such financial records, and permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to discuss the affairs, finances and condition of the Borrower or any Subsidiary with the officers thereof and independent accountants therefor; provided that any such visit or inspection does not interfere with the normal operation of such business conducted at such properties; provided further that reasonable prior notice of any discussions with the Borrower’s independent accountants shall be given to Borrower and Borrower shall have the opportunity to be present and participate in any such discussions.

7.08 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions to finance working capital, capital expenditures and other lawful corporate purposes, provided that in no event shall the proceeds of the Credit Extensions be used in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.

7.09 Debt Ratings.

Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain Debt Ratings (it being understood and agreed that “commercially reasonable efforts” shall in any event include the payment by the Borrower of customary rating agency fees and cooperation with information and data requests by Moody’s and S&P in connection with their ratings process), it being agreed that there is no obligation to maintain any particular ratings at any time.

7.10 Anti-Corruption Laws.

Conduct its businesses in compliance in all material respects with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and with all applicable Sanctions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and Sanctions.

ARTICLE VIII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding, no Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

 

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8.01 Indebtedness.

Incur, create, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

(b) intercompany Indebtedness to the extent that the loan or advance to the applicable debtor was permitted under Section 8.04;

(c) Capital Lease Obligations and other Indebtedness incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets, including 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 (except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon at such time plus reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with such extensions, renewals or replacements); provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness shall not exceed $200,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(d) Indebtedness under industrial revenue bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(e) Receivables Program Indebtedness in an amount not exceeding $100,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding;

(f) Indebtedness solely in respect of surety, performance, statutory, bid, appeal, customs and return-of-money bonds, payment (other than payment of Indebtedness) or completion performance guarantees, bankers’ acceptance, bank guarantees, letters of credit, warehouse receipts and similar obligations in respect of contractual obligations of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, provided that such obligations are (i) incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) except as expressly permitted under Section 8.02(d) or 8.02(e), unsecured;

(g) to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations 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 or in respect of such statutory obligation; provided that such obligations are incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(h) to the extent constituting Indebtedness, obligations representing deferred compensation to employees or directors of the Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

(i) Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or self-insurance obligations and (ii) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply or similar agreements, in each case in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries; provided that such obligations are incurred in connection with open accounts extended by suppliers on customary trade terms in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(j) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $75,000,000 at any one time outstanding; provided that such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary (and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon at such time plus reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with such extensions, renewals or replacements));

(k) other Indebtedness, so long as the aggregate principal amount of Priority Debt does not exceed 7.5% of Consolidated Tangible Assets (determined as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available); and

(l) Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness permitted under this Section 8.01; provided that in the case of any Guarantee provided by the Borrower or any wholly-owned Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness of a non-wholly-owned Subsidiary, such Guarantee is also permitted under Section 8.04(o) or Section 8.04(p).

8.02 Liens.

Create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or assets now owned or hereafter acquired by it or on any income or revenues or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

(a) any Lien created under the Loan Documents;

(b) Liens for taxes not yet due or which are being contested in compliance with Section 7.03;

(c) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not due and payable for a period of more than thirty (30) days or which are being contested in compliance with Section 7.03;

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

(e) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for Indebtedness), leases (other than Capital Lease Obligations), statutory obligations, surety, appeal, performance, bid, customs and return-of-money bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(f) zoning restrictions, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions on use of real property and other similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount and do not materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;

(g) Liens on fixed or capital assets hereafter acquired (or, in the case of improvements, constructed) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary that secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 8.01(c), provided that (i) such Liens are incurred, and the Indebtedness secured thereby is created, within ninety (90) days after such acquisition (or construction) and (ii) such Liens do not apply to any other property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary;

 

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(h) Liens on the property of Finsub incurred pursuant to the Receivables Program Documentation and precautionary filings in respect of non-recourse factoring of accounts receivable by Foreign Subsidiaries that is permitted under Section 8.05(b);

(i) Liens arising out of judgments or awards that do not constitute an Event of Default under Section 9.01(h) or in respect of which the Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries shall in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or proceedings for review in respect of which there shall be secured a subsisting stay of execution pending such appeal or proceedings;

(j) Liens solely on any cash earnest money or escrow deposits made by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement relating to any transaction permitted under Section 8.05;

