EX-10.9 11 dex109.txt $190,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT Execution Copy EXHIBIT 10.9 ================================================================================ $190,000,000 CREDIT AGREEMENT among EMPI, INC., EMPI CORP., as Borrower, The Several Lenders from Time to Time Parties Hereto, WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent and Syndication Agent Dated as of November 24, 2003 ================================================================================ J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as exclusive Joint Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as exclusive Joint Lead Arranger TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS................................................................................ 1 1.1 Defined Terms................................................................................. 1 1.2 Other Definitional Provisions................................................................. 20 SECTION 2. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS............................................................ 20 2.1 Term Commitments.............................................................................. 20 2.2 Procedure for Term Loan Borrowing............................................................. 21 2.3 Repayment of Term Loans....................................................................... 21 2.4 Revolving Commitments......................................................................... 21 2.5 Procedure for Revolving Loan Borrowing........................................................ 22 2.6 Repayment of Loans............................................................................ 22 2.7 Commitment Fees, etc.......................................................................... 23 2.8 Termination or Reduction of Revolving Commitments............................................. 23 2.9 Optional Prepayments.......................................................................... 23 2.10 Mandatory Prepayments and Commitment Reductions............................................... 23 2.11 Conversion and Continuation Options........................................................... 24 2.12 Minimum Amounts and Maximum Number of Eurodollar Tranches..................................... 25 2.13 Interest Rates and Payment Dates.............................................................. 25 2.14 Computation of Interest and Fees.............................................................. 26 2.15 Inability to Determine Interest Rate.......................................................... 26 2.16 Pro Rata Treatment and Payments............................................................... 26 2.17 Requirements of Law........................................................................... 28 2.18 Taxes......................................................................................... 29 2.19 Indemnity..................................................................................... 31 2.20 Illegality.................................................................................... 31 2.21 Change of Lending Office...................................................................... 31 2.22 Replacement of Lenders........................................................................ 31 SECTION 3. LETTERS OF CREDIT.......................................................................... 32 3.1 L/C Commitment................................................................................ 32 3.2 Procedure for Issuance of Letter of Credit.................................................... 32 3.3 Fees and Other Charges........................................................................ 32 3.4 L/C Participations............................................................................ 33 3.5 Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrower...................................................... 34 3.6 Obligations Absolute.......................................................................... 34 3.7 Letter of Credit Payments..................................................................... 34 3.8 Applications.................................................................................. 34 SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES............................................................. 34 4.1 Financial Condition........................................................................... 35
4.2 No Change..................................................................................... 35 4.3 Existence; Compliance with Law................................................................ 35 4.4 Corporate Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations....................................... 36 4.5 No Legal Bar.................................................................................. 36 4.6 No Material Litigation........................................................................ 36 4.7 No Default.................................................................................... 36 4.8 Ownership of Property; Liens.................................................................. 36 4.9 Intellectual Property......................................................................... 36 4.10 Taxes......................................................................................... 37 4.11 Federal Regulations........................................................................... 37 4.12 Labor Matters................................................................................. 37 4.13 ERISA......................................................................................... 37 4.14 Investment Company Act........................................................................ 38 4.15 Subsidiaries.................................................................................. 38 4.16 Environmental Matters......................................................................... 38 4.17 Accuracy of Information, etc.................................................................. 39 4.18 Security Documents............................................................................ 39 4.19 Solvency...................................................................................... 40 4.20 Regulation H.................................................................................. 40 SECTION 5. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT....................................................................... 40 5.1 Conditions to Initial Extension of Credit..................................................... 40 5.2 Conditions to Each Extension of Credit........................................................ 42 SECTION 6. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS...................................................................... 43 6.1 Financial Statements.......................................................................... 43 6.2 Certificates; Other Information............................................................... 43 6.3 Payment of Obligations........................................................................ 44 6.4 Conduct of Business and Maintenance of Existence, etc......................................... 45 6.5 Maintenance of Property; Insurance............................................................ 45 6.6 Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions........................................ 45 6.7 Notices....................................................................................... 45 6.8 Environmental Laws............................................................................ 46 6.9 Interest Rate Protection...................................................................... 46 6.10 Additional Collateral, etc.................................................................... 46 6.11 Further Assurances............................................................................ 48 6.12 Use of Proceeds............................................................................... 48 6.13 Title Insurance............................................................................... 48 SECTION 7. NEGATIVE COVENANTS......................................................................... 49 7.1 Financial Condition Covenants................................................................. 49 7.2 Indebtedness.................................................................................. 51 7.3 Liens......................................................................................... 52 7.4 Fundamental Changes........................................................................... 53
7.5 Disposition of Property................................................ 54 7.6 Restricted Payments.................................................... 54 7.7 Capital Expenditures................................................... 55 7.8 Investments............................................................ 55 7.9 Optional Payments and Modifications of Certain Debt Instruments........ 56 7.10 Transactions with Affiliates........................................... 57 7.11 Sales and Leasebacks................................................... 57 7.12 Changes in Fiscal Periods.............................................. 57 7.13 Negative Pledge Clauses................................................ 57 7.14 Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions........................... 58 7.15 Lines of Business...................................................... 58 7.16 Limitations on Activities of Holdings.................................. 58 7.17 Limitation on Hedge Agreements......................................... 58 7.18 Changes in Jurisdictions of Organization; Name......................... 58 SECTION 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT................................................... 59 SECTION 9. THE AGENTS.......................................................... 62 9.1 Appointment............................................................ 62 9.2 Delegation of Duties................................................... 62 9.3 Exculpatory Provisions................................................. 62 9.4 Reliance by Administrative Agent....................................... 62 9.5 Notice of Default...................................................... 63 9.6 Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders............................... 63 9.7 Indemnification........................................................ 63 9.8 Agent in Its Individual Capacity....................................... 64 9.9 Successor Administrative Agent......................................... 64 9.10 Authorization to Release Liens and Guarantees.......................... 64 9.11 Documentation Agent and Syndication Agent.............................. 64 SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS....................................................... 64 10.1 Amendments and Waivers................................................. 64 10.2 Notices................................................................ 66 10.3 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies......................................... 67 10.4 Survival of Representations and Warranties............................. 67 10.5 Payment of Expenses; Indemnification................................... 67 10.6 Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments................. 68 10.7 Adjustments; Set-off................................................... 70 10.8 Counterparts........................................................... 71 10.9 Severability........................................................... 71 10.10 Integration............................................................ 71 10.11 GOVERNING LAW.......................................................... 71 10.12 Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers.................................... 71 10.13 Acknowledgments........................................................ 72 10.14 Confidentiality........................................................ 72
10.15 Release of Collateral and Guarantee Obligations........................ 73 10.16 Accounting Changes..................................................... 73 10.17 WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL.................................................. 74
SCHEDULES: 1.1A Commitments 1.1B Mortgaged Property 4.4 Consents, Authorizations, Filings and Notices 4.15 Subsidiaries 4.18(a)-1 UCC Filing Jurisdictions 4.18(a)-2 UCC Financing Statements to Remain on File 4.18(a)-3 UCC Financing Statements to be Terminated 4.18(b) Mortgage Filing Jurisdictions 7.2(d) Existing Indebtedness 7.3(f) Existing Liens 7.8 Existing Investments EXHIBITS: A Form of Guarantee and Collateral Agreement B Form of Compliance Certificate C Form of Closing Certificate D Form of Mortgage E Form of Assignment and Assumption F Form of Legal Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP G Form of Exemption Certificate H Form of Solvency Certificate CREDIT AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of November 24, 2003, among Empi, Inc., a Minnesota corporation ("Holdings"), Empi Corp., a Minnesota corporation (the "Borrower"), the several banks and other financial institutions or entities from time to time parties to this Agreement (the "Lenders"), Wachovia Bank, National Association, as documentation agent (in such capacity, the "Documentation Agent") and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as syndication agent (in such capacity, the "Syndication Agent"), and as administrative agent. The parties hereto hereby agree as follows: SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS 1.1 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the terms listed in this Section 1.1 shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.1. "ABR": for any day, a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) equal to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1/2 of 1%. For purposes hereof: "Prime Rate" shall mean the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in New York City (the Prime Rate not being intended to be the lowest rate of interest charged by JPMorgan Chase Bank in connection with extensions of credit to debtors). Any change in the ABR due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the effective day of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively. "ABR Loans": Loans the rate of interest applicable to which is based upon the ABR. "Accounting Changes": as defined in Section 10.16. "Adjustment Date": as defined in the Pricing Grid. "Administrative Agent": JPMorgan Chase Bank, as the administrative agent for the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with any of its successors and, for purposes of Section 9, shall include affiliates of JPMorgan Chase Bank as the arranger of the Commitments. "Affiliate": as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, is in control of, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, "control" of a Person means the power, directly or indirectly, either to (a) vote 20% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person or (b) direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether by contract or otherwise. "Agents": the collective reference to the Syndication Agent, the Documentation Agent and the Administrative Agent. "Aggregate Exposure": with respect to any Lender at any time, an amount equal to (a) until the Closing Date, the aggregate amount of such Lender's Commitments at such time and (b) thereafter, the sum of (i) the aggregate then unpaid principal amount of such Lender's Term Loans and (ii) the amount of such Lender's Revolving Commitment then in effect or, if the Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the amount of such Lender's Revolving Extensions of Credit then outstanding. 2 "Aggregate Exposure Percentage": with respect to any Lender at any time, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of such Lender's Aggregate Exposure at such time to the total Aggregate Exposures of all Lenders at such time. "Agreed Purposes": as defined in Section 10.14. "Agreement": this Credit Agreement, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. "Annual Operating Budget": as defined in Section 6.2(c). "Applicable Margin": for each Type of Loan, the rate per annum set forth under the relevant column heading below: ABR Loans Eurodollar Loans Revolving Loans 1.50% 2.50% Term Loans 2.00% 3.00% provided, that on and after the first Adjustment Date occurring after the completion of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended March 31, 2004, the Applicable Margins with respect to Revolving Loans and Term Loans will be determined pursuant to the Pricing Grid. "Application": an application, in such form as the Issuing Lender may specify from time to time, requesting the Issuing Lender to open a Letter of Credit. "Approved Fund": as defined in Section 10.6(b). "Asset Sale": any Disposition of Property or series of related Dispositions of Property (excluding any such Disposition permitted by clause (a), (b), (c), (d), (g), (h) and (i) of Section 7.5 and any such Disposition which is a Recovery Event) which yields gross proceeds to Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (valued at the initial principal amount thereof in the case of non-cash proceeds consisting of notes or other debt securities and valued at fair market value in the case of other non-cash proceeds) in excess of 1% of the consolidated total assets of Holdings at such time. "Assignee": as defined in Section 10.6(b). "Assignment and Assumption": an Assignment and Assumption, substantially in the form of Exhibit E. "Available Revolving Commitment": as to any Revolving Lender at any time, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (a) such Lender's Revolving Commitment then in effect over (b) such Lender's Revolving Extensions of Credit then outstanding. "Benefitted Lender": as defined in Section 10.7(a). "Billing Number": as defined in Section 7.16. "Board": the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States (or any successor). "Borrower": as defined in the preamble hereto. 3 "Borrowing Date": any Business Day specified by the Borrower as a date on which the Borrower requests the relevant Lenders to make Loans hereunder. "Business": the development, manufacture, assembly, marketing, sale or other distribution of medical devices, products and equipment, and the licensing of related technology, used in the orthopedic rehabilitation, pain management, physical therapy, incontinence treatment and rehabilitative medicine industries, and the provision of billing services in connection with the foregoing and related lines of business (excluding, in any event, the purchase or operation of physical therapy clinics or similar operations). "Business Day": a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to close, provided, that with respect to notices and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on, Eurodollar Loans, such day is also a day for trading by and between banks in Dollar deposits in the interbank eurodollar market. "Capital Expenditures": for any period, with respect to any Person, the aggregate of all expenditures by such Person for the acquisition or leasing (pursuant to a capital lease but excluding any amount representing capitalized interest) of fixed or capital assets or additions to equipment (including replacements, capitalized repairs and improvements during such period) which are required to be capitalized under GAAP on a balance sheet of such Person, provided, that in any event the term "Capital Expenditures" shall exclude (i) any Permitted Acquisition, (ii) any expenditures to the extent financed with the proceeds of an Equity Issuance or Indebtedness (other than Loans) or any Reinvestment Deferred Amount, (iii) any expenditures for the Ormed Rental Pool and (iv) any expenditures for the Information Technology Upgrade in an aggregate amount under this clause (iv) not to exceed $3,000,000 per fiscal year. "Capital Lease Obligations": as to any Person, 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, for the purposes of this Agreement, the amount of such obligations at any time shall be the capitalized amount thereof at such time determined in accordance with GAAP. "Capital Stock": any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person (other than a corporation). "Cash Equivalents": (a) marketable direct obligations issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States government or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition; (b) certificates of deposit, time deposits, eurodollar time deposits or overnight bank deposits having maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition issued by any Lender or by any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof having combined capital and surplus of not less than $500,000,000; (c) commercial paper of an issuer rated at least A-2 by S&P or P-2 by Moody's, or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two named rating agencies cease publishing ratings of commercial paper issuers generally, and maturing within one year from the date of acquisition; (d) repurchase obligations of any Lender or of any commercial bank satisfying the requirements of clause (b) of this definition, having a term of not more than 30 days with respect to securities issued or fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government; (e) securities with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition issued or fully guaranteed by any state, commonwealth or territory of the United States, by any political subdivision or 4 taxing authority of any such state, commonwealth or territory or by any foreign government, the securities of which state, commonwealth, territory, political subdivision, taxing authority or foreign government (as the case may be) are rated at least A by S&P or A by Moody's;(f) securities with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition backed by standby letters of credit issued by any Lender or any commercial bank satisfying the requirements of clause (b) of this definition; and (g) shares of money market mutual or similar funds which invest exclusively in assets satisfying the requirements of clauses (a) through (f) of this definition; or (h) money market funds that (i) purport to comply generally with the criteria set forth in SEC Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P or Aaa by Moody's or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000. "Certificated Security": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Chattel Paper": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Closing Date": the date on which the conditions precedent set forth in Section 5.1 shall have been satisfied, which date is November 24, 2003. "Code": the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. "Collateral": all Property of the Loan Parties, now owned or hereafter acquired, upon which a Lien is purported to be created by any Security Document. "Commitment": as to any Lender, the sum of the Term Commitment and the Revolving Commitment of such Lender. "Commitment Fee Rate": 1/2 of 1% per annum. "Commonly Controlled Entity": an entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA or is part of a group that includes the Borrower and that is treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code. "Commonly Controlled Plan": as defined in Section 4.13(b). "Compliance Certificate": a certificate duly executed by a Responsible Officer substantially in the form of Exhibit B. "Confidential Information": as defined in Section 10.14. "Consolidated Current Assets": at any date, all amounts (other than cash and Cash Equivalents) that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption "total current assets" (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries at such date. "Consolidated Current Liabilities": at any date, all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption "total current liabilities" (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries at such date, but excluding (a) the current portion of any Indebtedness of Holdings and its Subsidiaries and (b) without duplication, all Indebtedness consisting of Revolving Loans, to the extent otherwise included therein. "Consolidated EBITDA": of any Person for any period, Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period plus, without duplication and to the extent reflected as a 5 charge in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) income tax expense, (b) Consolidated Net Interest Expense of such Person and its Subsidiaries, amortization or writeoff of debt discount and debt issuance costs and commissions, discounts and other fees and charges associated with Indebtedness (including commitment and administrative fees and charges with respect to the Facilities), (c) depreciation and amortization expense, (d) amortization of intangibles (including, but not limited to, goodwill) and organization costs, (e) any extraordinary or non-recurring expenses or losses (including, whether or not otherwise includable as a separate item in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, losses on sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business), (f) any unusual non-cash or other non-cash charges, expenses or losses, (g) restructuring and integration costs, (h) stock-option based compensation expenses, (i) transaction fees and expenses not to exceed 10% of Consolidated EBITDA in any fiscal year, (j) extraordinary costs related to management options not to exceed $5,500,000 during the term of this Agreement and (k) all fees and expenses paid pursuant to the Management Agreement and minus, to the extent included in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) interest income (except to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Interest Expense), (b) any extraordinary or non-recurring income or gains (including, whether or not otherwise includable as a separate item in the statement of such Consolidated Net Income for such period, gains on the sales of assets outside of the ordinary course of business), (c) any unusual non-cash or other non-cash income, all as determined on a consolidated basis and (d) in determining Consolidated EBITDA for Holdings only, any Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.6(d)(A); provided, that for purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for any period, (i) the Consolidated EBITDA (determined in accordance with GAAP) of any Person acquired by Holdings or its Subsidiaries during such period shall be included on a pro forma basis for such period (but assuming the consummation of such acquisition and the incurrence or assumption of any Indebtedness in connection therewith occurred on the first day of such period, and assuming any cost savings approved by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion if the consolidated balance sheet of such acquired Person and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of the period preceding the acquisition of such Person and the related consolidated statements of income and stockholders' equity and of cash flows for the period in respect of which Consolidated EBITDA is to be calculated (x) have been previously provided to the Administrative Agent and (y) either (1) have been reported on without a qualification arising out of the scope of the audit by independent certified public accountants of nationally recognized standing or (2) have been found acceptable by the Administrative Agent and (ii) the Consolidated EBITDA of any Person Disposed of by Holdings or its Subsidiaries during such period shall be excluded for such period (assuming the consummation of such Disposition and the repayment of any Indebtedness in connection therewith occurred on the first day of such period). "Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio": for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such period, minus the aggregate amount actually paid by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in cash during such period on account of Capital Expenditures to (b) Consolidated Fixed Charges for such period. "Consolidated Fixed Charges": for any period, the sum (without duplication) of (a) Consolidated Net Interest Expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such period and (b) provision for cash income taxes made by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in respect of such period, including, without limitation, Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.6(d)(B). "Consolidated Net Income": of any Person for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, that in calculating Consolidated Net Income of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries for any period, there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Subsidiary of Holdings or is merged into or consolidated with Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries and (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary 6 of Holdings) in which Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by Holdings or such Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions. "Consolidated Net Interest Coverage Ratio": for any period, the ratio of (a) Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such period to (b) Consolidated Net Interest Expense of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such period. "Consolidated Net Interest Expense": of any Person for any period, (a) total cash interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of such Person and its Subsidiaries, minus (b) total cash interest income of such Person and its Subsidiaries for such period, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP. "Consolidated Total Leverage": at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Funded Debt of Holdings and its Subsidiaries at such date, minus the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time, held by Holdings and its Subsidiaries on such date in an account with any of the Lenders, in each case determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. "Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio": as at the last day of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Leverage on such day to (b) Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for such period. "Consolidated Working Capital": at any date, the difference of (a) Consolidated Current Assets on such date less (b) Consolidated Current Liabilities on such date. "Continuing Directors": the directors of Holdings on the Closing Date and each other director of Holdings, if, in each case, such other director's nomination for election to the board of directors of Holdings is recommended by at least 51% of the then Continuing Directors or such other director receives the vote of the Permitted Investors in his or her election by the shareholders of Holdings. "Contractual Obligation": as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its Property is bound. "Default": any of the events specified in Section 8, whether or not any requirement for the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, has been satisfied. "Derivatives Counterparty": as defined in Section 7.6. "Disposition": with respect to any Property, any sale, sale and leaseback, assignment, conveyance, transfer or other effectively complete disposition thereof. The terms "Dispose" and "Disposed of" shall have correlative meanings. "Documentation Agent": as defined in the preamble hereto. "Dollars" and "$": dollars in lawful currency of the United States. "Domestic Subsidiary": any Subsidiary of the Borrower organized under the laws of any jurisdiction within the United States. 