-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, V1SaRotUGIbSkZ+10MSuQe+iCRFbhn4wdcP+T1wcJGP1aoqOAOoyUgbvGf6p9CuY 9oXU67FH+XZBfnA6k7J1dA== 0001104659-10-031172.txt : 20100527 0001104659-10-031172.hdr.sgml : 20100527 20100527135043 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-10-031172 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20100525 ITEM INFORMATION: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20100527 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20100527 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HORMEL FOODS CORP /DE/ CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000048465 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: MEAT PACKING PLANTS [2011] IRS NUMBER: 410319970 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1031 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-02402 FILM NUMBER: 10861850 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1 HORMEL PL CITY: AUSTIN STATE: MN ZIP: 55912-3680 BUSINESS PHONE: 5074375737 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1 HORMEL PLACE CITY: AUSTIN STATE: MN ZIP: 55912-3680 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: HORMEL GEO A & CO DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 8-K 1 a10-10998_18k.htm 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)   May 25, 2010

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

1-2402

 

41-0319970

(State or Other
Jurisdiction of
Incorporation)

 

(Commission File
Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification
Number)

 

1 Hormel Place

Austin, MN  55912

(Address of Principal Executive Office)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:  (507) 437-5611

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

o            Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o            Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o            Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 



 

Section 2 — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant

 

On May 25, 2010, Hormel Foods Corporation (the Company) entered into an unsecured 3-year revolving credit facility in the amount of $300,000,000.  The credit facility will be used to refinance existing indebtedness and for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including commercial paper backup and acquisition funding.  This agreement replaces the Company’s existing $200,000,000 credit facility that was entered into on June 1, 2005.

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association is acting as the Administrative Agent for the credit facility, and the lenders receive a fee for the availability of the line of credit.  Interest on funds borrowed under the facility will be charged at one of two variable rate formulas to be selected by the Company at the time of borrowing.

 

A copy of the agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.

 

Section 9 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(d)       Exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 2.03

 

99            U.S. $300,000,000 Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of May 25, 2010, between the Company, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, and the lenders identified on the signature pages thereof

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

(Registrant)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated:

May 27, 2010

 

By

/s/J. H. FERAGEN

 

 

 

 

J. H. FERAGEN

 

 

 

 

Senior Vice President

 

 

 

 

and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated:

May 27, 2010

 

By

/s/J. N. SHEEHAN

 

 

J. N. SHEEHAN

 

 

Vice President and Controller

 

3


EX-99 2 a10-10998_1ex99.htm EX-99

Exhibit 99

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

Published CUSIP Number:  44047MAA2

Revolving Credit CUSIP Number:  44047MAB0

 

 

$300,000,000

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of May 25, 2010

 

by and among

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION,

as Borrower,

 

the Lenders referred to herein,

as Lenders,

and

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent

 

Bank of America, N.A.,
as Syndication Agent

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
and
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES, LLC

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

1

 

 

 

SECTION 1.1

Definitions

1

SECTION 1.2

Other Definitions and Provisions

16

SECTION 1.3

Accounting Terms

17

SECTION 1.4

Rounding

17

SECTION 1.5

References to Agreement and Laws

17

SECTION 1.6

Times of Day

17

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

REVOLVING FACILITY

17

 

 

 

SECTION 2.1

Loans

17

SECTION 2.2

Procedure for Advances of Loans

18

SECTION 2.3

Repayment and Prepayment of Loans

18

SECTION 2.4

Permanent Reduction of the Commitment

19

SECTION 2.5

Termination of Facility

19

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

GENERAL LOAN PROVISIONS

19

 

 

 

SECTION 3.1

Interest

19

SECTION 3.2

Notice and Manner of Conversion or Continuation of Loans

21

SECTION 3.3

Fees

21

SECTION 3.4

Manner of Payment

22

SECTION 3.5

Evidence of Indebtedness

23

SECTION 3.6

Adjustments

23

SECTION 3.7

Obligations of Lenders

24

SECTION 3.8

Changed Circumstances

24

SECTION 3.9

Indemnity

25

SECTION 3.10

Increased Costs

26

SECTION 3.11

Taxes

27

SECTION 3.12

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

29

SECTION 3.13

Incremental Loans

30

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS OF CLOSING AND BORROWING

31

 

 

 

SECTION 4.1

Conditions to Closing and Initial Loans

31

SECTION 4.2

Conditions to All Loans

33

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BORROWER

33

 

 

 

SECTION 5.1

Organization; Power; Qualification

34

SECTION 5.2

Authorization Enforceability

34

SECTION 5.3

Compliance with Laws, Etc.

34

SECTION 5.4

Compliance with Law; Governmental Approvals

34

SECTION 5.5

Tax Returns and Payments

34

SECTION 5.6

Intellectual Property Matters

35

SECTION 5.7

Environmental Matters

35

 

i



 

SECTION 5.8

Employee Benefit Matters

35

SECTION 5.9

Margin Stock

36

SECTION 5.10

Investment Company

36

SECTION 5.11

Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change

36

SECTION 5.12

Solvency

36

SECTION 5.13

Titles to Properties

36

SECTION 5.14

Insurance

36

SECTION 5.15

Litigation

36

SECTION 5.16

Absence of Defaults

37

SECTION 5.17

OFAC

37

SECTION 5.18

Material Subsidiaries

37

SECTION 5.19

Disclosure

37

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

37

 

 

 

SECTION 6.1

Financial and Other Reporting

37

SECTION 6.2

Preservation of Corporate Existence and Related Matters

40

SECTION 6.3

Maintenance of Property and Licenses

40

SECTION 6.4

Insurance

40

SECTION 6.5

Accounting Methods and Financial Records

40

SECTION 6.6

Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations

41

SECTION 6.7

Compliance With Laws and Approvals

41

SECTION 6.8

Visits and Inspections; Lender Meetings

41

SECTION 6.9

Use of Proceeds

41

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

41

 

 

 

SECTION 7.1

Maximum Leverage Ratio

41

SECTION 7.2

Liens, Etc.

41

SECTION 7.3

Restrictions on Fundamental Changes

42

SECTION 7.4

Plan Terminations

43

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

43

 

 

 

SECTION 8.1

Events of Default

43

SECTION 8.2

Remedies

45

SECTION 8.3

Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Non-Waiver; etc.

45

SECTION 8.4

Crediting of Payments and Proceeds

46

SECTION 8.5

Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim

46

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

47

 

 

 

SECTION 9.1

Appointment and Authority

47

SECTION 9.2

Rights as a Lender

47

SECTION 9.3

Exculpatory Provisions

48

SECTION 9.4

Reliance by the Administrative Agent

48

SECTION 9.5

Delegation of Duties

49

SECTION 9.6

Resignation of Administrative Agent

49

SECTION 9.7

Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders

50

 

ii



 

SECTION 9.8

No Other Duties, etc.

50

 

 

 

ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

50

 

 

 

SECTION 10.1

Notices

50

SECTION 10.2

Amendments, Waivers and Consents

52

SECTION 10.3

Expenses; Indemnity

53

SECTION 10.4

Right of Set Off

54

SECTION 10.5

Governing Law; Jurisdiction, Etc.

55

SECTION 10.6

Waiver of Jury Trial

55

SECTION 10.7

Reversal of Payments

56

SECTION 10.8

Punitive Damages

56

SECTION 10.9

Accounting Matters

56

SECTION 10.10

Successors and Assigns; Participations

56

SECTION 10.11

Confidentiality

59

SECTION 10.12

Performance of Duties

60

SECTION 10.13

All Powers Coupled with Interest

60

SECTION 10.14

Survival

61

SECTION 10.15

Titles and Captions

61

SECTION 10.16

Severability of Provisions

61

SECTION 10.17

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution

61

SECTION 10.18

Term of Agreement

62

SECTION 10.19

USA Patriot Act

62

 

iii



 

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A

 

-

 

Form of Note

Exhibit B

 

-

 

Form of Notice of Borrowing

Exhibit C

 

-

 

Form of Notice of Account Designation

Exhibit D

 

-

 

Form of Notice of Prepayment

Exhibit E

 

-

 

Form of Notice of Conversion/Continuation

Exhibit F

 

-

 

Form of Officer’s Compliance Certificate

Exhibit G

 

-

 

Form of Assignment and Assumption

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1.1

 

-

 

Commitments

Schedule 5.18

 

-

 

Material Subsidiaries

 

iv



 

CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of May 25, 2010, by and among HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the lenders signature hereto and the lenders who may become a party to this Agreement pursuant to the terms hereof (collectively with the lenders party hereto, the “Lenders”) and WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

 

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

 

The Borrower has requested, and, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders have agreed, to extend a revolving credit facility to the Borrower on the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged by the parties hereto, such parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

SECTION 1.1                 Definitions.  The following terms when used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them below:

 

Act” means the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended.

 

Administrative Agent” means Wells Fargo, in its capacity as Administrative Agent hereunder, and any successor thereto appointed pursuant to Section 9.6.

 

Administrative Agent’s Office” means the office of the Administrative Agent specified in or determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.1(c).

 

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

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person or any of its Subsidiaries.  The term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.  The terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Applicable Law” means all applicable provisions of constitutions, laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, treaties, regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, interpretations and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities and all orders and decrees of all courts and arbitrators.

 

1



 

Applicable Margin means the per annum rate determined as set forth below based on the Debt Rating as set forth below:

 

Pricing
Level

 

Debt Rating
(S&P/Moody’s)

 

LIBOR
Rate Margin

 

Base Rate
Margin

 

Facility
Fee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

 

>A/>A2

 

0.875%

 

.0%

 

0.125%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II

 

A/A2

 

1.10%

 

.0%

 

0.15%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III

 

A-/A3

 

1.30%

 

0.05%

 

0.20%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV

 

BBB+/Baa1

 

1.75%

 

0.50%

 

0.25%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V

 

<BBB+/<Baa1

 

1.90%

 

0.65%

 

0.35%

 

Each change in the Applicable Margin resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective during the period commencing on the date of such public announcement and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such publicly announced change.  If at any time there is a split in the Debt Ratings issued by Moody’s and S&P, then the higher of such Debt Ratings shall apply (with the Debt Rating for Pricing Level I being the highest and the Debt Rating for Pricing Level V being the lowest).  If at any time the Borrower has a Debt Rating from either Moody’s or S&P but not from both Moody’s and S&P, then the Pricing Level shall be based on the single available Debt Rating.  If at any time the Borrower does not have a Debt Rating from Moody’s and does not have a Debt Rating from S&P, then Pricing Level V shall apply.  If at any time Pricing Level V is applicable pursuant to the preceding sentence, the Lenders will, at the request of the Borrower, enter into good faith negotiations with the Borrower regarding amending this definition to refer to debt or corporate credit ratings provided by one or more mutually satisfactory alternate debt or corporate credit rating providers.

 

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

 

Arrangers” means Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and Banc of America Securities LLC in their capacity as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunner and their respective successors.

 

Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.10), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form attached as Exhibit G or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date of determination, (a) in respect of any capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any

 

2



 

Synthetic Lease, the capitalized amount or principal amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.

 

Base Rate” means, at any time, the higher of (a) the Prime Rate (b) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1.50% and (c) except during any period of time during which a notice delivered to the Borrower under Section 3.8 shall remain in effect, LIBOR plus 1.50%; each change in the Base Rate shall take effect simultaneously with the corresponding change or changes in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or LIBOR.

 

Base Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the Base Rate as provided in Section 3.1 (a).

 

Borrower” has the meaning assigned thereto in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

Borrower Materials” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 6.1.

 

Business Day” means (a) for all purposes other than as set forth in clause (b) below, any day which (i) is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday and (ii) is a day on which banks in New York, New York, are open for the conduct of their commercial banking business, and (b) with respect to all notices and determinations in connection with, and payments of principal and interest on, any LIBOR Rate Loan, or any Base Rate Loan as to which the interest rate is determined by reference to LIBOR, any day that is a Business Day described in clause (a) and that is also a day for trading by and between banks in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market.

 

Capital Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property by such Person as lessee which, in conformity with GAAP, is accounted for as a capital lease on the balance sheet of such Person.

 

Capital Stock” means (a) in the case of a corporation, capital stock, (b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, (c) in the case of a partnership, partnership interests (whether general or limited), (d) in the case of a limited liability company, membership interests, (e) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person and (f) any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase any of the foregoing.

 

Change in Control” means an event or series of events by which any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its Subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) other than the Hormel Foundation becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except that a “person” or “group” shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all securities that such “person” or “group” has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the Capital Stock of the Borrower entitled to vote in the election of members of the board of

 

3



 

directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower or (ii) a majority of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower shall not be Continuing Directors.

 

Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority.

 

Closing Date” means the date of this Agreement or such later Business Day upon which each condition described in Section 4.1 shall be satisfied or waived in all respects in a manner acceptable to the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the rules and regulations thereunder, each as amended or modified from time to time.

 

Commitment” means (a) as to any Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make Loans in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 1.1, as such amount may be modified at any time or from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof (including, without limitation, Section 3.13) and (b) as to all Lenders, the aggregate commitment of all Lenders to make Loans, as such amount may be modified at any time or from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof (including, without limitation, Section 3.13).  The Commitment of all the Lenders on the Closing Date shall be $300,000,000.

 

Commitment Percentage” means, as to any Lender at any time, the ratio of (a) the amount of the Commitment of such Lender to (b) the Commitment of all the Lenders.

 

Consolidated” means, when used with reference to financial statements or financial statement items of any Person, such statements or items on a consolidated basis in accordance with applicable principles of consolidation under GAAP.