(k) Liens on property (including Equity Interests) existing at the time of the Acquisition of such property (pursuant to an Acquisition permitted hereunder) by the Borrower or any Subsidiary to the extent the Liens on such assets secure Indebtedness permitted by Section 8.01(j) or other obligations permitted by this Agreement; provided that such Liens attach at all times only to the same assets that such Liens (other than after acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien) attached to, and secure only the same Indebtedness or obligations (including any extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon at such time plus reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with such extensions, renewals or replacements)); provided, further, that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall not exceed $75,000,000 at any one time outstanding;

(l) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any other Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and permitted by this Agreement;

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

(n) Liens on premium refunds granted in favor of insurance companies (or their financing affiliates) in connection with the financing of insurance premiums;

(o) Liens (i) on cash advances in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired pursuant to an Investment permitted under Section 8.04 to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment, (ii) on or with respect to Equity Interests in Joint Ventures that secure the obligations of such Joint Venture and (iii) consisting of an agreement to dispose of any property in a disposition permitted under Section 8.05, in each case, solely to the extent such Investment (including such Joint Venture) or disposition, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(p) Liens existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 8.02; provided that (i) no such Lien is spread to cover any additional property after the Closing Date and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the Closing Date (and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such obligations that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof (except by an amount equal to any unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon at such time plus reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with such extensions, renewals or replacements)); and

 

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(q) other Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 8.01(k).

8.03 [Reserved].

8.04 Investments.

Make any Investment except:

(a) Investments existing on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 8.04 and any modification, refinancing, renewal, refunding, replacement or extension thereof; provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this Section 8.04(a) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the Closing Date;

(b) Investments in the Borrower and its wholly-owned Subsidiaries;

(c) Investments by any non-wholly-owned Subsidiary in any other non-wholly-owned Subsidiary;

(d) Permitted Investments;

(e) Investments received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

(f) Investments consisting of loans and advances in the ordinary course of business to employees so long as the aggregate principal amount thereof at any time outstanding shall not exceed $5,000,000;

(g) Swap Contracts that are not speculative in nature, are entered into in the ordinary course of business and are related to interest rate hedging for floating interest rate exposure or hedging (including currency and commodity hedging) of bookings, sales, income and dividends derived from the foreign operations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary or otherwise related to purchases from suppliers;

(h) Permitted Acquisitions or transactions constituting Investments permitted pursuant to Section 8.05;

(i) Investments in the form of promissory notes and other non-cash consideration received in connection with any asset disposition or transfer permitted by this Agreement;

(j) Investments consisting of Guarantees of loans, in an aggregate amount outstanding at any time not to exceed $30,000,000, made by third parties to employees who are participants in the Borrower’s stock purchase program, if implemented, to enable such employees to purchase common stock of the Borrower;

(k) Investments consisting of Guarantees permitted by Section 8.01;

(l) Investments in connection with a Receivables Program and non-recourse factoring of accounts receivable by Foreign Subsidiaries that is permitted under Section 8.05(b);

 

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(m) Investments acquired as a result of any Person becoming a Subsidiary or in connection with an Acquisition permitted hereunder (provided that such Investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such Acquisition and were in existence at the time of such of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such Acquisition) and any modification, refinancing, renewal, refunding, replacement or extension of such Investments (provided that the amount of any Investment permitted pursuant to this Section 8.04(m) is not increased from the amount of such Investment on the date of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such Acquisition);

(n) Investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in Equity Interests in Joint Ventures; provided that the aggregate amount of such Investments shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined at the time of such Investment without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);

(o) Investments in non-wholly-owned Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000,000 at any time outstanding; and

(p) other Investments so long as at the time each such Investment is made and immediately after giving effect thereto, the aggregate amount of such Investments does not exceed 5% of Consolidated Tangible Assets (determined as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements are available) in the aggregate at any time outstanding.

8.05 Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets.

(a) Mergers; Consolidations. Merge, dissolve, liquidate or consolidate with or into another Person or consummate any division, except that so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, (a) the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any of its Subsidiaries, provided that the Borrower is the continuing or surviving corporation, (b) any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) if a Loan Party is a party to such transaction, the continuing or surviving Person is a Loan Party and (ii) if a wholly-owned Subsidiary is a party to such transaction, the continuing or surviving Person is a wholly-owned Subsidiary, (c) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Person in connection with a Permitted Acquisition, provided that (i) if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower is the continuing or surviving corporation, (ii) if a Guarantor is a party to such transaction, the surviving Person shall be a Guarantor and (iii) if a wholly-owned Subsidiary is a party to such transaction, the continuing or surviving Person is a wholly-owned Subsidiary and (d) any Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor may dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time, provided that such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(b) Asset Sales. Engage in any Asset Sale unless (i) the consideration therefor is at least equal to the fair market value (in the case of an asset with a fair market value in excess of $50,000,000, as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Borrower) of the assets being sold, transferred, leased or disposed of and (ii) the fair market value of all assets sold, transferred, leased or disposed of pursuant to this Section 8.05(b) shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated Tangible Assets (determined as of the most recently ended fiscal quarter for which financial statements have been delivered) in the aggregate from and after the Closing Date, provided that the limitations set forth in this clause (ii) shall not apply to the non-recourse factoring of accounts receivable by Foreign Subsidiaries so long as the aggregate outstanding amount of accounts receivable (assuming each such account receivable remains outstanding for the number of days provided in the applicable invoice for non-delinquent payment) at any time which have been so factored shall not exceed $75,000,000.

 

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8.06 Restricted Payments; Restrictive Agreements.

(a) Declare or pay, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may make Restricted Payments so long as (i) no Default exists or would result therefrom and (ii) the Borrower is and would be in compliance with the maximum ratio set forth in Section 8.11(a) on a Pro Forma Basis.

(b) Except as provided on Schedule 8.06, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (i) the ability of the Borrower or any Loan Party to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets to secure the Obligations or any Indebtedness refinancing the Obligations, (ii) the ability of any Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments or to make or repay loans or advances to any Loan Party or (iii) the ability of any Loan Party to Guarantee Indebtedness of any Loan Party; provided that (A) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by Law or by any Loan Document, (B) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of assets or a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the assets or Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (C) the foregoing shall not apply to the restrictions and conditions imposed on Finsub under the Receivables Program Documentation, (D) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed on any Foreign Subsidiary by the terms of any Indebtedness of such Foreign Subsidiary permitted to be incurred hereunder, (E) subclause (i) of the foregoing shall not apply to (1) 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 or (2) customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the assignment thereof and (F) the foregoing shall not apply to any agreement in effect at the time any Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower, so long as such prohibition or limitation applies only to such Subsidiary (and, if applicable, its Subsidiaries) and such agreement was not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Borrower, as such agreement may be amended, restated, supplemented, modified extended renewed or replaced, so long as such amendment, restatement, supplement, modification, extension, renewal or replacement does not expand in any material respect the scope of any restriction contemplated by this Section 8.06(b) contained therein.

8.07 Transactions with Affiliates.

Sell or transfer any property or assets to, or purchase or acquire any property, assets or services from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except that (a) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may engage in any of the foregoing transactions 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) reasonable and customary fees may be paid to members of the board of directors, officers, employees and consultants for services rendered in the ordinary course of business, together with customary indemnities in connection therewith and in accordance with applicable Law, (c) Restricted Payments may be made pursuant to Section 8.06 and (d) intercompany transactions not prohibited by this Agreement may be consummated.

 

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8.08 Business of Borrower and Subsidiaries.

Engage at any time in any business or business activity other than the business currently conducted by the Borrower and the Subsidiaries and business activities reasonably incidental thereto, including any activities permitted hereunder, which, in the case of Finsub, shall be limited solely to performing its obligations under the Receivables Program Documentation.

8.09 Other Indebtedness and Agreements.

(a) If any Event of Default exists, (i) amend or modify any of the terms of any Material Indebtedness if such amendment or modification would add or change any terms in a manner materially adverse to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, (ii) shorten the final maturity or average life to maturity, (iii) require any payment to be made sooner than originally scheduled or (iv) increase the interest rate applicable thereto.

(b) Other than in accordance with the express terms of the subordination provisions or subordination agreement relating thereto, amend or modify any of the terms of any subordinated Indebtedness or make any payments in respect of any subordinated Indebtedness.

(c) Except as set forth on Schedule 8.09, pay in cash any amount in respect of any Indebtedness or preferred Equity Interests that may at the obligor’s option be paid in kind or in other securities.

8.10 Fiscal Year.

With respect to the Borrower, change its fiscal year-end to a date other than December 31; provided that the Borrower may use a 52/53 week fiscal year ending around December 31.

8.11 Financial Covenants.

(a) Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio. (i) Permit the Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower (A) ending on or prior to December 31, 2025, to be greater than 4.00 to 1.0 and (B) ending on or after January 1, 2026, to be greater than 3.75 to 1.0; provided that, in connection with any Material Acquisition occurring on or after January 1, 2026, upon written notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the maximum permitted Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio for each of the four consecutive fiscal quarters, beginning with the fiscal quarter in which such Material Acquisition occurs (such period, the “Leverage Increase Period”), shall be increased to 4.25 to 1.0. Following the expiration of any Leverage Increase Period, the maximum Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio cannot be subsequently increased again as provided in the immediately preceding proviso (and a subsequent Leverage Increase Period cannot commence) until the Borrower has delivered quarterly Compliance Certificates evidencing that it was in compliance with the maximum Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio as set forth in this Section 8.11(a) (after the decrease in such maximum Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio following the termination of such Leverage Increase Period) for two (2) consecutive fiscal quarters; provided, that the maximum Consolidated Net Leverage Ratio may be increased no more than two (2) times during the term of this Agreement.

(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 3.25 to 1.0.

 

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8.12 Use of Proceeds.

Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to (i) purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB), (ii) extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or (iii) refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

8.13 Sanctions.

Directly or indirectly use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, arranger, Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer, Swing Line Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

8.14 Anti-Corruption Laws.

Directly or indirectly use the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.

ARTICLE IX

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

9.01 Events of Default.

Any of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

(a) Non-Payment. Any Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, and in the currency required hereunder, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation (after giving effect to the reimbursement of the L/C Issuer out of the proceeds of a Revolving Loan pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i)), (ii) within three (3) Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five (5) days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

(b) Specific Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 7.01(a), Section 7.05, Section 7.08 or Article VIII; or

(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Office of the Borrower becoming aware thereof or (ii) notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

 

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(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation or warranty made or deemed made in or in connection with any Loan Document or the Credit Extensions hereunder, or any representation, warranty, statement or information contained in any report, certificate, financial statement or other instrument furnished in connection with or pursuant to any Loan Document, shall prove to have been false or misleading in any material respect when so made, deemed made or furnished; or

(e) Cross-Default. Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary shall (i) fail to pay any principal or interest, regardless of amount, due in respect of any Material Indebtedness when and as the same shall become due and payable (after giving effect to any applicable grace period), or (ii) fail to observe or perform any other term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing any such Indebtedness, in each case, unless such failure has been waived pursuant to a written waiver from the holder of such Material Indebtedness, if the effect of any failure referred to in this clause (ii) is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or a trustee on its or their behalf to cause, such Indebtedness to become due or repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed prior to its stated maturity; or

(f) Involuntary Proceedings, Etc. (1) An involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed in a court of competent jurisdiction seeking (i) relief in respect of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary), or of a substantial part of the property or assets of any Loan Party or a Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary), under Title 11 of the United States Code, as now constituted or hereafter amended, or any other federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar Law, (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) or for a substantial part of the property or assets of any Loan Party or a Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) or (iii) the winding-up or liquidation of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) and (2) such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered; or

(g) Voluntary Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking relief under Title 11 of the United States Code, as now constituted or hereafter amended, or any other federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or the filing of any petition described in Section 9.01(f), (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) or for a substantial part of the property or assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary), (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, (vi) become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due or (vii) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or

(h) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding $100,000,000 (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of the claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

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

(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. (1) Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect, (2) any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or (3) any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.

9.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default.

If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

(c) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount with respect thereto); and

(d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or at equity;

provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case, without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

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9.03 Application of Funds.

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 9.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.14 and 2.15, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings and fees, premiums and scheduled periodic payments, and any interest accrued thereon, due under any Swap Contract between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, ratably among the Lenders (and, in the case of such Swap Contracts, Affiliates of Lenders) and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third held by them;

Fourth, to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, (b) payment of breakage, termination or other payments, and any interest accrued thereon, due under any Swap Contract between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender, (c) payments of amounts due under any Treasury Management Agreement between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Lender, or any Affiliate of a Lender and (d) Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, in each case, ratably among the Lenders (and, in the case of such Swap Contracts and Treasury Management Agreements, Affiliates of Lenders) and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

Subject to Section 2.03(c) and Section 2.14, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above. Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or such Guarantor’s assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section 9.03.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Treasury Management Agreements and Swap Contracts shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Lender (or Affiliate thereof). Each Affiliate of a Lender not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article X hereof as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

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ARTICLE X

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

10.01 Appointment and Authority.

Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article X are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and no Loan Party shall have rights as a third-party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law; instead, such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

10.02 Rights as a Lender.

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

10.03 Exculpatory Provisions.

Neither of the Administrative Agent or BAS, as applicable, shall have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and each of their duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent or BAS, as applicable, and its Related Parties:

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

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

 

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

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable to any Lender for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. Any such action taken or failure to act pursuant to the foregoing shall be binding on all Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article V or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

10.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent.

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan Parties), 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.

For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objections.

 

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10.05 Delegation of Duties.

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

10.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.

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

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

(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable), (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that, in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of

 

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the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(h) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section 10.06). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article X and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed 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 (i) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.

(d) Any resignation by or removal of Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 10.06 shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. If Bank of America resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c). If Bank of America resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as applicable, (ii) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents and (iii) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

10.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer expressly acknowledges that neither of the Administrative Agent or BAS has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by the Administrative Agent or BAS hereafter taken, including any consent to, and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent or BAS to any Lender or the L/C Issuer as to any matter, including whether the Administrative Agent or BAS has disclosed material information in such Person’s (or its Related Parties’) possession. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer represents to the Administrative Agent and BAS that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, BAS, any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis of, appraisal of, and investigation into, the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and

 

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their Subsidiaries, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit to the Borrower hereunder. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, BAS, any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer represents and warrants that (a) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility and (b) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course and is entering into this Agreement as a Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, for the purpose of making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument, and each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer represents and warrants that it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities.

10.08 No Other Duties; Etc.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

10.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h) and (i), 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

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and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.

10.10 Guaranty Matters.

The Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty (a) if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted hereunder or (b) so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to the extent that such Person is an Immaterial Subsidiary (in which case such release shall be made at the Borrower’s request by the Administrative Agent acting alone). Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, pursuant to this Section 10.10.

10.11 ERISA Matters.

(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, BAS and each other arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

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

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

 

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

(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

(b) In addition, unless either (1) subclause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with subclause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, BAS, and each other arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent, BAS, or any other arranger or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).

10.12 Recovery of Erroneous Payments.

Without limitation of any other provision in this Agreement, if at any time the Administrative Agent makes a payment hereunder in error to any Lender Party, whether or not in respect of an Obligation due and owing by the Borrower at such time, where such payment is a Rescindable Amount, then in any such event, each Lender Party receiving a Rescindable Amount severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the Rescindable Amount received by such Lender Party in Same Day Funds in the currency so received, with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such Rescindable Amount is received by it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the Overnight Rate. Each Lender Party irrevocably waives any and all defenses, including any “discharge for value” (under which a creditor might otherwise claim a right to retain funds mistakenly paid by a third party in respect of a debt owed by another) or similar defense to its obligation to return any Rescindable Amount. The Administrative Agent shall inform each Lender Party promptly upon determining that any payment made to such Lender Party comprised, in whole or in part, a Rescindable Amount.

 

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ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

11.01 Amendments, Etc.

No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, further, that

(a) no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

(i) extend or increase the Commitment of a Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02) without the written consent of such Lender whose Commitment is being extended or increased (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 5.02 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Commitments of any Lender);

(ii) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) or any scheduled reduction of the Commitments hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment or whose Commitments are to be reduced;

(iii) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (i) of the final proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to (A) amend the definition of “Default Rate” or waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (B) amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;

(iv) (A) change Section 2.13 or 9.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby or (B) subordinate, or have the effect of subordinating, in right of payment the Obligations hereunder to any other Indebtedness without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

(v) amend Section 1.08 or the definitions of “Alternative Currency”, without the written consent of each Lender and L/C Issuer directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

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(vi) change any provision of this Section 11.01(a) or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

(vii) release the Borrower without the consent of each Lender, or, except in connection with a transaction permitted under Section 8.05, all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are guarantied thereby, except to the extent such release is permitted pursuant to Section 10.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone);

(b) unless also signed by the L/C Issuer, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it;

(c) unless also signed by the Swing Line Lender, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Swing Line Lender under this Agreement; and

(d) unless also signed by the Administrative Agent, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto, (ii) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein, (iii) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders and (iv) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may make amendments in accordance with Section 3.03.

No Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document to cure or correct administrative errors or omissions, or any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or to effect administrative changes, so long as such amendment, modification or supplement does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender and, in each case, the Lenders shall have received at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice thereof (which notice may be given through the Platform) and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date such notice is given to the Lenders, a written notice from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment, modification or supplement. If no objection is received from the Required Lenders within the time period set forth above, such amendment shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document.

 

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11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.

(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (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 fax transmission or e-mail transmission as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

(i) if to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, to the address, fax number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and

(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, fax number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received. Notices and other communications sent by fax transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, such notices shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in Section 11.02(b), shall be effective as provided in Section 11.02(b).

(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail, FpML messaging, and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to an electronic communications agreement or such other procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent, the Swing Line Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Borrower may each, 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.

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

 

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(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.

(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic notices, electronic notices, Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications, Notices of Loan Prepayment and Swing Line Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Loan Party. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

 

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11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.

No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate) preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at Law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 9.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; and Damage Waiver.

(a) Costs and Expenses.

(i) The Loan Parties shall pay (A) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (B) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (C) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the

 

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Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer), and all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (1) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (2) 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.

(ii) The Loan Parties shall pay all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Lender (limited in the case of fees, charges and disbursements of counsel, to one counsel for the Lenders, as a whole, except in the case of an actual conflict of interest, in which case the Loan Parties shall be required to reimburse the fees, charges and disbursements of one additional counsel to similarly situated Lenders that have such conflict) in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (i) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 11.04(a)(ii), or (ii) 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) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender, the L/C Issuer, each lead arranger and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, but limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of one outside counsel to all Indemnitees (taken as a whole) and, if reasonably necessary, a single local counsel for all Indemnitees (taken as a whole) in each relevant jurisdiction and with respect to each relevant specialty, and in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction to the affect Indemnitees similarly situated and take as a whole) incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including any Loan Party and other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by any Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent

 

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jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by any Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c) and notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under Section 11.04(a) or (b) to be paid by them to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer, the Swing Line Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the outstanding Loans, unfunded Commitments and participation interests in Swing Line Loans and L/C Obligations of all Lenders at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders’ Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section 11.04(c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, no party hereto shall assert, and each party hereto hereby waives on behalf of itself and its Affiliates, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any other party hereto (or any Indemnitee or any Loan Party), on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof (other than in respect of any such damages incurred or paid by an Indemnitee to a third party and to which such Indemnitee is otherwise entitled to indemnification as provided above). No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee 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 direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section 11.04 shall be payable within thirty (30) days after demand therefore, which demand shall be accompanied by a statement from the applicable Indemnitee setting forth such amount in reasonable detail.

(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

 

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11.05 Payments Set Aside.

To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Loan Party is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect, in the applicable currency of such recovery or payment. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

11.06 Successors and Assigns.

(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.06(b), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Section 11.06(e) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in Section 11.06(d) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swing Line Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

(i) Minimum Amounts.

(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the related Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in Section 11.06(b)(i)(B) in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

 

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(B) in any case not described in Section 11.06(b)(i)(A), the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the 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 or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of such “Trade Date”, shall not be less than $5,000,000 and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s Loans and Commitments, and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not (A) apply to the Swing Line Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swing Line Loans or (B) prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations in respect of its Revolving Commitment (and the related Revolving Loans thereunder) and its outstanding Term Loan on a non-pro rata basis;

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

(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; 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;

(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of (1) any Revolving Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Revolving Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender and (2) any Term Loan to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to a Lender; and

(C) the consent of the L/C Issuer and the Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment in respect of Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments.

(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

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(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person).

(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this Section 11.06(b)(vi), then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

(vii) No Assignment Resulting in Additional Indemnified Taxes. No such assignment shall be made to any Person that, through its Lending Offices, is not capable of lending the applicable Alternative Currencies to the Borrower without the imposition of any additional Taxes for which the Loan Parties are required to indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 3.01.

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 11.06(c), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment); provided that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver Notes to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 11.06(b) 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 Section 11.06(d).

 

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(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person), a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swing Line Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.

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, waiver or other modification described in Section 11.01(a) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 11.06(b) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 11.06(b); provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.14 as if it were an assignee under Section 11.06(b) and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under

 

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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.

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

(f) Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time a Lender acting as the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender assigns all of its Revolving Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to Section 11.06(b), such Lender may, (i) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swing Line Lender. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of such Lender as L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be. If a Lender resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). If a Lender resigns as Swing Line Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swing Line Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swing Line Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swing Line Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender, (1) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender, as the case may be, and (2) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the resigning L/C Issuer to effectively assume the obligations of the resigning L/C Issuer with respect to such Letters of Credit.

11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates, its auditors and to its Related Parties (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

 

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purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section 11.07, 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 any Eligible Assignee invited to become a Lender pursuant to Section 2.01(b) or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder, (ii) the provider of any Platform or other electronic delivery service used by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and/or the Swing Line Lender to deliver Borrower Materials or notices to the Lenders or (iii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the application, issuance, publishing and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (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 11.07, (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Loan Parties or (z) is independently discovered or developed by a party hereto without utilizing any Information received from the Borrower or violating the terms of this Section 11.07. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.

For purposes of this Section 11.07, “Information” means all information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary relating to the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Loan Party or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary after the Closing Date, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 11.07 shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein prohibits any individual from communicating or disclosing information regarding suspected violations of laws, rules, or regulations to a governmental, regulatory, or self-regulatory authority.

11.08 Set-off.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set-off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever

 

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currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the L/C Issuer or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of set-off, (x) all amounts so set-off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of set-off. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section 11.08 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such set-off and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.

11.09 Interest Rate Limitation.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

11.10 Integration; Effectiveness.

This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer 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 5.01, 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 that, 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.

11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties.

All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

 

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11.12 Severability.

If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swing Line Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

11.13 Replacement of Lenders.

If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting 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, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);

(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) 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);

(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

(e) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent;

provided, further, that the failure by such Lender to execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption shall not impair the validity of the removal of such Lender and the mandatory assignment of such Lender’s Commitments and outstanding Loans and participations in L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans pursuant to this Section 11.13 shall nevertheless be effective without the execution by such Lender of an Assignment and Assumption.

 

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

Notwithstanding anything in this Section 11.13 to the contrary, (i) a Lender that acts as L/C Issuer may not be replaced hereunder at any time it has any Letter of Credit outstanding hereunder unless arrangements satisfactory to such Lender (including the furnishing of a backstop standby letter of credit in form and substance, and issued by an issuer, reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer or the depositing of cash collateral into a cash collateral account in amounts and pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer) have been made with respect to such outstanding Letter of Credit and (ii) the Lender that acts as the Administrative Agent may not be replaced hereunder except in accordance with the terms of Section 10.06.

11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

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

(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER, THE L/C ISSUER, OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER 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.

 

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(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN SECTION 11.14(B). EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

11.15 Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury.

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 11.15.

11.16 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), each of the Loan Parties acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, BAS and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, BAS and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Loan Parties 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) the Administrative Agent, BAS, and the Lenders each 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 Loan Parties, any of their respective Affiliates or any other Person and (B) none of the Administrative Agent, BAS or any Lender has any obligation to the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, BAS, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and none of the Administrative Agent, BAS or any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by Law, each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, BAS or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

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11.17 Electronic Execution.

This Agreement, any Loan Document and any other Communication, including Communications required to be in writing, may be in the form of an Electronic Record and may be executed using Electronic Signatures. Each of the Loan Parties and each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender Party agrees that any Electronic Signature on or associated with any Communication shall be valid and binding on such Person to the same extent as a manual, original signature, and that any Communication entered into by Electronic Signature, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person enforceable against such Person in accordance with the terms thereof to the same extent as if a manually executed original signature was delivered. Any Communication may be executed in as many counterparts as necessary or convenient, including both paper and electronic counterparts, but all such counterparts are one and the same Communication. For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this Section 11.17 may include, without limitation, use or acceptance of a manually signed paper Communication which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed Communication converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention. The Administrative Agent and each of the Lender Parties may, at its option, create one or more copies of any Communication in the form of an imaged Electronic Record (“Electronic Copy”), which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document. All Communications in the form of an Electronic Record, including an Electronic Copy, shall be considered an original for all purposes, and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, none of the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer or Swing Line Lender is under any obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by such Person pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (a) to the extent the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and/or Swing Line Lender has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lender Parties shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party and/or any Lender Party without further verification and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender Party, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

Neither the Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer nor Swing Line Lender shall be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent’s, L/C Issuer’s or Swing Line Lender’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means). The Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any Communication (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution or writing signed using an Electronic Signature) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).

Each of the Loan Parties and each Lender Party hereby waives (i) any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any other Loan Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement or such other Loan Document, and (ii) waives any claim against the Administrative Agent, each Lender Party and each Related Party for any liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent’s and/or any Lender Party’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures, including any liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Loan Parties to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.

 

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11.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.

11.19 Judgment Currency.

If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or under any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which, in accordance with normal banking procedures, the Administrative Agent could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of the Borrower in respect of any such sum due from it to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than that in which such sum is denominated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Administrative Agent may, in accordance with normal banking procedures, purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent from the Borrower in the Agreement Currency, the Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent or the Person to whom such obligation was owing against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent in such currency, the Administrative Agent agrees to return the amount of any excess to the Borrower (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under applicable Law).

11.20 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions.

Solely to the extent any Lender or L/C Issuer that is an Affected Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender or L/C Issuer that is an Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

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

 

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

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

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

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

11.21 Acknowledgement Regarding any Supported QFCs.

To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Swap Contract or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support”, and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “U.S. Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States) that in the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.

 

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11.22 Amendment and Restatement.

The parties hereto agree that, on the Closing Date, the following transactions shall be deemed to occur automatically, without further action by any party hereto: (i) the Existing Credit Agreement shall be deemed to be amended and restated in its entirety pursuant to this Agreement; and (ii) all Loans (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) and other Obligations (as defined in the Existing Credit Agreement) arising under the Existing Credit Agreement that are outstanding on the Closing Date immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement shall in all respects, to the extent not repaid on the Closing Date, be continuing and shall be deemed to be Loans and Obligations outstanding hereunder on the terms set forth herein. The parties hereto further acknowledge and agree that this Agreement constitutes an amendment to the Existing Credit Agreement made under and in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement shall not constitute a novation of any indebtedness or other obligations owing to the lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement based on facts or events occurring or existing prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement. To the extent applicable, each Lender party hereto hereby waives (on a one-time basis) any breakage costs incurred otherwise payable to it pursuant to Section 3.05 of the Existing Credit Agreement in connection with the transactions occurring on the Closing Date.

11.23 Entire Agreement.

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

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

BORROWER:     FLOWSERVE CORPORATION,
    a New York corporation
    By:   /s/ John E. Roueche, III
    Name: John E. Roueche, III
    Title: Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


ADMINISTRATIVE      
AGENT:     BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
    as Administrative Agent
    By:   /s/ Don B. Pinzon
    Name:   Don B. Pinzon
    Title:   Vice President

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


LENDERS:     BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
    as a Lender, an L/C Issuer, and Swing Line Lender
    By:   /s/ Oscar D. Cortez
    Name:   Oscar D. Cortez
    Title:   Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


    BNP PARIBAS, as a Lender and an L/C Issuer
    By:   /s/ Christopher Sked
    Name:   Christopher Sked
    Title:   Managing Director
    By:   /s/ Valentin Detry
    Name:   Valentin Detry
    Title:   Vice President

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


   

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as a Lender and an L/C Issuer

    By:   /s/ Gus Huerta
   

Name:

  Gus Huerta
   

Title:

 

Authorized Officer

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


    MIZUHO BANK, LTD., as a Lender and an L/C Issuer
    By:   /s/ Donna DeMagistris
    Name:   Donna DeMagistris
    Title:  

Managing Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        MUFG Bank, Ltd.,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Jorge Georgalos

    Name: Jorge Georgalos
    Title: Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Jason Ford

    Name: Jason Ford
    Title: Senior Vice President

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        CREDIT AGRICOLE CORPORATE AND INVESTMENT
BANK
,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Jill Wong

    Name: Jill Wong
    Title: Director
    By:  

/s/ Gordon Yip

    Name: Gordon Yip
    Title: Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        CITIBANK, N.A.,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Susan Manuelle

    Name: Susan Manuelle
    Title: Vice President

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Thomas Dearth

    Name: Thomas Dearth
    Title: Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        BANCO BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, S.A. NEW
YORK BRANCH
,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Cara Younger

    Name: Cara Younger
    Title: Managing Director
    By:  

/s/ Armen Semizian

    Name: Armen Semizian
    Title: Managing Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        COMERICA BANK,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ John Smithson

    Name: John Smithson
    Title: Vice President

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Will Hicks

    Name: Will Hicks
    Title: Vice President

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        BANK OF MONTREAL,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Joshua Hovermale

    Name: Joshua Hovermale
    Title: Managing Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION


        THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
    as a Lender
    By:  

/s/ Kelly Cheng

    Name: Kelly Cheng
    Title: Managing Director

 

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT

FLOWSERVE CORPORATION