7 "Environmental Laws": any and all laws, rules, orders, regulations, statutes, ordinances, codes, decrees or other legally enforceable requirements (including, without limitation, common law) of any international authority, foreign government, the United States, or any state, local, municipal or other governmental authority, regulating, relating to or imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning protection of the environment, as has been, is now, or may at any time hereafter be, in effect. "Environmental Permits": any and all permits, licenses, approvals, registrations, exemptions and other authorizations required under any Environmental Law. "Equity Issuance": any issuance by any Group Member of its Capital Stock in a public offering. "ERISA": the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time. "Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements": for any day as applied to a Eurodollar Loan, the aggregate (without duplication) of the maximum rates (expressed as a decimal fraction) of reserve requirements in effect on such day (including basic, supplemental, marginal and emergency reserves) under any regulations of the Board or other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction with respect thereto dealing with reserve requirements prescribed for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as "Eurocurrency Liabilities" in Regulation D of the Board) maintained by a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. "Eurodollar Base Rate": with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Loan, the rate per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to such Interest Period commencing on the first day of such Interest Period appearing on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen as of 11:00 A.M., London time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period. In the event that such rate does not appear on Page 3750 of the Telerate screen (or otherwise on such screen), the "Eurodollar Base Rate" shall be determined by reference to such other comparable publicly available service for displaying eurodollar rates as may be selected by the Administrative Agent or, in the absence of such availability, by reference to the rate at which the Administrative Agent is offered Dollar deposits at or about 11:00 A.M., local time, two Business Days prior to the beginning of such Interest Period in the interbank eurodollar market where its eurodollar and foreign currency and exchange operations are then being conducted for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period for the number of days comprised therein. "Eurodollar Loans": Loans the rate of interest applicable to which is based upon the Eurodollar Rate. "Eurodollar Rate": with respect to each day during each Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Loan, a rate per annum determined for such day in accordance with the following formula (rounded upward to the nearest 1/100th of 1%): Eurodollar Base Rate -------------------------------------------------------- 1.00 - Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements "Eurodollar Tranche": the collective reference to Eurodollar Loans under a particular Facility the then current Interest Periods with respect to all of which begin on the same date and end on the same later date (whether or not such Loans shall originally have been made on the same day). 8 "Event of Default": any of the events specified in Section 8, provided that any requirement for the giving of notice, the lapse of time, or both, has been satisfied. "Excess Cash Flow": for any fiscal year of Holdings, the difference, if any, of (a) the sum, without duplication, of (i) Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year, (ii) the amount of all non-cash charges (including depreciation, amortization and deferred tax expense) deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income, (iii) the amount of the decrease, if any, in Consolidated Working Capital for such fiscal year and (iv) the aggregate net amount of non-cash loss on the Disposition of Property by Holdings and its Subsidiaries during such fiscal year (other than sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business), to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income minus, (b) the sum, without duplication, of (i) the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income (including, without limitation, deferred tax credits), (ii) the aggregate amount actually paid by Holdings and its Subsidiaries in cash during such fiscal year on account of Capital Expenditures permitted under this Agreement and Permitted Acquisitions (other than to the extent any such Capital Expenditure or Permitted Acquisition is made with the proceeds of Indebtedness or an Equity Issuance or with the proceeds of any Reinvestment Deferred Amount), (iii) the aggregate amount of all prepayments of Revolving Loans during such fiscal year to the extent accompanying permanent optional reductions of the Revolving Commitments and all optional prepayments of the Term Loans during such fiscal year, (iv) the aggregate amount of all regularly scheduled principal payments of Indebtedness (including, without limitation, the Term Loans) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries made during such fiscal year (other than in respect of any revolving credit facility to the extent there is not an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder), (v) the amount of the increase, if any, in Consolidated Working Capital for such fiscal year, (vi) the aggregate net amount of non-cash gain on the Disposition of Property by Holdings and its Subsidiaries during such fiscal year (other than sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business), to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and (vii) cash expenses excluded from the definition of Capital Expenditures pursuant to the proviso thereto in connection with the Information Technology Upgrade not in excess of $3,000,000 per fiscal year and the Ormed Rental Pool. "Excess Cash Flow Application Date": as defined in Section 2.10(d). "Excess Cash Flow Percentage": 50%. "Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries": any Foreign Subsidiary in respect of which either (a) the pledge of more than 66-2/3% of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary as Collateral or (b) the guaranteeing by such Subsidiary of (or the granting by such Subsidiary of a Lien on its assets to secure) the Obligations, would, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, result in adverse tax consequences to the Borrower, and, in any event, Empi Europe GmbH, Empi Germany GmbH, Empi Ormed GmbH & Co. KG, and Medireha GmbH shall each constitute an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary. "Existing Credit Facility": the Credit Agreement, dated as of August 31, 1999 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time), among EI Merger Corp., the Borrower, Lehman Brothers Inc., as arranger, First Union Capital Markets Corp., as syndication agent, Union Bank of California, N.A., as documentation agent, the lenders party thereto from time to time and Lehman Commercial Paper Inc., as administrative agent. "Facility": each of (a) the Term Commitments and the Term Loans made thereunder (the "Term Facility") and (b) the Revolving Commitments and the extensions of credit made thereunder (the "Revolving Facility"). 9 "Federal Funds Effective Rate": for any day, the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average of the quotations for the day of such transactions received by JPMorgan Chase Bank from three federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it. "Fee Payment Date": (a) the third Business Day following the last day of each March, June, September and December and (b) the last day of the Revolving Commitment Period. "Foreign Subsidiary": any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Domestic Subsidiary. "FQ1", "FQ2", "FQ3" and "FQ4": when used with a numerical year designation, means the first, second, third or fourth fiscal quarters, respectively, of such fiscal year of Holdings (e.g., FQ1 2003 means the first fiscal quarter of Holdings's 2003 fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2003). "Funded Debt": with respect to any Person, all Indebtedness of such Person of the types described in clauses (a) through (e) of the definition of "Indebtedness" in this Section. "Funding Office": the office of the Administrative Agent specified in Section 10.2 or such other office as may be specified from time to time by the Administrative Agent as its funding office by written notice to the Borrower and the Lenders. "GAAP": generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect from time to time, except that for purposes of Section 7.1, GAAP shall be determined on the basis of such principles in effect on the date hereof and consistent with those used in the preparation of the most recent audited financial statements referred to in Section 4.1(b). "GE Equity": GE Capital Equity Investments, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and assigns. "Governmental Authority": any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any governmental entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government and, as to any Lender, any securities exchange and any self regulatory organization (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners). "Group Members": the collective reference to Holdings, the Borrower and their respective Subsidiaries. "Guarantee and Collateral Agreement": the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement to be executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor, substantially in the form of Exhibit A. "Guarantee Obligation": as to any Person (the "guaranteeing person"), any obligation of (a) the guaranteeing person or (b) another Person (including, without limitation, any bank under any letter of credit) to induce the creation of which the guaranteeing person has issued a guarantee, reimbursement, counterindemnity or similar obligation, in either case guaranteeing or by which such Person becomes contingently liable for any Indebtedness, net worth, working capital earnings, leases, dividends or other distributions upon the stock or equity interests (the "primary obligations") of any other third Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including, without limitation, any obligation of the guaranteeing person, whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase any such primary 10 obligation or any Property constituting direct or indirect security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply funds (1) for the purchase or payment of any such primary obligation or (2) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency of the primary obligor, (i) to purchase Property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to make payment of such primary obligation or (ii) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any such primary obligation against loss in respect thereof; provided, however, that the term Guarantee Obligation shall not include endorsements of instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business. The amount of any Guarantee Obligation of any guaranteeing person shall be deemed to be such guaranteeing person's maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the Borrower in good faith. "Guarantors": the collective reference to Holdings and the Subsidiary Guarantors. "Hedge Agreements": all interest rate swaps, caps or collar agreements or similar arrangements entered into by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries providing for protection against fluctuations in interest rates or currency exchange rates or the exchange of nominal interest obligations, either generally or under specific contingencies. "Holdings": as defined in the preamble hereto. "Immaterial Subsidiary": on any date, each of (a) Empi Canada, Inc. and (b) any other subsidiary of Holdings that has less than 2.0% of consolidated total assets of Holdings at such date in book value of total assets as reflected on the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.1 prior to such date. "Indebtedness": of any Person at any date, without duplication, (a) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of Property or services (other than (i) trade payables and similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of such Person's business and (ii) earn-outs and other contingent payments in respect of acquisitions except to the extent that the liability on account of any such earn-out or contingent payment becomes fixed), (c) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or other similar instruments, (d) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to Property acquired by such Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such Property, in which case only the lesser of the amount of such obligation and the fair market value of such Property shall constitute Indebtedness), (e) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (f) all obligations of such Person, contingent or otherwise, as an account party or applicant under acceptance, letter of credit or similar facilities, (g) all obligations of such Person, contingent or otherwise, to purchase, redeem, retire or otherwise acquire for value any Capital Stock of such Person, except for agreements with directors, officers and employees to acquire such Capital Stock upon the death or termination of employment of such director, officer or employee, (h) all Guarantee Obligations of such Person in respect of obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (f) above, and (i) all obligations of the kind referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above secured by (or for which the holder of such obligation has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on Property (including, without limitation, accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, whether or not such Person has assumed or become liable for the payment of such obligation (and in the event such Person has not assumed or become liable for payment of such obligation, only the lesser of the amount of such obligation and the fair market value of such Property shall constitute Indebtedness). "Information Technology Upgrade": the implementation of Oracle applications and other applications to support the Business, including customization of programming, servers and other 11 hardware components, implementation services, application software, and data storage to support the implementation. "Insolvency": with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such Plan is insolvent within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA. "Insolvent": pertaining to a condition of Insolvency. "Instrument": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Intellectual Property": the collective reference to all rights, priorities and privileges relating to intellectual property, whether arising under United States, multinational or foreign laws or otherwise, including, without limitation, copyrights, copyright licenses, patents, patent licenses, trademarks, trademark licenses, technology, know-how and processes, and all rights to sue at law or in equity for any infringement or other impairment thereof, including the right to receive all proceeds and damages therefrom. "Interest Payment Date": (a) as to any ABR Loan, the third Business Day following the last day of each March, June, September and December to occur while such Loan is outstanding and the final maturity date of such Loan, (b) as to any Eurodollar Loan having an Interest Period of three months or less, the last day of such Interest Period, (c) as to any Eurodollar Loan having an Interest Period longer than three months, each day that is three months, or a whole multiple thereof, after the first day of such Interest Period and the last day of such Interest Period and (d) as to any Loan (other than any Revolving Loan that is an ABR Loan), the date of any repayment or prepayment made in respect thereof. "Interest Period": as to any Eurodollar Loan, (a) initially, the period commencing on the borrowing or conversion date, as the case may be, with respect to such Eurodollar Loan and ending one, two, three or six or (with the consent of each affected Lender under the relevant Facility) nine or twelve months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its notice of borrowing or notice of conversion, as the case may be, given with respect thereto; and (b) thereafter, each period commencing on the last day of the next preceding Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar Loan and ending one, two, three or six or (with the consent of each affected Lender under the relevant Facility) nine or twelve months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower by irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date that is three Business Days prior to the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto; provided that, all of the foregoing provisions relating to Interest Periods are subject to the following: (i) if any Interest Period would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to carry such Interest Period into another calendar month in which event such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day; (ii) any Interest Period that would otherwise extend beyond the scheduled Revolving Termination Date or beyond the date final payment is due on the Term Loans shall end on the Revolving Termination Date or such due date, as applicable; and (iii) 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 a calendar month. "Investments": as defined in Section 7.8. 12 "Issuing Lender": (a) JPMorgan Chase Bank or (b) any other Revolving Lender from time to time designated by the Borrower as an Issuing Lender with the consent of such other Revolving Lender and the Administrative Agent. "Joint Lead Arrangers": J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC. "L/C Commitment": $5,000,000. "L/C Obligations": at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of the then outstanding Letters of Credit and (b) the aggregate amount of drawings under Letters of Credit that have not then been reimbursed pursuant to Section 3.5. "L/C Participants": the collective reference to all the Revolving Lenders other than the applicable Issuing Lender. "Lenders": as defined in the preamble hereto. "Letters of Credit": as defined in Section 3.1(a). "Lien": any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, collateral assignment, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge or other security interest or any other security agreement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement and any capital lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing). For the avoidance of doubt, it is understood and agreed that any Loan Party may, as part of its business, grant licenses to third parties to use Intellectual Property owned or developed by a Loan Party. For purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, such licensing activity shall not constitute a "Lien" on such Intellectual Property. Each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender understands that any such licenses may be exclusive to the applicable licensees, and such exclusivity provisions may limit the ability of the Administrative Agent to utilize, sell, lease or transfer the related Intellectual Property or otherwise realize value from such Intellectual Property pursuant hereto. "Loan": any loan made by any Lender pursuant to this Agreement. "Loan Documents": this Agreement, the Security Documents, the Applications and the Notes and any amendment, waiver, supplement or other modification to any of the foregoing. "Loan Parties": Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor. "Majority Facility Lenders": with respect to any Facility, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Term Loans or the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit, as the case may be, outstanding under such Facility (or, in the case of the Revolving Facility, prior to any termination of the Revolving Commitments, the holders of more than 50% of the Total Revolving Commitments). "Majority Revolving Facility Lenders": the Majority Facility Lenders in respect of the Revolving Facility. "Management Agreement": the Management Agreement, dated as of August 31, 1999, by and among Holdings, the Sponsor and GE Equity, as in effect on the Closing Date and as modified from time to time with the consent of the Administrative Agent. 13 "Material Adverse Effect": a material adverse effect on (a) the business, operations, property or financial condition of the Borrower and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, or (b) the validity or enforceability of the Loan Documents or the material rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereunder. "Material Environmental Amount": an amount or amounts payable by the Borrower and/or any of its Subsidiaries, in the aggregate in excess of $2,000,000, for: costs to comply with any Environmental Law; costs of any investigation, and any remediation, of any Material of Environmental Concern; and compensatory damages (including, without limitation damages to natural resources), punitive damages, fines and penalties pursuant to any Environmental Law. "Material Subsidiary" any Subsidiary that is not an Immaterial Subsidiary. "Materials of Environmental Concern": any gasoline or petroleum (including crude oil or any fraction thereof) or petroleum products, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea-formaldehyde insulation, asbestos, pollutants, contaminants, radioactivity and any other substances, whether or not any such substance is defined as hazardous or toxic under any Environmental Law, that is regulated pursuant to or could give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. "Moody's": Moody's Investors Service. "Mortgaged Properties": the owned real properties listed on Schedule 1.1B, as to which the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders shall be granted a Lien pursuant to the Mortgages. "Mortgages": each of the mortgages and deeds of trust made by any Loan Party in favor of, or for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit D (with such changes thereto as shall be advisable under the law of the jurisdiction in which such mortgage or deed of trust is to be recorded), as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time. "Multiemployer Plan": a Plan that is a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA. "Net Cash Proceeds": (a) in connection with any Asset Sale or any Recovery Event, the proceeds thereof in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (including any such proceeds received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment receivable or otherwise, but only as and when received) of such Asset Sale or Recovery Event, net of attorneys' fees, accountants' fees, investment banking fees, consulting fees, amounts required to be applied to the repayment of Indebtedness secured by a Lien expressly permitted hereunder on any asset which is the subject of such Asset Sale or Recovery Event (other than any Lien pursuant to a Security Document) and other customary fees and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith and net of taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable as a result thereof (after taking into account any available tax credits or deductions and any tax sharing arrangements) and (b) in connection with any Equity Issuance or issuance or sale of debt securities or instruments or the incurrence of loans, the cash proceeds received from such issuance or incurrence, net of attorneys' fees, investment banking fees, accountants' fees, consulting fees, underwriting discounts and commissions and other customary fees and expenses actually incurred in connection therewith. "Non-Excluded Taxes": as defined in Section 2.18(a). "Non-U.S. Lender": as defined in Section 2.18(d). 14 "Note": any promissory note evidencing any Loan. "Obligations": the unpaid principal of and interest on (including, without limitation, interest accruing after the maturity of the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations and interest accruing after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy, or the commencement of any insolvency, reorganization or like proceeding, relating to the Borrower, whether or not a claim for post-filing or post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding) the Loans, the Reimbursement Obligations and all other obligations and liabilities of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender (or, in the case of Specified Hedge Agreements, any affiliate of any Lender), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, or now existing or hereafter incurred, which may arise under, out of, or in connection with, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, the Letters of Credit, any Specified Hedge Agreement or (to the extent the Borrower so agrees in the applicable agreements therefor) cash management arrangements with Lenders or any other document made, delivered or given in connection herewith or therewith, whether on account of principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, indemnities, costs, expenses (including, without limitation, all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent or to any Lender that are required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant hereto) or otherwise; provided, that (a) obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary under any Specified Hedge Agreement or cash management agreement (if applicable) shall be secured and guaranteed pursuant to the Security Documents only to the extent that, and for so long as, the other Obligations are so secured and guaranteed and (b) any release of Collateral or Guarantors effected in the manner permitted by this Agreement shall not require the consent of holders of obligations under Specified Hedge Agreements or cash management agreement (if applicable). "Ormed Rental Pool": equipment or devices manufactured for the purposes of patient rentals that according to GAAP are required to be classified as capital expenditures within property, plant and equipment on the consolidated financial statements. "Other Taxes": any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document. "Payment Amount": as defined in Section 3.5. "Participant": as defined in Section 10.6(c). "PBGC": the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Subtitle A of Title IV of ERISA (or any successor). "Permitted Acquisition": (i) any acquisition approved by the Required Lenders or (ii) any acquisition by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock, or substantially all of the assets, of any Person, or of all or substantially all of the assets constituting a division, product line or business line of any Person, if such acquisition described in this clause (ii) complies with the following criteria: (a) No Default or Event of Default shall be in effect after giving effect to such acquisition, and the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate executed on its behalf by a Responsible Officer to such effect. (b) After giving effect to the consummation of such acquisition and to the incurrence of any Indebtedness associated therewith, the Borrower shall be in pro forma compliance with 15 Section 7.1 (calculated as of the last day of the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the fiscal quarter in which such acquisition is consummated, giving pro forma effect to such acquisition and the issuance of the related Indebtedness). (c) The Person, division, product line or line of business acquired in such acquisition (the "Target") shall be in the Business. (d) Prior to the consummation of such acquisition (i) the Administrative Agent shall have received (A) financial projections in respect of the Target for the one-year period following the consummation of such acquisition and (B) such financial information as it shall reasonably request to demonstrate pro forma compliance with the financial criteria set forth in paragraph (b) above, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall have received final copies of the documentation to be executed in connection with such acquisition, including all schedules and exhibits thereto and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall have received notice of the closing date for such acquisition; provided, that, such notice shall be given at least five Business Days prior to such closing date unless doing so would materially interfere with, or would cause materially adverse economic consequences with respect to, the consummation of such acquisition. (e) After giving effect to any such acquisition, the Available Revolving Commitment shall be at least $5,000,000. "Permitted Investors": the collective reference to the Sponsor, GE Equity and their respective Affiliates and the directors, officers and other employees of Holdings and its Subsidiaries. "Person": an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, business trust, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, Governmental Authority or other entity of whatever nature. "Plan": at a particular time, any employee benefit plan as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and in respect of which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is (or, if such plan were terminated at such time, would under Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an "employer" as defined in Section 3(5) of ERISA. "Pledged Securities": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Pledged Stock": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Pricing Grid": the table set forth below.
=============================================================================================================== Consolidated Total Applicable Margin Applicable Margin for Applicable Margin for Applicable Margin Leverage Ratio for Revolving Loans Revolving Loans that Term Loans that are for Term Loans that that are Eurodollar are ABR Loans Eurodollar Loans are ABR Loans Loans --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **** 3.00:1.00 2.50% 1.50% 3.00% 2.00% --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 3.00:1.00 but 2.25% 1.25% 2.75% 1.75% **** 2.50:1.00 * 2.50:1.00 2.00% 1.00% 2.75% 1.75% ===============================================================================================================