 

Consolidated EBITDA” means for any period, for the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, the sum of (a) consolidated net income of the Borrower for such period in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining such consolidated net income the sum of (i) consolidated interest expense of the Borrower for such period, (ii) consolidated income tax expense of the Borrower for such period, (iii) consolidated depreciation and amortization expenses of the Borrower for such period and (iv) any non-cash expenses or losses of the Borrower for such period classified as extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring, including goodwill impairment or amortization expense and non-cash losses from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of property or assets of the Borrower or its consolidated Subsidiaries and the related tax effects for such period, all in accordance with GAAP, minus (c) to the extent included in determining such consolidated net income, the sum of (i) any extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring gains or income of the Borrower or its consolidated Subsidiaries during such period and (ii) any gains from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of property or assets or other disposition of property or assets of the

 

4



 

Borrower or its consolidated Subsidiaries (other than inventory sold in the ordinary course of business), all in accordance with GAAP.

 

Continuing Directors” means the directors of the Borrower on the Closing Date and each other director of the Borrower, if, in each case, such other director’s nomination for election to the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower is recommended by at least 51% of the then Continuing Directors.

 

Debt Rating” means, as applicable, (a) the corporate family rating of the Borrower as determined by Moody’s as of the applicable date and (b) the corporate rating of the Borrower as determined by S&P as of the applicable date.

 

Default” means any of the events specified in Section 8.1 which with the passage of time, the giving of notice or any other condition, would constitute an Event of Default.

 

Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed to fund any portion of the Loans  required to be funded by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) has otherwise failed to pay over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within one Business Day of the date when due, (c) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement or has made a public statement to the effect that it does not intend to comply or has failed to comply with its funding obligations under this Agreement or under other agreements in which it commits or is obligated to extend credit, or (d) has become or is insolvent or has become the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such proceeding or appointment.

 

Dispute” means any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of, connected with or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, between or among parties hereto and to the other Loan Documents.

 

Dollars” or “$” means, unless otherwise qualified, dollars in lawful currency of the United States.

 

Environmental Claims” means any and all administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, accusations, allegations, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Person in the ordinary course of business and not in response to any third party action or request of any kind) or proceedings relating in any way to any actual or alleged violation of or liability under any Environmental Law or relating to any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law, including, without limitation, any and all claims by Governmental Authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages, contribution, indemnification cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from Hazardous Materials or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to human health or the environment.

 

5



 

Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, foreign, state, provincial and local laws, statutes, ordinances, codes, rules, standards and regulations, permits, licenses, approvals, interpretations and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities, relating to the protection of human health or the environment, including, but not limited to, requirements pertaining to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, handling, reporting, licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of Hazardous Materials.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the rules and regulations thereunder, each as amended or modified from time to time.

 

ERISA Affiliate” means any Person who together with the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is treated as a single employer within the meaning of Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(b) of ERISA.

 

ERISA Event” means (i) the occurrence of a reportable event, within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA, unless the 30-day notice requirement with respect thereto has been waived by the PBGC; (ii) the provision by the administrator of any Pension Plan of a notice of intent to terminate such Pension Plan pursuant to Section 4041(a)(2) of ERISA (including any such notice with respect to a plan amendment referred to in Section 4041(e) of ERISA); (iii) the cessation of operations at a facility by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate in the circumstances described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (iv) the withdrawal by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate from a Multiple Employer Plan during a plan year for which it was a substantial employer, as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA; (v) the failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to meet the minimum funding standards of Sections 412 or 430 of the Code or the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate files for an application for a waiver of minimum funding standards pursuant to Section 412 (c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan; (vi) conditions exist for the imposition of a lien under Section 303 of ERISA; (vii) the adoption of an amendment to a Pension Plan requiring the provision of security to such Pension Plan, pursuant to Section 436 (f) of the Code; or (viii) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan, pursuant to Section 4042 of ERISA, or the occurrence of any event or condition which, in the reasonable judgment of the Borrower, might constitute grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, a Pension Plan (ix) the failure of a Pension Plan and its trust to meet the requirements of Section 436 of the Code.

 

Eurodollar Reserve Percentage” means, for any day, the percentage (expressed as a decimal and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100th of 1%) which is in effect for such day as prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including, without limitation, any basic, supplemental or emergency reserves) in respect of eurocurrency liabilities or any similar category of liabilities for a member bank of the Federal Reserve System in New York City.

 

Event of Default” means any of the events specified in Section 8.1.

 

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

 

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Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower hereunder, (a) taxes imposed on or measured by its overall net income (however denominated), and franchise taxes imposed on it (in lieu of net income taxes), by the jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) under the laws of which such recipient is organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any Lender, in which its applicable Lending Office is located, (b) any branch profits taxes imposed by the United States or any similar tax imposed by any other jurisdiction in which the Borrower is located and (c) in the case of a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Borrower under Section 3.12(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party hereto (or designates a new Lending Office) or is attributable to such Foreign Lender’s failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 3.11(e), except to the extent that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new Lending Office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Borrower with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 3.11(a).

 

FDIC” means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

Facility” means the revolving credit facility established pursuant to Article II hereof.

 

Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by federal funds brokers on such day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, for the immediately preceding Business Day), as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day, provided that if such rate is not so published for any day which is a Business Day, the average of the quotation for such day on such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal Funds brokers of recognized standing selected by the Administrative Agent.

 

Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries ending on the last Sunday in October of each year.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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Governmental Approvals” means all authorizations, consents, approvals, permits, licenses and exemptions of, registrations and filings with, and reports to, all Governmental Authorities.

 

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

 

Guaranty Obligation” means, with respect to the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, without duplication, any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person pursuant to which such Person has directly or indirectly guaranteed any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, by agreement to keep well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement condition or otherwise) or (b) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part); provided, that the term Guaranty Obligation shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.  The amount of any Guaranty Obligation made by any guarantor shall be deemed to be the lower of (a) an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the primary obligation in respect of which such Guaranty Obligation is made and (b) the maximum amount for which such guarantor may be liable pursuant to the terms of the instrument embodying such Guaranty Obligation, unless (in the case of a primary obligation that is not Indebtedness) such primary obligation and the maximum amount for which such guarantor may be liable are not stated or determinable, in which case the amount of such Guaranty Obligation shall be such guarantor’s maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the Borrower in good faith.

 

Hazardous Materials” means any substances or materials (a) which are or become defined as hazardous wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, chemical substances or mixtures or toxic substances under any Environmental Law, (b) which are toxic, explosive, corrosive, flammable, infectious, radioactive, carcinogenic, mutagenic or otherwise harmful to human health or the environment and are or become regulated by any Governmental Authority, (c) the presence of which require investigation or remediation under any Environmental Law or common law, (d) the discharge or emission or release of which requires a permit or license under any Environmental Law or other Governmental Approval, (e) which are deemed to constitute a nuisance or a trespass which pose a health or safety hazard to Persons or neighboring properties, (f) which consist of underground or aboveground storage tanks, whether empty, filled or partially filled with any substance, or (g) which contain, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum derived substances or waste, crude oil, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic gas.

 

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Hedge Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any Interest Rate Contract, forward rate agreement, commodity swap, forward foreign exchange agreement, currency swap agreement, cross-currency rate swap agreement, currency option agreement or other agreement or arrangement designed to alter the risks of any Person arising from fluctuations in interest rates, currency values or commodity prices, all as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Hormel Foundation” means the Minnesota non-profit corporation organized for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes.  The Hormel Foundation is a public foundation.  The Hormel Foundation is the beneficial owner of 47.75% of common stock of The Hormel Foods Corporation as of April 25, 2010.

 

Hostile Acquisition” means the acquisition of the Capital Stock of a Person (the “Target”) through a tender offer or similar solicitation of the owners of such Capital Stock which has not been approved (prior to such acquisition) by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Target or by similar action if the Target is not a corporation or as to which such approval has been withdrawn.

 

Incremental Lender” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3.13.

 

Incremental Loan Commitments” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3.13.

 

Incremental Loans” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3.13.

 

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person at any date and without duplication, the sum of the following calculated in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)           all liabilities, obligations and indebtedness for borrowed money including, but not limited to, obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments of any such Person;

 

(b)           all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services of any such Person (including, without limitation, all obligations under non-competition, earn-out or similar agreements), except (i) trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business not more than sixty (60) days past due, or (ii) that are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and with respect to which reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided for on the books of such Person;

 

(c)           the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person with respect to such Person’s obligations in respect of Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases (regardless of whether accounted for as indebtedness under GAAP);

 

(d)           all obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property purchased by such Person to the extent of the value of such property (other than customary reservations or retentions of title under agreements with suppliers entered into in the ordinary course of business);

 

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(e)           all Indebtedness of any other Person secured by a Lien on any asset owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements except trade payable arising in the ordinary course of business), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)            all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of any such Person relative to (i) the face amount of letters of credit, whether or not drawn, and (ii) any banker’s acceptances issued for the account of any such Person; and

 

(g)           all Guaranty Obligations of any such Person with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.  Solely for purposes of Section 8.1(f), and not for any other purpose hereof (and, for the avoidance of doubt, not for purposes of the definition of Total Debt), the term “Indebtedness” shall also include Net Hedging Obligations.

 

Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes and Other Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.

 

Interest Period” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3.1 (b).

 

Interest Rate Contract” means any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate floor agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate option or any other agreement regarding the hedging of interest rate risk exposure executed in connection with hedging the interest rate exposure of any Person and any confirming letter executed pursuant to such agreement, all as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Joinder Agreement” means an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent evidencing the Incremental Commitment of an Incremental Lender and otherwise effectuating Section 3.13.

 

Lender” has the meaning assigned thereto in the introductory paragraph hereof.

 

Lending Office” means, with respect to any Lender, the office of such Lender maintaining such Lender’s Loans.

 

LIBOR” means,

 

(a)           for any interest rate calculation with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan the rate of interest per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars for a period equal to the applicable Interest Period which appears on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of the applicable Interest Period (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of 1%).  If, for any reason, such rate does not appear on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page, then “LIBOR” shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic average of the rate per annum at which deposits in

 

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Dollars in minimum amounts of at least $5,000,000 would be offered by first class banks in the London interbank market to the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) two (2) Business Days prior to the first day of the applicable Interest Period for a period equal to such Interest Period; and

 

(b)           for any interest rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan, the rate of interest per annum determined on the basis of the rate for deposits in Dollars in minimum amounts of at least $5,000,000 for a period equal to one month (commencing on the date of determination of such interest rate) which appears on the Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any successor page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such date of determination, or, if such date is not a Business Day, then the immediately preceding Business Day (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of 1%).  If, for any reason, such rate does not appear on Reuters Screen LIBOR01 Page (or any successor page) then “LIBOR” for such Base Rate Loan shall be determined by the Administrative Agent to be the arithmetic average of the rate per annum at which deposits in Dollars in minimum amounts of at least $5,000,000 would be offered by first class banks in the London interbank market to the Administrative Agent at approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such date of determination for a period equal to one month commencing on such date of determination.

 

Each calculation by the Administrative Agent of LIBOR shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

LIBOR Rate” means a rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100th of 1%) determined by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the following formula:

 

LIBOR Rate =

 

LIBOR

 

 

 

1.00-Eurodollar Reserve Percentage

 

LIBOR Rate Loan” means any Loan bearing interest at a rate based upon the LIBOR Rate as provided in Section 3.1(a).

 

Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, leasehold mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest, hypothecation or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset.  For the purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any asset which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease or other title retention agreement relating to such asset.

 

Loan” means any revolving loan made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.1 (including any Incremental Loan made to the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.13), and all such revolving loans collectively as the context requires.

 

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, each Note, and each other document, instrument, certificate and agreement executed and delivered by the Borrower in favor of or provided to the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement or otherwise

 

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referred to herein or contemplated hereby, all as may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means, a material adverse effect on (a) the properties, business, prospects, operations or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, herein as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrowers to perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party or (c) the rights or benefits available to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under the Loan Documents.

 

Material Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower having total assets in excess of $40,000,000 or contributing more than 5% of the Consolidated net sales of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the most recent four fiscal quarter period for which financial statements have been delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 4.1(c) or 6.1.

 

Maturity Date” means the earliest to occur of (a) May 24, 2013, (b) the date of termination of the entire Commitment by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.4, or (c) the date of termination of the Commitment pursuant to Section 8.2(a).

 

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

 

Multiemployer Plan” means a “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of the Borrower is making, or is obligated to make, contributions or has Withdrawal Liability.

 

Multiple Employer Plan” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, which (a) is maintained for employees of the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate and at least one Person other than the Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates or (b) was so maintained and in respect of which the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4063, 4064 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

 

Net Hedging Obligations” means, as of any date, the Termination Value of any Hedge Agreement on such date.

 

Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing the Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A, and any amendments, supplements and modifications thereto, any substitutes therefor, and any replacements, restatements, renewals or extension thereof, in whole or in part.

 

Notice of Account Designation” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.2(b).

 

Notice of Borrowing” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.2(a).

 

Notice of Conversion/Continuation” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 3.2.

 

Notice of Prepayment” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 2.3(c).

 

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Obligations” means, in each case whether now in existence or hereafter arising: (a) the principal of and interest on (including interest accruing after the filing of any bankruptcy or similar petition) the Loans and (b) all other fees and commissions (including attorneys’ fees), charges, indebtedness, loans, liabilities, financial accommodations, obligations, covenants and duties owing by the Borrower to the Lenders or the Administrative Agent, under any Loan Document.