* denotes less than **** denotes greater than or equal to 16 Changes in the Applicable Margin with respect to Revolving Loans or Term Loans resulting from changes in the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective on the date (the "Adjustment Date") on which financial statements are delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.1 (but in any event not later than the 45th day after the end of each of the first three quarterly periods of each fiscal year or the 90th day after the end of each fiscal year, as the case may be) and shall remain in effect until the next change to be effected pursuant to this paragraph. If any financial statements referred to above are not delivered within the time periods specified above, then, until such financial statements are delivered, Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as at the end of the fiscal period that would have been covered thereby shall for the purposes of this definition be deemed to be greater than 3.00 to 1. In addition, at all times while an Event of Default set forth in Section 8(a) or 8(f) shall have occurred and be continuing, the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall for the purposes of this Pricing Grid be deemed to be greater than 3.00 to 1. Each determination of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio pursuant to this Pricing Grid shall be made for the periods and in the manner contemplated by Section 7.1(a). "Pro Forma Balance Sheet": as defined in Section 4.1(a). "Property": any right or interest in or to property of any kind whatsoever, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or intangible, including, without limitation, Capital Stock. "Recovery Event": any settlement of or payment in respect of any property or casualty insurance claim or any condemnation proceeding relating to any asset of Holdings or any Subsidiary, in an amount for each such event exceeding 1% of consolidated total assets of Holdings at such time. "Refinancing": as defined in Section 5.1(b). "Register": as defined in Section 10.6(b)(iv). "Regulation H": Regulation H of the Board as in effect from time to time. "Regulation U": Regulation U of the Board as in effect from time to time. "Reimbursement Obligation": the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse each Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.5 for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit issued by such Issuing Lender. "Reinvestment Deferred Amount": with respect to any Reinvestment Event, the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds received by any Loan Party for its own account in connection therewith that are not applied to prepay the Term Loans or reduce the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.10 as a result of the delivery of a Reinvestment Notice. "Reinvestment Event": any Equity Issuance, Asset Sale or Recovery Event in respect of which the Borrower has delivered a Reinvestment Notice. "Reinvestment Notice": a written notice executed by a Responsible Officer stating that the Borrower (directly or indirectly through a Subsidiary) intends and expects (a) with respect to Section 2.10(c), to use all or a specified portion of the Net Cash Proceeds of an Asset Sale or Recovery Event to acquire assets useful in its business or (b) with respect to Section 2.10(a), to use all or a specified portion of the Net Cash Proceeds of an Equity Issuance to fund Capital Expenditures or Permitted Acquisitions; provided, that while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower may not use the Net Cash Proceeds referred to in clause (a) above (or some portion thereof, as specified in the applicable notice) upon receiving notification from the Required Lenders to that effect. 17 "Reinvestment Prepayment Amount": with respect to any Reinvestment Event, the Reinvestment Deferred Amount relating thereto less any amount expended prior to the relevant Reinvestment Prepayment Date to acquire assets useful in the Borrower's business. "Reinvestment Prepayment Date": with respect to any Reinvestment Event, the earlier of (i) the date occurring one year after such Reinvestment Event and (ii) with respect to any portion of a Reinvestment Deferred Amount, the date on which the Borrower shall have determined not to acquire assets useful in the Borrower's business with such portion of such Reinvestment Deferred Amount. "Reorganization": with respect to any Multiemployer Plan, the condition that such plan is in reorganization within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA. "Reportable Event": any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than those events as to which the thirty day notice period is waived. "Representatives": as defined in Section 10.14. "Required Lenders": at any time, the holders of more than 50% of (a) until the Closing Date, the Commitments then in effect and (b) thereafter, the sum of (i) the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Term Loans then outstanding and (ii) the Total Revolving Commitments then in effect or, if the Revolving Commitments have been terminated, the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit then outstanding. "Required Prepayment Lenders": the Majority Facility Lenders in respect of each Facility. "Requirement of Law": as to any Person, any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its Property or to which such Person or any of its Property is subject. "Responsible Officer": the chief executive officer, president or chief financial officer of Holdings or the Borrower, and, with respect to financial matters, the chief financial officer or Treasurer of Holdings or the Borrower. "Restricted Payments": as defined in Section 7.6. "Revolving Commitment": as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender, if any, to make Revolving Loans and participate in Letters of Credit in an aggregate principal and/or face amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading "Revolving Commitment" opposite such Lender's name on Schedule 1.1A or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender became a party hereto, as the same may be changed from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof. The original amount of the Total Revolving Commitments is $25,000,000. "Revolving Commitment Period": the period from and including the Closing Date to the Revolving Termination Date. "Revolving Extensions of Credit": as to any Revolving Lender at any time, an amount equal to the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans held by such Lender then outstanding and (b) such Lender's Revolving Percentage of the L/C Obligations then outstanding. 18 "Revolving Lender": each Lender that has a Revolving Commitment or that holds Revolving Loans. "Revolving Loans": as defined in Section 2.4(a). "Revolving Percentage": as to any Revolving Lender at any time, the percentage which such Lender's Revolving Commitment then constitutes of the Total Revolving Commitments or, at any time after the Revolving Commitments shall have expired or terminated, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender's Revolving Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Loans then outstanding, provided, that, in the event that the Revolving Loans are paid in full prior to the reduction to zero of the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit, the Revolving Percentages shall be determined in a manner designed to ensure that the other outstanding Revolving Extensions of Credit shall be held by the Revolving Lenders on a comparable basis. "Revolving Termination Date": November 24, 2008. "S&P": Standard & Poor's Ratings Group. "SEC": the Securities and Exchange Commission (or successors thereto or an analogous Governmental Authority). "Security Documents": the collective reference to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Mortgages and all other security documents hereafter delivered to the Administrative Agent granting a Lien on any Property of any Loan Party to secure the obligations and liabilities of any Loan Party under any Loan Document. "Senior Holdings Notes": the senior unsecured notes of Holdings in the aggregate principal amount of $25,500,000 issued initially in favor of each of the Sponsor and GE Equity pursuant to, and subject to the terms and conditions contained in, the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 31, 1999, by and among Empi, MPI Holdings, L.L.C. and GE Equity. "Single Employer Plan": any Plan that is covered by Title IV of ERISA, but which is not a Multiemployer Plan. "Solvent": with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the "present fair saleable value" of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, exceed the amount of all "liabilities of such Person, contingent or otherwise", as of such date, as such quoted terms are determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws governing determinations of the insolvency of debtors, (b) the present fair saleable value of the assets of such Person will, as of such date, be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the liability of such Person on its debts as such debts become absolute and matured, (c) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital with which to conduct its business and (d) such Person will be able to pay its debts as they mature. For purposes of this definition,(i) "debt" means liability on a "claim", and (ii) "claim" means any (x) right to payment, whether or not such a right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable, secured or unsecured or (y) right to an equitable remedy for breach of performance if such breach gives rise to a right to payment, whether or not such right to an equitable remedy is reduced to judgment, fixed, contingent, matured or unmatured, disputed, undisputed, secured or unsecured. 19 "Specified Cash Management Arrangement": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Specified Hedge Agreement": any Hedge Agreement (a) entered into by (i) the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) any Lender or any affiliate thereof at the time such Hedge Agreement was entered into, as counterparty and (b) that has been designated by such Lender and the Borrower, by notice to the Administrative Agent, as a Specified Hedge Agreement. The designation of any Hedge Agreement as a Specified Hedge Agreement shall not create in favor of the Lender or affiliate thereof that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Guarantor under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, all Hedge Agreements in existence on the Closing Date between the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any Lender shall constitute Specified Hedge Agreements. "Sponsor": TC Group L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, and any Affiliates thereof. "Subordinated Debt": unsecured Indebtedness of Holdings or the Borrower; provided, that (a) such Indebtedness shall be subordinated, pursuant to subordination provisions reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, to the obligations of the Borrower or Holdings, as the case may be, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (b) such Indebtedness shall not be guaranteed by any Subsidiary of the Borrower (provided, that such Indebtedness may be guaranteed by the Subsidiary acquired in a Permitted Acquisition, if the obligations of such Subsidiary under such guarantee are subordinated to the obligations of such Subsidiary under the Loan Documents pursuant to subordination provisions reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) and (c) the other terms and conditions of such Indebtedness are reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent. "Subsidiary": as to any Person, a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which shares of stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power (other than stock or such other ownership interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) to elect a majority of the board of directors or other managers of such corporation, partnership or other entity are at the time owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise qualified, all references to a "Subsidiary" or to "Subsidiaries" in this Agreement shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower. "Subsidiary Guarantor": each Subsidiary of the Borrower other than any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary. "Syndication Agent": as defined in the preamble hereto. "Term Commitment": as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender, if any, to make a Term Loan to the Borrower in a principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading "Term Commitment" opposite such Lender's name on Schedule 1.1A. The original aggregate amount of the Term Commitments is $165,000,000. "Term Lender": each Lender that has a Term Commitment or that holds a Term Loan. "Term Loan": as defined in Section 2.1. "Term Percentage": as to any Term Lender at any time, the percentage which such Lender's Term Commitment then constitutes of the aggregate Term Commitments (or, at any time after 20 the Closing Date, the percentage which the aggregate principal amount of such Lender's Term Loans then outstanding constitutes of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans then outstanding). "Total Revolving Commitments": at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitments then in effect. "Total Revolving Extensions of Credit": at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Extensions of Credit of the Revolving Lenders outstanding at such time. "Transferee": any Assignee or Participant. "Type": as to any Loan, its nature as an ABR Loan or a Eurodollar Loan. "United States": the United States of America. "Vehicles": as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. "Wholly Owned Subsidiary": as to any Person, any other Person all of the Capital Stock of which (other than directors' qualifying shares required by law) is owned by such Person directly and/or through other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries. "Wholly Owned Subsidiary Guarantor": any Subsidiary Guarantor that is a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Borrower. 1.2 Other Definitional Provisions. (a) Unless otherwise specified therein, all terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in the other Loan Documents or any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto. (b) As used herein and in the other Loan Documents, and any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto or thereto, (i) accounting terms relating to Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries not defined in Section 1.1 and accounting terms partly defined in Section 1.1, to the extent not defined, shall have the respective meanings given to them under GAAP, (ii) the words "include", "includes" and "including" shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase "without limitation", and (iii) references to agreements or other Contractual Obligations shall, unless otherwise specified, be deemed to refer to such agreements or Contractual Obligations as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time. (c) The words "hereof", "herein" and "hereunder" and words of similar import, when used in this Agreement, shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section, Schedule and Exhibit references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. (d) The meanings given to terms defined herein shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of such terms. SECTION 2. AMOUNT AND TERMS OF COMMITMENTS 2.1 Term Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Term Lender severally agrees to make a term loan (a "Term Loan") to the Borrower on the Closing Date in an amount not to exceed the amount of the Term Commitment of such Lender. The Term Loans may from 21 time to time be Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans, as determined by the Borrower and notified to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Sections 2.2 and 2.11. 2.2 Procedure for Term Loan Borrowing. The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice (which notice must be received by the Administrative Agent prior to 12:00 Noon, New York City time, on the day of the anticipated Closing Date) requesting that the Term Lenders make the Term Loans on the Closing Date and specifying the amount to be borrowed. The Term Loans made on the Closing Date shall initially be ABR Loans. Upon receipt of such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Term Lender thereof. Not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Closing Date each Term Lender shall make available to the Administrative Agent at the Funding Office an amount in immediately available funds equal to the Term Loan or Term Loans to be made by such Lender. The Administrative Agent shall credit the account of the Borrower on the books of such office of the Administrative Agent with the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by the Term Lenders in immediately available funds. 2.3 Repayment of Term Loans. The Term Loan of each Term Lender shall mature in twenty-four (24) consecutive quarterly installments, commencing on March 31, 2004, each of which shall be in an amount equal to such Lender's Term Percentage multiplied by the amount set forth below opposite such installment: Installment Principal Amount ----------- ---------------- March 31, 2004 $412,500 June 30, 2004 $412,500 September 30, 2004 $412,500 December 31, 2004 $412,500 March 31, 2005 $412,500 June 30, 2005 $412,500 September 30, 2005 $412,500 December 31, 2005 $412,500 March 31, 2006 $412,500 June 30, 2006 $412,500 September 30, 2006 $412,500 December 31, 2006 $412,500 March 31, 2007 $412,500 June 30, 2007 $412,500 September 30, 2007 $412,500 December 31, 2007 $412,500 March 31, 2008 $412,500 June 30, 2008 $412,500 September 30, 2008 $412,500 December 31, 2008 $412,500 March 31, 2009 $39,187,500 June 30, 2009 $39,187,500 September 30, 2009 $39,187,500 November 24, 2009 $39,187,500 2.4 Revolving Commitments. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, each Revolving Lender severally agrees to make revolving credit loans ("Revolving Loans") to the Borrower from time to time during the Revolving Commitment Period in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding which, when added to such Lender's Revolving Percentage of the L/C Obligations then 22 outstanding does not exceed the amount of such Lender's Revolving Commitment. During the Revolving Commitment Period the Borrower may use the Revolving Commitments by borrowing, prepaying the Revolving Loans in whole or in part, and reborrowing, all in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof. The Revolving Loans may from time to time be Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans, as determined by the Borrower and notified to the Administrative Agent in accordance with Sections 2.5 and 2.11. (b) The Borrower shall repay all outstanding Revolving Loans on the Revolving Termination Date. 2.5 Procedure for Revolving Loan Borrowing. The Borrower may borrow under the Revolving Commitments during the Revolving Commitment Period on any Business Day, provided that the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable notice (which notice must be received by the Administrative Agent prior to 1:00 P.M., New York City time, (a) three Business Days prior to the requested Borrowing Date, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, or (b) on the requested Borrowing Date, in the case of ABR Loans) (provided that any such notice of a borrowing of ABR Loans under the Revolving Facility to finance payments required by Section 3.5 may be given not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of the proposed borrowing), specifying (i) the amount and Type of Revolving Loans to be borrowed, (ii) the requested Borrowing Date and (iii) in the case of Eurodollar Loans, the respective amounts of each such Type of Loan and the respective lengths of the initial Interest Period therefor. Any Revolving Loans made on the Closing Date shall initially be ABR Loans. Each borrowing under the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount equal to (x) in the case of ABR Loans, $250,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if the then aggregate Available Revolving Commitments are less than $250,000, such lesser amount) and (y) in the case of Eurodollar Loans, $500,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Upon receipt of any such notice from the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Lender thereof. Each Revolving Lender will make the amount of its pro rata share of each borrowing available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Borrower at the Funding Office prior to 2:00 P.M., New York City time (or 3:30 P.M., New York City time in the case of same-day borrowings of ABR Loans) on the Borrowing Date requested by the Borrower in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent. Such borrowing will then be made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of such office with the aggregate of the amounts made available to the Administrative Agent by the Revolving Lenders and in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent. 2.6 Repayment of Loans. (a) The Borrower hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the appropriate Revolving Lender or Term Lender, as the case may be, (i) the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan of such Revolving Lender outstanding on the Revolving Termination Date (or on such earlier date on which the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Section 8) and (ii) the principal amount of each outstanding Term Loan of such Term Loan Lender in installments according to the relevant amortization schedule set forth in Section 2.3 (or on such earlier date on which the Loans become due and payable pursuant to Section 8). The Borrower hereby further agrees to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of the Loans from time to time outstanding from the date hereof until payment in full thereof at the rates per annum, and on the dates, set forth in Section 2.13. (b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan of such Lender from time to time, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time under this Agreement. 23 (c) The Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Borrower, shall maintain the Register pursuant to Section 10.6(b)(iv), and a subaccount therein for each Lender, in which shall be recorded (1) the amount of each Loan made hereunder and any Note evidencing such Loan, the Type of such Loan and each Interest Period applicable thereto, (2) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (3) both the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder from the Borrower and each Lender's share thereof. (d) The entries made in the Register and the accounts of each Lender maintained pursuant to Section 2.6(b) shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations of the Borrower therein recorded; provided, however, that the failure of any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain the Register or any such account, or any error therein, shall not in any manner affect the obligation of the Borrower to repay (with applicable interest) the Loans made to the Borrower by such Lender in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. 2.7 Commitment Fees, etc. (a) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Revolving Lender a commitment fee for the period from and including the Closing Date to the last day of the Revolving Commitment Period, computed at the Commitment Fee Rate on the average daily amount of the Available Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period for which payment is made, payable quarterly in arrears on each Fee Payment Date, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. (b) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent the fees in the amounts and on the dates as set forth in any fee agreements with the Administrative Agent. 2.8 Termination or Reduction of Revolving Commitments. The Borrower shall have the right, upon not less than two Business Days' notice to the Administrative Agent, to terminate the Revolving Commitments or, from time to time, to reduce the amount of the Revolving Commitments; provided that no such termination or reduction of Revolving Commitments shall be permitted if, after giving effect thereto and to any prepayments of the Revolving Loans made on the effective date thereof, the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit would exceed the Total Revolving Commitments. Any such reduction shall be in an amount equal to $1,000,000, or a whole multiple thereof, and shall reduce permanently the Revolving Commitments then in effect. 2.9 Optional Prepayments. The Borrower may at any time and from time to time prepay the Loans, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty, upon irrevocable notice delivered to the Administrative Agent no later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, three Business Days prior thereto, in the case of Eurodollar Loans, and no later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, one Business Day prior thereto, in the case of ABR Loans, which notice shall specify the date and amount of prepayment and whether the prepayment is of Eurodollar Loans or ABR Loans; provided, that if a Eurodollar Loan is prepaid on any day other than the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, the Borrower shall also pay any amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.19. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof. If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein, together with (except in the case of Revolving Loans that are ABR Loans) accrued interest to such date on the amount prepaid. Partial prepayments of Term Loans and Revolving Loans shall be in an aggregate principal amount of $250,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (in the case of prepayments of ABR Loans) or $500,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (in the case of prepayments of Eurodollar Loans) and shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2.16. 2.10 Mandatory Prepayments and Commitment Reductions. (a) Unless the Required Prepayment Lenders shall otherwise agree, if any Capital Stock shall be issued by any Loan Party in a 24 public offering, then, unless a Reinvestment Notice shall be delivered in respect thereof, an amount equal to 50% of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied on the date of such issuance toward the prepayment of the Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.10(e); provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, on each Reinvestment Prepayment Date the Term Loans shall be prepaid by an amount equal to the Reinvestment Prepayment Amount with respect to the relevant Reinvestment Event, as set forth in Section 2.10(e). (b) Unless the Required Prepayment Lenders shall otherwise agree, if any Indebtedness shall be incurred by any Loan Party (excluding any Indebtedness incurred in accordance with Section 7.2), an amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied on the date of the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds toward the prepayment of the Term Loans and the reduction of the Revolving Commitments as set forth in Section 2.10(e). (c) Unless the Required Prepayment Lenders shall otherwise agree, if on any date any Loan Party shall for its own account receive Net Cash Proceeds from any Asset Sale or Recovery Event then, unless a Reinvestment Notice shall be delivered in respect thereof, such Net Cash Proceeds shall be applied on such date toward the prepayment of the Term Loans and the reduction of the Revolving Commitments as set forth in Section 2.10(e); provided, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, on each Reinvestment Prepayment Date the Term Loans shall be prepaid, and/or the Revolving Commitments shall be reduced, by an amount equal to the Reinvestment Prepayment Amount with respect to the relevant Reinvestment Event, as set forth in Section 2.10(e). (d) Unless the Required Prepayment Lenders shall otherwise agree, if, for any fiscal year of the Borrower commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2004, there shall be Excess Cash Flow, the Borrower shall, on the relevant Excess Cash Flow Application Date, apply the Excess Cash Flow Percentage of such Excess Cash Flow toward the prepayment of the Term Loans as set forth in Section 2.10(e). Each such prepayment shall be made on a date (an "Excess Cash Flow Application Date") no later than five days after the date on which the financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 6.1(a), for the fiscal year with respect to which such prepayment is made, are required to be delivered to the Lenders. (e) Amounts to be applied in connection with prepayments and Commitment reductions made pursuant to Sections 2.10(b) and (c) above shall be applied, first, to the prepayment of the Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.16(b) until paid in full and, second, to reduce permanently the Revolving Commitments. Any such reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be accompanied by prepayment of the Revolving Loans to the extent, if any, that the Total Revolving Extensions of Credit exceed the amount of the Total Revolving Commitments as so reduced, provided that if the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Loans then outstanding is less than the amount of such excess (because L/C Obligations constitute a portion thereof), the Borrower shall, to the extent of the balance of such excess, replace outstanding Letters of Credit and/or deposit an amount in cash in a cash collateral account established with the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. The application of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.10 shall be made, first, to ABR Loans and, second, to Eurodollar Loans. Each prepayment of the Loans under Section 2.10 (except in the case of Revolving Loans that are ABR Loans) shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the date of such prepayment on the amount prepaid. 2.11 Conversion and Continuation Options. (a) The Borrower may elect from time to time to convert Eurodollar Loans to ABR Loans by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date, provided that any such conversion of Eurodollar Loans may only be made on the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto. The Borrower may elect from time to time to 25 convert ABR Loans to Eurodollar Loans by giving the Administrative Agent prior irrevocable notice of such election no later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding the proposed conversion date (which notice shall specify the length of the initial Interest Period therefor), provided that no ABR Loan under a particular Facility may be converted into a Eurodollar Loan when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent or the Majority Facility Lenders in respect of such Facility have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such conversions. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof. (b) Any Eurodollar Loan may be continued as such upon the expiration of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto by the Borrower giving irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the term "Interest Period" set forth in Section 1.1, of the length of the next Interest Period to be applicable to such Loans, provided that no Eurodollar Loan under a particular Facility may be continued as such when any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent has or the Majority Facility Lenders in respect of such Facility have determined in its or their sole discretion not to permit such continuations, and provided, further, that if the Borrower shall fail to give any required notice as described above in this paragraph or if such continuation is not permitted pursuant to the preceding proviso such Loans shall be automatically converted to ABR Loans on the last day of such then expiring Interest Period. Upon receipt of any such notice the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof. 2.12 Minimum Amounts and Maximum Number of Eurodollar Tranches. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all borrowings, conversions, continuations and optional prepayments of Eurodollar Loans and all selections of Interest Periods shall be in such amounts and be made pursuant to such elections so that (a) after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of the Eurodollar Loans comprising each Eurodollar Tranche shall be equal to $500,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof and (b) no more than nine Eurodollar Tranches shall be outstanding at any one time. 2.13 Interest Rates and Payment Dates. (a) Each Eurodollar Loan shall bear interest for each day during each Interest Period with respect thereto at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate determined for such day plus the Applicable Margin. (b) Each ABR Loan shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the ABR plus the Applicable Margin. (c) (i) If all or a portion of the principal amount of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of the Loans, the rate that would otherwise be applicable thereto pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section plus 2% or (y) in the case of Reimbursement Obligations, the rate applicable to ABR Loans under the Revolving Facility plus 2%, and (ii) if all or a portion of any interest payable on any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation or any commitment fee or other amount payable hereunder shall not be paid when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), such overdue amount shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the rate then applicable to ABR Loans under the relevant Facility plus 2% (or, in the case of any such other amounts that do not relate to a particular Facility, the rate then applicable to ABR Loans under the Revolving Facility plus 2%), in each case, with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above, from the date of such non-payment until such amount is paid in full (as well after as before judgment). (d) Interest shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date, provided that interest accruing pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section shall be payable from time to time on demand. 26 2.14 Computation of Interest and Fees. (a) Interest and fees payable pursuant hereto shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year for the actual days elapsed, except that, with respect to ABR Loans the rate of interest on which is calculated on the basis of the Prime Rate, the interest thereon shall be calculated on the basis of a 365- (or 366-, as the case may be) day year for the actual days elapsed. The Administrative Agent shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders of each determination of a Eurodollar Rate. Any change in the interest rate on a Loan resulting from a change in the ABR or the Eurocurrency Reserve Requirements shall become effective as of the opening of business on the day on which such change becomes effective. The Administrative Agent shall as soon as practicable notify the Borrower and the relevant Lenders of the effective date and the amount of each such change in interest rate. (b) Each determination of an interest rate by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be presumptively correct in the absence of manifest error. The Administrative Agent shall, at the request of the Borrower, deliver to the Borrower a statement showing the quotations used by the Administrative Agent in determining any interest rate pursuant to Section 2.13(a). 2.15 Inability to Determine Interest Rate. If prior to the first day of any Interest Period: (a) the Administrative Agent shall have determined (which determination shall be presumptively correct absent manifest error) that, by reason of circumstances affecting the relevant market, adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period, or (b) the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Majority Facility Lenders in respect of the relevant Facility that by reason of any changes arising after the date of this Agreement the Eurodollar Rate determined or to be determined for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (as certified by such Lenders) of making or maintaining their affected Loans during such Interest Period, the Administrative Agent shall give telecopy or telephonic notice thereof to the Borrower and the relevant Lenders as soon as practicable thereafter. If such notice is given (x) any Eurodollar Loans under the relevant Facility requested to be made on the first day of such Interest Period shall be made as ABR Loans, (y) any Loans under the relevant Facility that were to have been converted on the first day of such Interest Period to Eurodollar Loans shall be continued as ABR Loans and (z) any outstanding Eurodollar Loans under the relevant Facility shall be converted, on the last day of the then-current Interest Period with respect thereto, to ABR Loans. Until such notice has been withdrawn by the Administrative Agent (which action the Administrative Agent will take promptly after the conditions giving rise to such notice no longer exist), no further Eurodollar Loans under the relevant Facility shall be made or continued as such, nor shall the Borrower have the right to convert Loans under the relevant Facility to Eurodollar Loans. 2.16 Pro Rata Treatment and Payments. (a) Each borrowing by the Borrower from the Lenders hereunder, each payment by the Borrower on account of any commitment fee and any reduction of the Commitments of the Lenders shall be made pro rata according to the respective Term Percentages or Revolving Percentages, as the case may be, of the relevant Lenders. Each payment (other than prepayments) in respect of principal or interest in respect of the Term Loans and each payment in respect of fees payable hereunder shall be applied to the amounts of such obligations owing to the Term Lenders pro rata according to the respective amounts then due and owing to such Lenders. 27 (b) Each optional prepayment of the Term Loans shall be applied as specified by the Borrower. Each mandatory prepayment by the Borrower on account of principal of and interest on the Term Loans shall be made pro rata according to the respective outstanding principal amounts of the Term Loans then held by the Term Lenders (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.10(e)). Each mandatory prepayment by the Borrower shall be applied pro rata to the Term Loans based upon the respective then remaining principal amounts thereof and shall be applied, first, to any installments coming due within 12 months of the date of such prepayment and, second, ratably to the respective remaining installments thereof. Amounts prepaid on account of the Term Loans may not be reborrowed. (c) Each payment (including each prepayment) by the Borrower on account of principal of and interest on the Revolving Loans shall be made pro rata according to the respective outstanding principal amounts of the Revolving Loans then held by the Revolving Lenders. Each payment in respect of Reimbursement Obligations in respect of any Letter of Credit shall be made to the Issuing Lender that issued such Letter of Credit. (d) All payments (including prepayments) to be made by the Borrower hereunder, whether on account of principal, interest, fees or otherwise, shall be made without setoff or counterclaim and shall be made prior to 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the due date thereof to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Lenders, at the Funding Office, in Dollars and in immediately available funds. The Administrative Agent shall distribute such payments to the Lenders promptly upon receipt in like funds as received. If any payment hereunder (other than payments on the Eurodollar Loans) becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment on a Eurodollar Loan becomes due and payable on a day other than a Business Day, the maturity thereof shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such payment into another calendar month, in which event such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day. In the case of any extension of any payment of principal pursuant to the preceding two sentences, interest thereon shall be payable at the then applicable rate during such extension. (e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by any Lender prior to a borrowing that such Lender will not make the amount that would constitute its share of such borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender is making such amount available to the Administrative Agent, and the Administrative Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. If such amount is not made available to the Administrative Agent by the required time on the Borrowing Date therefor, such Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent, on demand, such amount with interest thereon, at a rate equal to the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Effective Rate and (ii) a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, for the period until such Lender makes such amount immediately available to the Administrative Agent. A certificate of the Administrative Agent submitted to any Lender with respect to any amounts owing under this paragraph shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. If such Lender's share of such borrowing is not made available to the Administrative Agent by such Lender within three Business Days after such Borrowing Date, the Administrative Agent shall give notice of such fact to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall also be entitled to recover such amount with interest thereon at the rate per annum applicable to ABR Loans under the relevant Facility, on demand, from the Borrower. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower against any defaulting Lender. (f) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have been notified in writing by the Borrower prior to the date of any payment due to be made by the Borrower hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower 28 is making such payment, and the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be required to, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Lenders their respective pro rata shares of a corresponding amount. If such payment is not made to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower within three Business Days after such due date, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to recover, on demand, from each Lender to which any amount which was made available pursuant to the preceding sentence, such amount with interest thereon at the rate per annum equal to the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate. Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the rights of the Administrative Agent or any Lender against the Borrower. 2.17 Requirements of Law. (a) If the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance by any Lender with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any central bank or other Governmental Authority first made, in each case, subsequent to the date hereof: (i) shall subject any Lender to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit, any Application or any Eurodollar Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender in respect thereof (except for Non-Excluded Taxes covered by Section 2.18 and changes in the rate of tax on the overall net income of such Lender); (ii) shall impose, modify or hold applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan or similar requirement against assets held by, deposits or other liabilities in or for the account of, advances, loans or other extensions of credit by, or any other acquisition of funds by, any office of such Lender that is not otherwise included in the determination of the Eurodollar Rate hereunder; or (iii) shall impose on such Lender any other condition not otherwise contemplated hereunder; and the result of any of the foregoing is to increase the cost to such Lender, by an amount which such Lender reasonably deems to be material, of making, converting into, continuing or maintaining Eurodollar Loans or issuing or participating in Letters of Credit, or to reduce any amount receivable hereunder in respect thereof, then, in any such case, the Borrower shall promptly pay such Lender, within ten Business Days after the Borrower's receipt of a reasonably detailed invoice therefor (showing with reasonable detail the calculations thereof), any additional amounts necessary to compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduced amount receivable. If any Lender becomes entitled to claim any additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall promptly notify the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of the event by reason of which it has become so entitled. (b) If any Lender shall have determined that the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law regarding capital adequacy or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance by such Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender with any request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority first made, in each case, subsequent to the date hereof shall have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender's or such corporation's capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder or under or in respect of any Letter of Credit to a level below that which such Lender or such corporation could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration such Lender's or such corporation's policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an amount deemed by such Lender to be material, then from time to time, after submission by such Lender to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of a reasonably detailed written request therefor (consistent with the detail 29 provided by such Lender to similarly situated borrowers), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such corporation for such reduction. (c) A certificate as to any additional amounts payable pursuant to this Section submitted by any Lender to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) shall be presumptively correct in the absence of manifest error. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any amounts incurred more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of such Lender's intention to claim compensation therefor; provided that, if the circumstances giving rise to such claim have a retroactive effect, then such nine-month period shall be extended to include the period of such retroactive effect. The obligations of the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Obligations. 2.18 Taxes. (a) Except as required by applicable law, all payments made by the Borrower under this Agreement shall be made free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of, any present or future income taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions, withholdings or Other Taxes, now or hereafter imposed, levied, collected, withheld or assessed by any Governmental Authority, excluding net income taxes and franchise taxes (imposed in lieu of net income taxes) imposed on the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of a present or former connection between the Administrative Agent or such Lender and the jurisdiction of the Governmental Authority imposing such tax or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein (other than any such connection arising solely from the Administrative Agent or such Lender having executed, delivered or performed its obligations or received a payment under, or enforced, this Agreement or any other Loan Document). If any such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or withholdings ("Non-Excluded Taxes") or Other Taxes are required to be withheld from any amounts payable to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder, the amounts so payable to the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall be increased to the extent necessary to yield to the Administrative Agent or such Lender (after payment of all Non-Excluded Taxes and Other Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at the rates or in the amounts specified in this Agreement, provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to increase any such amounts payable to any Lender with respect to any Non-Excluded Taxes (i) that are attributable to such Lender's failure to comply with the requirements of paragraph (d) or (e) of this Section or (ii) that are United States withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to such Lender at the time such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement, except to the extent that such Lender's assignor (if any) was entitled, at the time of assignment, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such Non-Excluded Taxes pursuant to this paragraph (and subject to Section 10.6(c), in the case of payments made to a Lender for the account of any Participant, the Borrower shall not be required to increase any amounts payable to such Lender for the account of such Participant with respect to any Non-Excluded Taxes that are United States withholding taxes imposed on amounts payable to such Lender for the account of such Participant at the time such Participant purchases the related participation, except to the extent that the Lender who transferred such interest to the Participant was entitled, at the time of the transfer, to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such Non-Excluded Taxes pursuant to this paragraph). (b) In addition, the Borrower shall pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law. (c) Whenever any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes are payable by the Borrower, as promptly as possible thereafter the Borrower shall send to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Administrative Agent or Lender, as the case may be, a certified copy of an original official receipt received by the Borrower showing payment thereof if such receipt is obtainable, or, if not, such other evidence of payment as may reasonably be required by the Administrative Agent or such Lender. If the 30 Borrower fails to pay any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes when due to the appropriate taxing authority or fails to remit to the Administrative Agent the required receipts or other required documentary evidence, the Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders for any incremental taxes, interest or penalties that become payable by the Administrative Agent or any Lender as a result of any such failure. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Obligations. (d) Each Lender (or Transferee) that is not a United States person (as such term is defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code) (a "Non-US Lender") shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (or, in the case of a Participant, to the Borrower and to the Lender from which the related participation shall have been purchased) (i) two accurate and complete copies of IRS Form W-8ECI or W-8BEN, or, (ii) in the case of a Non-U.S. Lender claiming exemption from United States federal withholding tax under Section 871(h) or 881(c) of the Code with respect to payments of "portfolio interest" a statement substantially in the form of Exhibit G and two accurate and complete copies of IRS Form W-8BEN, or any subsequent versions or successors to such forms, in each case properly completed and duly executed by such Non-U.S. Lender claiming complete exemption from, or a reduced rate of, United States federal withholding tax on all payments by the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Such forms shall be delivered by each Non-U.S. Lender on or before the date it becomes a party to this Agreement (or, in the case of any Participant, on or before the date such Participant purchases the related participation). In addition, each Non-U.S. Lender shall deliver such forms promptly upon the obsolescence or invalidity of any form previously delivered by such Non-U.S. Lender. Each Non-U.S. Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower at any time it determines that it is no longer in a position to provide any previously delivered certificate to the Borrower (or any other form of certification adopted by the United States taxing authorities for such purpose). Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be required to deliver any form pursuant to this paragraph that such Non-U.S. Lender is not legally able to deliver. (e) A Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of non-United States withholding tax under the law of any jurisdiction other than the United States in which the Borrower is located, or under any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable law as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate, provided, that such Lender is legally entitled to complete, execute and deliver such documentation. (f) If the Administrative Agent or any Lender determines, in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.18, it shall pay over such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 2.18 with respect to the Non-Excluded Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority, provided the Borrower shall not be required to repay to the Administrative Agent or the Lender an amount in excess of the amount paid over by such party to the Borrower pursuant to this Section. This paragraph shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its 31 tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person. 2.19 Indemnity. The Borrower agrees to indemnify each Lender for, and to hold each Lender harmless from, any loss or expense (other than lost profits) that such Lender may actually sustain or incur as a consequence of (a) default by the Borrower in making a borrowing of, conversion into or continuation of Eurodollar Loans after the Borrower has given a notice requesting the same in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, (b) default by the Borrower in making any prepayment of or conversion from Eurodollar Loans after the Borrower has given a notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or (c) the making of a prepayment or conversion of Eurodollar Loans on a day that is not the last day of an Interest Period with respect thereto. A reasonably detailed certificate as to (showing in reasonable detail the calculation of) any amounts payable pursuant to this Section submitted to the Borrower by any Lender shall be presumptively correct in the absence of manifest error. This covenant shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the payment of the Obligations. 2.20 Illegality. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, if the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the interpretation or application thereof, in each case, first made after the date hereof, shall make it unlawful for any Lender to make or maintain Eurodollar Loans as contemplated by this Agreement, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, and (a) the commitment of such Lender hereunder to make Eurodollar Loans, continue Eurodollar Loans as such and convert ABR Loans to Eurodollar Loans shall be suspended during the period of such illegality and (b) such Lender's Loans then outstanding as Eurodollar Loans, if any, shall be converted automatically to ABR Loans on the respective last days of the then current Interest Periods with respect to such Loans or within such earlier period as required by law. If any such conversion of a Eurodollar Loan occurs on a day which is not the last day of the then current Interest Period with respect thereto, the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such amounts, if any, as may be required pursuant to Section 2.19. 2.21 Change of Lending Office. Each Lender agrees that, upon the occurrence of any event giving rise to the operation of Section 2.17, 2.18(a) or 2.20 with respect to such Lender, it will, if requested by the Borrower, use reasonable efforts (subject to overall policy considerations of such Lender) to designate another lending office for any Loans affected by such event with the object of avoiding the consequences of such event; provided, that such designation is made on terms that, in the sole judgment of such Lender, cause such Lender and its lending office(s) to suffer no material economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, and provided, further, that nothing in this Section shall affect or postpone any of the obligations of the Borrower or the rights of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, 2.18(a) or 2.20. 2.22 Replacement of Lenders. The Borrower shall be permitted to replace with a financial institution any Lender that (a) requests reimbursement for amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.17 or 2.18 or gives a notice of illegality pursuant to Section 2.20, (b) defaults in its obligation to make Loans hereunder, or (c) that has refused to consent to any waiver or amendment with respect to any Loan Document that has been consented to by the Required Lenders, provided, that (i) such replacement does not conflict with any Requirement of Law, (ii) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such replacement, (iii) prior to any such replacement, such Lender shall have taken no action under Section 2.21 so as to eliminate the continued need for payment of amounts owing pursuant to Section 2.17 or 2.18 or to eliminate such illegality pursuant to Section 2.20, (iv) the replacement financial institution shall purchase, at par, all Loans and other amounts owing to such replaced Lender on or prior to the date of replacement, (v) the Borrower shall be liable to such replaced Lender under Section 2.19 (as though Section 2.19 were applicable) if any Eurodollar Loan owing to such replaced Lender shall be purchased other than on the last day of the Interest Period relating thereto, (vi) the replacement 32 financial institution, if not already a Lender, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (vii) the replaced Lender shall be obligated to make such replacement in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.6 (provided, that the Borrower shall be obligated to pay (or cause to be paid) the registration and processing fee referred to therein), (viii) the Borrower shall pay all additional amounts (if any) required pursuant to Section 2.17 or 2.18, as the case may be, in respect of any period prior to the date on which such replacement shall be consummated, and (ix) any such replacement shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any rights that the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender shall have against the replaced Lender. SECTION 3. LETTERS OF CREDIT 3.1 L/C Commitment. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Issuing Lender, in reliance on the agreements of the other Revolving Lenders set forth in Section 3.4(a), agrees to issue letters of credit ("Letters of Credit") for the account of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiary Guarantors on any Business Day during the Revolving Commitment Period in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Issuing Lender; provided that the Issuing Lender shall have no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if, after giving effect to such issuance, (i) the L/C Obligations would exceed the L/C Commitment or (ii) the aggregate amount of the Available Revolving Commitments would be less than zero. Each Letter of Credit shall (i) be denominated in Dollars and (ii) expire no later than the earlier of (x) the first anniversary of its date of issuance and (y) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Revolving Termination Date, provided that any Letter of Credit with a one-year term may provide for the renewal thereof for additional one-year periods (which shall in no event extend beyond the date referred to in clause (y) above). (b) The Issuing Lender shall not at any time be obligated to issue any Letter of Credit if such issuance would conflict with, or cause the Issuing Lender or any L/C Participant to exceed any limits imposed by, any applicable Requirement of Law. 3.2 Procedure for Issuance of Letter of Credit. The Borrower may from time to time request that the Issuing Lender issue a Letter of Credit by delivering to the Issuing Lender at its address for notices specified herein an Application therefor, completed to the reasonable satisfaction of the Issuing Lender, and such other certificates, documents and other papers and information as the Issuing Lender may reasonably request. Upon receipt of any Application, the Issuing Lender will process such Application and the certificates, documents and other papers and information delivered to it in connection therewith in accordance with its customary procedures and shall promptly issue the Letter of Credit requested thereby (but in no event shall the Issuing Lender be required to issue any Letter of Credit earlier than three Business Days after its receipt of the Application therefor and all such other certificates, documents and other papers and information relating thereto) by issuing the original of such Letter of Credit to the beneficiary thereof or as otherwise may be agreed to by the Issuing Lender and the Borrower. The Issuing Lender shall furnish a copy of such Letter of Credit to the Borrower promptly following the issuance thereof. The Issuing Lender shall promptly furnish to the Administrative Agent, which shall in turn promptly furnish to the Lenders, notice of the issuance of each Letter of Credit (including the amount thereof). 3.3 Fees and Other Charges. (a) The Borrower will pay a fee on all outstanding Letters of Credit at a per annum rate equal to the Applicable Margin then in effect with respect to Eurodollar Loans under the Revolving Facility (minus the fronting fee referred to below), on the face amount of such Letter of Credit shared ratably among the Revolving Lenders and payable quarterly in arrears on each Fee Payment Date after the issuance date. In addition, the Borrower shall pay to the Issuing Lender for its own account a fronting fee on the aggregate face amount of all outstanding Letters 33 of Credit issued by it of 1/4 of 1% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears on each Fee Payment Date after the issuance date. (b) In addition to the foregoing fees, the Borrower shall pay or reimburse the Issuing Lender for such normal and customary costs and expenses as are incurred or charged by the Issuing Lender in issuing, negotiating, effecting payment under, amending or otherwise administering any Letter of Credit. 3.4 L/C Participations. (a) The Issuing Lender irrevocably agrees to grant and hereby grants to each L/C Participant, and, to induce the Issuing Lender to issue Letters of Credit, each L/C Participant irrevocably agrees to accept and purchase and hereby accepts and purchases from the Issuing Lender, on the terms and conditions set forth below, for such L/C Participant's own account and risk an undivided interest equal to such L/C Participant's Revolving Percentage in the Issuing Lender's obligations and rights under and in respect of each Letter of Credit and the amount of each draft paid by the Issuing Lender thereunder. Each L/C Participant agrees with the Issuing Lender that, if a draft is paid under any Letter of Credit for which the Issuing Lender is not reimbursed in full by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender upon demand at the Issuing Lender's address for notices specified herein an amount equal to such L/C Participant's Revolving Percentage of the amount of such draft, or any part thereof, that is not so reimbursed. Each L/C Participant's obligation to pay such amount shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (i) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such L/C Participant may have against the Issuing Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (ii) the occurrence or continuance of a Default or an Event of Default or the failure to satisfy any of the other conditions specified in Section 5, (iii) any adverse change in the financial condition of the Borrower, (iv) any breach of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any other L/C Participant or (v) any other circumstance, happening or event whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing (b) If any amount required to be paid by any L/C Participant to the Issuing Lender pursuant to Section 3.4(a) in respect of any unreimbursed portion of any payment made by the Issuing Lender under any Letter of Credit is paid to the Issuing Lender within three Business Days after the date such payment is due, such L/C Participant shall pay to the Issuing Lender on demand an amount equal to the product of (i) such amount, times (ii) the daily average Federal Funds Effective Rate during the period from and including the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Issuing Lender, times (iii) a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days that elapse during such period and the denominator of which is 360. If any such amount required to be paid by any L/C Participant pursuant to Section 3.4(a) is not made available to the Issuing Lender by such L/C Participant within three Business Days after the date such payment is due, the Issuing Lender shall be entitled to recover from such L/C Participant, on demand, such amount with interest thereon calculated from such due date at the rate per annum applicable to ABR Loans under the Revolving Facility. A certificate of the Issuing Lender submitted to any L/C Participant with respect to any amounts owing under this Section shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. (c) Whenever, at any time after the Issuing Lender has made payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any L/C Participant its pro rata share of such payment in accordance with Section 3.4(a), the Issuing Lender receives any payment related to such Letter of Credit (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of collateral applied thereto by the Issuing Lender), or any payment of interest on account thereof, the Issuing Lender will distribute to such L/C Participant its pro rata share thereof; provided, however, that in the event that any such payment received by the Issuing Lender shall be required to be returned by the Issuing Lender, such L/C Participant shall return to the Issuing Lender the portion thereof previously distributed by the Issuing Lender to it. 34 3.5 Reimbursement Obligation of the Borrower. The Borrower agrees to reimburse each Issuing Lender the Business Day following the date on which the Issuing Lender notifies the Borrower of the date and amount of a draft presented under any Letter of Credit and paid by such Issuing Lender for the amount of (a) such draft so paid and (b) any taxes, fees, charges or other costs or expenses incurred by such Issuing Lender in connection with such payment (the amounts described in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) in respect of any drawing, collectively, the "Payment Amount"). Each such payment shall be made to the Issuing Lender at its address for notices referred to herein in Dollars and in immediately available funds. Interest shall be payable on any such amounts from the date on which the relevant draft is paid until payment in full at the rate set forth (x) in, until the second Business Day next succeeding the date of the relevant notice, Section 2.13(b) and (y) in, thereafter, Section 2.13(c). 3.6 Obligations Absolute. The Borrower's obligations under this Section 3 shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances and irrespective of any setoff, counterclaim or defense to payment that the Borrower may have or have had against the Issuing Lender, any beneficiary of a Letter of Credit or any other Person. The Borrower also agrees with the Issuing Lender that the Issuing Lender shall not be responsible for, and the Borrower's Reimbursement Obligations under Section 3.5 shall not be affected by, among other things, the validity or genuineness of documents or of any endorsements thereon, even though such documents shall in fact prove to be invalid, fraudulent or forged, or any dispute between or among the Borrower and any beneficiary of any Letter of Credit or any other party to which such Letter of Credit may be transferred or any claims whatsoever of the Borrower against any beneficiary of such Letter of Credit or any such transferee, or any other events or circumstances that, pursuant to applicable law or the applicable customs and practices promulgated by the International Chamber of Commerce, are not within the responsibility of the Issuing Lender, except for errors or omissions found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Issuing Lender or its employees or agents. The Issuing Lender shall not be liable for any error, omission, interruption or delay in transmission, dispatch or delivery of any message or advice, however transmitted, in connection with any Letter of Credit, except for errors or omissions found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Issuing Lender or its employees or agents. The Borrower agrees that any action taken or omitted by the Issuing Lender under or in connection with any Letter of Credit or the related drafts or documents, if done in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct and in accordance with the standards or care specified in the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of New York, shall be binding on the Borrower and shall not result in any liability of the Issuing Lender to the Borrower. 3.7 Letter of Credit Payments. If any draft shall be presented for payment under any Letter of Credit, the Issuing Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower of the date and amount thereof. The responsibility of the Issuing Lender to the Borrower in connection with any draft presented for payment under any Letter of Credit shall, in addition to any payment obligation expressly provided for in such Letter of Credit, be limited to determining that the documents (including each draft) delivered under such Letter of Credit in connection with such presentment are substantially in conformity with such Letter of Credit. 