 

OFAC” means the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

 

Officer’s Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of the chief financial officer or the treasurer of the Borrower substantially in the form attached as Exhibit F.

 

Other Taxes” means 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 under any other Loan Document or from the execution, delivery or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

Participant” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 10.10(d).

 

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

 

Pension Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan, other than a Multiemployer Plan, which is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code and which (a) is maintained for the employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or (b) has at any time within the preceding six (6) years been maintained for the employees of the Borrower or any current or former ERISA Affiliates.

 

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

 

Platform” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 6.1.

 

Prime Rate” means, at any time, the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Wells Fargo as its prime rate.  Each change in the Prime Rate shall be effective as of the opening of business on the day such change in such prime rate occurs.  The parties hereto acknowledge that the rate announced publicly by Wells Fargo as its prime rate is an index or base rate and shall not necessarily be its lowest or best rate charged to its customers or other banks.

 

Public Lenders” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 6.1.

 

Register” has the meaning assigned thereto in Section 10.10(c).

 

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

 

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Required Lenders” means, at any date, any combination of Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the sum of the aggregate amount of the Commitment or, if the Commitment has been terminated, any combination of Lenders holding more than fifty percent (50%) of the aggregate principal amount of Loans; provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Loans, as applicable, held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

 

Responsible Officer” means, as to any Person, the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, controller, treasurer or assistant treasurer of such Person or any other officer of such Person reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.  Any document delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Person shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Person and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Person.

 

Revolving Credit Outstandings” means, on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date.

 

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

Sanctioned Entity” shall mean (a) an agency of the government of, (b) an organization directly or indirectly controlled by, or (c) a person resident in, a country that is subject to a sanctions program identified on the list maintained by OFAC and available at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs, or as otherwise published from time to time as such program may be applicable to such agency, organization or person.

 

Sanctioned Person” shall mean a person named on the list of Specially Designated Nationals or Blocked Persons maintained by OFAC available at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/index.html, or as otherwise published from time to time.

 

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

 

Single Employer Plan” means a single employer plan, as defined in Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA, which (i) is maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate and no Person other than the Borrower and its ERISA Affiliates or (ii) was so maintained and in respect of which the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate could have liability under Section 4062 or 4069 of ERISA in the event such plan has been or were to be terminated.

 

Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the property of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s

 

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ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature, (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital, and (e) such Person is able to pay its debts and liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business.  The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

Subsidiary” means as to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity of which more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Capital Stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other managers of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity is at the time owned by (directly or indirectly) or the management is otherwise controlled by (directly or indirectly) such Person (irrespective of whether, at the time, Capital Stock of any other class or classes of such corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).  Unless otherwise qualified, references to “Subsidiary” or “Subsidiaries” herein shall refer to those of the Borrower.

 

Synthetic Lease” means any synthetic lease, tax retention operating lease, off-balance sheet loan or similar off-balance sheet financing product where such transaction is considered borrowed money indebtedness for tax purposes but is classified as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP.

 

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

 

Termination Event” means except for any such event or condition that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (a) a “Reportable Event” described in Section 4043 of ERISA for which the notice requirement has not been waived by the PBGC, or (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan during a plan year in which it was a “substantial employer” as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA, or (c) the termination of a Pension Plan, the filing of a notice of intent to terminate a Pension Plan or the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination, under Section 4041 of ERISA, if the plan assets are not sufficient to pay all plan liabilities, or (d) the institution of proceedings to terminate, or the appointment of a trustee with respect to, any Pension Plan by the PBGC, or (e) any other event or condition which would constitute grounds under Section 4042(a) of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan, or (f) the imposition of a Lien pursuant to Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, or (g) the partial or complete withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan if withdrawal liability is asserted by such plan, or (h) any event or condition which results in the reorganization or insolvency of a Multiemployer Plan under Sections 4241 or 4245 of ERISA, or (i) any event or condition which results in the termination of a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4041A of ERISA or the institution by PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Multiemployer Plan under Section 4042 of ERISA.

 

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Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Hedge Agreements, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Hedge Agreements, (a) for any date on or after the date such Hedge Agreements have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Hedge Agreements, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Hedge Agreements (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

Threshold Amount” means $75,000,000.

 

Total Debt” means all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, calculated on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, plus, without duplication, (a) the face amount of all outstanding letters of credit in respect of which the Borrower or any Subsidiary has any actual or contingent reimbursement obligations, and (b) the principal amount of all Guaranty Obligations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.

 

United States” means the United States of America.

 

Wells Fargo” means Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association, and its successors.

 

Withdrawal Liability” has the meaning given such term under Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.

 

SECTION 1.2                 Other Definitions and Provisions.  With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document: (a) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined, (b) whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms, (c) the words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”, (d) the word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”, (e) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (f) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (g) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement, (h) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights, (i) the term “documents” includes any and all instruments, documents, agreements, certificates, notices, reports, financial statements and other writings, however evidenced, whether in physical or electronic form, (j) in the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including” and (k) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

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SECTION 1.3                 Accounting Terms.  All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with GAAP, applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time and in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the audited financial statements required by Section 6.1(b), except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, all financial statements delivered hereunder shall be prepared, and all financial covenants contained herein shall be calculated, without giving effect to any election under the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 159 (or any similar accounting principle) permitting a Person to value its financial liabilities or Indebtedness at the fair value thereof.

 

SECTION 1.4                 Rounding.  Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio or percentage is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

SECTION 1.5                 References to Agreement and Laws.  Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to formation documents, governing documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Applicable Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 1.6                 Times of Day.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

ARTICLE II

 

REVOLVING FACILITY

 

SECTION 2.1                 Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and in reliance upon the representations and warranties set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make Loans to the Borrower from time to time from the Closing Date through, but not including, the Maturity Date as requested by the Borrower in accordance with the terms of Section 2.2; provided, that (a) the Revolving Credit Outstandings shall not exceed the Commitment and (b) the principal amount of outstanding Loans from any Lender shall not at any time exceed such Lender’s Commitment.  Each Loan by a Lender shall be in a principal amount equal to such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Loans requested on such occasion.  Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow Loans hereunder until the Maturity Date.

 

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SECTION 2.2                 Procedure for Advances of Loans.

 

(a)           Requests for Borrowing.  The Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable prior written notice substantially in the form of Exhibit B (a “Notice of Borrowing”) not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) at least one (1) Business Day before each Base Rate Loan and (ii) at least three (3) Business Days before each LIBOR Rate Loan, of its intention to borrow, specifying (A) the date of such borrowing, which shall be a Business Day, (B) the amount of such borrowing, which shall be, (x) with respect to Base Rate Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and (y) with respect to LIBOR Rate Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (C) whether the Loans are to be LIBOR Rate Loans or Base Rate Loans and (D) in the case of a LIBOR Rate Loan, the duration of the Interest Period applicable thereto.  A Notice of Borrowing received after 11:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next Business Day.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of each Notice of Borrowing.

 

(b)           Disbursement of Loans.  Not later than 1:00 p.m. on the proposed borrowing date, each Lender will make available to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Borrower, at the office of the Administrative Agent in funds immediately available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender’s Commitment Percentage of the Loans to be made on such borrowing date.  The Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to disburse the proceeds of each borrowing requested pursuant to this Section in immediately available funds by crediting or wiring such proceeds to the deposit account of the Borrower identified in the most recent notice substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C (a “Notice of Account Designation”) delivered by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or as may be otherwise agreed upon by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent from time to time.  The Administrative Agent shall not be obligated to disburse the portion of the proceeds of any Loan requested pursuant to this Section to the extent that any Lender has not made available to the Administrative Agent its Commitment Percentage of such Loan.

 

SECTION 2.3                 Repayment and Prepayment of Loans.

 

(a)           Repayment on Termination Date.  The Borrower hereby agrees to repay the outstanding principal amount of all Loans in full on the Maturity Date with all accrued but unpaid interest thereon.

 

(b)           Mandatory Prepayments.  If at any time the Revolving Credit Outstandings exceed the Commitment, the Borrower agrees to repay immediately upon notice from the Administrative Agent, by payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders, Loans in an amount equal to such excess.

 

(c)           Optional Prepayments.  The Borrower may at any time and from time to time prepay Loans, in whole or in part, with irrevocable prior written notice to the Administrative Agent substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D (a “Notice of Prepayment”) given not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) on the same Business Day as each Base Rate Loan and (ii) at least three (3) Business Days before each LIBOR Rate Loan, specifying the date and amount of prepayment and whether the prepayment is of LIBOR Rate Loans, Base Rate Loans or a combination thereof,

 

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and, if of a combination thereof, the amount allocable to each.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender.  If any such notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date set forth in such notice.  Partial prepayments shall be in an aggregate amount of $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof with respect to Base Rate Loans and $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof with respect to LIBOR Rate Loans.  A Notice of Prepayment received after 11:00 a.m. shall be deemed received on the next Business Day.  Each such repayment shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 3.9 hereof.

 

(d)           Limitation on Prepayment of LIBOR Rate Loans.  The Borrower may not prepay any LIBOR Rate Loan on any day other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto unless such prepayment is accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 3.9 hereof.

 

SECTION 2.4                 Permanent Reduction of the Commitment.

 

(a)           Voluntary Reduction.  The Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time, upon at least five (5) Business Days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, to permanently reduce, without premium or penalty, (i) the entire Commitment at any time or (ii) portions of the Commitment, from time to time, in an aggregate principal amount not less than $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $5,000,000 in excess thereof.  Any reduction of the Commitment shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Commitment Percentage.  All commitment fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Commitment shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

(b)           Corresponding Payment.  Each permanent Commitment reduction permitted pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a payment of principal sufficient to reduce the aggregate Loans principal amount of the Loans to an amount not in excess of the amount of the entire Commitment as so reduced.  If the reduction of the Commitment requires the repayment of any LIBOR Rate Loan, such repayment shall be accompanied by any amount required to be paid pursuant to Section 3.9 hereof.

 

SECTION 2.5                 Termination of Facility.  The Facility and the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

 

ARTICLE III

 

GENERAL LOAN PROVISIONS

 

SECTION 3.1                 Interest.

 

(a)           Interest Rate Options.  Subject to the provisions of this Section, at the election of the Borrower, Loans shall bear interest at (i) the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin or (ii) the LIBOR Rate plus the Applicable Margin (provided that the LIBOR Rate shall not be available until three (3) Business Days after the Closing Date unless the Borrower has delivered to the Administrative Agent a letter in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent indemnifying the Lenders in the manner set forth in Section 3.9 of this Agreement).  The

 

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Borrower shall select the rate of interest and Interest Period, if any, applicable to any Loan at the time a Notice of Borrowing is given or at the time a Notice of Conversion/Continuation is given pursuant to Section 3.2.  Any Loan or any portion thereof as to which the Borrower has not duly specified an interest rate as provided herein shall be deemed a Base Rate Loan.

 

(b)           Interest Periods.  In connection with each LIBOR Rate Loan, the Borrower, by giving notice at the times described in Section 2.2 or 3.2, as applicable, shall elect an interest period (each, an “Interest Period”) to be applicable to such Loan, which Interest Period shall be a period of one (1), two (2), three (3), or six (6) months; provided that:

 

(i)            the Interest Period shall commence on the date of advance of or conversion to any LIBOR Rate Loan and, in the case of immediately successive Interest Periods, each successive Interest Period shall commence on the date on which the immediately preceding Interest Period expires;

 

(ii)           if any Interest Period would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall expire on the next succeeding Business Day; provided, that if any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan would otherwise expire on a day that is not a Business Day but is a day of the month after which no further Business Day occurs in such month, such Interest Period shall expire on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

(iii)          any Interest Period with respect to a LIBOR Rate Loan that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the relevant calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(iv)          no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date, without payment of any amounts pursuant to Section 3.9; and

 

(v)           there shall be no more than eight (8) Interest Periods in effect at any time.

 

(c)           Default Rate.  (i) Immediately upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default under Section 8.1(a), (b), (h) or (i), or (ii) at the election of the Required Lenders, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any other Event of Default, (A) the Borrower shall no longer have the option to request LIBOR Rate Loans, (B) all outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to LIBOR Rate Loans until the end of the applicable Interest Period and thereafter at a rate equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to Base Rate Loans and (C) all outstanding Base Rate Loans and other Obligations arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate (including the Applicable Margin) then applicable to Base Rate Loans or such other Obligations arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document.  Interest shall continue to accrue on the Obligations after the filing by or against the Borrower of any petition seeking any relief in bankruptcy or under any act or law pertaining to insolvency or debtor relief, whether state, federal or foreign.

 

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(d)           Interest Payment and Computation.  Interest on each Base Rate Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter commencing June 30, 2010; and interest on each LIBOR Rate Loan shall be due and payable on the last day of each Interest Period applicable thereto, and if such Interest Period extends over three (3) months, at the end of each three (3) month interval during such Interest Period.  All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest provided hereunder shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed.