3.8 Applications. To the extent that any provision of any Application related to any Letter of Credit is inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 3, the provisions of this Section 3 shall apply. SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES To induce the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to make the Loans and issue or participate in the Letters of Credit, Holdings and the Borrower hereby jointly 35 and severally represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and each Lender which representations and warranties shall be deemed made on the Closing Date (immediately before and immediately after giving effect to the Refinancing) and on the date of each borrowing of Loans or issuance of a Letter of Credit hereunder) that: 4.1 Financial Condition. (a) The unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2003 (the "Pro Forma Balance Sheet"), copies of which have heretofore been furnished to each Lender, has been prepared giving effect (as if such events had occurred on such date) to (i) the consummation of the Refinancing, (ii) the Loans to be made on the Closing Date and the use of proceeds thereof and (iii) the payment of fees and expenses in connection with the foregoing. The Pro Forma Balance Sheet has been prepared based on the best information available to Holdings as of the date of delivery thereof, and presents fairly on a pro forma basis the estimated financial position of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2003, assuming that the events specified in the preceding sentence had actually occurred at such date subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes. (b) The audited consolidated balance sheets of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2000, December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2002, and the related consolidated statements of income and of cash flows for the fiscal years ended on such dates, reported on by and accompanied by an unqualified report from Arthur Andersen LLP (with respect to the financial statements for the 2000 and 2001 fiscal years) and Ernst & Young LLP (with respect to the financial statements for the 2002 fiscal year), present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at such date, and the consolidated results of its operations and its consolidated cash flows for the respective fiscal years then ended. The unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at September 30, 2003, and the related unaudited consolidated statements of income and cash flows for the nine-month period ended on such date, present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial condition of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at such date, and the consolidated results of its operations and its consolidated cash flows for the nine-month period then ended (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of notes). All such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.1(b), Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries do not have, as of September 30, 2003, any material Guarantee Obligations, contingent liabilities and liabilities for taxes, including without limitation any material interest rate or foreign currency swap or exchange transaction or other material obligation in respect of derivatives, that are not reflected in the most recent financial statements referred to in this paragraph. During the period from December 31, 2002 to and including the date hereof there has been no Disposition by any Group Member of any material part of its business or property. 4.2 No Change. Since December 31, 2002, there has been no event, development or circumstance that has had or will have a Material Adverse Effect. 4.3 Existence; Compliance with Law. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (a) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has the corporate power and authority, and the legal right, to own and operate its Property, to lease the Property it operates as lessee and to conduct the business in which it is currently engaged, (c) is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of Property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect and (d) is in compliance with all Requirements of Law except, in each case, to the extent that any such failure could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 36 4.4 Corporate Power; Authorization; Enforceable Obligations. Each Loan Party has the corporate power and authority, and the legal right, to make, deliver and perform the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of the Borrower, to borrow or have Letters of Credit issued hereunder. Each Loan Party has taken all necessary corporate or other action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of the Borrower, to authorize the borrowings on the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, no consent or authorization of, filing with, notice to or other act by or in respect of, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is required in connection with the Refinancing, the borrowings hereunder or the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except (i) consents, authorizations, filings and notices described in Schedule 4.4, which consents, authorizations, filings and notices have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect or the failure to obtain which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the filings referred to in Section 4.18. Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered on behalf of each Loan Party that is a party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document upon execution will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is a party thereto, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and by general equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceedings in equity or at law). 4.5 No Legal Bar. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the issuance of Letters of Credit, the borrowings hereunder and the use of the proceeds thereof will not (a) violate the organizational or governing documents of any of the Loan Parties, (b) except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, violate any Requirement of Law or (c), except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, any Contractual Obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and will not result in, or require, the creation or imposition of any Lien on any of their respective properties or revenues pursuant to any Requirement of Law or any such Contractual Obligation (other than the Liens created by the Security Documents). 4.6 No Material Litigation. No litigation, investigation or proceeding of or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority is pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Borrower, reasonably likely to be commenced within a reasonable time period against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or against any of their Properties or revenues which, taken as a whole, are material (a) with respect to any of the Loan Documents, or (b) that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 4.7 No Default. Neither Holdings, the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is in default under or with respect to any of its Contractual Obligations in any respect that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. 4.8 Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has title in fee simple to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its real property, and good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, all its other Property in each case, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and none of such Property is subject to any Lien except as permitted by Section 7.3. Schedule 1.1B lists all real property which is owned or leased by any Loan Party as of the Closing Date. 4.9 Intellectual Property. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries owns, or is licensed to use, all Intellectual Property necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse 37 Effect. No holding, decision or judgment has been rendered by any Governmental Authority which would limit, cancel or question the validity of, or any Loan Party's rights in, any Intellectual Property in any respect that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No material claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any Intellectual Property or the validity or effectiveness of any Intellectual Property, nor does Holdings or the Borrower know of any valid basis for any such claim, in each case, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The use of Intellectual Property by Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries does not infringe on the rights of any Person in a manner that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 4.10 Taxes. Each of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries has filed or caused to be filed all federal and other material tax returns that are required to be filed and has paid all taxes shown to be due and payable on said returns and all other taxes, fees or other charges imposed on it or any of its Property by any Governmental Authority (other than any the amount or validity of which are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which any reserves required in conformity with GAAP have been provided on the books of Holdings, the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be), except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 4.11 Federal Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loans, and no other extensions of credit hereunder, will be used for "buying" or "carrying" any "margin stock" within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U as now and from time to time hereafter in effect or for any purpose that violates the provisions of the regulations of the Board. If requested by any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) or the Administrative Agent, the Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender a statement to the foregoing effect in conformity with the requirements of FR Form G-3 or FR Form U-1 referred to in Regulation U. 4.12 Labor Matters. There are no strikes or other labor disputes against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries pending that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Hours worked by and payment made to employees of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Requirement of Law dealing with such matters that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All payments due from Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries on account of employee health and welfare insurance that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect if not paid have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of Holdings, the Borrower or the relevant Subsidiary. 4.13 ERISA. (a) Except as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect: neither a Reportable Event nor an "accumulated funding deficiency" (within the meaning of Section 412(a) of the Code or Section 302(a)(2) of ERISA) has occurred during the five-year period prior to the date on which this representation is made with respect to any Plan, and each Plan has complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code; no termination of a Single Employer Plan has occurred, and no Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan has arisen, during such five-year period; the present value of all accrued benefits under each Single Employer Plan (based on those assumptions used to fund such Plans) did not, as of the last annual valuation date prior to the date on which this representation is made or deemed made, exceed the value of the assets of such Plan allocable to such accrued benefits; neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has had a complete or partial withdrawal from any Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a liability under ERISA; neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries would become subject to any liability under ERISA if the Borrower or such Subsidiary were to withdraw completely from all Multiemployer Plans as of the valuation date most closely preceding the date on which this representation is made; and no Multiemployer Plan is in Reorganization or Insolvent. 38 (b) The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have not incurred, and do not reasonably expect to incur, any liability under ERISA or the Code with respect to any plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA which is subject to Title IV of ERISA that is maintained by a Commonly Controlled Entity (other than Borrower and its Subsidiaries) (a "Commonly Controlled Plan") merely by virtue of being treated as a single employer under Title IV of ERISA with the sponsor of such plan that would reasonably be likely to have a Material Adverse Effect and result in a direct obligation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to pay money. 4.14 Investment Company Act. No Loan Party is an "investment company", or a company "controlled" by an "investment company", within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. 4.15 Subsidiaries. (a) The Subsidiaries listed on Schedule 4.15 constitute all the Subsidiaries of the Borrower at the date of this Agreement. Schedule 4.15 sets forth as of the Closing Date the name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each Subsidiary and, as to each Subsidiary, the percentage of each class of Capital Stock owned by each Loan Party. (b) As of the Closing Date, there are no outstanding subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, rights or other agreements or commitments (other than stock options granted to officers, employees or directors and directors' qualifying shares) of any nature relating to any Capital Stock of Holdings, the Borrower or any other Loan Party. 4.16 Environmental Matters. Other than exceptions to any of the following that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (a) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries: (i) are, and within the period of all applicable statutes of limitation have been, in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws; (ii) hold all Environmental Permits (each of which is in full force and effect) required for any of their current operations or for any property owned, leased, or otherwise operated by any of them; and (iii) are, and within the period of all applicable statutes of limitation have been, in compliance with all of their Environmental Permits. (b) Materials of Environmental Concern are not present at, on, under, in, or about any real property now or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or at any other location (including, without limitation, any location to which Materials of Environmental Concern have been sent for re-use or recycling or for treatment, storage or disposal) which could reasonably be expected to (i) give rise to liability of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries under any applicable Environmental Law or otherwise result in costs to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) interfere with the Borrower's or any of its Subsidiaries' continued operations or (iii) impair the fair saleable value of any real property owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries. (c) there is no judicial, administrative, or arbitral proceeding (including any notice of violation or alleged violation) under or relating to any Environmental Law to which the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is, or to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries will be, named as a party that is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, reasonably likely to be commenced within a reasonable amount of time. (d) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written request for information, or been notified that it is a potentially responsible party under or relating to the 39 federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or any similar Environmental Law, or with respect to any Materials of Environmental Concern. (e) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into or agreed to any consent decree, order, or settlement or other agreement, or is subject to any judgment, decree, or order or other agreement, in any judicial, administrative, arbitral, or other forum for dispute resolution, relating to compliance with or liability under any Environmental Law or with respect to any Materials of Environmental Concern. (f) neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has assumed or retained, by contract or operation of law, any liabilities of any kind, fixed or contingent, known or unknown, under any Environmental Law or with respect to any Materials of Environmental Concern. 4.17 Accuracy of Information, etc. No statement or information contained in this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any certificate furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders or any of them, by or on behalf of any Loan Party for use in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents when taken as a whole, contained as of the date such statement, information, or certificate was so furnished, any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained herein or therein not misleading. The projections and pro forma financial information contained in the materials referenced above are based upon good faith estimates and assumptions believed by management of the Borrower to be reasonable at the time made, it being recognized by the Lenders that such financial information as it relates to future events is not to be viewed as fact and that actual results during the period or periods covered by such financial information may differ from the projected results set forth therein by a material amount. 4.18 Security Documents. (a) The Guarantee and Collateral Agreement is effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a legal, valid and enforceable security interest in the Collateral described therein (including any proceeds of any item of Collateral). In the case of the Pledged Securities described in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, when any stock certificates or notes, as applicable, representing such Pledged Securities are delivered to the Administrative Agent, and in the case of the other Collateral described in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, when financing statements in appropriate form are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 4.18(a)-1 (which financing statements have been duly completed and executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent) and such other filings as are specified on Schedule 3 to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement are made, the Administrative Agent shall have a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in such Collateral (including any proceeds of any item of Collateral) (to the extent a security interest in such Collateral can be perfected through the filing of financing statements in the offices specified on Schedule 4.18(a)-1 and the filings specified on Schedule 3 to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and through the delivery of the Pledged Securities required to be delivered on the Closing Date), as security for the Obligations (as defined in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement), in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person (except, in the case of Collateral other than Pledged Stock, Liens permitted by Section 7.3) to the extent required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. As of the date hereof, Schedule 4.18(a)-2 lists each Uniform Commercial Code financing statement that (i) names any Loan Party as debtor and (ii) will remain on file after the Closing Date. As of the date hereof, Schedule 4.18(a)-3 lists each Uniform Commercial Code financing statement that (i) names any Loan Party as debtor and (ii) will be terminated on the Closing Date; and on or prior to the Closing Date, the Borrower will have delivered to the Administrative Agent or made appropriate arrangements for the delivery thereof, or caused to be filed, duly completed Uniform Commercial Code termination statements, signed by the relevant secured party, in respect of each Uniform Commercial Code financing statement listed on such Schedule. 40 (b) Each of the Mortgages is effective to create in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a legal, valid and enforceable Lien on the Mortgaged Properties described therein and proceeds thereof; and when the Mortgages are filed in the offices specified on Schedule 4.18(b) (in the case of the Mortgages to be executed and delivered on the Closing Date) or in the recording office designated by the Borrower (in the case of any Mortgage to be executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6.10(b)), each Mortgage shall constitute a fully perfected Lien on, and security interest in, all right, title and interest of the Loan Parties in the Mortgaged Properties described therein and the proceeds thereof, as security for the Obligations (as defined in the relevant Mortgage), in each case prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than Liens permitted by Section 7.3 or other encumbrances or rights permitted by the relevant Mortgage). 4.19 Solvency. Each Loan Party is, and after giving effect to the Refinancing and the incurrence of all Indebtedness and obligations being incurred in connection herewith and therewith will be and will continue to be, Solvent. 4.20 Regulation H. No Mortgage encumbers improved real property which is located in an area that has been identified by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as an area having special flood hazards and in which flood insurance has been made available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (except any Mortgaged Properties as to which such flood insurance as required by Regulation H has been obtained and is in full force and effect as required by this Agreement). SECTION 5. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT 5.1 Conditions to Initial Extension of Credit. The agreement of each Lender to make the initial extension of credit requested to be made by it is subject to the satisfaction, prior to or concurrently with the making of such extension of credit on the Closing Date, of the following conditions precedent: (a) Credit Agreement; Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) this Agreement, executed and delivered by the Administrative Agent, Holdings, the Borrower and each Person listed on Schedule 1.1A, (ii) the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, executed and delivered by Holdings, the Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor and (iii) an Acknowledgement and Consent in the form attached to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, executed and delivered by each Issuer (as defined therein), if any, that is not a Loan Party. (b) Refinancing, etc. The following transactions shall concurrently be consummated (the events described in clauses (i) through (iv) below, the "Refinancing"): (i) The Borrower shall pay a dividend to Holdings in an amount not to exceed $27,500,000 to enable Holdings to pay the Senior Holdings Notes in full, and Holdings shall pay and/or redeem the Senior Holdings Notes in full; (ii) The Borrower shall pay, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $63,000,000 (a) a dividend to Holdings so that Holdings can make a special distribution to its equity holders and pay compensation to management and (b) compensation to management; (iii) (i) The Existing Credit Facility shall have been terminated and all amounts thereunder shall have been paid in full and (ii) satisfactory arrangements shall have been made for the termination of all Liens granted in connection therewith; and 41 (iv) After giving effect to clauses (i) through (iii) above, the Borrower shall have substantially no outstanding Indebtedness other than the Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.2. (c) Pro Forma Balance Sheet; Financial Statements. The Lenders shall have received (i) the Pro Forma Balance Sheet, (ii) audited consolidated financial statements of Holdings for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 fiscal years and (iii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of Holdings for the last fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (ii) of this paragraph. (d) Approvals. All material governmental and third party approvals necessary in connection with the Refinancing, and the transactions contemplated hereby to be entered into as of the Closing Date shall have been obtained and be in full force and effect, and all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any action being taken or threatened by any competent authority which would restrain, prevent or otherwise impose materially adverse conditions on the Refinancing or the financing contemplated hereby. (e) Fees. The Agents shall have received all fees required to be paid (including those to be passed on to the Lenders), and all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for which reasonably detailed invoices have been presented (including reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel to the Administrative Agent), on or before the Closing Date. All such amounts will be paid with proceeds of Loans made on the Closing Date and will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent on or before the Closing Date. (f) Solvency Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate signed by the Chief Financial Officer on behalf of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit H hereto. (g) Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search in each of the jurisdictions in which Uniform Commercial Code financing statement or other filings or recordations should be made to evidence or perfect security interests in all assets of the Loan Parties, and such search shall reveal no liens on any of the assets of the Loan Party, except for Liens permitted by Section 7.3 or liens to be discharged on or prior to the Closing Date. (h) Closing Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit C, with appropriate insertions and attachments. (i) Legal Opinions. The Administrative Agent shall have received the following executed legal opinions: (i) the legal opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, substantially in the form of Exhibit F; and (ii) the legal opinion of local counsel in each of Minnesota and South Dakota. (j) Pledged Stock; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing the shares, if any, of Capital Stock pledged pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such 42 certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any), excluding promissory notes issued by directors, officers and employees of any Loan Party, pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof. (k) Filings, Registrations and Recordings. Each document (including, without limitation, any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Security Documents or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 7.3), shall have been delivered to the Administrative Agent in proper form for filing, registration or recordation. (l) Mortgages, etc. (i) The Administrative Agent shall have received a Mortgage with respect to each Mortgaged Property, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of each party thereto. (ii) If requested by the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall have received (A) a policy of flood insurance that (1) covers any parcel of improved real property that is encumbered by any Mortgage and is located in a special flood hazard area (2) is written in an amount not less than the outstanding principal amount of the indebtedness secured by such Mortgage that is reasonably allocable to such real property or the maximum limit of coverage made available with respect to the particular type of property under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, whichever is less, and (3) has a term ending not earlier than the maturity of the Indebtedness secured by such Mortgage and (B) confirmation that the Borrower has received the notice required pursuant to Section 208(e)(3) of Regulation H of the Board. (m) Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received insurance certificates satisfying the requirements of Section 5.3 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement. (n) Ratings. The Facilities shall have received a rating from each of Moody's and S&P. (o) Projections. The Lenders shall have received projections of the Borrower through the 2009 fiscal year. 5.2 Conditions to Each Extension of Credit. The agreement of each Lender to make any Loan or to issue or participate in any Letter of Credit hereunder on any date (including, without limitation, its initial extension of credit) is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent: (a) Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties made by any Loan Party in or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects on and as of such date as if made on and as of such date except to the extent that such representations and warranties relate to an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date. (b) No Default. No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date or after giving effect to the extensions of credit requested to be made on such date. 43 Each borrowing by and issuance of a Letter of Credit on behalf of the Borrower hereunder shall constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower as of the date of such extension of credit that the conditions contained in this Section have been satisfied. SECTION 6. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS Holdings and the Borrower hereby jointly and severally agree that, so long as the Commitments remain in effect, any Letter of Credit remains outstanding or any Loan or other amount is owing to any Lender or any Agent hereunder, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to: 6.1 Financial Statements. Furnish to the Administrative Agent for delivery to each Lender (which may be delivered via posting on Intralinks): (a) as soon as available, but in any event within 90 days (or 120 days, if a Permitted Acquisition occurred during the relevant period) after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, a copy of the audited consolidated and unaudited consolidating balance sheet of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such year and the related audited consolidated and unaudited consolidating statements of income and of cash flows for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures as of the end of and for the previous year, reported on without qualification arising out of the scope of the audit, by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent certified public accountants of nationally recognized standing; (b) as soon as available, but in any event not later than 45 days after the end of each of the first three quarterly periods of each fiscal year of Holdings, the unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheet of Holdings and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the end of such quarter and the related unaudited consolidated and consolidating statements of income and of cash flows for such quarter and the portion of the fiscal year through the end of such quarter, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period in the previous year, certified by a Responsible Officer as being fairly stated in all material respects (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the lack of notes); and (c) as soon as available, but in any event not later than 45 days after the end of each month occurring during each fiscal year of Holdings (other than the third, sixth, ninth and twelfth such month), the unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such month and the related unaudited consolidated and consolidating statements of income and of cash flows for such month and the portion of the fiscal year through the end of such month, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period in the previous year, certified by a Responsible Officer as being fairly stated in all material respects (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the lack of notes); all such financial statements to be complete and correct in all material respects and to be prepared in reasonable detail and in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods reflected therein and with prior periods (except as approved by such accountants or officer, as the case may be, and disclosed therein). 6.2 Certificates; Other Information. Furnish to the Administrative Agent, with sufficient copies for distribution to each Lender, or, in the case of clause (g), to the relevant Lender: 44 (a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.1(a), a certificate of the independent certified public accountants reporting on such financial statements stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default or Event of Default, except as specified in such certificate; (b) concurrently with the delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Sections 6.1(a) and (b), (i) a certificate of a Responsible Officer on behalf of the Borrower stating that such Responsible Officer has obtained no knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except as specified in such certificate and (ii) (x) a Compliance Certificate containing all information and calculations necessary for determining compliance by Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with the provisions of this Agreement referred to therein as of the last day of the fiscal quarter or fiscal year of the Borrower, as the case may be, and (y) to the extent not previously disclosed to the Administrative Agent, a description of any new Subsidiary and of any change in the jurisdiction of organization of any other Loan Party and a listing of any material Intellectual Property filings by any Loan Party since the date of the most recent list delivered pursuant to this clause (y) (or, in the case of the first such list so delivered, since the Closing Date), together with such documents, if any, required to be filed or recorded in order to perfect the security interest of the Administrative Agent therein; (c) as soon as available, and in any event no later than 45 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings, a detailed consolidated budget for the following fiscal year (including a projected consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as of the end of the following fiscal year, the related consolidated statements of projected cash flow, projected changes in financial position and projected income) (collectively, the "Annual Operating Budget"); (d) promptly after the same are sent, copies of all financial statements and reports that Holdings or the Borrower sends to the holders of any class of its debt securities or public equity securities (except for Permitted Investors) and, promptly after the same are filed, copies of all financial statements and reports that Holdings or the Borrower may make to, or file with, the SEC; (e) promptly upon delivery thereof to Holdings or the Borrower and to the extent permitted, copies of any accountants' letters addressed to their respective Board of Directors (or any committee thereof); (f) promptly upon obtaining knowledge thereof: (i) any development, event, or condition that could reasonably be expected to result in the payment by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries of a Material Environmental Amount; and (ii) any notice that any Governmental Authority may deny any application for an Environmental Permit sought by, or revoke or refuse to renew any Environmental Permit held by, the Borrower; and (g) promptly, such additional financial and other information as the Administrative Agent (for its own account or upon the request from any Lender) may from time to time reasonably request. 6.3 Payment of Obligations. Pay, discharge or otherwise satisfy at or before maturity or before they become delinquent, as the case may be, all its material taxes, assessments and governmental charges (other than Indebtedness), except (i) where the amount or validity thereof is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and reserves required in conformity with GAAP with respect thereto have been provided on the books of Holdings, the Borrower or its 45 Subsidiaries, as the case may be, or (ii) to the extent that failure to comply to pay or satisfy such obligations could not, in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 6.4 Conduct of Business and Maintenance of Existence, etc. Preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its corporate or other existence and take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except, in each case, as otherwise permitted by Section 7.4 and except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. 6.5 Maintenance of Property; Insurance. (a) Keep all Property useful and necessary in its business in reasonably good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. (b) Take all reasonable and necessary steps, including, without limitation, in any proceeding before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, to maintain and pursue each application (and to obtain the relevant registration) and to maintain each registration of the material Intellectual Property, including, without limitation, filing of applications for renewal, affidavits of use and affidavits of incontestability, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. (c) Maintain insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance on all its Property in at least such amounts and against at least such risks (but including in any event public liability, product liability and business interruption) as are usually insured against in the same general area by companies engaged in the same or a similar business. All such insurance shall, to the extent customary (but in any event, not including business interruption insurance and personal injury insurance) (i) provide that no cancellation, material reduction in amount or material change in coverage thereof shall be effective until at least 30 days after receipt by the Administrative Agent of written notice thereof and (ii) name the Administrative Agent as insured party or loss payee. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent (such request not to be made more than once per year), the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a report of a reputable insurance broker with respect to such insurance. 6.6 Inspection of Property; Books and Records; Discussions. (a) Keep proper books of records and account in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP and all Requirements of Law shall be made of all material dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities, (b) permit representatives of any Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties and examine and make abstracts from any of its books and records upon reasonable notice and during normal business hours (provided that such visits shall be coordinated by the Administrative Agent, and in no event shall there be more than one such visit per year except during the continuance of an Event of Default), (c) permit representatives of any Lender to discuss the business, operations, properties and financial and other condition of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with officers and employees of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (d) permit representatives of the Administrative Agent to discuss the business, operations, properties and financial and other condition of Holdings, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries with its independent certified public accountants; provided, that any such discussions with the Borrower's independent certified public accountants at the Borrower's expense shall, except while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, be limited to one meeting per calendar year. 6.7 Notices. Promptly upon a Responsible Officer of any Loan Party obtaining knowledge thereof, give notice to the Administrative Agent and each Lender of: (a) the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default; 46 (b) any (i) default or event of default under any Contractual Obligation of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) litigation, investigation or proceeding which may exist at any time between Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and any other Person, that in either case, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (c) the following events, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days after Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary knows or has reason to know thereof: (i) the occurrence of any Reportable Event with respect to any Plan, a failure to make any required contribution to a Plan, the creation of any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan or any withdrawal from, or the termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Multiemployer Plan, (ii) the institution of proceedings or the taking of any other action by the PBGC or the Borrower or any Commonly Controlled Entity or any Multiemployer Plan with respect to the withdrawal from, or the termination, Reorganization or Insolvency of, any Plan or (iii) the occurrence of any similar events with respect to a Commonly Controlled Plan that would reasonably be likely to result in a direct obligation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to pay money; (d) any development or event that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (e) the acquisition of any Property after the Closing Date in which a security interest is required to be created or perfected pursuant to Section 6.10. Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action Holdings, the Borrower or the relevant Subsidiary proposes to take with respect thereto. 6.8 Environmental Laws. (a) Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, comply in all material respects with, and make commercially reasonable efforts to ensure compliance in all material respects by all tenants and subtenants, if any, with, all applicable Environmental Laws, and obtain and comply in all material respects with and maintain, and make commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that all tenants and subtenants obtain and comply in all material respects with and maintain, any and all Environmental Permits required by applicable Environmental Laws. (b) Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, conduct and complete all investigations, studies, sampling and testing, and all remedial, removal and other actions required under Environmental Laws and promptly comply in all material respects with all lawful orders and directives of all Governmental Authorities regarding Environmental Laws. 6.9 Interest Rate Protection. In the case of the Borrower, within 90 days after the Closing Date, enter into, and thereafter maintain, Hedge Agreements to the extent necessary to provide that at least 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans outstanding from time to time is subject to either a fixed interest rate or interest rate protection for a period of not less than two years, which Hedge Agreements shall have terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. 6.10 Additional Collateral, etc. (a) With respect to any Property (other than bank accounts, cash and Cash Equivalents) located in the United States having a value, individually or in the aggregate of at least $1,000,000 acquired after the Closing Date by any Loan Party (other than (x) any interests in real property and any Property described in paragraph (c) or paragraph (d) of this Section, (y) any Property subject to a Lien expressly permitted by Section 7.3(g) and (z) Instruments, Certificated 47 Securities and Chattel Paper, which are referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (a)) as to which the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders does not have a perfected Lien, promptly (i) give notice of such Property to the Administrative Agent and execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent such amendments to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or such other documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably requests to grant to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a security interest in such Property and (ii) take all actions reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a perfected first priority security interest in such Property (with respect to Property (other than Vehicles) of a type owned by a Loan Party as of the Closing Date to the extent the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has a perfected security interest in such Property as of the Closing Date), including, without limitation, the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or by law or as may be requested by the Administrative Agent. If any amount in excess of $1,000,000 payable under or in connection with any of the Collateral shall be or become evidenced by any Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper (or, if more than $5,000,000 in the aggregate payable under or in connection with the Collateral shall become evidenced by Instruments, Certificated Securities or Chattel Paper), such Instrument, Certificated Security or Chattel Paper shall be promptly delivered to the Administrative Agent, duly indorsed in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to be held as Collateral pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that in no event shall the Borrower be required to deliver to the Administrative Agent any Pledged Notes issued by directors, officers or employees of any Loan Party. (b) With respect to any fee interest in any real property having a value (together with improvements thereof) of at least $1,000,000 acquired after the Closing Date by any Loan Party (other than any such real property subject to a Lien expressly permitted by Section 7.3(g)), (i) give notice of such acquisition to the Administrative Agent and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, execute and deliver a first priority Mortgage in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, covering such real property (provided, that no Mortgage nor survey shall be obtained if the Administrative Agent determines in consultation with the Borrower that the costs of obtaining such Mortgage or survey are excessive in relation to the value of the security to be afforded thereby), (ii) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, (x) provide the Lenders with title and extended coverage insurance covering such real property in an amount at least equal to the purchase price of such real property (or such other amount as shall be reasonably specified by the Administrative Agent) as well as a current ALTA survey thereof, together with a surveyor's certificate and (y) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any consents or estoppels reasonably deemed necessary by the Administrative Agent in connection with such Mortgage, each of the foregoing in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (iii) if requested by the Administrative Agent, deliver to the Administrative Agent legal opinions (of the type delivered on the Closing Date) relating to the matters described above, which opinions shall be in form and substance, and from counsel, reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. (c) With respect to any new Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary) created or acquired after the Closing Date (which, for the purposes of this paragraph, shall include any existing Subsidiary that ceases to be an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary), by any Loan Party, promptly (i) give notice of such acquisition or creation to the Administrative Agent and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent such amendments to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or such other documents as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems necessary to grant to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a perfected first priority security interest in the Capital Stock of such new Subsidiary that is owned by such Loan Party, (ii) deliver to the Administrative Agent the certificates, if any, representing such Capital Stock, together with undated stock powers, in blank, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of such Loan Party, and (iii) at the reasonable request of the Administrative Agent, cause such new Subsidiary (A) to 48 become a party to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and (B) to take such actions necessary or advisable to grant to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders a perfected first priority security interest in the Collateral described in the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement with respect to such new Subsidiary (to the extent the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has a perfected security interest in the same type of Collateral as of the Closing Date), including, without limitation, the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or by law or as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent. (d) With respect to any new Excluded Foreign Subsidiary created or acquired after the Closing Date by any Loan Party, promptly (i) give notice of such acquisition or creation to the Administrative Agent and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent such amendments to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement or such other documents as the Administrative Agent deems necessary or reasonably advisable in order to grant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a perfected first priority security interest in the Capital Stock of such new Subsidiary that is owned by such Loan Party (provided, that in no event shall more than 65% of the total outstanding Capital Stock of any such new Excluded Foreign Subsidiary be required to be so pledged), and (ii) deliver to the Administrative Agent the certificates, if any, representing such Capital Stock, together with undated stock powers, in blank, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of such Loan Party, and take such other action as may be necessary or, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, desirable to perfect the Lien of the Administrative Agent thereon. 6.11 Further Assurances. Maintain the security interest created by the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement as a perfected security interest having at least the priority described in Section 4.18 (to the extent such security interest can be perfected through the filing of UCC-1 financing statements, the Intellectual Property filings to be made pursuant to Schedule 3 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement on the Closing Date or the delivery of Pledged Securities required to be delivered under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement), subject to the rights of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents to dispose of the Collateral. From time to time the Loan Parties shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such additional instruments, certificates or documents, and take all such actions, as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request for the purposes of implementing or effectuating the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or of more fully perfecting or renewing the rights of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the Collateral as to which the Administrative Agent, for the ratable benefit of the Lenders, has a perfected Lien as of the Closing Date pursuant hereto or thereto, including, without limitation, filing any financing or continuation statements under the Uniform Commercial Code (or other similar laws) in effect in any jurisdiction with respect to the security interests created hereby. Upon the exercise by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of any power, right, privilege or remedy pursuant to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents which requires any consent, approval, recording, qualification or authorization of any Governmental Authority, the Borrower will execute and deliver, or will cause the execution and delivery of, all applications, certifications, instruments and other documents and papers that the Administrative Agent or such Lender may be required to obtain from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for such governmental consent, approval, recording, qualification or authorization. 6.12 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Term Loans shall be used to effect the Refinancing and to pay related fees and expenses. The proceeds of the Revolving Loans, and the Letters of Credit, shall be used to finance Permitted Acquisitions and for other general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries. 6.13 Title Insurance. 49 (a) Within 60 days after the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received in respect of each Mortgaged Property a mortgagee's title insurance policy (or policies) or marked up unconditional binder for such insurance. Each such policy shall (i) be in an amount satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; (ii) be issued at ordinary rates; (iii) insure that the Mortgage insured thereby creates a valid first Lien on such Mortgaged Property free and clear of all defects and encumbrances, except as disclosed therein; (iv) name the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders as the insured thereunder; (v) be in the form of ALTA Loan Policy - 1970 (Amended 10/17/70 and 10/17/84) (or equivalent policies); (vi) contain such endorsements and affirmative coverage as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request and (vii) be issued by title companies satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (including any such title companies acting as co-insurers or reinsurers, at the option of the Administrative Agent). The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that all premiums in respect of each such policy, all charges for mortgage recording tax, and all related expenses, if any, have been paid. (b) To the extent reasonably available and within 60 days after the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a copy of (i) all recorded documents referred to, or listed as exceptions to title in, the title policy or policies referred to in clause (a) above and (ii) all other material documents affecting the Mortgaged Properties. SECTION 7. NEGATIVE COVENANTS Holdings and the Borrower hereby jointly and severally agree that, so long as the Commitments remain in effect, any Letter of Credit remains outstanding or any Loan or other amount is owing to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall not, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly: 7.1 Financial Condition Covenants. (a) Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio of Holdings as at the last day of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings ending with any fiscal quarter set forth below to exceed the ratio set forth below opposite such fiscal quarter: Consolidated Fiscal Quarter Leverage Ratio -------------- -------------- December 31, 2003 4.50 to 1.00 March 31, 2004 4.43 to 1.00 June 30, 2004 4.43 to 1.00 September 30, 2004 4.43 to 1.00 December 31, 2004 4.18 to 1.00 March 31, 2005 4.18 to 1.00 June 30, 2005 4.18 to 1.00 September 30, 2005 3.93 to 1.00 December 31, 2005 3.93 to 1.00 March 31, 2006 3.43 to 1.00 June 30, 2006 3.43 to 1.00 September 30, 2006 3.43 to 1.00 December 31, 2006 3.43 to 1.00 March 31, 2007 2.93 to 1.00 June 30, 2007 2.93 to 1.00 September 30, 2007 2.93 to 1.00 50 Consolidated Fiscal Quarter Leverage Ratio -------------- -------------- December 31, 2007 2.93 to 1.00 March 31, 2008 2.43 to 1.00 June 30, 2008 2.43 to 1.00 September 30, 2008 2.43 to 1.00 December 31, 2008 2.43 to 1.00 March 31, 2009 2.43 to 1.00 June 30, 2009 2.43 to 1.00 September 30, 2009 2.43 to 1.00 December 31, 2009 2.43 to 1.00 (b) Consolidated Net Interest Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Net Interest Coverage Ratio of Holdings for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings ending with any fiscal quarter set forth below to be less than the ratio set forth below opposite such fiscal quarter: Consolidated Interest Fiscal Quarter Coverage Ratio -------------- -------------- March 31, 2004 3.25 to 1.00 June 30, 2004 3.25 to 1.00 September 30, 2004 3.25 to 1.00 December 31, 2004 3.25 to 1.00 March 31, 2005 3.50 to 1.00 June 30, 2005 3.50 to 1.00 September 30, 2005 3.50 to 1.00 December 31, 2005 3.50 to 1.00 March 31, 2006 3.75 to 1.00 June 30, 2006 3.75 to 1.00 September 30, 2006 3.75 to 1.00 December 31, 2006 3.75 to 1.00 March 31, 2007 4.00 to 1.00 June 30, 2007 4.00 to 1.00 September 30, 2007 4.00 to 1.00 December 31, 2007 4.00 to 1.00 March 31, 2008 4.50 to 1.00 June 30, 2008 4.50 to 1.00 September 30, 2008 4.50 to 1.00 December 31, 2008 4.50 to 1.00 March 31, 2009 5.00 to 1.00 June 30, 2009 5.00 to 1.00 September 30, 2009 5.00 to 1.00 December 31, 2009 5.00 to 1.00 (c) Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of Holdings for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings ending with any fiscal quarter set forth below to be less than the ratio set forth below opposite such fiscal quarter: 51 Consolidated Fixed Fiscal Quarter Charge Coverage Ratio -------------- --------------------- March 31, 2004 1.25 to 1.00 June 30, 2004 1.25 to 1.00 September 30, 2004 1.25 to 1.00 December 31, 2004 1.25 to 1.00 March 31, 2005 1.25 to 1.00 June 30, 2005 1.25 to 1.00 September 30, 2005 1.25 to 1.00 December 31, 2005 1.25 to 1.00 March 31, 2006 1.25 to 1.00 June 30, 2006 1.25 to 1.00 September 30, 2006 1.25 to 1.00 December 31, 2006 1.25 to 1.00 March 31, 2007 1.50 to 1.00 June 30, 2007 1.50 to 1.00 September 30, 2007 1.50 to 1.00 December 31, 2007 1.50 to 1.00 March 31, 2008 1.50 to 1.00 June 30, 2008 1.50 to 1.00 September 30, 2008 1.50 to 1.00 December 31, 2008 1.50 to 1.00 March 31, 2009 1.50 to 1.00 June 30, 2009 1.50 to 1.00 September 30, 2009 1.50 to 1.00 December 31, 2009 1.50 to 1.00 7.2 Indebtedness. Create, issue, incur, assume, or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except: (a) Indebtedness of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or Hedge Agreements; (b) Indebtedness (i) of the Borrower to any Subsidiary, (ii) of any Subsidiary Guarantor to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary and (iii) of any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary to another Excluded Foreign Subsidiary; (c) Indebtedness (including, without limitation, Capital Lease Obligations) secured by Liens permitted by Section 7.3(g) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed 10% of consolidated total assets of Holdings at any one time outstanding; (d) Indebtedness outstanding on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 7.2(d) and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof (without any increase in the principal amount thereof or any shortening of the maturity of any principal amount thereof); (e) Guarantee Obligations made in the ordinary course of business (i) by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor and (ii) by Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries of obligations of Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries; 52 (f) Indebtedness of Holdings or the Borrower pursuant to Subordinated Debt; provided, that in the case of any such Indebtedness of Holdings, the Net Cash Proceeds (or, in the event such Indebtedness is for the deferred purchase price of Property or services, the Property or services acquired) are received by or promptly contributed to the Borrower; (g) Indebtedness of Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries in respect of local lines of credit, letters of credit, bank guarantees, factoring arrangements, sale/leaseback transactions and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business; (h) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn by the Borrower or such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business against insufficient funds, so long as such Indebtedness is repaid within five Business Days; (i) Indebtedness of an Excluded Foreign Subsidiary to a Loan Party in an aggregate principal amount for all Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries not to exceed $7,500,000 at any time; (j) Indebtedness in the form of earn-outs and other contingent payments in respect of acquisitions (both before or after any liability associated therewith becomes fixed); and (k) additional Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount (for the Borrower and all Subsidiaries) not to exceed 20% of Consolidated EBITDA of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries at any one time outstanding. 7.3 Liens. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, except for: (a) Liens for taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, provided, that adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, to the extent required by GAAP; (b) landlords', carriers', warehousemen's, mechanics', materialmen's, repairmen's or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (c) pledges or deposits in connection with workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation; (d) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts (other than for borrowed money), leases, subleases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business; (e) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances incurred in the ordinary course of business that, in the aggregate, do not materially detract from the value of the Property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; (f) Liens in existence on the date hereof listed on Schedule 7.3(f), securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.2(d), provided, that no such Lien is spread to cover any additional Property after the Closing Date and that the amount of Indebtedness secured thereby is not increased; 53 (g) Liens securing Indebtedness of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary incurred pursuant to Section 7.2(c) or 7.2(k) to finance the acquisition of fixed or capital assets, provided, that (i) such Liens shall be created substantially simultaneously with the acquisition of such fixed or capital assets, (ii) such Liens do not at any time encumber any Property other than the Property financed by such Indebtedness and the proceeds thereof and (iii) the principal amount of Indebtedness secured thereby is not increased; (h) Liens created pursuant to the Security Documents; (i) any interest or title of a lessor under any lease entered into by the Borrower or any other Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business and covering only the assets so leased, and any financing statement filed in connection with any such lease; (j) (i) inchoate Liens arising from judgments in circumstances not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8(h) and (ii) Liens (other than inchoate Liens) arising from judgments in circumstances not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8(h) for a period not in excess of sixty (60) days after such Lien attaches to specific assets of a Loan Party; (k) Liens on property or assets acquired pursuant to an acquisition permitted under Section 7.8(h) (and the proceeds thereof) or assets of a Subsidiary of the Borrower in existence at the time such Subsidiary is acquired pursuant to an acquisition permitted under Section 7.8(h) and not created in contemplation thereof; (l) Liens on Property of Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries securing Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement to be incurred by such Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries; and (m) receipt of progress payments and advances from customers in the ordinary course of business to the extent same creates a Lien on the related inventory and proceeds thereof. 7.4 Fundamental Changes. Enter into any merger, consolidation or amalgamation, or liquidate, wind up or dissolve itself (or suffer any liquidation or dissolution), or Dispose of all or substantially all of its Property or business, except that: (a) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may be merged or consolidated with or into the Borrower (provided, that the Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving corporation) or with or into any Subsidiary Guarantor (provided, that (i) such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing or surviving corporation or (ii) simultaneously with such transaction, the continuing or surviving corporation shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor and the Borrower shall comply with Section 6.9 in connection therewith); (b) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may Dispose of any or all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor; (c) any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary may be merged or consolidated with or into, or be liquidated into, another Excluded Foreign Subsidiary; (d) any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary may Dispose of any or all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to any other Excluded Foreign Subsidiary; (e) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.5 may be consummated; and 54 (f) any Investment expressly permitted by Section 7.8 may be structured as a merger, consolidation or amalgamation. 