 

(e)           Maximum Rate.  In no contingency or event whatsoever shall the aggregate of all amounts deemed interest under this Agreement charged or collected pursuant to the terms of this Agreement exceed the highest rate permissible under any Applicable Law which a court of competent jurisdiction shall, in a final determination, deem applicable hereto.  In the event that such a court determines that the Lenders have charged or received interest hereunder in excess of the highest applicable rate, the rate in effect hereunder shall automatically be reduced to the maximum rate permitted by Applicable Law and the Lenders shall at the Administrative Agent’s option (i) promptly refund to the Borrower any interest received by the Lenders in excess of the maximum lawful rate or (ii) apply such excess to the principal balance of the Obligations on a pro rata basis.  It is the intent hereof that the Borrower not pay or contract to pay, and that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender receive or contract to receive, directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever, interest in excess of that which may be paid by the Borrower under Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 3.2                 Notice and Manner of Conversion or Continuation of Loans.  Provided that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing, the Borrower shall have the option to (a) convert at any time following the third Business Day after the Closing Date all or any portion of any outstanding Base Rate Loans in a principal amount equal to $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof into one or more LIBOR Rate Loans and (b) upon the expiration of any Interest Period, (i) convert all or any part of its outstanding LIBOR Rate Loans in a principal amount equal to $3,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof into Base Rate Loans or (ii) continue such LIBOR Rate Loans as LIBOR Rate Loans.  Whenever the Borrower desires to convert or continue Loans as provided above, the Borrower shall give the Administrative Agent irrevocable prior written notice in the form attached as Exhibit E (a “Notice of Conversion/Continuation”) not later than 11:00 a.m. three (3) Business Days before the day on which a proposed conversion or continuation of such Loan is to be effective specifying (A) the Loans to be converted or continued, and, in the case of any LIBOR Rate Loan to be converted or continued, the last day of the Interest Period therefor, (B) the effective date of such conversion or continuation (which shall be a Business Day), (C) the principal amount of such Loans to be converted or continued, and (D) the Interest Period to be applicable to such converted or continued LIBOR Rate Loan.  The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the affected Lenders of such Notice of Conversion/Continuation.

 

SECTION 3.3                 Fees.

 

(a)           Facility Fee.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a facility fee, which shall accrue at the Applicable Margin on the daily amount of the Commitment of such Lender (whether used or unused) during the period from and including

 

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the date hereof to but excluding the date on which the Commitment terminates; provided that, if any Loans of a Lender remain outstanding after its Commitment terminates, then such facility fee shall continue to accrue on the daily principal amount of such Lender’s Loans from and including the date on which its Commitment terminates to but excluding the date on which such Lender’s Loans have been paid in full.  Accrued facility fees shall be payable in arrears on the last Business Day of each calendar quarter of each year and on the date on which the Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof; provided that any facility fees accruing after the date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand.

 

(b)           Other Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Arrangers and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts such fees relating to the Facility as shall have been separately agreed upon by them in writing in the amounts and at the times so agreed.

 

SECTION 3.4                 Manner of Payment.

 

(a)           Sharing of Payments.  Each payment by the Borrower on account of the principal of or interest on the Loans or of any fee, commission or other amounts payable to the Lenders under this Agreement (or any of them) shall be made not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified for payment under this Agreement to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office for the account of the Lenders entitled to such payment in Dollars, in immediately available funds and shall be made without any set off, counterclaim or deduction whatsoever.  Any payment received after such time shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day for all purposes.  Upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of each such payment, the Administrative Agent shall distribute to each such Lender at its address for notices set forth herein its pro rata share of such payment in accordance with the amounts then due and payable to such Lenders, (except as specified below) and shall wire advice of the amount of such credit to each Lender.  Each payment to the Administrative Agent of Administrative Agent’s fees or expenses shall be made for the account of the Administrative Agent and any amount payable to any Lender under Sections 3.9, 3.10, 3.11 or 10.3 shall be paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lender.  Subject to Section 3.1(b)(ii), if any payment under this Agreement shall be specified to be made upon a day which is not a Business Day, it shall be made on the next succeeding day which is a Business Day and such extension of time shall in such case be included in computing any interest if payable along with such payment.

 

(b)           Defaulting Lenders.  Notwithstanding the foregoing clause (a), if any Defaulting Lender shall have failed to fund all or any portion of any Loan (each such Loan, an “Affected Loan”), each payment by the Borrower hereunder shall be applied first to such Affected Loan and the principal amount and interest with respect to such payment shall be distributed (i) to each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender (each, a “Non-Defaulting Lender”) pro rata based on the outstanding principal amount of Affected Loans owing to all Non-Defaulting Lenders, until the principal amount of all Affected Loans has been repaid in full and (ii) to the extent of any remaining amount of such payment, to each Lender as set forth in clause (a).  Each payment made by the Borrower on account of the interest on any Affected Loans shall be distributed to each Non-Defaulting Lender pro rata based on the outstanding principal amount of Affected Loans owing to all Non-Defaulting Lenders.

 

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SECTION 3.5                 Evidence of Indebtedness.

 

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

 

SECTION 3.6                 Adjustments.  If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or other obligations hereunder resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations (other than pursuant to Sections 3.9, 3.10, 3.11 or 10.3) greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and such other obligations of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them; provided that

 

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

 

(ii)           the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply).

 

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

 

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SECTION 3.7                 Obligations of Lenders.

 

(a)           Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any borrowing that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Sections 2.2(b) and 3.2 and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the daily average Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation and (ii) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)           Nature of Obligations of Lenders Regarding Loans.  The obligations of the Lenders under this Agreement to make the Loans are several and are not joint or joint and several.  The failure of any Lender to make available its Commitment Percentage of any Loan requested by the Borrower shall not relieve it or any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Commitment Percentage of such Loan available on the borrowing date, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make its Commitment Percentage of such Loan available on the borrowing date.

 

SECTION 3.8                 Changed Circumstances.

 

(a)           Circumstances Affecting LIBOR Rate Availability.  In connection with any request for a LIBOR Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, if for any reason (i) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Loan, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that reasonable and adequate means do not exist for the ascertaining the LIBOR Rate for such Interest Period with respect to a proposed LIBOR Rate Loan or (iii) the Required Lenders shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that the LIBOR Rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans during such Interest Period, then the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice thereof to the Borrower.  Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, the

 

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obligation of the Lenders to make LIBOR Rate Loans and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan to or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan shall be suspended, and in the case of LIBOR Rate Loans, the Borrower shall either (i) repay in full (or cause to be repaid in full) the then outstanding principal amount of each such LIBOR Rate Loan together with accrued interest thereon (subject to Section 4.1(d)), on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to such LIBOR Rate Loan or (ii) convert the then outstanding principal amount of each such LIBOR Rate Loan to a Base Rate Loan as of the last day of such Interest Period.

 

(b)           Laws Affecting LIBOR Rate Availability.  If, after the date hereof, the introduction of, or any change in, any Applicable Law or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such Governmental Authority, central bank or comparable agency, shall make it unlawful or impossible for any of the Lenders (or any of their respective Lending Offices) to honor its obligations hereunder to make or maintain any LIBOR Rate Loan, such Lender shall promptly give notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Administrative Agent shall promptly give notice to the Borrower and the other Lenders.  Thereafter, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that such circumstances no longer exist, (i) the obligations of the Lenders to make LIBOR Rate Loans, and the right of the Borrower to convert any Loan or continue any Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan shall be suspended and thereafter the Borrower may select only Base Rate Loans and (ii) if any of the Lenders may not lawfully continue to maintain a LIBOR Rate Loan to the end of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, the applicable Loan shall immediately be converted to a Base Rate Loan for the remainder of such Interest Period.

 

SECTION 3.9                 Indemnity.  The Borrower hereby indemnifies each of the Lenders against any loss or expense which may arise or be attributable to each Lender’s obtaining, liquidating or employing deposits or other funds acquired to effect, fund or maintain any Loan (a) as a consequence of any failure by the Borrower to make any payment when due of any amount due hereunder in connection with a LIBOR Rate Loan, (b) due to any failure of the Borrower to borrow, continue or convert on a date specified therefor in a Notice of Borrowing or Notice of Conversion/Continuation or (c) due to any payment, prepayment or conversion of any LIBOR Rate Loan on a date other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor.  The amount of such loss or expense shall be determined, in the applicable Lender’s reasonable discretion, based upon the assumption that such Lender funded its Commitment Percentage of the LIBOR Rate Loans in the London interbank market and using any reasonable attribution or averaging methods which such Lender deems appropriate and practical.  A certificate of such Lender setting forth the reasonable basis for determining such amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender shall be forwarded to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent and shall be conclusively presumed to be correct save for manifest error.

 

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SECTION 3.10               Increased Costs.

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)           subject any Lender to any tax of any kind whatsoever with respect to this Agreement or any LIBOR Rate Loan made by it, or change the basis of taxation of payments to such Lender in respect thereof (except for Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes covered by Section 3.11 and the imposition of, or any change in the rate of any Excluded Tax payable by such Lender); or

 

(iii)          impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or LIBOR Rate Loans made by such Lender;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting into or maintaining any LIBOR Rate Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon written request of such Lender, the Borrower shall promptly pay to any such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)           Capital Requirements.  If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any lending office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitment of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time upon written request of such Lender the Borrower shall promptly pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

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

 

(d)           Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to

 

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demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than ninety (90) days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the ninety (90) day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

SECTION 3.11               Taxes.

 

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

 

(b)           Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower.  Without limiting the provisions of paragraph (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay any Other Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with Applicable Law.

 

(c)           Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority; provided that the Borrower shall not be obligated to indemnify the Administrative Agent or any Lender for any amount in respect of any such penalties, interest or reasonable expenses if written demand therefor was not made by the Administrative Agent or such Lender within ninety (90) days from the date on which such party makes payment for such penalties, interest or expenses; provided further that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to any such penalties, interest or reasonable expenses arising out of the retroactive application of any such Indemnified Tax or Other Tax.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)           Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable after any payment of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by the Borrower to a Governmental Authority, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such

 

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Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e)           Status of Lenders.  Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a party, with respect to payments hereunder or under any other Loan Document 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 or the Administrative Agent, 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 of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by Applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Foreign Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, but only if such Foreign Lender is legally entitled to do so), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(i)            duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN claiming eligibility for benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party,

 

(ii)           duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI,

 

(iii)          in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not (A) a “bank” within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (B) a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or (C) a “controlled foreign corporation” described in section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code and (y) duly completed copies of Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or

 

(iv)          any other form prescribed by Applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in United States Federal withholding tax duly completed together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by Applicable Law to permit the Borrower to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made.

 

(f)            Treatment of Certain Refunds.  If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund),

 

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net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes which it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

 

(g)           Survival.  Without prejudice to the survival of any other agreement of the Borrower hereunder, the agreements and obligations of the Borrower contained in this Section shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of the Commitment.

 

SECTION 3.12               Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)           Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.10, or requires the Borrower to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.11, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.10 or Section 3.11, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)           Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.10, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.11, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender hereunder, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.10), all of its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that:

 

(i)            the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 10.10;

 

(ii)           such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.9) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

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(iii)          in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.10 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.11, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; and

 

(iv)          such assignment does not conflict with Applicable Law.

 

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

 

SECTION 3.13               Incremental Loans.

 

(a)           At any time prior to the Maturity Date, the Borrower may by written notice to the Administrative Agent elect to request the establishment of one or more incremental revolving credit commitments (any such incremental revolving credit commitment, an “Incremental Loan Commitment”) to make incremental Loans (any such incremental Loans, an “Incremental Loan”); provided that (i) the total aggregate amount for all such Incremental Loan Commitments established pursuant hereto shall not exceed $150,000,000, (ii) the Borrower shall be permitted to request an Incremental Commitment only once per calendar year and (iii) the total aggregate amount for each Incremental Loan Commitment shall not be less than $10,000,000 or, if less, the remaining amount permitted pursuant to the foregoing clause (i).  Each such notice shall specify the date (each, an “Increased Amount Date”) on which the Borrower proposes that any Incremental Loan Commitment shall be effective, which shall be a date not less than fifteen (15) Business Days after the date on which such notice is delivered to Administrative Agent.  The Borrower may invite any Lender, any Affiliate of any Lender and/or any Approved Fund, and/or any other Person reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, to provide an Incremental Loan Commitment (any such Person, an “Incremental Lender”).  Any Lender or any Incremental Lender offered or approached to provide all or a portion of any Incremental Loan Commitment may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide such Incremental Loan Commitment.  Any Incremental Loan Commitment shall become effective as of such Increased Amount Date; provided that:

 

(A)          no Default or Event of Default shall exist on such Increased Amount Date before or after giving effect to any Incremental Loan Commitment or Incremental Loan;
 
(B)           each Incremental Loan shall be a “Loan” for all purposes hereof and shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as all other Loans;
 
(C)           the outstanding Loans will be reallocated by the Administrative Agent on the applicable Increased Amount Date among the Lenders (including the Incremental Lenders providing such Credit Loans) in accordance with their revised Commitment Percentages (and the Lenders (including the Incremental Lenders providing such Incremental Loans) agree to make all payments and adjustments necessary to effect such reallocation and the Borrower shall pay any and all costs required pursuant to Section 5.9 in connection with such reallocation as if such reallocation were a repayment);

 

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(D)          such Incremental Loan Commitments shall be effected pursuant to one or more Joinder Agreements executed and delivered by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the applicable Incremental Lenders (which Joinder Agreement may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, to effect the provisions of this Section 3.13); and
 
(E)           the Borrower shall deliver or cause to be delivered any customary legal opinions or other documents (including, without limitation, a resolution duly adopted by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of the Borrower authorizing such Incremental Loan) reasonably requested by Administrative Agent in connection with any such transaction.
 