7.5 Disposition of Property. Dispose of any of its Property (including, without limitation, receivables and leasehold interests), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or, in the case of any Subsidiary, issue or sell any shares of such Subsidiary's Capital Stock to any Person, except: (a) the Disposition of obsolete or worn out property in the ordinary course of business; (b) (i) the sale of inventory in the ordinary course of business, (ii) the cross-licensing or non-exclusive licensing of Intellectual Property, in the ordinary course of business and (iii) the contemporaneous exchange, in the ordinary course of business, of Property for Property of a like kind (other than as set forth in clause (ii)), to the extent that the Property received in such exchange is of a value equivalent to the value of the Property exchanged (provided, that after giving effect to such exchange, the value of the Property of the Loan Parties subject to perfected first priority Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent under the Security Documents is not materially reduced); (c) Dispositions permitted by Section 7.4; (d) the sale or issuance of any Subsidiary's Capital Stock to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor; (e) the Disposition of other assets having a fair market value not to exceed 5% of consolidated total assets of Holdings in the aggregate for any fiscal year of the Borrower; (f) any Recovery Event, provided, that the requirements of Section 2.10(c) are complied with in connection therewith; (g) the leasing or sub-leasing of Property that would not materially interfere with the required use of such Property by the Borrower or its Subsidiaries; (h) the transfer for fair value of Property (including Capital Stock of Subsidiaries) to another Person in connection with a joint venture arrangement with respect to the transferred Property; provided, that the aggregate book value of all Property so transferred, plus, without duplication, the aggregate amount of Investments made pursuant to Section 7.8(h), shall not exceed 5% of consolidated total assets of Holdings while this Agreement is in effect; (i) the Disposition by any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary of any of its Property in an arms'-length transaction for the fair market value thereof; and (j) the Disposition by any Loan Party of any equity interest of any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary held by such Loan Party in an arms'-length transaction for the fair market value thereof. 7.6 Restricted Payments. Declare or pay any dividend on, or make any payment on account of, or set apart assets for a sinking or other analogous fund for, the purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement or other acquisition of, any Capital Stock of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary, whether now or hereafter outstanding, or make any other distribution in respect thereof, either directly or indirectly, whether in cash or property or in obligations of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or enter into any derivatives or other transaction with any financial institution, commodities 55 or stock exchange or clearinghouse (a "Derivatives Counterparty") obligating Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary to make payments to such Derivatives Counterparty as a result of any change in market value of any such Capital Stock (collectively, "Restricted Payments"), except that: (a) any Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor; (b) Holdings may make Restricted Payments (i) in the form of common stock of Holdings or (ii) with the proceeds of any Capital Stock issued by Holdings to Permitted Investors; (c) (i) the Borrower may pay dividends to Holdings to permit Holdings to purchase Holdings' common stock or common stock options from present or former officers or employees of Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary upon the death, disability or termination of employment of such officer or employee, provided, that the aggregate amount of payments under this clause (i) subsequent to the date hereof (net of any proceeds received by Holdings and contributed to the Borrower subsequent to the date hereof in connection with resales of any common stock or common stock options so purchased) shall not exceed $6,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower may pay dividends to Holdings to permit Holdings to pay management fees to the Sponsor and GE Equity pursuant to the terms of the Management Agreement; (d) the Borrower may pay dividends to Holdings to permit Holdings to (A) pay general and administrative expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business not to exceed $1,750,000 in any fiscal year and (B) pay any taxes which are due and payable by Holdings and the Borrower as part of a consolidated group; and (e) the Borrower may make Restricted Payments to Holdings to effect the Refinancing. 7.7 Capital Expenditures. Make any Capital Expenditure, except Capital Expenditures of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business not to exceed in any fiscal year 1.75% of the annual gross revenue of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the immediately preceding fiscal year; provided, that (A) up to $500,000 of any such amount referred to above, if not so expended in the fiscal year for which it is permitted, may be carried over for expenditure in the next succeeding fiscal year and (B) Capital Expenditures made during any fiscal year shall be deemed made, first, in respect of amounts permitted for such fiscal year as provided above and second, in respect of amounts carried over from the prior fiscal year as provided above. 7.8 Investments. Make any advance, loan, extension of credit (by way of guaranty or otherwise) or capital contribution to, or purchase any Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other debt securities of, or all or substantially all of the assets constituting an ongoing business from, or make any other investment in, any other Person (all of the foregoing, "Investments"), except: (a) extensions of trade credit in the ordinary course of business; (b) Investments in Cash Equivalents; (c) Investments arising in connection with the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by Sections 7.2(b) and (e); (d) loans and advances to employees of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business (including, without limitation, for travel, 56 entertainment and relocation expenses) in an aggregate amount (for Holdings, the Borrower and all Subsidiaries) not to exceed $250,000 at any one time outstanding; (e) Investments (other than those relating to the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by Section 7.8(c)) by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the Borrower or any Person that, prior to such Investment, is a Subsidiary Guarantor; (f) Permitted Acquisitions in an aggregate purchase price (other than purchase price paid through the issuance of equity) amount not to exceed $40,000,000 for any single Permitted Acquisition and (ii) 80,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Borrower; (g) loans by Holdings or the Borrower to the officers and directors of Holdings or the Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries in connection with management incentive plans in an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,000,000 at any one time outstanding, provided that such officers and directors invest such loans in the Capital Stock of Holdings; (h) Investments by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in joint ventures or similar arrangements; provided, that the aggregate amount of such Investments, plus, without duplication, the aggregate book value of Property transferred by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to joint ventures or similar arrangements pursuant to Section 7.5(h), shall not exceed 5% of consolidated total assets of Holdings while this Agreement is in effect; (i) Investments (including debt obligations) received in the ordinary course of business by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers and in settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, customers and suppliers arising out of the ordinary course of business; (j) Investment by any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary in other Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries; (k) Investments in existence on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.8; (l) Investments of the Borrower or any Subsidiary under Hedge Agreements permitted hereunder; (m) Investments of any Person in existence at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Borrower; provided such Investment was not made in connection with or anticipation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of the Borrower; (n) Investments by the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors in the form of loans and advances to Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries permitted to be incurred by the Excluded Foreign Subsidiaries under Section 7.2(c); and (o) Investments so long as the aggregate amount thereof (determined as the amount originally advanced, loaned or otherwise invested, less any returns on the respective Investment not to exceed the original amount invested) at no time exceeds 3.0% of consolidated total assets of Holdings at the time made. 7.9 Optional Payments and Modifications of Certain Debt Instruments. (a) Make or offer to make any optional or voluntary payment, prepayment, repurchase or redemption of, or otherwise voluntarily or optionally defease, any Subordinated Debt, or segregate funds for any such payment, 57 prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance, or enter into any derivative or other transaction with any Derivatives Counterparty obligating Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary to make payments to such Derivatives Counterparty as a result of any change in market value of any Subordinated Debt, (b) amend, modify or otherwise change, or consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of any Subordinated Debt, if such modification would (i) increase the principal amount thereof (other than any such increase in principal amount arising from interest payments paid in kind), (ii) increase the interest rate payable in cash, (iii) reduce the ability of Holdings to pay interest in kind, (iv) shorten the maturity thereof, (v) make the subordination terms thereof less favorable to the Lenders, (vi) require Holdings to maintain compliance with any financial covenants, whether compliance with such covenants is required at all times or is tested only at the end of any fiscal period, (vii) provide for any default under such Subordinated Debt in the case of a Default or Event of Default under this Agreement or (viii) prohibit, restrict or limit the ability of Holdings to act, or refrain from acting, in a manner permitted by this Agreement or (c) amend its certificate of incorporation in any manner reasonably determined by the Borrower to be adverse to the Lenders. 7.10 Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction, including, without limitation, any purchase, sale, lease or exchange of Property, the rendering of any service or the payment of any management, advisory or similar fees, with any Affiliate (other than Holdings, the Borrower, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any Excluded Foreign Subsidiary) unless such transaction is (a) otherwise not prohibited under this Agreement and (b) upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would obtain in a comparable arm's length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Holdings and its Subsidiaries may (i) pay to the Sponsor and its Affiliates fees and expenses pursuant to the Management Agreement and (ii) enter into any transaction with an Affiliate that is expressly permitted by the terms of this Agreement to be entered into by Holdings or such Subsidiary with an Affiliate. For the avoidance of doubt, this Section 7.10 shall not apply to employment arrangements with, and payments of compensation or benefits to or for the benefit of, management. 7.11 Sales and Leasebacks. Enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by Holdings, the Borrower or any Subsidiary of real or personal property which is to be sold or transferred by Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary (i) to such Person or (ii) to any other Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such Person on the security of such property or rental obligations of Holdings, the Borrower or such Subsidiary, except for sales or transfers that, together with Dispositions consummated pursuant to Section 7.5(h), do not exceed 5% of consolidated total assets of Holdings in the aggregate. 7.12 Changes in Fiscal Periods. Permit the fiscal year of the Borrower to end on a day other than December 31 or change the Borrower's method of determining fiscal quarters. 7.13 Negative Pledge Clauses. Enter into any agreement that prohibits or limits the ability of Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its Property or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to secure the Obligations or, in the case of any guarantor, its obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, other than (a) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (b) any agreements governing any purchase money Liens or Capital Lease Obligations otherwise permitted hereby (in which case, any prohibition or limitation shall only be effective against the assets financed thereby and the proceeds thereof), (c) software and other Intellectual Property licenses pursuant to which the Borrower is the licensee of the relevant software or Intellectual Property, as the case may be, (in which case, any prohibition or limitation shall relate only to the assets subject of the applicable license), (d) Contractual Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business and on customary terms which limit Liens on the assets subject of the applicable Contractual Obligation and (e) the lease for the Borrower's corporate 58 headquarters located at 599 Cardigan Road in St. Paul, Minnesota, which prohibits Liens on such leasehold. 7.14 Clauses Restricting Subsidiary Distributions. Enter into any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Subsidiary to (a) make Restricted Payments in respect of any Capital Stock of such Subsidiary held by, or pay any Indebtedness owed to, the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or (b) make Investments in the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, except for such encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of (i) any restrictions existing under the Loan Documents and (ii) any restrictions with respect to a Subsidiary imposed pursuant to an agreement that has been entered into in connection with the Disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of such Subsidiary. 7.15 Lines of Business. Enter into any business, either directly or through any Subsidiary, except for the Business. 7.16 Limitations on Activities of Holdings. Permit Holdings to (a) conduct, transact or otherwise engage in any business or operations other than those incidental to its ownership of the Capital Stock of the Borrower and its other property referred to herein, except to (i) make Dispositions of Property in accordance with Section 7.5(a), (b), (c), (f), (h) and (j), (ii) make Restricted Payments in accordance with Section 7.6, (iii) make Investments in accordance with Section 7.8(e) and (g), (iv) enter into transactions otherwise permitted for Holdings under this Section 7.16 with Affiliates permitted by Section 7.10, (v) enter into sales and leaseback transactions pursuant to Section 7.11, (vi) enter into agreements that prohibit or limit its ability to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its Property or revenues permitted under Section 7.13 and (vii) issue its Capital Stock in a public offering, (b) incur, create, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except (i) nonconsensual obligations imposed by operation of law, (ii) pursuant to the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (iii) Indebtedness incurred in accordance with Section 7.2(f), (iv) obligations with respect to its Capital Stock and (v) to enter into and perform its obligations pursuant to the Management Agreement, or (c) own, lease, manage or otherwise operate any properties or assets other than (i) the ownership of shares of Capital Stock of the Borrower and its other property referred to herein, (ii) cash and Cash Equivalents and deposit and securities accounts comprised of cash and Cash Equivalents and (iii) other assets not material in amount incidental to the operations of Holdings. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Section to the contrary, nothing in this Section shall limit Holdings ability to (i) hold, maintain and exercise Holdings' rights in connection with its United States Medicare and other third-party payors' billing number (the "Billing Number"), including, without limitation, the right to accept payments from Medicare and such other third-party payors pursuant to contracts relating thereto, (ii) take all action necessary to satisfy its obligations with respect to the Billing Number including, without limitation, the payment of any money, (iii) receive payments for use of the Billing Number, (iv) distribute revenues received in connection with the Billing Number and (v) hire, retain, pay, insure and otherwise manage no more than 5 employees. 7.17 Limitation on Hedge Agreements. Enter into any Hedge Agreement other than Hedge Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business, and not for speculative purposes, to protect against changes in interest rates or foreign exchange rates. 7.18 Changes in Jurisdictions of Organization; Name. Except upon prompt written notice (but in any event no later than five (5) days after consummating an activity referred to in clause (i) or (ii) below) to the Administrative Agent and delivery to the Administrative Agent of all additional executed financing statements and other documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to maintain the validity, perfection and priority of the security interests provided for in the Security Documents: 59 (i) change its jurisdiction of organization; or (ii) change its name. SECTION 8. EVENTS OF DEFAULT If any of the following events shall occur and be continuing: (a) The Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when due in accordance with the terms hereof; or the Borrower shall fail to pay any Reimbursement Obligation or interest on any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation, or any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, within three Business Days after any such interest or other amount becomes due in accordance with the terms hereof; or (b) Any representation or warranty made or deemed made by any Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document or that is contained in any certificate, document or financial or other statement furnished by it at any time under or in connection with this Agreement or any such other Loan Document shall prove to have been inaccurate in any material respect on or as of the date made or deemed made or furnished; or (c) Any Loan Party shall default in the observance or performance of any agreement contained in Section 6.7(a) or Section 7; or (d) Any Loan Party shall default in the observance or performance of any other agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as provided in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Section), and such default shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after such Loan Party receives from the Administrative Agent or any Lender notice or any Lender of the existence of such default; or (e) Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) default in making any payment of any principal of any Indebtedness (excluding the Loans and Reimbursement Obligations) on the scheduled or original due date with respect thereto; or (ii) default in making any payment of any interest on any such Indebtedness beyond the period of grace, if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created; or (iii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event of default shall occur, the effect of which payment or other default or other event of default is to cause, or to permit the holder or beneficiary of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or beneficiary) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity or to become subject to a mandatory offer to purchase by the obligor thereunder or to become payable; provided, that (x) a default, event or condition described in this paragraph shall not at any time constitute an Event of Default unless, at such time, one or more defaults or events of default of the type described in this paragraph shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to Indebtedness the outstanding principal amount of which exceeds in the aggregate $5,000,000 and (y) this paragraph (e) shall not apply to (i) secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the sale, transfer, destruction or other disposition of the Property or assets securing such Indebtedness if such sale, transfer, destruction or other disposition is not prohibited hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness or (ii) any Guarantee Obligations except to the extent such Guarantee Obligations shall become due and payable by Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries 60 and remain unpaid after any applicable grace period or period permitted following demand for the payment thereof; or (f) (i) Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall commence any case, proceeding or other action (A) under any existing or future law of any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or relief of debtors, seeking to have an order for relief entered with respect to it, or seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, winding-up, liquidation, dissolution, composition or other relief with respect to it or its debts, or (B) seeking appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator or other similar official for it or for all or any substantial part of its assets, or Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) shall make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors; or(ii) there shall be commenced against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) any case, proceeding or other action of a nature referred to in clause (i) above that (A) results in the entry of an order for relief or any such adjudication or appointment or (B) remains undismissed, undischarged or unbonded for a period of 60 days; or (iii) there shall be commenced against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) any case, proceeding or other action seeking issuance of a warrant of attachment, execution, distraint or similar process against substantially all of its assets that results in the entry of an order for any such relief that shall not have been vacated, discharged, or stayed or bonded pending appeal within 60 days from the entry thereof; or (iv) Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) shall consent to or approve of, or acquiescence in, any of the acts set forth in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) above; or (v) Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) shall generally not, or shall be unable to, or shall admit in writing its inability to, pay its debts as they become due; or (g) (i) The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall incur any liability in connection with any "prohibited transaction" (as defined in Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) involving any Plan, (ii) any "accumulated funding deficiency" (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived, shall exist with respect to any Plan or any Lien in favor of the PBGC or a Plan shall arise on the assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, (iii) a Reportable Event shall occur with respect to, or proceedings shall commence to have a trustee appointed, or a trustee shall be appointed, to administer or to terminate, any Single Employer Plan, which Reportable Event or commencement of proceedings or appointment of a trustee is, in the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders, likely to result in the termination of such Plan for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, (iv) any Single Employer Plan shall terminate for purposes of Title IV of ERISA, (v) the Borrower or any Subsidiary shall, or in the reasonable opinion of the Required Lenders is likely to, incur any liability as a result of a withdrawal from, or the Insolvency or Reorganization of, a Multiemployer Plan or (vi) any other event or condition (other than one which could not reasonably be expected to result in a violation of any applicable law or of the qualification requirements of the Code) shall occur or exist with respect to a Plan or a Commonly Controlled Plan; and in each case in clauses (i) through (vi) above, such event or condition, together with all other such events or conditions, if any, could reasonably be expected to result in a direct obligation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to pay money that could have a Material Adverse Effect; or (h) One or more judgments or decrees shall be entered against Holdings, the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries involving for Holdings, the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries taken as a whole a liability (not paid or fully covered by insurance or effective indemnity) of $5,000,000 or more, and all such judgments or decrees shall not have been vacated, discharged, stayed or bonded pending appeal within 30 days from the entry thereof; or 61 (i) Any of the Security Documents shall cease, for any reason (other than by reason of the express release thereof pursuant to Section 10.15), to be in full force and effect in any material respect, or any Loan Party shall so assert, or any Lien created by any of the Security Documents shall cease in any material respect to be enforceable and of the same effect and priority purported to be created thereby; provided, that there shall be no Event of Default under this clause (i) to the extent such Event of Default arises from (a) the resignation of the Administrative Agent or (b) the negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent following a reasonable request from the Borrower to execute any document or take any other action relating to such Security Document or the Liens granted thereunder; or (j) The guarantee contained in Section 2 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement shall cease, for any reason (other than by reason of the express release thereof pursuant to Section 10.15), to be in full force and effect in any material respect or any Loan Party shall so assert; or (k) (i) Holdings shall cease to own 100% of the Capital Stock of the Borrower; or (ii) if Holdings' Capital Stock is not traded on a nationally-recognized stock exchange, the Permitted Investors shall cease to own, free and clear of all Liens, at least 50.1% of the Capital Stock of Holdings; or (iii) if Holdings' Capital Stock is traded on a nationally-recognized stock exchange, the Permitted Investors shall cease to own, free and clear of all Liens, at least 30% of the Capital Stock of Holdings and no other shareholder owns a greater amount, or (iv) at any time for any reason, the Sponsor shall not have the right to elect a majority of the Board of Directors of Holdings, or (v) at any time and for any reason whatsoever, a majority of the Board of Directors of Holdings shall not be Continuing Directors; then, and in any such event, (A) if such event is an Event of Default specified in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (f) above with respect to the Borrower, automatically the Commitments shall immediately terminate and the Loans hereunder (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, all amounts of L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents required thereunder) shall immediately become due and payable, and (B) if such event is any other Event of Default, either or both of the following actions may be taken: (i) with the consent of the Majority Revolving Facility Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Majority Revolving Facility Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower declare the Revolving Commitments to be terminated forthwith, whereupon the Revolving Commitments shall immediately terminate; and (ii) with the consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, or upon the request of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall, by notice to the Borrower, declare the Loans hereunder (with accrued interest thereon) and all other amounts owing under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, all amounts of L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented the documents required thereunder) to be due and payable forthwith, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable. In the case of all Letters of Credit with respect to which presentment for honor shall not have occurred at the time of an acceleration pursuant to this paragraph, the Borrower shall at such time deposit in a cash collateral account opened by the Administrative Agent an amount equal to the aggregate then undrawn and unexpired amount of such Letters of Credit. Amounts held in such cash collateral account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to the payment of drafts drawn under such Letters of Credit, and the unused portion thereof after all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, if any, shall be applied to repay other obligations of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. After all such Letters of Credit shall have expired or been fully drawn upon, all Reimbursement Obligations shall have been satisfied and all other obligations of the Borrower then due and owing hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall have been paid in full, the balance, if any, in such cash collateral account shall be returned to the Borrower (or such other Person as may be 62 lawfully entitled thereto). Except as expressly provided above in this Section or otherwise in any Loan Document, presentment, demand and protest of any kind are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower. SECTION 9. THE AGENTS 9.1 Appointment. Each Lender hereby irrevocably designates and appoints the Administrative Agent as the agent of such Lender under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and each such Lender irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent, in such capacity, to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, together with such other powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary elsewhere in this Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein, or any fiduciary relationship with any Lender, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent. 9.2 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents by or through agents or attorneys-in-fact and shall be entitled to advice of counsel concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agents or attorneys in-fact selected by it with reasonable care. 9.3 Exculpatory Provisions. Neither any Agent nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates shall be (i) liable for any action lawfully taken or omitted to be taken by it or such Person under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except to the extent that any of the foregoing are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from its or such Person's own gross negligence or willful misconduct) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Agents under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for any failure of any Loan Party a party thereto to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder. The Agents shall not be under any obligation to any Lender to ascertain or to inquire as to the observance or performance of any of the agreements contained in, or conditions of, this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or to inspect the properties, books or records of any Loan Party. 9.4 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any instrument, writing, resolution, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telecopy, telex or teletype message, statement, order or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to Holdings or the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may deem and treat the payee of any Note as the owner thereof for all purposes unless a written notice of assignment, negotiation or transfer thereof shall have been filed with the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under this Agreement or any other Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders) as it deems appropriate or it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense that may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The 63 Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents in accordance with a request of the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders), and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders and all future holders of the Loans. 