(b)           On any Increased Amount Date on which any Incremental Loan Commitment becomes effective, each Incremental Lender with an Incremental Loan Commitment shall become a Lender hereunder with respect to such Incremental Loan Commitment.  Thereafter it shall be entitled to the same voting rights as the existing Lenders under the Facility and shall be included in any determination of the Required Lenders.  The Incremental Lenders will not constitute a separate voting class for any purposes under this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CONDITIONS OF CLOSING AND BORROWING

 

SECTION 4.1                 Conditions to Closing and Initial Loans.  The obligation of the Lenders to close this Agreement and to make the initial Loan is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions:

 

(a)           Executed Loan Documents.  This Agreement, a Note in favor of each Lender requesting a Note, together with any other applicable Loan Documents, shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent by the parties thereto and shall be in full force and effect.

 

(b)           Closing Certificates; Etc.  The Administrative Agent shall have received each of the following in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

 

(i)            Officer’s Certificate.  A certificate from a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to the effect that all representations and warranties of such Person contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are true, correct and complete; that the Borrower is not in violation of any of the covenants contained in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; and that, after giving effect to any Loans to be made on the Closing Date, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

(ii)           Borrower’s Certificate of Secretary.  A certificate of the corporate secretary of the Borrower certifying as to the incumbency and genuineness of the signature of each officer of the Borrower executing Loan Documents to which it is a party and certifying that attached thereto is a true, correct and complete copy of (A) the articles or certificate of incorporation or formation of the Borrower and all amendments

 

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thereto, certified as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority in its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation, (B) the bylaws or other governing document of the Borrower as in effect on the Closing Date and (C) resolutions duly adopted by the board of directors (or other governing body) of the Borrower authorizing the transactions contemplated hereunder and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

(iii)          Certificates of Good Standing.  Certificates as of a recent date of the good standing of the Borrower under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and of Minnesota.

 

(iv)          Opinions of Counsel.  Favorable opinions of internal counsel of the Borrower and of Dorsey & Whitney, LLP, special outside counsel to the Borrower, each addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with respect to the Borrower, the Loan Documents and such other matters as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.

 

(v)           Tax Forms.  Copies of the United States Internal Revenue Service forms required by Section 3.11(e).

 

(c)           Financial Matters.

 

(i)            Financial Statements.  The Administrative Agent shall have received (A) the audited Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of October 28, 2007, October 26, 2008 and October 25, 2009 and the related audited statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ investment and cash flows for the Fiscal Years then ended and (B) the unaudited Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of January 24, 2010 and related unaudited interim statements of operations and changes in shareholders’ investment.

 

(ii)           Payment at Closing. The Borrower shall have paid (A) to the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders the fees set forth or referenced in Section 3.3 and any other accrued and unpaid fees or commissions due hereunder and (B) all reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent accrued and unpaid prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings.  Such estimated fees, charges and disbursements shall be reconciled to the actual amount of such fees, charges and disbursements post-closing, and an adjustment paid by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, as appropriate, so that after such adjustment payment the Borrower has paid the actual fees, charges and disbursements.

 

(d)           Miscellaneous.

 

(i)            Notice of Borrowing.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing from the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.2(a), and a Notice

 

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of Account Designation specifying the account or accounts to which the proceeds of any Loans made on or after the Closing Date are to be disbursed.

 

(ii)           Existing Credit Agreement.  The Borrower’s June 1, 2005 Credit Agreement for which Citicorp USA, Inc. acts as administrative agent shall have been terminated, all principal, interest and other amounts owing thereunder shall have been (or shall substantially contemporaneously be) repaid in full and the Administrative Agent shall have received a payoff letter in form and substance acceptable to it from Citicorp USA, Inc. to such effect.

 

(iii)          Patriot Act.  The Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the documentation and other information requested by the Administrative Agent in order to comply with requirements of the Act.

 

(iv)          Other Documents.  All opinions, certificates and other instruments and all proceedings in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall have received copies of all other documents, certificates and instruments reasonably requested thereby, with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

SECTION 4.2                 Conditions to All Loans.  The obligations of the Lenders to make any Loan are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent on the relevant borrowing date:

 

(a)           Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties contained in Article V shall be true and correct on and as of such borrowing date with the same effect as if made on and as of such date, except for any representation and warranty made as of an earlier date, which representation and warranty shall remain true and correct as of such earlier date.

 

(b)           No Existing Default.  No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the borrowing date with respect to such Loan or after giving effect to the Loans to be made on such date.

 

(c)           Notices.  The Administrative Agent shall have received a Notice of Borrowing from the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.2(a).

 

ARTICLE V

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BORROWER

 

To induce the Administrative Agent and Lenders to enter into this Agreement and to induce the Lenders to make Loans, the Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders both before and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereunder, which representations and warranties shall be deemed made on the Closing Date and as otherwise set forth in Section 4.2, that:

 

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SECTION 5.1                 Organization; Power; Qualification.  The Borrower is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation.  Each Subsidiary is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except to the extent that failure to be so duly organized, validly existing and in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries are qualified to do business in and are in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which failure to be so qualified would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.2                 Authorization Enforceability.  The Borrower has the right, power and authority and has taken all necessary corporate and other action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents to which it is a party in accordance with their respective terms.  This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the duly authorized officers of the Borrower, and each such document constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar state or federal debtor relief laws from time to time in effect which affect the enforcement of creditors’ rights in general and the availability of equitable remedies.

 

SECTION 5.3                 Compliance with Laws, Etc.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of the Loan Documents in accordance with their respective terms, the Loans hereunder and the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not, by the passage of time, the giving of notice or otherwise, (i) violate any Applicable Law, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational documents of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under any material indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any Governmental Approval relating to any such Person, (iv) result in or require the creation or imposition of any Lien upon or with respect to any property now owned or hereafter acquired by any such Person or (v) require any consent or authorization of, filing with, or other act in respect of, an arbitrator or Governmental Authority.

 

SECTION 5.4                 Compliance with Law; Governmental Approvals.  The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all Applicable Laws relating to it or any of its respective properties except where the failure to comply could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.5                 Tax Returns and Payments.  All federal and all other material tax returns and reports of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries required to be filed by any of them have been timely filed, and all taxes shown on such tax returns to be due and payable and all material assessments, fees and other governmental charges upon the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and upon their respective properties, assets, income, businesses and franchises that are due and payable have been paid when due and payable, excluding any such tax, assessment, charge or claim being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, so long as (i) such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required in conformity with GAAP shall have been made therefor and (ii) in the case of a tax, assessment, charge or claim which has or may

 

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become a Lien against any of the properties or assets of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries, the Lien is not being enforced by foreclosure or sale of any portion of such properties or assets to satisfy such charge or claim or is otherwise permitted by this Agreement.

 

SECTION 5.6                 Intellectual Property Matters.  The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses rights to use all material franchises, licenses, copyrights, copyright applications, patents, patent rights or licenses, patent applications, trademarks, trademark rights, service mark, service mark rights, trade names, trade name rights, copyrights and other rights with respect to the foregoing which are reasonably necessary to conduct its business.  No event has occurred which permits, or after notice or lapse of time or both would permit, the revocation or termination of any such rights, and no Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is liable to any Person for infringement under Applicable Law with respect to any such rights as a result of its business operations except as could not, in either case, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.7                 Environmental Matters.  There has been no “release or threatened release of a hazardous substance” (as defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.) or any other release, emission or discharge into the environment of any hazardous or toxic substance, pollutant or other materials from the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ property other than as permitted under applicable Environmental Law and other than those which would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  Other than disposals (a) for which the Borrower has been indemnified in full or (b) which would not have a Material Adverse Effect, all “hazardous waste” (as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. §6901 et seq. (1976) and the regulations thereunder, 40 CFR Part 261 (“RCRA”)) generated at the Borrower’s or any Subsidiaries’ properties have in the past been and shall continue to be disposed of at sites which maintain valid permits under RCRA and any applicable state or local Environmental Law.

 

SECTION 5.8                 Employee Benefit Matters.

 

(a)           No ERISA Event which might result in liability of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates in excess of $10,000,000 (or, in the case of an event described in clause (v) of the definition of ERISA Event, $750,000) (other than for premiums payable under Title IV of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Pension Plan.

 

(b)           Schedule B (Actuarial Information) to the most recently completed annual report prior to the Effective Date (Form 5500 Series) for each Pension Plan, which report has been filed with the Internal Revenue Service by the Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate, is complete and, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, accurate, and since the date of such Schedule B there has been no material adverse change in the funding status of any such Pension Plan.

 

(c)           Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, is reasonably expected to incur, any Withdrawal Liability to any Multiemployer Plan which has not been satisfied and which is or might be in excess of $10,000,000.

 

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(d)           Neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has been notified by the sponsor of a Multiemployer Plan that such Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization or has been terminated, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA, and, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, no Multiemployer Plan is reasonably expected to be in reorganization or to be terminated within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

 

SECTION 5.9                 Margin Stock.  The Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged principally or as one of its activities in the business of extending credit for the purpose of “purchasing” or “carrying” any “margin stock” (as each such term is defined or used, directly or indirectly, in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).  No part of the proceeds of any of the Loans will be used for purchasing or carrying margin stock or for any purpose which violates, or which would be inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulation T, U or X of such Board of Governors.

 

SECTION 5.10               Investment Company.  The Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is an “investment company” or a company “controlled” by an “investment company” (as each such term is defined or used in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended).

 

SECTION 5.11               Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change.  The audited and unaudited financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 4.1(c)(i) fairly present the consolidated assets, liabilities and financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as at the dates thereof, and the results of the operations and changes of financial position for the periods then ended (other than customary year-end adjustments for unaudited financial statements).  All such financial statements, including the related schedules and notes thereto, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP.  Since October 25, 2009, there has been no material adverse change in the properties, business, operations, prospects, or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and no event has occurred or condition arisen, either individually or in the aggregate, that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 5.12               Solvency.  The Borrower is Solvent.

 

SECTION 5.13               Titles to Properties.  The Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries has such title to the real property owned or leased by it as is necessary or desirable to the conduct of its business and valid and legal title to all of its personal property and assets, except those which have been disposed of by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries subsequent to such date which dispositions have been in the ordinary course of business or as otherwise expressly permitted hereunder.

 

SECTION 5.14               Insurance.  The properties of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (except as contemplated by Section 6.4), in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in locations where the Borrower and its Subsidiaries operate.

 

SECTION 5.15               Litigation.  There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or in any other way relating adversely to or

 

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affecting the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties in any court or before any arbitrator of any kind or before or by any Governmental Authority that (i) has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) materially adversely affects any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 5.16               Absence of Defaults.  No Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

SECTION 5.17               OFAC.  None of the Borrower, any Subsidiary of the Borrower or any Affiliate of the Borrower: (i) is a Sanctioned Person, (ii) has more than ten percent (10%) of its assets in Sanctioned Entities, or (iii) derives more than ten percent (10%) of its operating income from investments in, or transactions with Sanctioned Persons or Sanctioned Entities.  The proceeds of any Loan will not be used and have not been used to fund any operations in, finance any investments or activities in, or make any payments to, a Sanctioned Person or a Sanctioned Entity.

 

SECTION 5.18               Material Subsidiaries.  Each Material Subsidiary in existence on the date hereof is listed on Schedule 5.18.

 

SECTION 5.19               Disclosure.  The Borrower has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which the Borrower and any of its Subsidiaries are subject, and all other matters known to them, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No financial statement, report, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished), taken together as a whole with all other such financial statements, reports, certificates and other information so furnished, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until all the Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash and the Commitments terminated.

 

SECTION 6.1                 Financial and Other Reporting.  The Borrower will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Office at the address set forth in Section 10.1:

 

(a)           As soon as practicable and in any event within forty (40) days (or, if earlier, on the date of any required public filing thereof) after the end of the first three fiscal quarters of each Fiscal Year (commencing with the fiscal quarter ended April 25, 2010), an unaudited Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal quarter and unaudited Consolidated statement of operations, changes in

 

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shareholders’ investment and cash flows and a report containing management’s discussion and analysis of such financial statements for the fiscal quarter then ended and that portion of the Fiscal Year then ended, including the notes thereto, all prepared by the Borrower in accordance with GAAP and certified by the chief financial officer of the Borrower to present fairly in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis as of their respective dates and the results of operations of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the respective periods then ended, subject to normal year end adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

(b)           As soon as practicable and in any event within sixty (60) days (or, if earlier, on the date of any required public filing thereof) after the end of each Fiscal Year (commencing with the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010), an audited Consolidated statement of financial position of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the close of such Fiscal Year and audited Consolidated statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ investment and cash flows and a report containing management’s discussion and analysis of such financial statements for the Fiscal Year then ended, including the notes thereto, all prepared in accordance with GAAP.  Such annual financial statements shall be audited by Ernst & Young LLP or other independent certified public accounting firm of recognized national standing and accompanied by a report thereon by such certified public accountants that is not qualified with respect to scope limitations imposed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or with respect to accounting principles followed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries not in accordance with GAAP;

 

(c)           At each time financial statements are delivered pursuant to Sections 6.1(a) or (b) and at such other times as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request, an Officer’s Compliance Certificate;

 

(d)           Promptly upon the request of the Administrative Agent, copies of any material reports, submitted to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective boards of directors (or committees thereof) by their respective independent public accountants in connection with their auditing function;

 

(e)           Promptly upon the request thereof, such other information and documentation required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and Anti-Money Laundering rules and regulations (including, without limitation, the Act), as from time to time reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender;

 

(f)            Promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the stockholders of the Borrower, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which the Borrower may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

 

(g)           Promptly upon becoming aware thereof, any announcement by Moody’s or S&P of any change in a Debt Rating;

 

(h)           Promptly upon becoming aware of the occurrence thereof, written notice of:

 

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(i)            the commencement of any proceeding or investigation by or before any Governmental Authority or any action or proceeding in any court or before any arbitrator against or involving the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, assets or businesses that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(ii)           (A) any Default or Event of Default or (B) any other event or development which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(iii)          any ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan which, alone or together with other ERISA Events which have occurred, might result in liability of the Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates in excess of $10,000,000 (or, in the case of events described in clause (v) of the definition of ERISA Event, $750,000) (other than for premiums payable under Title IV of ERISA).

 

(i)            Promptly after such request, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to this Section 6.1 may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at www.hormelfoods.com; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that requests the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in every instance the Borrower shall be required to provide paper copies of the Officer’s Compliance Certificates required by Section 6.1(c) to the Administrative Agent.  Except for such Officer’s Compliance Certificates, the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arrangers will make available to the Lenders and the Issuing Lender materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on SyndTrak Online or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders may be “public-side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities) (each, a “Public Lender”).  The Borrower hereby agrees that it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders

 

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and that (v) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (w) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.11); (x) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor;” (y) the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Investor;” and (z) all Borrower Materials publicly filed with the SEC shall be deemed marked “PUBLIC” and permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Investor.”

 

SECTION 6.2                 Preservation of Corporate Existence and Related Matters.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, except as permitted by Section 7.3, preserve and maintain the separate corporate existence of the Borrowers and all rights, franchises, licenses and privileges necessary to the conduct of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and qualify and remain qualified as a foreign corporation or other entity and authorized to do business in each jurisdiction, in each case in which the failure to so qualify could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 6.3                 Maintenance of Property and Licenses.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, protect and preserve all Properties necessary in and material to its business, maintain, in full force and effect in all material respects, each material license, permit, certification, qualification, approval or franchise issued by any Governmental Authority (each a “License”) required for each of them to conduct their respective businesses as presently conducted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 6.4                 Insurance.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain insurance with financially sound and reputable insurance companies against at least such risks and in at least such amounts as are customarily maintained by similar businesses and as may be required by Applicable Law (including, without limitation, hazard and business interruption insurance). Such insurance may be provided by captive insurance Subsidiaries, provided that (a) the terms of such insurance, including the risks covered by such insurance, are customary for companies of similar size engaged in similar businesses and (b) each captive insurance Subsidiary maintains insurance reserves sufficient to satisfy all applicable regulatory requirements; provided that if no regulatory requirements relating to reserves apply to a captive insurance Subsidiary, such captive insurance Subsidiary shall maintain adequate insurance reserves in accordance with prudent industry practice in connection with the risks covered by such captive insurance Subsidiary.

 

SECTION 6.5                 Accounting Methods and Financial Records.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain a system of accounting, and keep proper books, records and accounts (which shall be true and complete in all material respects) as may be

 

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required or as may be necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and in compliance with the regulations of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it or any of its properties.

 

SECTION 6.6                 Payment of Taxes and Other Obligations.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay and perform (a) all taxes, assessments and other governmental charges that may be levied or assessed upon it or any of its property and (b) all other indebtedness, obligations and liabilities in accordance with customary trade practices, except where the failure to pay or perform such items described in clauses (a) or (b) of this Section could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 6.7                 Compliance With Laws and Approvals.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, observe and remain in compliance with all Applicable Laws (including Environmental Laws and the applicable provisions of ERISA and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder) and maintain in full force and effect all Governmental Approvals, in each case applicable to the conduct of its business except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

SECTION 6.8                 Visits and Inspections; Lender Meetings.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, permit representatives of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, from time to time upon prior reasonable notice and at such times during normal business hours, at the Administrative Agent’s or such Lender’s expense, to visit and inspect its properties; inspect, audit and make extracts from its non-privileged books, records and files; and discuss with its principal officers, and its independent accountants, its business, assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations and business prospects.

 

SECTION 6.9                 Use of Proceeds.  The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, use the proceeds of the Loans for working capital and general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the refinancing of existing Indebtedness, commercial paper back-up and the financing of acquisitions which are not Hostile Acquisitions.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until all of the Obligations (other than contingent, indemnification obligations not then due) have been paid and satisfied in full in cash and the Commitments terminated:

 

SECTION 7.1                 Maximum Leverage Ratio.  The Borrower will not permit the ratio of (a) Total Debt as of any fiscal quarter end to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four fiscal quarters then ended to exceed 3.0 to 1.0.

 

SECTION 7.2                 Liens, Etc.  The Borrower will not create or suffer to exist, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to create or suffer to exist, any Lien, upon or with respect to any of its properties, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or assign, or permit any of its Subsidiaries to assign, any right to receive income, in each case to secure or provide for the payment of any Indebtedness of any Person, unless the Borrower’s obligations hereunder shall be secured

 

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equally and ratably with, or prior to, any such Indebtedness; provided however that the foregoing restriction shall not apply to the following Liens which are permitted:

 

(a)           Liens on assets of any Subsidiary of the Borrower existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary (other than any such Lien created in contemplation of becoming a Subsidiary);

 

(b)           purchase money Liens upon or in any property acquired or held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business to secure the purchase price of such property or to secure Indebtedness incurred solely for the purpose of financing the acquisition of such property (provided that the amount of Indebtedness secured by such Lien does not exceed 100% of the purchase price of such property and transaction costs relating to such acquisition) and Liens existing on such property at the time of its acquisition (other than any such Lien created in contemplation of such acquisition); and the interest of the lessor thereof in any property that is subject to a Capital Lease;

 

(c)           any Lien securing Indebtedness that was incurred prior to or during construction or improvement of property for the purpose of financing all or part of the cost of such construction or improvement, provided that the amount of Indebtedness secured by such Lien does not exceed 100% of the fair market value of such property after giving effect to such construction or improvement;

 

(d)           any Lien securing Indebtedness of a Subsidiary owing to the Borrower;

 

(e)           Liens resulting from any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above so long as (i) the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not increase as a result of such extension, renewal or replacement and (ii) Liens resulting from any such extension, renewal or replacement shall cover only such property which secured the Indebtedness that is being extended, renewed or replaced;

 

(f)            Liens on accounts receivable resulting from the sale of such accounts receivable by the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower, so long as, at any time, the aggregate outstanding amount of such accounts receivable does not, together with the amount of Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted by clause (g), exceed 10% of the consolidated stockholder’s equity of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries; and

 

(g)           Liens other than Liens described in clauses (a) through (f) hereof, whether now existing or hereafter arising, securing Indebtedness in an aggregate amount that does not, together with the amount of accounts receivable subject to Liens permitted by clause (f), exceed 10% of the consolidated stockholder’s equity of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries.

 

SECTION 7.3                 Restrictions on Fundamental Changes.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, merge or consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (whether in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or a substantial portion of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) to any Person, or enter into any partnership, joint venture, syndicate, pool or other combination, unless no Event of Default or Potential Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom

 

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and, in the case of a merger or consolidation of the Borrower, (i) the Borrower is the surviving entity or (ii) the surviving entity assumes all of the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement in a manner satisfactory to the Requisite Lenders.

 

SECTION 7.4                 Plan Terminations.  The Borrower will not, and will not permit any ERISA Affiliate to, terminate any Pension Plan so as to result in liability of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to the PBGC in excess of $25,000,000, or permit to exist any occurrence of an event or condition which reasonably presents a material risk of a termination by the PBGC of any Pension Plan with respect to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate would, in the event of such termination, incur liability to the PBGC in excess of $25,000,000.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

SECTION 8.1                 Events of Default.  Each of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:

 

(a)           Default in Payment of Principal of Loans.  The Borrower shall default in any payment of principal of any Loan when and as due (whether at maturity, by reason of acceleration or otherwise).

 

(b)           Other Payment Default.  The Borrower shall default in the payment when and as due (whether at maturity, by reason of acceleration or otherwise) of interest on any Loan or the payment of any other Obligation, and such default shall continue for a period of three (3) Business Days.

 

(c)           Misrepresentation.  Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in this Agreement, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith that is subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications, shall be incorrect or misleading in any respect when made or deemed made or any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith that is not subject to materiality or Material Adverse Effect qualifications, shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made.

 

(d)           Default in Performance of Certain Covenants.  The Borrower shall default in the performance or observance of any covenant or agreement contained in Sections 6.1(h)(ii)(A), 6.2 (as to the corporate existence of the Borrower) or 6.6 or Article VII.

 

(e)           Default in Performance of Other Covenants and Conditions.  The Borrower shall default in the performance or observance of any term, covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than as specifically provided for in this Section) or any other Loan Document and such default shall continue for a period of thirty (30) days after the earlier of (i) the Administrative Agent’s delivery of written notice thereof to the Borrower and (ii) a Responsible Officer of the Borrower having obtained knowledge thereof.

 

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(f)            Indebtedness Cross-Default.  The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) default in the payment of any Indebtedness (other than the Loans) the aggregate outstanding amount of which Indebtedness is in excess of the Threshold Amount beyond the period of grace if any, provided in the instrument or agreement under which such Indebtedness was created, or (ii) default in the observance or performance of any other agreement or condition relating to any Indebtedness (other than the Loans) the aggregate outstanding amount of which Indebtedness is in excess of the Threshold Amount or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, with the giving of notice and/or lapse of time, if required, any such Indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity (any applicable grace period having expired).

 

(g)           Change in Control.  Any Change in Control shall occur.

 

(h)           Voluntary Bankruptcy Proceeding.  The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall (i) commence a voluntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect), (ii) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or composition for adjustment of debts, (iii) consent to or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner any petition filed against it in an involuntary case under such bankruptcy laws or other laws, (iv) apply for or consent to, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee, or liquidator of itself or of a substantial part of its property, domestic or foreign, (v) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due, (vi) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (vii) take any corporate action for the purpose of authorizing any of the foregoing.

 

(i)            Involuntary Bankruptcy Proceeding.  A case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries in any court of competent jurisdiction seeking (i) relief under the federal bankruptcy laws (as now or hereafter in effect) or under any other laws, domestic or foreign, relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, winding up or adjustment of debts, or (ii) the appointment of a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or the like for the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries or for all or any substantial part of their respective assets, domestic or foreign, and such case or proceeding shall continue without dismissal or stay for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days, or an order granting the relief requested in such case or proceeding (including, but not limited to, an order for relief under such federal bankruptcy laws) shall be entered.

 

(j)            Failure of Agreements.  Any provision of this Agreement or any provision of any other Loan Document shall for any reason cease to be valid and binding on the Borrower or the Borrower shall so state in writing.

 

(k)           Termination Event.  The occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to make full payment when due of all amounts which, under the provisions of any Pension Plan or Sections 412 or 430 of the Code, the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to pay as contributions thereto to the extent such amounts exceed the Threshold Amount, (ii) the accumulated benefit obligation of the Pension Plan

 

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exceeds the fair market value of the assets of the Pension Plan by more than the Threshold Amount and such underfunded status in excess of the Threshold Amount is not remedied within ninety (90) days after the Borrower has knowledge thereof (iii) a Termination Event or (iv) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate as employers under one or more Multiemployer Plans make a complete or partial withdrawal from any such Multiemployer Plan, the plan sponsor of such Multiemployer Plans notifies such withdrawing employer that such employer has incurred a withdrawal liability requiring payments in an amount exceeding the Threshold Amount and such withdrawal liability in excess of the Threshold Amount is not remedied within ninety (90) days after the Borrower has knowledge of such notice.

 

(l)            Judgment.  A judgment or order for the payment of money which causes the aggregate amount of all such judgments or orders to exceed the Threshold Amount shall be entered against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries by any court and such judgment or order shall continue without having been discharged, vacated or stayed for a period of thirty (30) consecutive days after the entry thereof.

 

SECTION 8.2                 Remedies.  Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, 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:

 

(a)           Acceleration; Termination of Commitment.

 

(i)            Terminate the Commitment and declare the principal of and interest on the Loans at the time outstanding, and all other amounts owed to the Lenders and to the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents and all other Obligations, to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon the same shall immediately become due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by the Borrower, anything in this Agreement or the other Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, and terminate the Facility and any right of the Borrower to request borrowings thereunder; provided, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 8.1(h) or (i), the Facility shall be automatically terminated and all Obligations shall automatically become due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by the Borrower, anything in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document to the contrary notwithstanding; and

 

(ii)           exercise on behalf of the Lenders all of its other rights and remedies under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and Applicable Law, in order to satisfy all of the Obligations.

 

(b)           Rights of Collection.  Exercise on behalf of the Lenders all of its other rights and remedies under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and Applicable Law, in order to satisfy all of the Obligations.

 

SECTION 8.3                 Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Non-Waiver; etc.  The enumeration of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders set forth in this

 

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Agreement is not intended to be exhaustive and the exercise by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of any right or remedy shall not preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies, all of which shall be cumulative, and shall be in addition to any other right or remedy given hereunder or under the other Loan Documents or that may now or hereafter exist at law or in equity or by suit or otherwise.  No delay or failure to take action on the part of the Administrative Agent or any Lender in exercising any right, power or privilege shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege or shall be construed to be a waiver of any Event of Default.  No course of dealing between the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders or their respective agents or employees shall be effective to change, modify or discharge any provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or to constitute a waiver of any Event of Default.

 

SECTION 8.4                 Crediting of Payments and Proceeds.  In the event that the Obligations have been accelerated pursuant to Section 8.2 or the Administrative Agent or any Lender has exercised any remedy set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, all payments received by the Lenders upon the Obligations and all net proceeds from the enforcement of the Obligations shall be applied:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts, including attorney fees, payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders under the Loan Documents, including attorney fees (ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them);

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans (ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them);

 

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them); and

 

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

 

SECTION 8.5                 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim.  In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(a)           to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations arising under the Loan Document

 

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that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 3.3 and 10.3) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

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

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 3.3 and 10.3.

 

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

 

ARTICLE IX

 

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

SECTION 9.1                 Appointment and Authority.  Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Wells Fargo to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary thereof shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.

 

SECTION 9.2                 Rights as a Lender.  The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.

 

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SECTION 9.3                 Exculpatory Provisions.  The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

 

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

 

(b)           shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or Applicable Law; and

 

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

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Section 10.2 and Section 8.2) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final nonappealable judgment.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 9.4                 Reliance by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for

 

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relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

SECTION 9.5                 Delegation of Duties.  The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the Facilities as well as activities as Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 9.6                 Resignation of Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above provided that if the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders that no qualifying Person has accepted such appointment, then such resignation shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice and (1) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this paragraph.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or retired) Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this paragraph).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.3 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be

 

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taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 9.7                 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.  Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

SECTION 9.8                 No Other Duties, etc.  Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the syndication agents, documentation agents, co-agents, book manager, lead manager, arranger, lead arranger or co-arranger listed on the cover page or signature pages hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender hereunder.

 

ARTICLE X

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 10.1               Notices.

 

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

 

If to the Borrower:

 

Hormel Foods Corporation

 

 

One Hormel Place

 

 

Austin, MN 55912

 

 

Attention of:  Roland G. Gentzler, Vice President and Treasurer

 

 

Telephone No.: (507) 437-5922

 

 

Telecopy No.: (507) 434-6731

 

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With copies to:

 

Hormel Foods Corporation

 

 

One Hormel Place

 

 

Austin, MN 55912

 

 

Attention of:  Brian D. Johnson, Corporate Secretary and Senior Attorney

 

 

Telephone No.: (507) 437-5457

 

 

Telecopy No.: (507) 437-5135

 

 

 

If to Wells Fargo as Administrative Agent:

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

 

 

201 3rd Street, 8th Floor

 

 

San Francisco, CA 94103

 

 

Attention of:  Cristina Zaragoza — Deal Administrator

 

 

Telephone No.: (415) 477-5423

 

 

Telecopy No.: (415) 512-9408 / 546-6353

 

 

 

If to any Lender:

 

To the address set forth on the Register

 

Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices sent by telecopier shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient).  Notices delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below, shall be effective as provided in said paragraph (b).  Any party hereto may change its address or telecopier number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

 

(b)           Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  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.

 

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

 

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address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.

 

(c)           Administrative Agent’s Office.  The Administrative Agent hereby designates its office located at the address set forth above, or any subsequent office which shall have been specified for such purpose by written notice to the Borrower and Lenders, as the Administrative Agent’s Office referred to herein, to which payments due are to be made and at which Loans will be disbursed.

 

SECTION 10.2               Amendments, Waivers and Consents.  Except as set forth below, as set forth in Section 3.13(a)(D) or as specifically provided in any Loan Document, any term, covenant, agreement or condition of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents may be amended or waived by the Lenders, and any consent given by the Lenders, if, but only if, such amendment, waiver or consent is in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and delivered to the Administrative Agent and, in the case of an amendment, signed by the Borrower; provided, that no amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(a)           increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.2) or the amount of Loans of any Lender, in any case, without the written consent of such Lender;

 

(b)           postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(c)           reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby; provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the rate set forth in Section 3.1 (c) during the continuance of an Event of Default;

 

(d)           change Section 3.6 or Section 8.4 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(e)           change any provision of this Section or reduce the percentages specified in the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;

 

(f)            consent to the assignment or transfer by the Borrower of the Borrower’s rights and obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party (except as permitted pursuant to Section 8.4), in each case, without the written consent of each Lender;

 

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Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each Lender hereby (i) agrees to be bound by any Joinder Agreement contemplated by Section 3.13(a)(D); provided that no such Joinder Agreement shall result in any increase in the amount of any Lender’s Commitment or any increase in any Lender’s Commitment Percentage, in each case, without the written consent of such affected Lender and (ii) agrees that any amendment contemplated by the last sentence of the definition of “Applicable Margin” shall (in so far as it merely provides for the substitution of one or more new debt rating providers and does not change the amount of the margins set forth in the table in such definition) not be deemed an amendment subject to clause (c) above.

 

SECTION 10.3               Expenses; Indemnity.

 

(a)           Costs and Expenses.  The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.

 

(b)           Indemnification by the Borrower.  The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, and shall pay or reimburse any such Indemnitee for, any and all losses, claims (including, without limitation, any Environmental Claims or civil penalties or fines assessed by OFAC), damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless, each Indemnitee from, and shall pay or reimburse any such Indemnitee for, all reasonable fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any third party or by the Borrower arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Claim related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, or (v) any claim, investigation, litigation or other proceeding (whether or not the Administrative Agent or any Lender is a party thereto) and the prosecution

 

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and defense thereof, arising out of or in any way connected with the Loans, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including without limitation, reasonable attorneys and consultant’s fees, provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Borrower or such Subsidiary has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

(c)           Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under clause (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party thereof, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s Commitment Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount, provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity.

 

(d)           Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee referred to in clause (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed by it through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

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

 

SECTION 10.4               Right of Set Off.  If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Lender

 

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different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness.  The rights of each Lender and its respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or its respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

SECTION 10.5               Governing Law; Jurisdiction, Etc.

 

(a)           Governing Law.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents, unless expressly set forth therein, shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with, the law of the State of New York, without reference to the conflicts or choice of law principles thereof.

 

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

 

(c)           Waiver of Venue.  The Borrower irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section.  Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.

 

(d)           Service of Process.  Each party hereto irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 10.1.  Nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by Applicable Law.

 

SECTION 10.6               Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

(a)           EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN

 

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DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

SECTION 10.7               Reversal of Payments.  To the extent the Borrower makes a payment or payments to the Administrative Agent for the ratable benefit of the Lenders or the Administrative Agent receives any payment or proceeds of the Collateral which payments or proceeds or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside and/or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause, then, to the extent of such payment or proceeds repaid, the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent.

 

SECTION 10.8               Punitive Damages.  The Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower hereby agree that no such Person shall have a remedy of punitive or exemplary damages against any other party to a Loan Document and each such Person hereby waives any right or claim to punitive or exemplary damages that they may now have or may arise in the future in connection with any Dispute, whether such Dispute is resolved through arbitration or judicially.

 

SECTION 10.9               Accounting Matters.  If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

SECTION 10.10             Successors and Assigns; Participations.

 

(a)           Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower shall not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this

 

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Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of paragraph (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in paragraph (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)           Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)            Minimum Amounts.

 

(A)          in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
 
(B)           in any case not described in paragraph (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have given its consent five (5) Business Days after the date written notice thereof has been delivered by the assigning Lender (through the Administrative Agent) unless such consent is expressly refused by the Borrower prior to such fifth (5th) Business Day;
 

(ii)           Proportionate Amounts.  Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loan or the Commitment assigned;

 

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

 

(A)          the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) shall be required unless (x) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided, that the Borrower shall be deemed to have

 

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consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 5 Business Days after having received notice thereof; and
 
(B)           the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of the Facility if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Commitment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender.
 

(iv)          Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 for each assignment (provided, that only one such fee will be payable in connection with simultaneous assignments to two or more Approved Funds by a Lender), and the assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(v)           No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.

 

(vi)          No Assignment to Natural Persons.  No such assignment shall be made to a natural person.

 

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to paragraph (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11 and 10.3 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment.  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this paragraph 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 (d) of this Section.

 

(c)           Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in San Francisco, California, a copy of each Assignment and Assumption and each Joinder Agreement delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amounts of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender (but only to the extent of entries in the Register that are applicable to such Lender), at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

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(d)           Participations.  (i) Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans 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 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.

 

(ii)           Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver or modification described in Section 10.2 that directly affects such Participant and could not be affected by a vote of the Required Lenders.  Subject to paragraph (e) of this Section, the Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.8, 3.9, 3.10 and 3.11 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.  To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.4 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 3.6 as though it were a Lender.

 

(e)           Limitations upon Participant Rights.  A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.10 and 3.11 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.  No Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.11 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 3.11(e) as though it were a Lender.

 

(f)            Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or Farm Credit Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

SECTION 10.11             Confidentiality.  Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its and its Affiliates’ respective partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and other representatives (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by, or required to be disclosed to, any rating agency, or regulatory or similar authority

 

59



 

purporting to have jurisdiction over it (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by Applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, Participant or proposed Participant, or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (iii) to an investor or prospective investor in an Approved Fund that also agrees that Information shall be used solely for the purpose of evaluating an investment in such Approved Fund, (iv) to a trustee, collateral manager, servicer, backup servicer, noteholder or secured party in an Approved Fund in connection with the administration, servicing and reporting on the assets serving as collateral for an Approved Fund, or (v) to a nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information regarding the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the Loans and Loan Documents in connection with ratings issued with respect to an Approved Fund, (g) with the consent of the Borrower, (h) to Gold Sheets and other similar bank trade publications, such information to consist of deal terms and other information customarily found in such publications, or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower or (j) to governmental regulatory authorities in connection with any regulatory examination of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s or any Lender’s regulatory compliance policy if the Administrative Agent or such Lender deems necessary for the mitigation of claims by those authorities against the Administrative Agent or such Lender or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.  For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from any the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

SECTION 10.12             Performance of Duties.  The Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents shall be performed by the Borrower at its sole cost and expense.

 

SECTION 10.13             All Powers Coupled with Interest.  All powers of attorney and other authorizations granted to the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and any Persons designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender pursuant to any provisions of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents shall be deemed coupled with an interest and shall be irrevocable so

 

60



 

long as any of the Obligations remain unpaid or unsatisfied, any of the Commitments remain in effect or the Facility has not been terminated.

 

SECTION 10.14             Survival.

 

(a)           All representations and warranties set forth in Article V and all representations and warranties contained in any certificate, or any of the Loan Documents (including, but not limited to, any such representation or warranty made in or in connection with any amendment thereto) shall constitute representations and warranties made under this Agreement.  All representations and warranties made under this Agreement shall be made or deemed to be made at and as of the Closing Date (except those that are expressly made as of a specific date), shall survive the Closing Date and shall not be waived by the execution and delivery of this Agreement, any investigation made by or on behalf of the Lenders or any borrowing hereunder.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the indemnities to which the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are entitled under the provisions of this Article X and any other provision of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall continue in full force and effect and shall protect the Administrative Agent and the Lenders against events arising after such termination as well as before.

 

SECTION 10.15             Titles and Captions.  Titles and captions of Articles, Sections and subsections in, and the table of contents of, this Agreement are for convenience only, and neither limit nor amplify the provisions of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 10.16             Severability of Provisions.  Any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions hereof or thereof or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

SECTION 10.17             Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

 

(a)           Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterparty hereof.  This Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those of any other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control; provided that the inclusion of supplemental rights or remedies in favor of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict with this Agreement.  Each Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation of the respective parties thereto and shall be construed neither against nor in favor of any party, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning thereof.  Except as provided in Section 4.1, this

 

61



 

Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.

 

(b)           Electronic Execution of Assignments.  The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

SECTION 10.18             Term of Agreement.  This Agreement shall remain in effect from the Closing Date through and including the date upon which all Obligations (other than contingent indemnification obligations not then due) arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall have been indefeasibly and irrevocably paid and satisfied in full and the Commitment has been terminated.  No termination of this Agreement shall affect the rights and obligations of the parties hereto arising prior to such termination or in respect of any provision of this Agreement which survives such termination.

 

SECTION 10.19             USA Patriot Act.  The Administrative Agent and each Lender hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.

 

[Signature pages to follow]

 

62


 


 

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

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION,
as Borrower

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Roland G. Gentzler

 

Name:

Roland G. Gentzler

 

Title:

Vice President, Finance & Treasurer

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

 

as Administrative Agent and Lender

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Allison S. Gelfman

 

Name:

Allison S. Gelfman

 

Title:.

Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Adam Feit

 

Name:

Adam Feit

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

FARM CREDIT SERVICES OF MID-AMERICA, PCA

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Ralph M. Bowman

 

Name:

Ralph M. Bowman

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Suzanne D. Ergastolo

 

Name:

Suzanne D. Ergastolo

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

SUNTRUST BANK,

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Dan Komitor

 

Name:

Dan Komitor

 

Title:

Director

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

U.S. Bank National Association

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Peter I. Bystol

 

Name:

Peter I. Bystol

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

 

THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY,

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Anu Agarwal

 

Name:

Anu Agarwal

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Hormel Foods Corporation Credit Agreement]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

FORM OF REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE

 



 

REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE

 

$                            

 

                        , 20    

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Hormel Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), promises to pay to the order of                                (the “Lender”), at the place and times provided in the Credit Agreement referred to below, the principal sum of                                DOLLARS ($                    ) or, if less, the unpaid principal amount of all Loans made by the Lender from time to time pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of May 25, 2010 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) by and among the Borrower, the Lenders who are or may become a party thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement.

 

The unpaid principal amount of this Revolving Credit Note from time to time outstanding is subject to mandatory repayment from time to time as provided in the Credit Agreement and shall bear interest as provided in Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement.  All payments of principal and interest on this Revolving Credit Note shall be payable in lawful currency of the United States in immediately available funds to the account designated in the Credit Agreement.

 

This Revolving Credit Note is entitled to the benefits of, and evidences Obligations incurred under, the Credit Agreement, to which reference is made for a statement of the terms and conditions on which the Borrower is permitted and required to make prepayments and repayments of principal of the Obligations evidenced by this Revolving Credit Note and on which such Obligations may be declared to be immediately due and payable.

 

THIS REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE CONFLICTS OR CHOICE OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

 

The Borrower hereby waives all requirements as to diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and (except as required by the Credit Agreement) notice of any kind with respect to this Revolving Credit Note.

 

1



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Revolving Credit Note under seal as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

2



 

EXHIBIT B

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF BORROWING

 



 

NOTICE OF BORROWING

 

Dated as of:                        

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

201 3rd Street, 8th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94103

Attention of: Cristina Zaragoza – Deal Administrator

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This irrevocable Notice of Borrowing is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.2(a) of the Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2010 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among Hormel Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the lenders who are or may become party thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

1.             The Borrower hereby requests that the Lenders make a Loan to the Borrower in the aggregate principal amount of $                      .  (Complete with an amount in accordance with Section 2.2(a) of the Credit Agreement.)

 

2.             The Borrower hereby requests that such Loan be made on the following Business Day:                                           .  (Complete with a Business Day in accordance with Section 2.2(a) of the Credit Agreement.)

 

3.             The Borrower hereby requests that such Loan bear interest at the following interest rate, plus the Applicable Margin, as set forth below:

 

Interest Rate

 

Interest Period (LIBOR
Rate only)

 

Termination Date for Interest
Period (if applicable)

 

 

 

 

 

[Base Rate or LIBOR Rate](1)

 

 

 

 

 

4.             The aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding as of the date hereof (including the Loan requested herein) does not exceed the maximum amount permitted to be outstanding pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 


(1)           Complete with the Base Rate or the LIBOR Rate for such Loan.

 

1



 

5.             All of the conditions applicable to the Loan requested herein as set forth in the Credit Agreement have been satisfied as of the date hereof and will remain satisfied to the date of such Loan.

 

6.             Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Notice of Borrowing as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

3



 

EXHIBIT C

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF ACCOUNT DESIGNATION

 



 

NOTICE OF ACCOUNT DESIGNATION

 

Dated as of:                   

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

201 3rd Street, 8th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94103

Attention of: Cristina Zaragoza – Deal Administrator

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Notice of Account Designation is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.2(b) of the Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2010 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among Hormel Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the lenders who are or may become party thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

1.             The Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to disburse all Loan proceeds into the following account(s):

 

 

ABA Routing Number:

 

Account Number:

 

 

2.             This authorization shall remain in effect until revoked or until a subsequent Notice of Account Designation is provided to the Administrative Agent.

 

3.             Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

1



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Notice of Account Designation as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

2



 

EXHIBIT D

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF PREPAYMENT

 



 

NOTICE OF PREPAYMENT

 

Dated as of:                   

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

201 3rd Street, 8th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94103

Attention of: Cristina Zaragoza – Deal Administrator

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This irrevocable Notice of Prepayment is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.3(c) of the Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2010 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among Hormel Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the lenders who are or may become party thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

1.             The Borrower hereby provides notice to the Administrative Agent that it shall repay [Base Rate Loans] and/or [LIBOR Rate Loans] in the aggregate amount of $                              .  (Complete with an amount in accordance with Section 2.3(c) of the Credit Agreement.)

 

2.             The Borrower shall repay the above-referenced Loans on the following Business Day:                               . (Complete with a date no earlier than (i) the same Business Day as of the date of this Notice of Prepayment with respect to the Base Rate Loan and (ii) three (3) Business Days subsequent to date of this Notice of Prepayment with respect to any LIBOR Rate Loan.)

 

3.             Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

1



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Notice of Prepayment as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

2



 

EXHIBIT E

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

FORM OF NOTICE OF CONVERSION/CONTINUATION

 



 

NOTICE OF CONVERSION/CONTINUATION

 

Dated as of:                    

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

201 3rd Street, 8th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94103

Attention of: Cristina Zaragoza – Deal Administrator

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This irrevocable Notice of Conversion/Continuation (this “Notice”) is delivered to you pursuant to Section 3.2 of the Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2010 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among Hormel Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), the lenders who are or may become party thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.

 

1.             This Notice is submitted for the purpose of:  (Check one and complete applicable information in accordance with the Credit Agreement.)

 

(  )           Converting all or a portion of a Base Rate Loan into a LIBOR Rate Loan

 

(a)                                  The aggregate outstanding principal balance of such Loan is $                              .

 

(b)                                 The principal amount of such Loan to be converted is $                              .

 

(c)                                  The requested effective date of the conversion of such Loan is                               .

 

(d)                                 The requested Interest Period applicable to the converted Loan is                               .

 

(  )           Converting a portion of LIBOR Rate Loan into a Base Rate Loan

 

(a)                                  The aggregate outstanding principal balance of such Loan is $                              .

 

(b)                                 The last day of the current Interest Period for such Loan is                               .

 

1



 

(c)                                  The principal amount of such Loan to be converted is $                              .

 

(d)                                 The requested effective date of the conversion of such Loan is                               .

 

(  )           Continuing all or a portion of a LIBOR Rate Loan as a LIBOR Rate Loan

 

(a)                                  The aggregate outstanding principal balance of such Loan is $                              .

 

(b)                                 The last day of the current Interest Period for such Loan is                               .

 

(c)                                  The principal amount of such Loan to be continued is $                              .

 

(d)                                 The requested effective date of the continuation of such Loan is                               .

 

(e)                                  The requested Interest Period applicable to the continued Loan is                               .

 

2.             The aggregate principal amount of all Loans outstanding as of the date hereof does not exceed the maximum amount permitted to be outstanding pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

3.             All of the conditions applicable to the conversion or continuation of the Loan requested herein as set forth in the Credit Agreement have been satisfied or waived as of the date hereof and will remain satisfied or waived to the date of such conversion or continuation.

 

4.             Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Notice of Conversion/Continuation as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

3



 

EXHIBIT F

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

FORM OF OFFICER’S COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 



 

OFFICER’S COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

The undersigned, on behalf of Hormel Foods Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Borrower”), hereby certifies to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, each as defined in the Credit Agreement referred to below, as follows:

 

1.             This certificate is delivered to you pursuant to Section 6.1(c) of the Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2010 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, the lenders who are or may become party thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent.  Capitalized terms used herein and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Credit Agreement.

 

2.             I have reviewed the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries dated as of                                and for the                                period[s] then ended and such statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the period[s] indicated.

 

3.             I have reviewed the terms of the Credit Agreement, and the related Loan Documents and have made, or caused to be made under my supervision, a review in reasonable detail of the transactions and the condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during the accounting period covered by the financial statements referred to in Paragraph 2 above.  Such review has not disclosed the existence during or at the end of such accounting period of any condition or event that constitutes a Default or an Event of Default, nor do I have any knowledge of the existence of any such condition or event as at the date of this certificate [except, if such condition or event existed or exists, describe the nature and period of existence thereof and what action the Borrower has taken, is taking and proposes to take with respect thereto].

 

4.             The Borrower is in compliance with the financial covenant contained in Section 7.1 of the Credit Agreement as shown on the attached Schedule 1 and the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the other covenants and restrictions contained in the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

1



 

WITNESS the following signature as of the day and year first written above.

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

2



 

Schedule 1

to

Officer’s Compliance Certificate

 

This Schedule 1 is attached to and made a part of an Officer’s Compliance Certificate dated as of                         ,          and pertains to the period from                         ,          to                         ,         .  Section references herein relate to sections of the Credit Agreement.

 

Ratio of Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA, Section 7.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a.

 

Indebtedness for borrowed money

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

b.

 

Obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

c.

 

Attributable Indebtedness with respect to Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

d.

 

Obligations under conditional sale or other title retention agreements

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

e.

 

Indebtedness secured by a Lien

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

f.

 

Obligations relative to letters of credit and banker’s acceptances

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

g.

 

Guaranty Obligations (without duplication of above)

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

Total Debt as of fiscal quarter end (sum of a through g)

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

h

 

Consolidated net income

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

i.

 

Interest expense

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

j.

 

Income tax expense

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

k.

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

l.

 

Non-cash extraordinary losses

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

m.

 

Non-cash losses from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of property or assets

 

$          

 

3



 

n.

 

Extraordinary gains

 

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

 

o.

 

Gains from the sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of property or assets

 

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated EBITDA for the four fiscal quarters then ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(sum of h through m) minus n minus o

 

 

$          

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratio of Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA

   : 1.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximum permitted ratio

3.0:1.0

 

 

 

4



 

EXHIBIT G

to

Credit Agreement

dated as of May 25, 2010

by and among

Hormel Foods Corporation,

as Borrower,

the Lenders party thereto,

as Lenders,

and

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 



 

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [INSERT NAME OF ASSIGNOR] (the “Assignor”) and the parties identified on the Schedules hereto and [the] [each](1) Assignee identified on the Schedules hereto as “Assignee” or as “Assignees” (collectively, the “Assignees” and each an “Assignee”).  [It is understood and agreed that the rights and obligations of [the Assignees](2) hereunder are several and not joint.](3)  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by [the] [each] Assignee.  The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

 

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to [the Assignee] [the respective Assignees], and [the] [each] Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned to [the] [any] Assignee pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as, [the] [an]Assigned Interest”).  Each such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.

 

Assignor:

 

[INSERT NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

 

 

 

 

 

2.

 

Assignee(s):

 

[INSERT NAME OF ASSIGNEE(S)]

 

 

 

 

 

3.

 

Borrower:

 

Hormel Foods Corporation

 


(1) For bracketed language here and elsewhere in this form relating to the Assignee(s), if the assignment is to a single Assignee, choose the first bracketed language.  If the assignment is to multiple Assignees, choose the second bracketed language.

(2) Select as appropriate.

(3) Include bracketed language if there are either multiple Assignors or multiple Assignees.

 

1



 

4.

 

Administrative Agent:

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as the Administrative Agent under the Credit Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

5.

 

Credit Agreement:

 

The Credit Agreement dated as of May 25, 2010 among Hormel Foods Corporation, as Borrower, the Lenders parties thereto, as Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified)

 

 

 

 

 

6.

 

Assigned Interest:

 

See Schedules attached hereto

 

 

 

 

 

[7.

 

Trade Date:

 

                           ](4)

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 


(4) To be completed if the Assignor and the Assignees intend that the minimum assignment amount is to be determined as of the Trade Date.

 

2



 

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

 

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

 

 

ASSIGNOR

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

ASSIGNEES

 

 

 

See Schedules attached hereto

 

3



 

 

[Consented to and](5) Accepted:

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Administrative Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Consented to:](6)

 

 

 

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Title:

 

 


(5)  To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

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

 

4



 

SCHEDULE 1

To Assignment and Assumption

 

By its execution of this Schedule, the Assignee agrees to the terms set forth in the attached Assignment and Assumption.

 

Assigned Interests:

 

Facility
Assigned(7)

 

Aggregate
Amount of
Commitment/
Loans for all
Lenders(8)

 

Amount of
Commitment/
Loans Assigned(9)

 

Percentage
Assigned of
Commitment/
Loans(10)

 

CUSIP Number

 

 

$

 

$

 

 

%

 

 

 

$

 

$

 

 

%

 

 

 

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE](11)

 

[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender](12)]

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Title:

 


(7)    Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment.

(8)    Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

(9)    Amount to be adjusted by the counterparties to take into account any payments or prepayments made between the Trade Date and the Effective Date.

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

(11)  Add additional signature blocks, as needed.

(12)  Select as applicable.

 

5



 

ANNEX 1

to Assignment and Assumption

 

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

1.             Representations and Warranties.

 

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

 

1.2.          Assignee[s][The] [Each] Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it meets all the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.10(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) of the Credit Agreement (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.10(b)(iii) of the Credit Agreement), (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of [the] [the relevant] Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by the Assigned Interest and either it, or the person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire the Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of such type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, and has received or has been accorded the opportunity to receive copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.1(13) thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it deems appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the] [such] Assigned Interest, (vi) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase [the] [such] Assigned Interest, and (vii) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, [the] [any] the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own

 


(13) Update as necessary to refer to Financial Statement delivery Section in Credit Agreement.

 

6



 

credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

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

 

3.             General Provisions.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.  This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption.  This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

7



 

Schedule 1.1

 

Commitments

 

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association

 

$

57,500,000

 

Bank of America, N.A.

 

$

57,500,000

 

Farm Credit Services of Mid-America

 

$

40,000,000

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association

 

$

40,000,000

 

SunTrust Bank

 

$

40,000,000

 

U.S. Bank National Association

 

$

40,000,000

 

The Northern Trust Company

 

$

25,000,000

 

TOTAL

 

$

300,000,000

 

 



 

Schedule 5.18

 

Material Subsidiaries

 

1.               Hormel Financial Services Corporation – a Minnesota corporation

 

2.               Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. – a Minnesota corporation

 

3.               Hormel Foods International Corporation – a Delaware corporation

 

4.               Diamond Crystal Brands, Inc. – a Delaware corporation

 

5.               Dan’s Prize Inc. – a Minnesota corporation

 

6.               Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC – a Delaware limited liability company

 

7.               Diamond Crystal Bremen, LLC – a Delaware limited liability company

 

8.               Clougherty Packing, LLC – a Delaware limited liability company

 

9.               Campoco, Inc. – a Minnesota corporation

 

10.         Progressive Processing, LLC – a Delaware limited liability company

 


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