9.5 Notice of Default. The Administrative Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge or notice of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default unless the Administrative Agent has received notice from a Lender, Holdings or the Borrower referring to this Agreement, describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a "notice of default". In the event that the Administrative Agent receives such a notice, the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall take such action with respect to such Default or Event of Default as shall be reasonably directed by the Required Lenders (or, if so specified by this Agreement, all Lenders); provided that unless and until the Administrative Agent shall have received such directions, the Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) take such action, or refrain from taking such action, with respect to such Default or Event of Default as it shall deem advisable in the best interests of the Lenders. 9.6 Non-Reliance on Agents and Other Lenders. Each Lender expressly acknowledges that neither the Agents nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates have made any representations or warranties to it and that no act by any Agent hereafter taken, including any review of the affairs of a Loan Party or any affiliate of a Loan Party, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent to any Lender. Each Lender represents to the Agents that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their affiliates and made its own decision to make its Loans hereunder and enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of the Loan Parties and their affiliates. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects or creditworthiness of any Loan Party or any affiliate of a Loan Party that may come into the possession of the Administrative Agent or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, attorneys-in-fact or affiliates. 9.7 Indemnification. The Lenders agree to indemnify each Agent in its capacity as such (to the extent not reimbursed by Holdings or the Borrower and without limiting the obligation of Holdings or the Borrower to do so), ratably according to their respective Aggregate Exposure Percentages in effect on the date on which indemnification is sought under this Section (or, if indemnification is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Aggregate Exposure Percentages immediately prior to such date), from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent in any way relating to or arising out of, the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent under or in connection with any of the foregoing; 64 provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and nonappealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from such Agent's gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the payment of the Loans and all other amounts payable hereunder. 9.8 Agent in Its Individual Capacity. Each Agent and its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party as though such Agent were not an Agent. With respect to its Loans made or renewed by it and with respect to any Letter of Credit issued or participated in by it, each Agent shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as any Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not an Agent, and the terms "Lender" and "Lenders" shall include each Agent in its individual capacity. 9.9 Successor Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon 30 days' notice to the Lenders and the Borrower effective upon appointment of a successor Agent. If the Administrative Agent shall resign as Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, then the Required Lenders shall appoint from among the Lenders a successor agent for the Lenders, which successor agent shall (unless an Event of Default under Section 8(a) or Section 8(f) with respect to the Borrower shall have occurred and be continuing) be subject to approval by the Borrower (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), whereupon such successor agent shall succeed to the rights, powers and duties of the Administrative Agent, and the term "Administrative Agent" shall mean such successor agent effective upon such appointment and approval, and the former Administrative Agent's rights, powers and duties as Administrative Agent shall be terminated, without any other or further act or deed on the part of such former Administrative Agent or any of the parties to this Agreement or any holders of the Loans. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders with such consent of the Borrower and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent's giving of notice of resignation of the retiring Administrative Agent, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and with the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), appoint a successor Administrative Agent, that shall be a bank that has an office in New York, New York with a combined capital and surplus of at least $500,000,000. After any retiring Administrative Agent's resignation as Administrative Agent, the provisions of this Section 9 shall inure to its benefit as to any actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. 9.10 Authorization to Release Liens and Guarantees. The Administrative Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each of the Lenders to effect any release of Liens or Guarantee Obligations contemplated by Section 10.15. 9.11 Documentation Agent and Syndication Agent. Neither the Documentation Agent nor the Syndication Agent shall have any duties or responsibilities hereunder in its capacity as such. SECTION 10. MISCELLANEOUS 10.1 Amendments and Waivers. Neither this Agreement, any other Loan Document, nor any terms hereof or thereof may be amended, supplemented or modified except in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.1. The Required Lenders and each Loan Party party to the relevant Loan Document may, or, with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party party to the relevant Loan Document may, from time to time, (a) enter into written amendments, supplements or modifications hereto and to the other Loan Documents for the purpose of adding any provisions to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or changing in any manner the rights of the Lenders or of the Loan Parties hereunder or thereunder or (b) waive, on such terms and 65 conditions as the Required Lenders or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, may specify in such instrument, any of the requirements of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any Default or Event of Default and its consequences; provided, however, that no such waiver and no such amendment, supplement or modification shall (i) forgive the principal amount or extend the final scheduled date of maturity of any Loan, extend the scheduled date of any amortization payment in respect of any Term Loan, reduce the stated rate of any interest or fee payable hereunder (except (x) in connection with the waiver of applicability of any post-default increase in interest rates (which waiver shall be effective with the consent of the Majority Facility Lenders of each adversely affected Facility) and (y) that any amendment or modification of defined terms used in the financial covenants in this Agreement shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees for purposes of this clause (i)) or extend the scheduled date of any payment thereof, or increase the amount or extend the expiration date of any Lender's Revolving Commitment, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; (ii) eliminate or reduce the voting rights of any Lender under this Section 10.1 without the written consent of such Lender; (iii) reduce any percentage specified in the definition of Required Lenders, consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, release all or substantially all of the Collateral or release all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors from their obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, in each case without the written consent of all Lenders; (iv) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 2.16 without the written consent of the Majority Facility Lenders in respect of each Facility adversely affected thereby; (v) reduce the percentage specified in the definition of Majority Facility Lenders with respect to any Facility without the written consent of all Lenders under such Facility; (vi) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 9 without the written consent of the Administrative Agent; or (vii) amend, modify or waive any provision of Section 3 without the written consent of the Issuing Lender. Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the Lenders and shall be binding upon the Loan Parties, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and all future holders of the Loans. In the case of any waiver, the Loan Parties, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall be restored to their former position and rights hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing unless limited by the terms of such waiver; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default, or impair any right consequent thereon. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (a) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Term Loans and Revolving Extensions of Credit and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (b) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders and Majority Facility Lenders. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the Lenders providing the relevant Replacement Term Loans (as defined below) to permit the refinancing of all outstanding Term Loans ("Refinanced Term Loans") with a replacement term loan tranche hereunder ("Replacement Term Loans"), provided that (a) the aggregate principal amount of such Replacement Term Loans shall not exceed the aggregate principal amount of such Refinanced Term Loans, (b) the Applicable Margin for such Replacement Term Loans shall not be higher than the Applicable Margin for such Refinanced Term Loans, (c) the weighted average life to maturity of such Replacement Term Loans shall not be shorter than the weighted average life to maturity of such Refinanced Term Loans at the time of such refinancing and (d) all other terms applicable to such Replacement Term Loans shall be substantially identical to, or less favorable to the Lenders providing such Replacement Term Loans than, those applicable to such 66 Refinanced Term Loans, except to the extent necessary to provide for covenants and other terms applicable to any period after the latest final maturity of the Term Loans in effect immediately prior to such refinancing. 10.2 Notices. All notices, requests and demands to or upon the respective parties hereto to be effective shall be in writing (including by telecopy), and, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when delivered, or three Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, or, in the case of telecopy notice, when received, addressed as follows in the case of Holdings, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and as set forth in an administrative questionnaire delivered to the Administrative Agent in the case of the Lenders, or to such other address as may be hereafter notified by the respective parties hereto: Holdings: Empi, Inc. 599 Cardigan Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55126 Attention: Patrick D. Spangler Telecopy: (651) 415-7511 Telephone: (651) 415-7404 with a copy to: The Carlyle Group 520 Madison Avenue, 41/st/ Floor New York, New York 10022 Attention: Walter S. Jin Telecopy: (212) 381-4990 Telephone: (212) 381-4922 Borrower: Empi Corp. 599 Cardigan Road St. Paul, Minnesota 55126 Attention: Patrick D. Spangler Telecopy: (651) 415-7511 Telephone: (651) 415-7404 with a copy to: The Carlyle Group 520 Madison Avenue, 41/st/ Floor New York, New York 10022 Attention: Walter S. Jin Telecopy: (212) 381-4990 Telephone: (212) 381-4922 Administrative Agent: JPMorgan Chase Bank 1111 Fannin, 10/th/ Floor Loan and Agency Services Group Houston, Texas 77002 Attention: Angelica Luong Telecopy: (713) 750-2782 Telephone: (713) 750-2199 67 With a copy to: JPMorgan Chase Bank 270 Park Avenue, 4th Floor New York, New York 10017 Attention: Dawn Lee Lum Telecopy: (212) 270-3279 Telephone: (212) 270-2472 provided that any notice, request or demand to or upon the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, Holdings or the Borrower shall not be effective until received. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Section 2 unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. 10.3 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure to exercise and no delay in exercising, on the part of any Agent or any Lender, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder 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 are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law. 10.4 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder, in the other Loan Documents and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the making of the Loans and other extensions of credit hereunder. 10.5 Payment of Expenses; Indemnification. The Borrower agrees (a) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and the Joint Lead Arrangers for all their respective reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses actually incurred in connection with the syndication of the Facilities (other than fees payable to syndicate members) and the development, preparation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any other documents prepared in connection herewith or therewith and any amendment, supplement or modification thereto, and, as to the Administrative Agent only, the administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements and other charges of counsel to the Administrative Agent in connection with all of the foregoing, (b) to pay or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent for all their costs and expenses actually incurred in connection with the enforcement or preservation of any rights under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents, including, without limitation, the reasonably documented fees and disbursements of counsel to each Lender and of counsel to the Administrative Agent, (c) to pay, indemnify, or reimburse each Lender and the Administrative Agent for, and hold each Lender and the Administrative Agent harmless from, any and all recording and filing fees and any and all liabilities with respect to, or resulting from any delay in paying, stamp, excise and similar other taxes, if any, which may be payable or determined to be payable in connection with the execution and delivery of, or consummation or administration of any of the transactions contemplated by, or any amendment, supplement or modification of, or any waiver or consent under or in respect of, this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents 68 and (d) to pay, indemnify or reimburse each Lender, each Agent, their respective affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, trustees, employees, advisors, agents and controlling Persons (each, an "Indemnitee") for, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from and against any and all other liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, costs, expenses or disbursements arising out of any actions, judgments or suits of any kind or nature whatsoever, arising out of or in connection with any claim, action or proceeding relating to or otherwise with respect to the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance and administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any such other documents, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing relating to the use of proceeds of the Loans or the violation of, noncompliance with or liability under, any Environmental Law applicable to the operations of the Borrower any of its Subsidiaries or any of the Properties and the fees and disbursements and other charges of legal counsel in connection with claims, actions or proceedings by any Indemnitee against the Borrower hereunder (all the foregoing in this clause (d), collectively, the "Indemnified Liabilities"), provided, that the Borrower shall have no obligation hereunder to any Indemnitee with respect to Indemnified Liabilities to the extent such Indemnified Liabilities are found to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, advisors or agents. Without limiting the foregoing, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower agrees not to assert and to cause its Subsidiaries not to assert, and hereby waives and agrees to cause its Subsidiaries so to waive, all rights for contribution or any other rights of recovery with respect to all claims, demands, penalties, fines, liabilities, settlements, damages, costs and expenses of whatever kind or nature, under or related to Environmental Laws, that any of them might have by statute or otherwise against any Indemnitee. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable promptly after receipt of a reasonably detailed invoice therefor. Statements payable by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be submitted to Patrick D. Spangler (Telephone No. (651) 415-7404) (Fax No. (651) 415-7447), at the address of the Borrower set forth in Section 10.2, or to such other Person or address as may be hereafter designated by the Borrower in a written notice to the Administrative Agent. The agreements in this Section shall survive repayment of the Obligations. 10.6 Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any affiliate of the Issuing Lender that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. (b)(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more assignees (each, an "Assignee") all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of: (A) the Borrower, provided that no consent of the Borrower shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund (as defined below) or, if an Event of Default under Section 8(a) or (f) has occurred and is continuing, any other Person; and (B) the Administrative Agent, provided that no consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required for an assignment of (x) any Revolving Commitment or Revolving Loans to an assignee that is a Lender with a Revolving Commitment immediately prior to giving effect to such assignment or (y) all or any portion of a Term Loan to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund. (ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions: 69 (A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's Commitments or Loans under any Facility, the amount of the Commitments or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 (or, in the case of the Term Facility, $1,000,000) unless each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that (1) no such consent of the Borrower shall be required if an Event of Default under Section 8(a) or (f) has occurred and is continuing and (2) such amounts shall be aggregated in respect of each Lender and its affiliates or Approved Funds, if any; (B) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and (C) the Assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an administrative questionnaire. For the purposes of this Section 10.6, "Approved Fund" means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender. (iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) below, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the Assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.17, 2.18, 2.19 and 10.5). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 10.6 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section. (iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amount 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, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, the Issuing Lender and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice. (v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an Assignee, the Assignee's completed administrative questionnaire (unless the Assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the 70 information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph. (c)(i) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a "Participant") in all or a portion of such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (C) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Lender and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement 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 may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver that (1) requires the consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby pursuant to the proviso to the second sentence of Section 10.1 and (2) directly affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.17, 2.18 and 2.19 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section. (ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.17 or 2.18 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower's prior written consent to such greater amounts. Any Participant that is a Non-U.S. Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.18 unless such Participant complies with Section 2.18(d). (d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided, that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or Assignee for such Lender as a party hereto. (e) The Borrower, upon receipt of written notice from the relevant Lender, agrees to issue Notes to any Lender requiring Notes to facilitate transactions of the type described in paragraph (d) above. 10.7 Adjustments; Set-off. (a) Except to the extent that this Agreement provides for payments to be allocated to a particular Lender or to the Lenders under a particular Facility, if any Lender (a "Benefitted Lender") shall at any time receive any payment of all or part of the Obligations owing to it, or receive any collateral in respect thereof (whether voluntarily or involuntarily, by set-off, pursuant to events or proceedings of the nature referred to in Section 8(f), or otherwise) in a greater proportion than any such payment to or collateral received by any other Lender, if any, in respect of such other Lender's Obligations, such Benefitted Lender shall purchase for cash from the other Lenders a participating interest in such portion of each such other Lender's Obligations, or shall provide such other Lenders with the benefits of any such collateral, as shall be necessary to cause such Benefitted Lender to share the excess payment or benefits of such collateral ratably with each of the Lenders; provided, however, that if all or any portion of such excess payment or benefits is thereafter recovered from such Benefitted Lender, such purchase shall be rescinded, and the purchase price and benefits returned, to the extent of such recovery, but without interest. 71 (b) In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by law, each Lender shall have the right, without prior notice to Holdings or the Borrower, any such notice being expressly waived by Holdings and the Borrower to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any amount becoming due and payable by Holdings or the Borrower hereunder (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) after the expiration of any cure or grace periods, to set off and appropriate and apply against such amount any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final but excluding trust accounts), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such Lender or any branch or agency thereof to or for the credit or the account of Holdings or the Borrower, as the case may be. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such setoff and application made by such Lender, provided, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. 10.8 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. 10.9 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. 10.10 Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the entire agreement of Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. 10.11 GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. 10.12 Submission To Jurisdiction; Waivers. Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) submits for itself and its Property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the non-exclusive general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York, and appellate courts from any thereof; (b) consents that any such action or proceeding may be brought in such courts and waives any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the venue of any such action or proceeding in any such court or that such action or proceeding was brought in an inconvenient court and agrees not to plead or claim the same; (c) agrees that service of process in any such action or proceeding may be effected by mailing a copy thereof by registered or certified mail (or any substantially similar form of mail), 72 postage prepaid, to Holdings or the Borrower, as the case may be at its address set forth in Section 10.2 or at such other address of which the Administrative Agent shall have been notified pursuant thereto; (d) agrees that nothing herein shall affect the right to effect service of process in any other manner permitted by law or shall limit the right to sue in any other jurisdiction; and (e) waives, to the maximum extent not prohibited by law, any right it may have to claim or recover in any legal action or proceeding referred to in this Section any special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages. 10.13 Acknowledgments. Each of Holdings and the Borrower hereby acknowledges that: (a) it has been advised by counsel in the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; (b) neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender has any fiduciary relationship with or duty to Holdings or the Borrower arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, and the relationship between Administrative Agent and Lenders, on one hand, and Holdings and the Borrower, on the other hand, in connection herewith or therewith is solely that of debtor and creditor; and (c) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Lenders or among Holdings, the Borrower and the Lenders. 10.14 Confidentiality. The Agents and the Lenders agree to treat any and all information, regardless of the medium or form of communication, that is disclosed, provided or furnished, directly or indirectly, by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its affiliates, whether in writing, orally, by observation or otherwise and whether furnished before or after the Closing Date ("Confidential Information"), strictly confidential and not to use Confidential Information for any purpose other than evaluating the Refinancing and negotiating, making available, syndicating and administering the Credit Agreement (the "Agreed Purposes"). Without limiting the foregoing, each Agent and each Lender agrees to treat any and all Confidential Information with no less than adequate means to preserve its confidentiality, and each Agent and each Lender agrees not to disclose Confidential Information, at any time, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, to any other Person whomsoever, except (1) to its directors, officers, employees, counsel and other representatives (collectively, the "Representatives"), to the extent necessary to permit such Representatives to assist in connection with the Agreed Purposes, (2) to prospective Lenders and participants in connection with the syndication (including secondary trading) of the Facilities and Commitments and Loans hereunder, in each case who are informed of the confidential nature of the information and agree to observe and be bound by standard confidentiality terms, (3) upon the request or demand of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it, (4) in response to any order of any Governmental Authority or as may otherwise be required pursuant to any Requirement of Law, (5) to the extent reasonably required or necessary, in connection with any litigation or similar proceeding relating to the Facilities, (6) that has been publicly disclosed other than in breach of this Section 10.14, (7) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any similar organization or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lender's investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender or (8) to the extent reasonably required or necessary, in connection with the exercise of any remedy under the Loan Documents. Each Agent and each Lender acknowledges that (i) Confidential Information includes 73 information that is not otherwise publicly available and that such non-public information may constitute confidential business information which is proprietary to the Borrower and (ii) the Borrower has advised the Agents and the Lenders that it is relying on the Confidential Information for its success and would not disclose the Confidential Information to the Agents and the Lenders without the confidentiality provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any party to this Agreement (and any employee, representative, or other agent of any party to this Agreement) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and any facts that may be relevant to the tax structure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to it relating to such tax treatment and tax structure. However, any such information relating to the tax treatment or tax structure is required to be kept confidential to the extent necessary to comply with any applicable federal or state securities laws. 10.15 Release of Collateral and Guarantee Obligations. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, upon request of the Borrower in connection with any Disposition of Property permitted by the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall (without notice to, or vote or consent of, any Lender, or any affiliate of any Lender that is a party to any Specified Hedge Agreement) take such actions as shall be required to release its security interest in any Collateral being Disposed of in such Disposition, and to release any Guarantee Obligations under any Loan Document of any Person being Disposed of in such Disposition, to the extent necessary to permit consummation of such Disposition in accordance with the Loan Documents. (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or any other Loan Document, when all Obligations (other than obligations in respect of any Specified Hedge Agreement or any Specified Cash Management Arrangement) have been paid in full, all Commitments have terminated or expired and no Letter of Credit shall be outstanding, upon request of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall (without notice to, or vote or consent of, any Lender, or any affiliate of any Lender that is a party to any Specified Hedge Agreement) take such actions as shall be required to release its security interest in all Collateral, and to release all Guarantee Obligations under any Loan Document, whether or not on the date of such release there may be outstanding Obligations in respect of Specified Hedge Agreements. Any such release of Guarantee Obligations shall be deemed subject to the provision that such Guarantee Obligations shall be reinstated if after such release any portion of any payment in respect of the Obligations guaranteed thereby shall be rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, the Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made. 10.16 Accounting Changes. In the event that any Accounting Change (as defined below) shall occur and such change results in a change in the method of calculation of financial covenants, standards or terms in this Agreement, then the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree to enter into negotiations in order to amend such provisions of this Agreement so as to equitably reflect such Accounting Changes with the desired result that the criteria for evaluating the Borrower's financial condition shall be the same after such Accounting Changes as if such Accounting Changes had not been made. Until such time as such an amendment shall have been executed and delivered by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders, all financial covenants, standards and terms in this Agreement shall continue to be calculated or construed as if such Accounting Changes had not occurred. "Accounting Changes" refers to changes in accounting principles required by the promulgation of any rule, regulation, pronouncement or opinion by the Financial Accounting Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or, if applicable, the SEC. 74 10.17 WAIVERS OF JURY TRIAL. HOLDINGS, THE BORROWER, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AND FOR ANY COUNTERCLAIM THEREIN. 75 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written. EMPI, INC. By:__________________________________________ Name: Title: EMPI CORP. By:__________________________________________ Name: Title: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, as Administrative Agent, Syndication Agent and as a Lender By:__________________________________________ Name: Title: WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Documentation Agent and as a Lender By:__________________________________________ Name: Title: ______________________________________ (Name of Lender) By:___________________________________ Name: Title: _______________________________________ (Name of Lender) By:____________________________________ Name: Title: By:____________________________________ Name: Title: