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): August 15, 2014
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Virginia | 001-12658 | 54-1692118 | ||
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
451 Florida Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)
Registrants Telephone Number, including Area Code: (225) 388-8011
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
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:
¨ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
¨ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
¨ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
Term Loan Agreement
On August 15, 2014, Albemarle Corporation (the Company) entered into a term loan credit agreement (the Term Loan), among the several banks and other financial institutions as may from time to time become parties thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent. The Term Loan provides for a tranche of senior unsecured term loans in an aggregate amount of $1.0 billion in connection with the proposed merger (the Merger) of Albemarle Holdings Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, with and into Rockwood Holdings, Inc. (Rockwood).
Loans available under the Term Loan bear interest at variable rates based on an average London inter-bank offered rate (LIBOR) for deposits in dollars plus an applicable margin which ranges from 1.125% to 2.500%, depending on the Companys credit rating from Standard & Poors and Moodys Investor Services, Inc. As of the closing of the Term Loan, the applicable margin over LIBOR was 1.125%.
The Term Loan provides that upon the earlier of (i) 70 days following the guarantee by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than Rockwood or any of its existing subsidiaries) of the Rockwood Notes (as defined in the Term Loan) or (ii) the guarantee by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any Specified Senior Notes (as defined in the Term Loan), each such subsidiary that is an obligor of the Rockwood Notes or the Specified Senior Notes will guarantee the Term Loan.
The Term Loan contains representations, warranties, terms and conditions substantially similar to the Existing Revolving Credit Facility (defined below) and customary for transactions of this type, including compliance with one financial covenant requiring that the Companys maximum leverage ratio (funded debt to EBITDA), as defined in the Term Loan, not exceed 4.5:1.0 as of the end of any fiscal quarter. The Term Loan also contains customary default provisions substantially similar to the Existing Revolving Credit Facility, including defaults for non-payment, breach of representations and warranties, insolvency, non-performance of covenants and cross-defaults. The occurrence of an event of default under the Term Loan could result in all loans and other obligations becoming immediately due and payable and the facility being terminated.
The Term Loan matures 364 days from the date of funding (the Closing Date), and the funding of the Term Loan is expected to occur with the closing of the Merger. The Term Loan is not subject to quarterly amortization and shall be payable in full 364 days from the Closing Date.
This description of the Term Loan is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the entire Term Loan, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Amendment to Existing Revolving Credit Facility
On August 15, 2014, the Company and Albemarle Global Finance Company SCA, as borrowers, entered into an amendment (the Amendment) to the Companys existing five-year, revolving, unsecured credit facility (the Existing Revolving Credit Facility), dated February 7, 2014, among the several banks and other financial institutions as may from time to time become parties thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer. The Amendment amends certain provisions of the Existing Revolving Credit Facility, including:
| increasing the maximum leverage ratio that the Company is permitted to maintain to 4.50 times consolidated EBITDA (calculated to include cost synergies related to the Merger reasonably expected to be realized within 12 months of the completion of the Merger up to |
5% of consolidated EBITDA) for the first four quarters following the completion of the Merger, stepping down by 0.25 on a quarterly basis thereafter until reaching 3.50 times consolidated EBITDA; |
| providing that up to $100 million may be borrowed by the Company on the date of the completion of the Merger, subject only to a limited set of borrowing conditions; |
| modifying the indebtedness covenant to permit, to the extent the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than Rockwood or any of its existing subsidiaries) guarantees the Rockwood Notes, the incurrence of indebtedness represented by the Rockwood Notes so long as the obligors under the Rockwood Notes are also obligors under the Existing Revolving Credit Facility; and |
| providing that upon the earlier of (i) 70 days following the guarantee by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than Rockwood or any of its existing subsidiaries) of the Rockwood Notes (as defined in the Term Loan) or (ii) the guarantee by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any Specified Senior Notes (as defined in the Term Loan), each such subsidiary that is an obligor of the Rockwood Notes or the Specified Senior Notes will guarantee the Existing Revolving Credit Agreement. |
This description of the Amendment is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the entire Amendment, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2 and incorporated herein by reference, and the Existing Revolving Credit Facility, which was filed by the Company on Form 8-K on February 7, 2014.
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information required by this item is included in Item 1.01 and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01. | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
d) Exhibits.
10.1 | Credit Agreement, dated as of August 15, 2014, among Albemarle Corporation, as borrower, and certain of the Companys subsidiaries that from time to time become parties thereto, as guarantors, the several banks and other financial institutions as may from time to time become parties thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent. | |
10.2 | Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of August 15, 2014, among Albemarle Corporation and Albemarle Global Finance Company SCA, as borrowers, the several banks and other financial institutions as may from time to time become parties thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION | ||||||
Date: August 20, 2014 | By: | /s/ Scott A. Tozier | ||||
Scott A. Tozier | ||||||
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer |
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit |
Exhibit | |
10.1 | Credit Agreement, dated as of August 15, 2014, among Albemarle Corporation, as borrower, and certain of the Companys subsidiaries that from time to time become parties thereto, as guarantors, the several banks and other financial institutions as may from time to time become parties thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent. | |
10.2 | Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of August 15, 2014, among Albemarle Corporation and Albemarle Global Finance Company SCA, as borrowers, the several banks and other financial institutions as may from time to time become parties thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent. |
Exhibit 10.1
CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of August 15, 2014
among
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION,
as Borrower,
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
and
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Co-Syndication Agents
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,
as Sole Book Runner
Arranged By:
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED,
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
and
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC,
as Joint Lead Arrangers
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section |
Page |
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS |
1 | |||||
1.01 |
Defined Terms. |
1 | ||||
1.02 |
Other Interpretive Provisions. |
17 | ||||
1.03 |
Accounting Terms. |
18 | ||||
1.04 |
Rounding. |
19 | ||||
1.05 |
References to Agreements and Laws. |
19 | ||||
1.06 |
Times of Day. |
19 | ||||
ARTICLE II. COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
19 | |||||
2.01 |
The Term Loan. |
19 | ||||
2.02 |
Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of the Term Loan. |
19 | ||||
2.03 |
[Reserved]. |
20 | ||||
2.04 |
[Reserved]. |
20 | ||||
2.05 |
Prepayments. |
20 | ||||
2.06 |
Termination or Reduction of Commitments. |
21 | ||||
2.07 |
Repayment of Loans. |
21 | ||||
2.08 |
Interest. |
22 | ||||
2.09 |
Fees. |
22 | ||||
2.10 |
Computation of Interest and Fees. |
23 | ||||
2.11 |
Evidence of Debt. |
23 | ||||
2.12 |
Payments Generally; Administrative Agents Clawback. |
23 | ||||
2.13 |
Sharing of Payments. |
25 | ||||
2.14 |
[Reserved]. |
25 | ||||
2.15 |
[Reserved]. |
25 | ||||
2.16 |
[Reserved]. |
25 | ||||
2.17 |
Defaulting Lenders. |
25 | ||||
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY |
27 | |||||
3.01 |
Taxes. |
27 | ||||
3.02 |
Illegality. |
29 | ||||
3.03 |
Inability to Determine Rates. |
30 | ||||
3.04 |
Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy. |
30 | ||||
3.05 |
Funding Losses. |
31 | ||||
3.06 |
Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation. |
32 | ||||
3.07 |
Survival. |
32 | ||||
ARTICLE IV. [RESERVED] |
32 | |||||
ARTICLE V. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
32 | |||||
5.01 |
Conditions to Effectiveness. |
32 | ||||
5.02 |
Conditions to Funding. |
34 |
ARTICLE VI. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
36 | |||||
6.01 |
Existence, Qualification and Power. |
36 | ||||
6.02 |
Authorization; No Contravention. |
37 | ||||
6.03 |
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. |
37 | ||||
6.04 |
Binding Effect. |
37 | ||||
6.05 |
Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change. |
37 | ||||
6.06 |
Litigation. |
38 | ||||
6.07 |
No Default. |
38 | ||||
6.08 |
Ownership of Property; Liens. |
38 | ||||
6.09 |
Environmental Compliance. |
38 | ||||
6.10 |
Insurance. |
39 | ||||
6.11 |
Taxes. |
39 | ||||
6.12 |
ERISA Compliance. |
39 | ||||
6.13 |
Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. |
40 | ||||
6.14 |
Disclosure. |
40 | ||||
6.15 |
Compliance with Laws. |
40 | ||||
6.16 |
Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. |
40 | ||||
6.17 |
Subsidiaries. |
41 | ||||
6.18 |
Solvency. |
41 | ||||
6.19 |
[Reserved]. |
41 | ||||
6.20 |
OFAC; Anti-Corruption Laws. |
41 | ||||
ARTICLE VII. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS |
41 | |||||
7.01 |
Financial Statements. |
41 | ||||
7.02 |
Certificates; Other Information. |
42 | ||||
7.03 |
Notices. |
44 | ||||
7.04 |
Payment of Obligations. |
44 | ||||
7.05 |
Preservation of Existence, Etc. |
44 | ||||
7.06 |
Maintenance of Properties. |
44 | ||||
7.07 |
Maintenance of Insurance. |
45 | ||||
7.08 |
Compliance with Laws. |
45 | ||||
7.09 |
Books and Records. |
45 | ||||
7.10 |
Inspection Rights. |
45 | ||||
7.11 |
Use of Proceeds. |
45 | ||||
7.12 |
Subsidiary Guaranty. |
45 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS |
46 | |||||
8.01 |
Liens. |
46 | ||||
8.02 |
Mergers, Dispositions, etc. |
47 | ||||
8.03 |
Change in Nature of Business. |
48 | ||||
8.04 |
Transactions with Affiliates. |
48 | ||||
8.05 |
Use of Proceeds. |
48 |
iii
8.06 |
Financial Covenant. |
49 | ||||
8.07 |
Subsidiary Indebtedness. |
49 | ||||
8.08 |
Sanctions. |
49 | ||||
8.09 |
Anti-Corruption Laws. |
49 | ||||
ARTICLE IX. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES |
50 | |||||
9.01 |
Events of Default. |
50 | ||||
9.02 |
Remedies Upon Event of Default. |
52 | ||||
9.03 |
Application of Funds. |
52 | ||||
ARTICLE X. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT |
53 | |||||
10.01 |
Appointment and Authority. |
53 | ||||
10.02 |
Rights as a Lender. |
53 | ||||
10.03 |
Exculpatory Provisions. |
53 | ||||
10.04 |
Reliance by Administrative Agent. |
54 | ||||
10.05 |
Delegation of Duties. |
54 | ||||
10.06 |
Resignation of Administrative Agent. |
55 | ||||
10.07 |
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. |
56 | ||||
10.08 |
No Other Duties, Etc. |
56 | ||||
10.09 |
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. |
56 | ||||
ARTICLE XI. MISCELLANEOUS |
57 | |||||
11.01 |
Amendments, Etc. |
57 | ||||
11.02 |
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication. |
58 | ||||
11.03 |
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. |
60 | ||||
11.04 |
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. |
61 | ||||
11.05 |
[Reserved]. |
62 | ||||
11.06 |
Payments Set Aside. |
62 | ||||
11.07 |
Successors and Assigns. |
63 | ||||
11.08 |
Confidentiality. |
66 | ||||
11.09 |
Set-off. |
67 | ||||
11.10 |
Interest Rate Limitation. |
68 | ||||
11.11 |
Counterparts. |
68 | ||||
11.12 |
Integration; Effectiveness. |
68 | ||||
11.13 |
Survival of Representations and Warranties. |
68 | ||||
11.14 |
Severability. |
69 | ||||
11.15 |
Tax Forms. |
69 | ||||
11.16 |
Replacement of Lenders. |
70 | ||||
11.17 |
USA PATRIOT Act Notice. |
71 | ||||
11.18 |
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. |
72 | ||||
11.19 |
Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. |
72 | ||||
11.20 |
[Reserved]. |
73 | ||||
11.21 |
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. |
73 | ||||
11.22 |
Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. |
73 |
iv
SCHEDULES
2.01 | Commitments and Pro Rata Shares | |
6.09 | Environmental Matters | |
6.17 | Subsidiaries | |
8.01 | Existing Liens | |
11.02 | Notice Addresses |
EXHIBITS
A | Form of Loan Notice | |
B | Form of Note | |
C | Form of Compliance Certificate | |
D | Form of Assignment and Assumption | |
E | Form of Administrative Questionnaire | |
F | Form of Subsidiary Guaranty | |
G | Form of Solvency Certificate |
v
CREDIT AGREEMENT
This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of August 15, 2014 among ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation (the Borrower), the Lenders (defined herein), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
RECITALS
The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a term loan credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
The term loan credit facility and the transactions contemplated hereunder are in the corporate interests of the Borrower.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 | Defined Terms. |
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
Acquisition by any Person means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of, or of a business unit or division of, another Person or at least a majority of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person and whether for cash, property, services, assumption of Indebtedness, securities or otherwise.
Administrative Agent means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
Administrative Agent Fee Letter means the letter agreement, dated July 15, 2014, among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and MLPFS.
Administrative Agents Office means the Administrative Agents address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.
Administrative Questionnaire means an Administrative Questionnaire in the form of Exhibit E or any other form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
Affiliate means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. Control means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. Controlling and Controlled have meanings correlative thereto. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, for purposes of determining Affiliates of a member of the Consolidated Group, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 35% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.
Agent Parties has the meaning specified in Section 11.02.
Agreement means this Credit Agreement.
Applicable Rate means, from time to time, the following percentages per annum, based upon the Debt Rating as set forth below:
Pricing Level |
Debt Rating S&P/Moodys |
Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans |
Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans |
|||||||
1 |
BBB+/Baa1 or better |
1.125 | % | 0.125 | % | |||||
2 |
BBB/Baa2 | 1.250 | % | 0.250 | % | |||||
3 |
BBB-/Baa3 | 1.500 | % | 0.500 | % | |||||
4 |
BB+/Ba1 | 1.750 | % | 0.750 | % | |||||
5 |
BB/Ba2 or worse or unrated |
2.000 | % | 1.000 | % |
Debt Rating means, as of any date of determination, the rating as determined by either S&P or Moodys of the Borrowers non-credit-enhanced, senior unsecured long-term debt; provided that, if there is a split in the Debt Rating of S&P and Moodys by a single Pricing Level, then (a) in the case of a split between Pricing Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4, the higher (better) of such Debt Ratings shall apply and (b) in the case of a split between Pricing Levels 4 and 5, the lower (worse) of such Debt Ratings shall apply; provided, however, in the case of a split in Debt Ratings of more than one Pricing Level, the Pricing Level that is one level higher than the Pricing Level of the lower Debt Rating shall apply.
Initially, the Applicable Rate shall be determined based upon Pricing Level 3. Thereafter, each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a publicly announced change in the Debt Rating shall be effective, in the case of an upgrade, during the period commencing on the date of delivery by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent of notice thereof pursuant to Section 7.03(c) and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change and, in the case of a downgrade, during the period commencing on the date of the public announcement thereof and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change.
Determinations by the Administrative Agent of the appropriate Pricing Level shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
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.
Assignment and Assumption means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.07(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit D or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by MarkitClear or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.
2
Attorney Costs means and includes all reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel and, following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default, shall also include the allocated cost of internal legal counsel and all expenses and disbursements of internal counsel directly attributable to the enforcement of the Administrative Agents or Lenders rights under this Agreement.
Attributable Principal Amount means (a) in the case of capital leases, the amount of capital lease obligations determined in accordance with GAAP, (b) in the case of Synthetic Leases, an amount determined by capitalization of the remaining lease payments thereunder as if it were a capital lease determined in accordance with GAAP, (c) in the case of Securitization Transactions, the outstanding principal amount of such financing, after taking into account reserve accounts and making appropriate adjustments, as determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment and (d) in the case of any Sale and Lease Back Transaction, the present value (discounted in accordance with GAAP at the debt rate implied in the applicable lease) of the obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the term of such lease.
Bank of America means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
Base Rate means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its prime rate and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.0%. The prime rate is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of Americas costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
Base Rate Loan means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
Borrower Materials has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
Borrower has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
Borrowing means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
Business Day means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agents Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
Change in Law means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a Change in Law, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
3
Change of Control means an event or series of events by which: (a) any person or group (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) acquires directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, shares representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Borrower or any Person directly or indirectly Controlling the Borrower; or (b) a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Borrower or any Person directly or indirectly Controlling the Borrower shall at any time be occupied by persons who were neither (i) nominated by the management of the Borrower or by persons who were members of the board of directors as of the Closing Date or members elected by two thirds of such members, nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated.
Closing Date means August 15, 2014.
Commitment means, as to each Lender, the obligation of such Lender to make its portion of the Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, in the principal amount set forth as such Lenders Commitment on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable. The aggregate principal amount of the Commitments of all the Lenders as in effect on the Closing Date is ONE BILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000,000).
Compliance Certificate means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
Consolidated EBITDA means, for any period, for the Consolidated Group, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Consolidated Group for such period, (iii) the amount of depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) non-cash expenses for such period (excluding any non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash payments in any future period), (v) non-cash goodwill impairment charges and (vi) any non-cash loss attributable to the mark-to-market adjustments in the valuation of pension liabilities (to the extent the cash impact resulting from such loss has not been realized) in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 715 (ASC 715), plus (c) with respect to the Rockwood Acquisition, cost synergies (net of continued associated expenses) related to operational changes, restructurings, reorganizations, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and similar restructuring initiatives relating to the Rockwood Acquisition that, as of the date of calculation with respect to such period, are reasonably anticipated by the Borrower in good faith to be realized within twelve months following the Rockwood Acquisition; provided that (i) such cost synergies are calculated on a basis that is consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, (ii) the aggregate amount of such adjustments under this clause (c) taken into account in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period of determination shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to 5% of Consolidated EBITDA for such period (determined without giving effect to this clause (c)) and (iii) to the extent such cost synergies are no longer reasonably expected by the Borrower to be realized within twelve months following the Rockwood Acquisition, then such cost synergies shall not be included in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA minus (d) to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, (i) non-cash income during such period (excluding any non-cash income to the extent that it represents cash receipts in any future period) and (ii) any non-cash gains attributable to the mark-to-market adjustments in the valuation of pension liabilities in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 715 (ASC 715), all as determined in accordance with GAAP.
4
Consolidated Funded Debt means Funded Debt of the Consolidated Group determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Group means the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as determined in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Interest Charges means, for any period, for the Consolidated Group, all interest expense, including the amortization of debt discount and premium, the interest component under capital leases and the implied interest component under Securitization Transactions, in each case on a consolidated basis determined in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Leverage Ratio means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of the four fiscal quarters ending on such date.
Consolidated Net Income means, for any period, for the Consolidated Group, the sum, without duplication, of (i) net income of the Consolidated Group (excluding items reported as nonrecurring or unusual in the consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and the Consolidated Group and related tax effects) for that period minus (ii) to the extent included in the amount determined pursuant to clause (i) above, the income of any Subsidiary to the extent the payment of such income in the form of a distribution or repayment of any Indebtedness to the Borrower or a Subsidiary is not permitted, whether on account of any Organization Document restriction, any agreement, instrument, deed or lease or any Law applicable to such Subsidiary, all as determined in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Net Worth means, as of any date of determination, consolidated equity of the Consolidated Group as of that date determined in accordance with GAAP (excluding, for purposes hereof, changes in the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment and any mark to market of a derivative or hedging instrument (or any other adjustment related thereto) required under FAS 133).
Contractual Obligation means, as to any Person, any provision of any Security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
Control has the meaning specified in the definition of Affiliate.
Credit Extension means a Borrowing.
Debt Rating has the meaning specified in the definition of Applicable Rate.
Debtor Relief Laws means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.
Default means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
Default Rate means an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum.
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Defaulting Lender means, subject to Section 2.17(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lenders determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lenders obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lenders determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any equity interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.17(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower and each Lender.
Designated Jurisdiction means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.
Disposition means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
Dollar and $ mean lawful money of the United States.
Domestic Subsidiary means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.
Eligible Assignee means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 11.07(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.07(b)(iii)).
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Environmental Laws means any legally binding and applicable statute, law, regulation, ordinance, rule, judgment, order, decree, permit, concession, grant, franchise, license, agreement or restriction imposed by any federal, state, local, and foreign Governmental Authority relating to human health and the natural environment.
Environmental Liability means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the natural environment or (d) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which environmental liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
ERISA Affiliate means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).
ERISA Event means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) an event or condition that constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate.
Eurodollar Rate means:
(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower, as published by Bloomberg (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (in such case, the LIBOR Rate) at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and
(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate , at about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits for a term of one month commencing that day;
provided that (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and (ii) if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.
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Eurodollar Rate Loan means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
Event of Default has the meaning specified in Section 9.01.
Excluded Taxes has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(a).
FASB ASC means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
FATCA means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations thereunder or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, including any applicable intergovernmental agreements.
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, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100th of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
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, and a similar rule shall apply with respect to Belgium.
FRB means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
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.
Funded Debt means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a) all obligations for borrowed money, whether current or long-term (including the Obligations hereunder), and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments, including convertible debt instruments;
(b) all purchase money indebtedness (including indebtedness and obligations in respect of conditional sales and title retention arrangements, except for customary conditional sales and title retention arrangements with suppliers that are entered into in the ordinary course of business) and all indebtedness and obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business and payable on customary trade terms);
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(c) all contingent obligations and unreimbursed drawings under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;
(d) the Attributable Principal Amount of capital leases and Synthetic Leases;
(e) the Attributable Principal Amount of Securitization Transactions;
(f) all preferred stock and comparable equity interests providing for mandatory redemption, sinking fund or other like payments within 91 days following the Maturity Date;
(g) Guarantees in respect of Funded Debt of another Person; and
(h) Funded Debt of any partnership or joint venture or other similar entity in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, and, as such, has personal liability for such obligations, but only to the extent there is recourse to such Person for payment thereof.
For purposes hereof, the amount of Funded Debt shall be determined based on the outstanding principal amount in the case of borrowed money indebtedness under clause (a) and purchase money indebtedness and the deferred purchase obligations under clause (b), based on the maximum amount available to be drawn in the case of letter of credit obligations and the other obligations under clause (c), and based on the outstanding principal amount of Funded Debt that is the subject of the Guarantees in the case of Guarantees under clause (g) or, if less, the amount expressly guaranteed.
Funding Date means the date on which the conditions precedent set forth in Section 5.02 are satisfied and the Borrowing of the Term Loan has occurred.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification, consistently applied and as in effect from time to time.
Governmental Authority means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
Guarantee means, as to any Person, any (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the primary obligor) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to
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protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person. The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term Guarantee as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
Guarantors means, collectively, each Subsidiary of the Borrower that is party to the Subsidiary Guaranty.
Hazardous Materials means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
Immaterial Subsidiary means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that neither (a) owns assets with an aggregate book value in excess of $25,000,000 nor (b) has annual revenues in excess of $25,000,000.
Indebtedness means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a) all Funded Debt;
(b) net obligations under any Swap Contract;
(c) Guarantees in respect of Indebtedness of another Person; and
(d) Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture or other similar entity in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, and, as such, has personal liability for such obligations, but only to the extent there is recourse to such Person for payment thereof.
For purposes hereof, the amount of Indebtedness shall be determined based on Swap Termination Value in the case of net obligations under Swap Contracts under clause (c) and based on the outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness that is the subject of the Guarantees in the case of Guarantees under clause (d) or, if less, the amount expressly guaranteed.
Indemnitee has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).
Information has the meaning specified in Section 11.08.
Interest Payment Date means (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
Interest Period means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter, as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:
(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
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(b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
Internal Revenue Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
IRS means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
Laws means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.
Lender means each of the Persons identified as a Lender on the signature pages hereto, any other Person that becomes a Lender in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns.
Lending Office means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lenders Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
LIBOR has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
Lien means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
Loan means the Term Loan.
Loan Documents means this Agreement, each Note, the Administrative Agent Fee Letter and the Subsidiary Guaranty.
Loan Notice means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A.
Loan Obligations means the Term Loan.
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Material Adverse Effect means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent) or financial condition of the Consolidated Group taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against the Borrower of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
Material Domestic Subsidiary means any Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not an Immaterial Subsidiary; provided, however, that (i) special purpose Subsidiaries created in connection with any Securitization Transaction permitted hereunder and (ii) non wholly-owned Subsidiaries shall not constitute Material Domestic Subsidiaries.
Maturity Date means the date that is 364 days after the Funding Date; provided however that, in each case, if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.
Maximum Rate has the meaning specified in Section 11.10.
MLPFS means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, in its capacity as joint lead arranger and sole book runner, and its successors.
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.
Multiemployer Plan means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
Net Cash Proceeds means the aggregate cash or cash equivalents proceeds received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of the Pigments Business Disposition, and reflecting any purchase price or similar adjustment, net of (a) direct costs incurred in connection therewith (including legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions and all reasonable and customary out-of-pocket fees and expenses), (b) taxes paid or payable as a result thereof, (c) the amount necessary to retire any Indebtedness secured by a Lien permitted by Section 8.01 on the related property and (d) amounts provided as a reserve against any liabilities under any indemnification obligations or purchase price adjustment associated with the Pigments Business Disposition; it being understood that Net Cash Proceeds shall include any cash or cash equivalents received (x) upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received by the Borrower or any Subsidiary and (y) upon the reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in the foregoing clause (d) or, if such liabilities have not been satisfied in cash and such reserve is not reversed within three hundred and sixty-five (365) days after the Pigments Business Disposition, the amount of such reserve.
Note means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.
Obligations means, without duplication, (i) the Loan Obligations and (ii) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, the Borrower arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against the Borrower or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming a member of the Consolidated Group as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
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OFAC means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.
Organization Documents means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
Other Taxes has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(b).
Outstanding Amount means with respect to the Term Loan on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of the Term Loan occurring on such date.
Participant has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(d).
Participant Register has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(d).
Participating Member State means any member state of the European Union that has the Euro as its lawful currency in accordance with the legislation of the European Union relating to Economic and Monetary Union.
PBGC means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
Pension Plan means any employee pension benefit plan (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute, or in the case of a multiple employer or other plan described in Section 4064(a) of ERISA, has made contributions at any time during the immediately preceding five plan years.
Person means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, Borrower, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
Pigments Business Disposition means the sale of certain businesses of Rockwood being sold pursuant to the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement.
Pigments Business Disposition Agreement means the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2013, by and between Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc. and Huntsman International LLC.
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Plan means any employee benefit plan (as such term is defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA) established by the Borrower or, with respect to any such plan that is subject to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Title IV of ERISA, any ERISA Affiliate.
Platform has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
Pro Forma Basis means, for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenant hereunder, that the subject Acquisition or Disposition and any related incurrence or discharge of Indebtedness shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter for which annual or quarterly financial statements shall have been delivered in accordance with the provisions hereof. Further, for purposes of making calculations on a Pro Forma Basis hereunder, (a) income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property, entities or business units that are the subject of the subject Acquisition or Disposition shall be included (or in the case of Dispositions, excluded) to the extent relating to any period prior to the date of subject transaction, and (b) Indebtedness incurred or, in the case of a Disposition, discharged in connection with the subject Acquisition or Disposition shall be deemed to have been incurred or, in the case of a Disposition, discharged as of the first day of the applicable period (and interest expense shall be imputed for the applicable period assuming prevailing interest rates hereunder or excluded based on actual interest accrued in accordance with GAAP).
Pro Rata Share means with respect to each Lender, (a) prior to the Borrowing of the Term Loan, a fraction (expressed as percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Commitment of such Lender at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Commitments of all Lenders at such time; provided that if the Commitments shall have been terminated pursuant to Section 9.02, then the Pro Rata Share of each Lender shall be determined based on the Pro Rata Share of such Lender immediately prior to such termination and after giving effect to any subsequent assignments made pursuant to the terms hereof and (b) on and after the Borrowing of the Term Loan, the percentage (expressed as percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Outstanding Amount held by such Lender at such time. The initial Pro Rata Shares of each Lender is set forth as such on Schedule 2.01. The Pro Rata Shares shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.17.
Public Lender has the meaning specified in Section 7.02.
Register has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(c).
Related Parties means, with respect to any Person, such Persons Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, representatives and advisors of such Person and of such Persons Affiliates.
Reportable Event means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.
Request for Credit Extension means with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice.
Required Lenders means, as of any date of determination, Lenders holding in the aggregate more than fifty percent (50%) of the unfunded Commitments and outstanding Term Loan; provided that the Commitment of, and the portion of the Term Loan held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.
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Responsible Officer means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer of the Borrower, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 5.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary of the Borrower and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer of the Borrower so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Borrower and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of the Borrower.
Rockwood means Rockwood Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
Rockwood Acquisition means the acquisition of all of the outstanding capital stock of Rockwood pursuant to the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement.
Rockwood Acquisition Agreement means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 15, 2014, by and among the Borrower, Rockwood and Albemarle Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
Rockwood Notes means the 4.625% senior notes due October 15, 2020 issued by Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc. pursuant to that certain First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 25, 2012, to the Indenture, dated as of September 25, 2012, among Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc., the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.
S&P means Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of McGraw Hill Financial Inc., and any successor thereto.
Sale and Leaseback Transaction means, with respect to the Borrower or any Subsidiary, any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby the Borrower or such Subsidiary shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.
Sanction(s) means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majestys Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.
SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
Securitization Transaction means any financing or factoring or similar transaction (or series of such transactions) that has been or may be entered into by a member of the Consolidated Group pursuant to which such member of the Consolidated Group may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or may grant a security interest in, any accounts receivable, payment intangibles, notes receivable, rights to future lease payments or residuals or other similar rights to payment to a special purpose Subsidiary or Affiliate or any other Person.
Security means all capital stock, voting trust certificates, bonds, debentures, instruments and other evidence of Indebtedness, whether or not secured, convertible or subordinated, all certificates of interest, share or participation in, all certificates for the acquisition of, and all warrants, options and other rights to acquire, any Security.
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Specified Senior Notes mean the senior unsecured notes issued and sold by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Rockwood Acquisition.
Solvent means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, after giving full effect to rights of contribution against or reimbursement from other Persons under applicable Law or any Contractual Obligation, that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the normal course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Persons ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature in their ordinary course, (c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Persons assets would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which such Person is engaged or is to engage, (d) the fair value of the assets of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent liabilities, of such Person and (e) the present fair saleable value of the assets 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. In computing the amount of contingent liabilities at any time, it is intended that such liabilities will be computed at the amount which, in 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 reduced by the amount of any contribution or indemnity that can reasonably be expected to be received.
Subsidiary of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than shares or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a Subsidiary or to Subsidiaries shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower.
Subsidiary Guaranty means the guaranty agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the other holders of the Obligations.
Swap Contract means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps, options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, that are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a Master Agreement), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
Swap Termination Value means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts 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
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referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
Synthetic Lease means any synthetic, 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 under GAAP.
Taxes has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(a).
Taxing Jurisdiction has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(a).
Term Loan has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
Threshold Amount means ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ($100,000,000).
Ticking Fee has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(a).
Type means, with respect to the Term Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
Unfunded Pension Liability means, the excess of a Pension Plans benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA, over the current value of that Pension Plans assets, determined as of the date of the most recently completed actuarial valuation report for that Pension Plan in accordance with the assumptions used for funding the Pension Plan pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code.
United States and U.S. mean the United States of America.
1.02 | Other Interpretive Provisions. |
With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.
(b) (i) The words herein, hereto, hereof and hereunder and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.
(ii) Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Loan Document in which such reference appears unless otherwise expressly referenced.
(iii) The term including is by way of example and not limitation.
(iv) 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.
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(c) 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.
(d) 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.
1.03 | Accounting Terms. |
(a) 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, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Funded Debt of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded. For purposes of calculations made pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, GAAP will be deemed to treat operating leases in a manner consistent with their current treatment under GAAP as in effect on the Closing Date, notwithstanding any modifications or interpretive changes thereto that may occur thereafter.
(b) At the Borrowers election, determinations of compliance with the financial covenant hereunder may be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to one or more Acquisitions, Dispositions of all of the equity interests of, or all or substantially all of the assets of, a Subsidiary or any Disposition of a line of business or a division of the Borrower or a Subsidiary, in each case, consummated after the Closing Date; provided that with respect to any such Acquisition or Disposition (i) the Borrower must elect to treat such Acquisition or Disposition on a Pro Forma Basis on or before the delivery of the Compliance Certificate relating to the first fiscal quarter period ending after the date of such Acquisition or Disposition, (ii) the Borrower must indicate such election on such Compliance Certificate and (iii) such election shall be irrevocable. Absent the Borrowers election to treat an Acquisition or Disposition on a Pro Forma Basis in accordance with this subsection (b), determinations of compliance with the financial covenant hereunder shall not be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to such Acquisition or Disposition.
(c) The Borrower will provide a written summary of material changes in GAAP affecting the financial reporting of the Borrower or in the consistent application thereof by the Borrower with each annual and quarterly Compliance Certificate delivered in accordance with Section 7.02(b). 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.
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1.04 | Rounding. |
Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 | References to Agreements and Laws. |
Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization 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 Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.
1.06 | Times of Day. |
Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to New York time (Eastern daylight or standard, as applicable).
ARTICLE II.
COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 | The Term Loan. |
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make its portion of a term loan (the Term Loan) to the Borrower in Dollars on the Funding Date in an amount equal to such Lenders Commitment. Amounts repaid on the Term Loan may not be reborrowed. The Term Loan may consist of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein.
2.02 | Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of the Term Loan. |
(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrowers irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans and (ii) one Business Day prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each telephonic notice by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.02(a) must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a written Loan Notice, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice (whether telephonic or written) shall specify (i) whether a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans is being requested,
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(ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans, as described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agents Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.02, the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default or Event of Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the then outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans be converted to Base Rate Loans.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurodollar Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of Americas prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.
(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than two Interest Periods in effect with respect to Loans.
2.03 | [Reserved]. |
2.04 | [Reserved]. |
2.05 | Prepayments. |
(a) Voluntary. The Borrower may, upon notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon (A) three Business Days prior to any date of
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prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment, and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid (provided that (y) if the Borrower does not specify the Loans to which such prepayment is to be applied, such prepayment shall be applied pro rata to all Loans outstanding on the date thereof and (z) if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Borrower shall specify the Interest Period(s) of such Loans). The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each applicable Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lenders Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.17, each such prepayment shall be applied to the applicable Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares thereof.
(b) Mandatory. Promptly upon the receipt by the Borrower of the Net Cash Proceeds from the Pigments Business Disposition, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds. Such prepayment shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities. All such prepayments shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.
2.06 | Termination or Reduction of Commitments. |
(a) Optional Reductions. The Borrower may, upon notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction and (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of Commitments. Any reduction of the Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Pro Rata Share thereof. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
(b) Mandatory Reductions. The Commitments shall be terminated upon the earlier to occur of (i) the termination of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement, (ii) the consummation of the Rockwood Acquisition without using the proceeds of the Term Loan and (iii) May 15, 2015.
2.07 | Repayment of Loans. |
The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Loans made to the Borrower outstanding on such date.
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2.08 | Interest. |
(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus (B) the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (A) the Base Rate plus (B) the Applicable Rate.
(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(i) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all of its outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto by the Borrower and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable by the Borrower in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
2.09 | Fees. |
(a) Ticking Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share, a fee (the Ticking Fee) equal to (i) 0.15% per annum times (ii) the actual daily amount of the Commitment of such Lender, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.17. The Ticking Fee shall accrue from and including September 13, 2014 to but excluding the Funding Date or such earlier date upon which the Commitments are terminated or expire. Such Ticking Fee shall be payable in full upon the earlier of (x) the Funding Date and (y) the date of termination or expiration of the Commitments.
(b) Other Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for its own account an annual administrative fee in an amount and at the times set forth in the Administrative Agent Fee Letter. Such fee shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever. The Borrower shall pay to MLPFS and the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
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2.10 | Computation of Interest and Fees. |
All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans 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 shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
2.11 | Evidence of Debt. |
The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lenders Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
2.12 | Payments Generally; Administrative Agents Clawback. |
(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agents Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lenders Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent (i) after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lenders share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share
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available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. 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 Lenders Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.
(ii) Payments by the Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender to the Borrower as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article V are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).
(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
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2.13 | Sharing of Payments. |
If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it resulting in such Lenders receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans 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 Section shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender) 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 an assignment to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section 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.
2.14 | [Reserved]. |
2.15 | [Reserved]. |
2.16 | [Reserved]. |
2.17 | Defaulting Lenders. |
(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(i) Waivers and Amendments. That Defaulting Lenders right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of Required Lenders and Section 11.01.
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(ii) Reallocation of Payments. Any payment of principal, interest, fees (to the extent required to be paid by the Borrower under Section 2.17(a)(iii)) or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of that Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article IX or otherwise or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.09), shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by that Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; third, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to satisfy such Defaulting Lenders potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement; fourth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lenders breach of its obligations under this Agreement; fifth, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against that Defaulting Lender as a result of that Defaulting Lenders breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and sixth, to that Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans in respect of which that Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.17(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this Section 2.17(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by that Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(iii) Certain Fees. No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).
(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower and the Administrative Agent agree in writing in their sole discretion that a Defaulting Lender should no longer be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein, that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Pro Rata Shares, whereupon that Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lenders having been a Defaulting Lender.
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ARTICLE III.
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 | Taxes. |
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any and all payments by or on behalf of the Borrower to or for the account of the Administrative Agent or any Lender under any Loan Document shall be made free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, excluding (i) in the case of the Administrative Agent and each Lender, any and all present and future taxes imposed on or measured by its income or gross receipts, and franchise taxes imposed on it, by a jurisdiction (the Taxing Jurisdiction) as a result of (A) the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, being organized under the Laws of or maintaining a lending office in the Taxing Jurisdiction or (B) the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, booking Loans made by it in the Taxing Jurisdiction, (ii) in the case of a Foreign Lender, any taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, that are (A) imposed by the United States with respect to the Loans on amounts payable to such Foreign Lender at the time such Foreign Lender becomes a party to this Agreement (or designates a new lending office) or (B) attributable to such Foreign Lenders failure or inability (other than as a result of a Change in Law) to comply with Section 11.15, 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 taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and all liabilities with respect thereto, pursuant to this Section 3.01 and (iii) any U.S. federal withholding taxes imposed under FATCA (all such non-excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and liabilities with respect thereto being hereinafter referred to as Taxes and all such excluded taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, assessments, fees, withholdings or similar charges, and liabilities with respect thereto being hereinafter referred to as Excluded Taxes). If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue Code to deduct any taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, (i) to the extent that the deduction is made on account of Taxes, 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 such Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions for Taxes been made, (ii) the Administrative Agent shall make such deductions, and (iii) the Administrative Agent shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable Laws. If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Internal Revenue Code to deduct any taxes from or in respect of any sum payable under any Loan Document to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, then (i) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions, (ii) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant taxation authority in accordance with such Laws, and (iii) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section) the Administrative Agent or such Lender receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
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(b) In addition, the Borrower agrees to pay any and all present or future stamp or documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes or charges or similar levies that arise from the execution, delivery, performance (other than payment of amounts owing under the Loan Documents), enforcement or registration of, or otherwise similarly with respect to, any Loan Document (hereinafter referred to as Other Taxes).
(c) (i) The Borrower agrees to indemnify the Administrative Agent and each Lender for (x) the full amount of Taxes and Other Taxes (including any Taxes or Other Taxes imposed or asserted by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section) paid by the Administrative Agent and such Lender and (y) any liability (including additions to tax, penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, in each case whether or not such Taxes or Other Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. Payment under this subsection (c) shall be made within sixty days after the date the Lender or the Administrative Agent makes a written demand therefor; provided, however, that notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 3.01, if the Administrative Agent or any Lender requests indemnification or compensation for Taxes or Other Taxes pursuant to this Section 3.01 more than 120 days after the earlier of (i) the date on which the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, makes payment of such Taxes or Other Taxes, and (ii) the date on which the appropriate Governmental Authority makes written demand on the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, for payment of such Taxes or Other Taxes, then the Borrower shall not be obligated to indemnify or reimburse the Administrative Agent or such Lender, as the case may be, for such Taxes or Other Taxes. The Borrower shall, and does hereby indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not have any obligation to indemnify any party hereunder for Taxes, Other Taxes or any other liability that arises from such partys own gross negligence or willful misconduct. To the extent that the Borrower pays an amount to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the preceding sentence (a Back-Up Indemnity Payment), then upon request of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to exercise its set-off rights described in the last sentence of clause (c)(ii) below (on behalf of itself or the Borrower) to collect the applicable Back-Up Indemnity Payment amount from the applicable Lender and shall pay the amount so collected to the Borrower net of any reasonable expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent in its efforts to collect (through set-off or otherwise) from such Lender with respect to clause (c)(ii), below.
(ii) Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, (x) the Administrative Agent against any Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Borrower to do so) and (y) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the
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Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).
(d) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a taxation authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such taxation authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.
(e) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If the Administrative Agent or a Lender determines, in good faith, 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 3.01, it shall pay an amount equal to such refund to the Borrower (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. This 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 that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.
(f) Survival. Each partys obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.
3.02 | Illegality. |
If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest rate is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the applicable interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans, or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans, shall be suspended and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case, until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all of such Lenders Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without
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utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted. Each Lender agrees to designate a different Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Lender. If such Lender does not designate a different Lending Office to avoid the need for such notice, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.16.
3.03 | Inability to Determine Rates. |
If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (A) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for the Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (i), Impacted Loans), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding such Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and all Lenders. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
3.04 | Increased Cost and Reduced Return; Capital Adequacy. |
(a) If any Lender determines that as a result of any Change in Law, there shall be any increase in the cost to such Lender of agreeing to make or making, funding or maintaining Loans the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate or (as the case may be) a reduction in the amount received or receivable by such Lender in connection with any of the foregoing (excluding for purposes of this subsection (a) any such increased costs or reduction in amount resulting from (i) Taxes, Other Taxes and Excluded Taxes (as to which Section 3.01 shall govern), (ii) changes in the basis of taxation of overall net income or overall gross income by the United States or any foreign jurisdiction or any political subdivision of either thereof under the Laws of which such Lender is organized or has its Lending Office, and (iii) reserve requirements utilized, as to Eurodollar Rate Loans, as contemplated by Section 3.04(e)), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such increased cost or reduction; provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section 3.04 for any additional amounts incurred more than 90 days
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prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such additional amounts and of such Lenders intention to claim compensation therefor; provided, further, that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such additional amounts is retroactive, then such 90-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
(b) If any Lender determines that any Change in Law has the effect of reducing the rate of return on the capital of such Lender or any corporation controlling such Lender as a consequence of such Lenders obligations hereunder (taking into consideration its policies with respect to capital adequacy and such Lenders desired return on capital or liquidity), then from time to time upon demand of such Lender (with a copy of such demand to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amounts as will compensate such Lender for such reduction; provided that each such Lender shall make demand for compensation hereunder no later than ninety days after becoming aware of such effect.
(c) [reserved].
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 3.04, the Borrower shall not be required to pay to any Lender additional amounts under this Section 3.04 for Taxes, Other Taxes and Excluded Taxes (Section 3.01 shall govern the obligation of the Borrower to pay additional amounts for Taxes, Other Taxes and Excluded Taxes).
(e) The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, (i) as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as Eurocurrency liabilities), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), and (ii) as long as such Lender shall be required to comply with any reserve ratio requirement or analogous requirement of any other central banking or financial regulatory authority imposed in respect of the maintenance of the Commitments or the funding of the Eurodollar Rate Loans, such additional costs (expressed as a percentage per annum and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest five decimal places) equal to the actual costs allocated to such Commitment or Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), which in each case shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest or costs from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest or costs shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.
3.05 | Funding Losses. |
Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense (excluding the loss of the Applicable Rate) incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
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(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Eurodollar Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or
(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.16;
including any foreign exchange losses and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any reasonable customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate used in determining the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
3.06 | Matters Applicable to all Requests for Compensation. |
(a) A certificate of the Administrative Agent or any Lender claiming compensation under this Article III and setting forth the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, the Administrative Agent or such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.
(b) Upon any Lenders making a claim for compensation under Section 3.01 or 3.04, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.16.
3.07 | Survival. |
The obligations of the Borrower under this Article III shall survive termination of the Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE IV.
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE V.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
5.01 | Conditions to Effectiveness. |
This Agreement shall be effective upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) The Administrative Agents receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or facsimiles (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel:
(i) executed counterparts of this Agreement by the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Borrower;
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(ii) Notes executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;
(iii) copies of the Organization Documents of the Borrower certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state of its incorporation, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of the Borrower to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;
(iv) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of the Borrower as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the Borrower is a party;
(v) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that the Borrower is duly incorporated, and that the Borrower is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of incorporation;
(vi) favorable opinions of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Troutman Sanders LLP, counsel to the Borrower, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and
(vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) the current Debt Ratings and (B) that attached thereto is a true, complete and correct copy of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement.
(b) Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.
(c) [Reserved].
(d) The Borrower shall have paid all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).
(e) At least three Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all documentation and other information about the Borrower, Rockwood and their respective Subsidiaries as has been reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Arranger in writing at least 10 Business Days prior to the Closing Date and that they reasonably determine is required by regulatory authorities under applicable know your customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the PATRIOT Act.
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Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
5.02 | Conditions to Funding. |
The obligation of each Lender to fund its Pro Rata Share of the Term Loan is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) The representations and warranties made by or on behalf of Rockwood in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement and which are material to the interests of the Lenders (in their capacities as such) shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, with respect to representations already qualified by concepts of materiality, in all respects) as of the Funding Date, but only to the extent that the Borrower or any of its Affiliates has the right to terminate its obligations under the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement or to decline to consummate the Rockwood Acquisition as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement.
(b) Each of the representations and warranties set forth in the following Sections shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, with respect to representations already qualified by concepts of materiality, in all respects) at the time of and after giving effect to the Credit Extensions hereunder on the Funding Date: Sections 6.01 (with respect to subclauses (a),(b)(ii) and (c) thereof), 6.02 (exclusive of subclause (b) thereof), 6.04, 6.13, 6.18 and 6.20.
(c) Since December 31, 2013, there has not been any event, change, conditions, occurrence or effect, that individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Company Material Adverse Effect means an event, change, condition, occurrence or effect that has had a material adverse effect on the assets, business, financial condition or results of operations of Rockwood and the Company Subsidiaries (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), taken as a whole, provided, however, that no events, changes, conditions, occurrences or effects arising out of or relating to any of the following, either alone or in combination, shall constitute or be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) any change generally affecting regulatory or political conditions in the United States, the European Union or in any other country; (ii) any change generally affecting economic conditions in the United States, the European Union or in any other country; (iii) any change generally affecting the capital or financial markets, including changes in interest or exchange rates, in the United States, the European Union or in any other country; (iv) any change generally affecting the industries, markets or geographical areas in which Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary operates; (v) any hurricane, flood, earthquake or other natural disaster; (vi) any military action, civil disturbance (other than in connection with any labor dispute), acts of war (whether or not declared) or terrorism, or any outbreak, escalation or worsening of any of the foregoing; (vii) any change or proposed change in GAAP (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or the interpretation thereof; (viii) any change or proposed change in applicable Law (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or the interpretation thereof; (ix) any change in the price or availability of any raw material or commodity used or sold by Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary; (x) the negotiation, execution, delivery, pendency or performance of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement or the
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consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, or any public disclosure relating to any of the foregoing, or the impact of any of the foregoing on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, lenders, employees, unions, licensors, joint venture partners or other Persons (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) with business relationships with Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary or any action or inaction by a Governmental Entity (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or any Proceeding (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or dispute brought or threatened arising out of or relating to the matters in this clause (x); (xi) the pendency or performance of the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement (including any amendment or waiver thereof, consent thereunder or termination thereof in compliance with the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement) or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (including the taking of any action or failure to take any action contemplated by the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement, to facilitate the consummation thereof) or any post-closing indemnity or other liability or obligation arising out of or relating to such agreement (it being understood that any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect underlying any such post-closing indemnity may be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect), or any public disclosure relating to any of the foregoing, or the impact of any of the foregoing on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, lenders, employees, unions, joint venture partners or other Persons with business relationships with Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary, or any action or inaction by a Governmental Entity or any Proceeding or dispute brought or threatened arising out of or relating to the matters in this clause (xi) (it being understood that any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect underlying any such Proceeding that is brought after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement may be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect); (xii) any action taken at the Borrowers request; (xiii) any decline in the credit rating, market price or trading volume of any Securities (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or Indebtedness (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) of Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary or any failure of Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary to achieve any internal or public earnings or other financial projections or forecasts (it being understood that any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect underlying such decline or failure (other than any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect relating to matters in clauses (i) through (xii) and (xiv)) may be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect); or (xiv) any action taken by the Borrower or its Affiliates (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) (including any disclosure regarding the Borrowers plans with respect to the conduct of the business of Rockwood following the Effective Time (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof)); except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (vii), to the extent that Rockwood and its Subsidiaries (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), taken as a whole, are disproportionately adversely affected thereby in any material respect as compared to other participants in the industries in which Rockwood and its Subsidiaries operate.
(d) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 5.02(a), 5.02(b) and 5.02(f) have been satisfied, (B) the current Debt Ratings and (C) that attached thereto is a true, complete and correct copy of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as of the Funding Date.
(e) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Solvency Certificate in the form of Exhibit G hereto.
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(f) The Rockwood Acquisition shall have been, or shall concurrently with the funding of the Term Loan on the Funding Date be, consummated in accordance with the terms of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement, without giving effect to any amendment, modification, waiver or consent thereunder that is materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders (in their capacities as such) unless such amendment, modification, waiver or consent is approved by MLPFS (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned); provided, that (i) any increase in the purchase price shall not be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders so long as such increase is not funded with the incurrence or assumption of additional Indebtedness, (ii) any decrease in purchase price by 10% or more shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders and (iii) any change to the definition of Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement) shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders.
(g) At least three Business Days prior to the Funding Date, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all documentation and other information about the Borrower, Rockwood and their respective Subsidiaries as has been reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or the Arranger in writing at least 10 Business Days prior to the Funding Date and that they reasonably determine is required by regulatory authorities under applicable know your customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the PATRIOT Act.
(h) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice duly completed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
(i) The Borrower shall have paid all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Funding Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).
The Loan Notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.02(h) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article VI are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Funding Date; provided, however, that the only representations and warranties the accuracy of which shall be a condition precedent to the funding of the Term Loan hereunder are the representations and warranties provided pursuant to Section 5.02(b).
ARTICLE VI.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
6.01 | Existence, Qualification and Power. |
The Borrower (a) is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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6.02 | Authorization; No Contravention. |
The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of each Loan Document to which it is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not (a) contravene the terms of any of the Borrowers Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, (i) any Contractual Obligation to which the Borrower is a party or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which the Borrower or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law, except in each case referred to in clause (b) or (c), to the extent that it would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.03 | Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. |
No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, the Borrower of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except for those the failure to obtain, occur or make would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.04 | Binding Effect. |
This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer or conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
6.05 | Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change. |
(a) The audited consolidated balance sheet of the Consolidated Group for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Consolidated Group in all material respects as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Consolidated Group as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness, which are required to be shown thereon in accordance with GAAP.
(b) The unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Consolidated Group for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal quarter (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Consolidated Group in all material respects as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit
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adjustments; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Consolidated Group as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness, which are required to be shown thereon in accordance with GAAP.
(c) Since December 31, 2013, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or would be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 | Litigation. |
There are not any actions, suits or proceedings at law or in equity or by or before any Governmental Authority now pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened (and reasonably likely to be commenced) against or affecting any member of the Consolidated Group or any property or rights of the Consolidated Group as to which there is a reasonable likelihood of an adverse determination and which, if adversely determined, would individually or in the aggregate result in a Material Adverse Effect.
6.07 | No Default. |
(a) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
6.08 | Ownership of Property; Liens. |
Each member of the Consolidated Group has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Consolidated Group is subject to no Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 8.01.
6.09 | Environmental Compliance. |
Except as set forth in Schedule 6.09, (a) the Consolidated Group is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Environmental Laws, except where the failure to do so would not be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (b) no member of the Consolidated Group has received written notice of any failure to comply with applicable Environmental Laws, which non-compliance neither has been or is being remedied, nor is being contested in good faith by such member of the Consolidated Group, nor is the subject of such members good faith efforts to achieve compliance, except notices for which non-compliance would not be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (c) the Consolidated Groups facilities do not manage any Hazardous Materials in violation in any applicable Environmental Law, except where such violation would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (d) the Borrower is aware of no events, conditions or circumstances involving environmental pollution or contamination or employee health or safety that would be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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6.10 | Insurance. |
The properties of the Consolidated Group are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards), with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the Borrower or its Subsidiaries operate.
6.11 | Taxes. |
Each member of the Consolidated Group has filed all federal, state and other tax returns and reports required to be filed by such member, and has paid all federal, state and other taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon such member or its properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except (a) those that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or (b) those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no proposed tax assessment against the Borrower or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.12 | ERISA Compliance. |
(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Laws. Each Plan that is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS with respect thereto and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, nothing has occurred that would prevent, or cause the loss of, such qualification. The Borrower and each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Plan subject to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code, and no application for a funding waiver or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code has been made with respect to any Plan.
(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Other than as would not reasonably be expected to result in liability in excess of $15,000,000, (i) no ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur, (ii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to any Pension Plan (other than premiums due and not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA and other contributions payable in accordance with the terms of such Pension Plan or applicable law), and (iii) neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred, or reasonably expects to incur, any liability (and no event has occurred that, with the giving of notice under Section 4219 of ERISA, would result in such liability) under Sections 4201 or 4243 of ERISA with respect to a Multiemployer Plan.
(d) The Pension Plans, on a consolidated basis, do not have any Unfunded Pension Liability in excess of $100,000,000.
(e) To the knowledge of the Borrower, neither the Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that is subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA.
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6.13 | Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act. |
(a) The Borrower is not engaged nor will it engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB, as in effect from time to time, or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock, and the Credit Extensions hereunder will not be used to purchase or carry margin stock in violation of Regulation U or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock, or for any purpose that would violate the provisions of Regulation X issued by the FRB, as in effect from time to time.
(b) Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
6.14 | Disclosure. |
No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of the Borrower 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) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time; provided, further, that with respect to the financial statements provided pursuant to Section 7.02(e), this representation is made to the best knowledge of the Borrower.
6.15 | Compliance with Laws. |
Each of the Borrower and each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or (b) the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.16 | Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. |
To the knowledge of the Borrower, the Consolidated Group owns, or possesses the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights that are reasonably necessary for the operation of its businesses, without conflict with the rights of any other Person. To the knowledge of the Borrower, no slogan or other advertising device, product, process, method, substance, part or other material now employed, or now contemplated to be employed, by the Borrower or any Subsidiary infringes upon any rights held by any other Person that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened (and reasonably likely to be commenced), that would in either case reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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6.17 | Subsidiaries. |
Set forth on Schedule 6.17 is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing Date of each Subsidiary of the Borrower, together with (i) the jurisdiction of formation, (ii) an indication of whether such Subsidiary is a Material Domestic Subsidiary and (iii) the ownership percentage of the Borrower or any Subsidiary therein.
6.18 | Solvency. |
The Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, are Solvent.
6.19 | [Reserved]. |
6.20 | OFAC; Anti-Corruption Laws. |
(a) Neither the Borrower, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity currently the subject of any Sanctions, nor is the Borrower or any Subsidiary located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.
(b) The Borrower and its Subsidiaries have conducted their business in compliance in all material respects with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
ARTICLE VII.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrower shall and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to:
7.01 | Financial Statements. |
Furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety days after the end of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of the Consolidated Group as of the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Required Lenders, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any going concern or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and
(b) as soon as available, but in any event within fifty days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet of the
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Consolidated Group as of the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the Borrowers fiscal year then ended, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Consolidated Group in all material respects, in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 7.02(d), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under clause (a) or (b) above, but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in subsections (a) and (b) above at the times specified therein.
7.02 | Certificates; Other Information. |
Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 7.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default or Event of Default under the financial covenant set forth herein or, if any such Default or Event of Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event (which certificate, when furnished by such accountants, may be limited to accounting matters and disclaim responsibility for legal interpretations);
(b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 7.01(a) and (b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, (i) setting forth computations in reasonable detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent demonstrating compliance with the financial covenant contained in Section 8.06, (ii) certifying that no Default or Event of Default exists as of the date thereof (or, to the extent a Default or Event of Default exists, the nature and extent thereof and the proposed actions of the Borrower with respect thereto) and (iii) including a summary of all material changes in GAAP affecting the Borrower and in the consistent application thereof by the Borrower, the effect on the financial covenant resulting therefrom, and a reconciliation between calculation of the financial covenant before and after giving effect to such changes (which certificate may be delivered by electronic mail or by facsimile);
(c) promptly after requested by the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;
(d) 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 that 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;
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(e) promptly after the same are available on the applicable SEC website, until such time as the Rockwood Acquisition is consummated, copies of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries as of the end of, and related statements of income and cash flows of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries, for the fiscal year ending after December 31, 2013 and at least ninety (90) days prior to the Funding Date and (ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries as of the end of, and related statements of income and cash flows of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries, for each fiscal quarter ending after December 31, 2013 and at least forty-five (45) days prior to the Funding Date, prepared in accordance with GAAP except for the absence of footnotes and for normal year-end audit adjustments; and
(f) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent, on behalf of any Lender, may from time to time reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(a) or (b) or Section 7.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrowers website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrowers 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 upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies (which may include .pdf files) is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile 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. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper 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 by a Lender 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 MLPFS may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, Borrower Materials) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, SyndTrak or another similar electronic system (the Platform) subject to procedures and confidentiality undertakings of the Platform and (b) certain of the Lenders (each a Public Lender) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked PUBLIC which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word PUBLIC shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials PUBLIC, the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, MLPFS and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.08); (y) all Borrower Materials marked PUBLIC are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated as Public Side Information; and (z) the
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Administrative Agent and MLPFS shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked PUBLIC as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated as Public Side Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall not be under any obligation to mark any Borrower Materials PUBLIC.
7.03 | Notices. |
Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) of the occurrence of any Default;
(b) of any matter that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and
(c) if unrated, any announcement by Moodys or S&P of any Debt Rating, or if rated, any announcement by Moodys or S&P of any change or possible change in a Debt Rating.
Each notice pursuant to this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 7.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
7.04 | Payment of Obligations. |
Pay and discharge as the same shall become due and payable, (a) all material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by the Borrower or such Subsidiary, (b) all lawful claims that, if unpaid, would by law become a Lien upon its property (other than a Lien permitted by Section 8.01) and (c) except where the failure to so pay or discharge would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, all other obligations and liabilities.
7.05 | Preservation of Existence, Etc. |
Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence and good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 8.02; (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (c) preserve or renew all of its registered patents, trademarks, trade names and service marks, the non-preservation of which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.06 | Maintenance of Properties. |
Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and material equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
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7.07 | Maintenance of Insurance. |
Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, insurance with respect to its properties and business against loss or damage of the kinds customarily insured against by Persons engaged in the same or similar business, of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance compatible with the following standards) as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons.
7.08 | Compliance with Laws. |
Comply in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; or (b) the failure to comply therewith would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.09 | Books and Records. |
(a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be; and (b) maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over the Borrower or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.
7.10 | Inspection Rights. |
Upon the request of the Administrative Agent on behalf of any Lender, permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Lenders when no Event of Default exists, and at such reasonable times during normal business hours, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower and no more than once per year; provided, however, that when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.
7.11 | Use of Proceeds. |
Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions to finance the Rockwood Acquisition and to pay fees and expenses in connection therewith.
7.12 | Subsidiary Guaranty. |
Upon the earlier of (i) seventy days following the guarantee by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding Rockwood and its Subsidiaries) of the Rockwood Notes and (ii) the guarantee by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any Specified Senior Notes, cause such Subsidiaries as are guarantors or obligors with respect to either of the Rockwood Notes or any Specified Senior Notes to execute and deliver the Subsidiary Guaranty, and deliver to the Administrative Agent documentation of the types described in Sections 5.01(a)(iii) through 5.01(a)(vi), each in form and substance reasonably
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satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided, that, at such time when neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is an obligor or guarantor of the Rockwood Notes or any Specified Senior Notes, the Subsidiary Guaranty provided pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be released.
ARTICLE VIII.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
So long as any Lender shall have any Commitment hereunder, or any Loan or other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied, the Borrower shall not, nor shall it permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
8.01 | Liens. |
Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:
(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;
(b) Liens existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 8.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that the scope of the property covered thereby is not increased;
(c) Liens for taxes not yet due or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
(d) carriers, warehousemens, mechanics, materialmens, repairmens or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty days or that are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;
(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;
(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety bonds (other than bonds related to judgments or litigation, which are covered in subsection (h) below), performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property that, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and that do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;
(h) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money which do not constitute Events of Default hereunder;
(i) Liens securing, or in respect of, Indebtedness in respect of capital leases, Synthetic Leases and purchase money obligations for fixed or capital assets (including, but not
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limited to, any such Lien granted within 180 days of the acquisition of such fixed or capital asset); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed the cost or fair market value, whichever is lower, of the property being acquired on the date of acquisition;
(j) Liens on property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary granted in connection with Sale and Leaseback Transactions, provided that the aggregate Attributable Principal Amount in connection with such Sale and Leaseback Transactions shall not at any time be in excess of $100,000,000;
(k) Liens on property or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary granted in connection with Securitization Transactions;
(l) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;
(m) licenses of intellectual property rights in the ordinary course of business;
(n) Liens on the property and assets of any Person to the extent such Liens are existing at the time such Person becomes a member of the Consolidated Group, and any renewals, extensions or replacements thereof so long as the scope of the property covered thereby is not increased, provided such Liens are not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any property or assets of any other member of the Consolidated Group;
(o) Liens on property or assets of the Borrower and any Subsidiary granted in connection with environmental remediation or similar obligations with respect to such property or assets not to exceed $50,000,000 in the aggregate;
(p) Liens in favor of the United States or any state thereof, or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of any of the foregoing, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments or performance pursuant to the provisions of any contract or statute, to the extent not constituting Indebtedness; and
(q) Liens other than those referred to in subparagraphs (a) through (p) above, provided, however, that the aggregate principal amount of obligations secured by such Liens plus the aggregate principal amount of unsecured Indebtedness of Subsidiaries of the Borrower outstanding pursuant to Section 8.07(e) does not exceed 20% of Consolidated Net Worth.
8.02 | Mergers, Dispositions, etc. |
Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of (in one transaction or in a series of transactions) all or substantially all of its assets (whether now owned or hereafter acquired) or any capital stock of any Subsidiary, except that:
(a) Any member of the Consolidated Group may purchase and sell inventory in the ordinary course of business;
(b) If at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) any Subsidiary or any other Person
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may merge into, consolidate with or liquidate or dissolve into the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries provided that, if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into, consolidate with or liquidate or dissolve into any other Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary and no Person other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary receives any consideration therefor (except in the case of a non-wholly-owned Subsidiary, minority equity holders may receive their ratable share of consideration) provided that, if either Subsidiary is a Domestic Subsidiary, the surviving entity is a Domestic Subsidiary, and (iii) so long as (A) the Debt Ratings of the surviving corporation are better than or equal to the Debt Ratings of the Borrower and (B) the surviving corporation agrees in writing to assume the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement, the Borrower may merge into or consolidate with any other Person;
(c) The Borrower may sell all or any portion of the capital stock of any Subsidiary for fair market value, as determined in good faith by the Borrowers board of directors, provided such sale does not constitute a sale of all or substantially all of the Borrowers assets;
(d) The Borrower may (i) transfer, or cause to be transferred, all or any portion of the capital stock of any wholly owned Subsidiary to another wholly owned Subsidiary and (ii) sell any portion of the capital stock of any Subsidiary in connection with the establishment of a joint venture for the purpose of developing or continuing a product or business related to any of the Borrowers existing lines of business as of the date of this Agreement; and
(e) The Borrower may consummate the Rockwood Acquisition.
8.03 | Change in Nature of Business. |
Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Consolidated Group on the date hereof or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
8.04 | Transactions with Affiliates. |
Enter into any transaction of any kind with any Affiliate of the Borrower, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than on fair and reasonable terms substantially as favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary as would be obtainable by the Borrower or such Subsidiary at the time in a comparable arms length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate, provided that the foregoing restriction (a) shall not restrict dividends or distributions on account of shares of equity interests issued by Subsidiaries of the Borrower ratably to the holders thereof and (b) other transactions among the members of the Consolidated Group that are not prohibited by this Agreement.
8.05 | Use of Proceeds. |
Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose, in each case in violation of, or for a purpose that violates Regulation T, U or X of the FRB.
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8.06 | Financial Covenant. |
Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be greater than 4.50:1.00.
8.07 | Subsidiary Indebtedness. |
Permit any Subsidiary to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(b) intercompany Indebtedness among the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or among Subsidiaries;
(c) Indebtedness of any Person to the extent such Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a member of the Consolidated Group and, any refinancings, replacements or extensions thereof so long as the amount of such Indebtedness, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, plus any reasonable penalty, premium or defeasance costs and reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancings, replacements or extensions, is not increased at the time of such refinancing, replacement or extension, provided such (i) Indebtedness is not created in contemplation thereof and (ii) the scope of obligors liable for such Indebtedness is not increased; provided that this subclause (ii) shall not exclude the Rockwood Notes so long as the Borrower is in compliance with Section 7.12;
(d) obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Subsidiary for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with liabilities, commitments, investments, assets, or property held or reasonably anticipated by such Subsidiary, or changes in the value of securities issued by such Person, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a market view; and
(e) other Indebtedness, provided that the aggregate outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness shall not exceed the difference between (i) 20% of Consolidated Net Worth minus (ii) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness of the Borrower secured by Liens permitted by Section 8.01(q).
8.08 | Sanctions. |
Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, lead arranger, Administrative Agent or otherwise) of Sanctions.
8.09 | Anti-Corruption Laws. |
Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar legislation in other jurisdictions.
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ARTICLE IX.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
9.01 | Events of Default. |
Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment. The Borrower fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, in the currency required hereunder, any amount of principal of any Loan, or (ii) within three Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan, or the Ticking Fee or other fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(b) Specific Covenants. The Borrower fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 7.03, 7.05 or 7.11 or Article VIII; or
(c) Other Defaults. The Borrower or any Guarantor fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty days after the earlier to occur of notice thereof from the Administrative Agent or any Responsible Officer of the Borrower having actual knowledge of such failure; or
(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount and the continuation of such failure beyond any applicable grace or cure period, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by the Borrower or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount and, in the case of any Termination Event not arising out of a default by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, such Swap Termination Value has not been paid by the Borrower or such Subsidiary when due; or
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(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. The Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary) institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undismissed for sixty calendar days or an order or decree approving or ordering such appointment shall continue unstayed for thirty calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law in respect of any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed for sixty calendar days, or an order or decree approving or ordering such proceeding shall continue unstayed for thirty calendar days; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.
(i) The Borrower or any Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due; or
(ii) Any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and such process, if not fully bonded, continues undismissed for sixty calendar days, or an order or decree approving or ordering such process shall continue unstayed for thirty calendar days; or
(h) Judgments. There is entered against the Borrower or any Subsidiary (i) a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of forty-five consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Borrower under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Borrower or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or the Borrower denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or
(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.
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9.02 | Remedies Upon Event of Default. |
If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(a) declare the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans to be terminated, whereupon such commitments shall be terminated;
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower; and
(c) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable law or equity;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States (or any other applicable Debtor Relief Laws), the obligation of each Lender to make Loans shall automatically terminate and the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
9.03 | Application of Funds. |
After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 9.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Section 2.17, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including Attorney Costs and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third held by them;
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
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ARTICLE X.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
10.01 | Appointment and Authority. |
Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term agent herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
10.02 | Rights as a Lender. |
The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term Lender or Lenders shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with 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.
10.03 | Exculpatory Provisions. |
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. 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, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any of 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.
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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 Sections 11.01 and 9.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower 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 V or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
10.04 | Reliance by Administrative Agent. |
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall 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 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.
10.05 | Delegation of Duties. |
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facility provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
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10.06 | Resignation of Administrative Agent. |
(a) 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, and, at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default, with the Borrowers consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), 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 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the Resignation Effective Date), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b) If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower and, at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default, with the Borrowers consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the Removal Effective Date), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above in this Section. Upon the acceptance of a successors 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 removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(f) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agents resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
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10.07 | 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.
10.08 | No Other Duties, Etc. |
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents listed on the cover page hereof shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent or a Lender hereunder.
No bookrunner, arranger, syndication agent, documentation agent or co-agent shall have or deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender.
10.09 | 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 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 Section 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
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 2.09 and 11.04.
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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 to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
ARTICLE XI.
MISCELLANEOUS
11.01 | Amendments, Etc. |
No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any Guarantor therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders, the Borrower and the Guarantors, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 9.02) without the written consent of such Lender whose Commitment is being extended or increased, it being understood that a waiver of an Event of Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an increase in Commitments;
(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 any Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment;
(c) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of Default Rate or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate;
(d) change Section 9.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(e) change any provision of this Section or the definition of Required Lenders without the written consent of each Lender; or
(f) release the Borrower (subject to Section 8.02) from its obligations hereunder or consent to the assignment (subject to 8.02) of the Borrowers rights and obligations hereunder without the written consent of each Lender;
and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (ii) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein; and (iii) the Required Lenders shall
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determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Administrative Agent Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects such Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document to cure or correct administrative errors or omissions, any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or to effect administrative changes, and such amendment shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document so long as (i) such amendment, modification or supplement does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or other holder of Obligations in any material respect and (ii) the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment.
11.02 | Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication. |
(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by facsimile 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 and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
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(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 has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower each 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 senders receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the return receipt requested function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement) and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED AS IS AND AS AVAILABLE. THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the Agent Parties) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrowers or the Administrative Agents transmission of Borrower Materials or any other information through the Internet, telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).
(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one
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individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the Private Side Information or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lenders compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the Public Side Information portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities laws.
(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic or electronic Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
11.03 | No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. |
No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate) preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Borrower shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 9.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.09 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (c) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to the Borrower under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b) and (c) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
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11.04 | Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver. |
(a) Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facility 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 or any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender), in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (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) and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an Indemnitee) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), actually incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including 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, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (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 Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (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 against an Indemnitee for material breach of such Indemnitees obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, but without affecting the Borrowers obligations to make such payments, 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 Lenders Pro Rata Share (determined as of the time that the
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applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lenders share of the outstanding Loans and unfunded Commitments at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders Pro Rata Share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) 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. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, 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 shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
11.05 | [Reserved]. |
11.06 | Payments Set Aside. |
To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent or any Lender exercises its right of set-off, and such payment or the proceeds of such set-off or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such set-off had not occurred, and (b) each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or paid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
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11.07 | Successors and Assigns. |
(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that, subject to 8.02, the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (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 subsection (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 and the other Loan Documents (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 Lenders Commitments and the related Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if Trade Date is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of 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).
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lenders Loans and Commitments, and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned;
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(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed provided that it shall be reasonable for the Borrower to withhold consent if such Person does not provide to the Borrower the information required under Section 11.15) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) 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 if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, 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 in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it 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 (A) the Borrower or any of the Borrowers Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) a natural person.
(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans in accordance with its Pro Rata Share. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
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Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (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 Lenders rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lenders having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection 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 subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agents Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans 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 shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or the Borrower or any of the Borrowers Affiliates or Subsidiaries or a Defaulting Lender) (each, a Participant) in all or a portion of such Lenders rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lenders obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lenders rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 11.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 11.15 shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest
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by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.16 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, unless the Borrower consented to the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowers request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.09 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participants interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the Participant Register); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participants interest in any commitments, loans or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central banking authority in other applicable jurisdictions; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(f) Assignments to Foreign Lenders. At the time of each assignment pursuant to Section 11.07(b) to a Foreign Lender that is not already a Lender hereunder, the assignee shall provide to the Administrative Agent and to the Borrower certification as to exemption (or reduction) for deduction or withholding of Taxes in accordance with Section 11.15 and shall be subject to the provisions thereof.
11.08 | 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 Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential); (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority; (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process; (d) to any other party to this Agreement; (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder; (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, (ii) any direct or indirect contractual counterparty
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or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction relating to obligations of the Borrower or (iii) any credit insurance provider relating to the Borrower and their obligations; (g) with the consent of the Borrower; (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower; (i) to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization or any nationally recognized rating agency that requires access to information about a Lenders or its Affiliates investment portfolio in connection with ratings issued with respect to such Lender or its Affiliates; or (j) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry, and service providers to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Commitments, and the Credit Extensions. For the purposes of this Agreement, Information means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower, any Subsidiary or its business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent or any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrower or a Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified in writing 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.
Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.
11.09 | Set-off. |
In addition to any rights and remedies of the Lenders provided by law, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, each Lender and any Affiliate of any Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time, without prior notice to the Borrower, any such notice being waived by the Borrower to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held by, and other Indebtedness at any time owing by, such Lender or such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all Obligations owing to such Lender or such Affiliate hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter existing, irrespective of whether or not the Administrative Agent or such Lender shall have made demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such Obligations may be contingent or unmatured or owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender or denominated in a currency different from the branch or office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.17 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such
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Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such set-off and application made by such Lender; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.
11.10 | Interest Rate Limitation. |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the Maximum Rate). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
11.11 | Counterparts. |
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, and this has the same effect as if the signature on the counterparts were on a single copy of this agreement.
11.12 | Integration; Effectiveness. |
This Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, comprises the complete and integrated agreement of the parties on the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, on such subject matter. 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 5.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging means (e.g., pdf or tif) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
11.13 | Survival of Representations and Warranties. |
All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.
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11.14 | Severability. |
If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.14, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
11.15 | Tax Forms. |
(a) (i) Each Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Administrative Agent and to the Borrower, on or prior to the date of its execution and delivery of this Agreement (or upon accepting an assignment of an interest herein), two duly signed completed copies of either IRS Form W-8BEN or any successor thereto (relating to such Foreign Lender and entitling it to an exemption from, or reduction of, withholding tax on all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or IRS Form W-8ECI or any successor thereto (relating to all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement) or such other evidence that such Foreign Lender is entitled to an exemption from U.S. withholding tax pursuant to Sections 871(h) and 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Thereafter and from time to time, each such Foreign Lender shall (A) promptly submit to the Administrative Agent and to the Borrower such additional duly completed and signed copies of one of such forms (or such successor forms as shall be adopted from time to time by the relevant United States taxing authorities) as may then be available under then current United States laws and regulations to avoid, or such evidence as is satisfactory to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent of any available exemption from, United States withholding taxes in respect of all payments to be made to such Foreign Lender by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement, (B) promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower of any change in circumstances that would modify or render invalid any claimed exemption, and (C) take such steps as shall not be materially disadvantageous to it, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, and as may be reasonably requested in writing by the Borrower (including filing any certificate or document or the re-designation of its Lending Office) to avoid any requirement of applicable Laws that the Borrower make any deduction or withholding for taxes from amounts payable to such Foreign Lender or to reduce the amount of any such deduction or withholding to the greatest extent possible. To the extent such Foreign Lender does not act or ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any sums paid or payable to such Lender under any of the Loan Documents, such Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Administrative Agent and to the Borrower on the date when such Foreign Lender ceases to act for its own account with respect to any portion of any such sums paid or payable, and at such other times as may be necessary in the determination of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower (in the reasonable exercise of their respective discretion), (A) two duly signed completed copies of the forms or statements required to be provided by such Lender as set forth above, to establish the portion of any such sums paid or payable with
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respect to which such Lender acts for its own account that is not subject to, or subject to a reduced rate of, U.S. withholding tax, and (B) two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY (or any successor thereto), together with IRS Form W-8 ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-9, evidence that the beneficial owner is entitled to an exemption from U.S. withholding tax under Sections 871(h) and 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable, and any other information such Lender chooses to transmit with such form, and any other certificate or statement of exemption required under the Internal Revenue Code, to establish that such Lender is not acting for its own account with respect to a portion of any such sums payable to such Lender.
(ii) The Administrative Agent may, without reduction, withhold any Taxes required to be deducted and withheld from any payment under any of the Loan Documents with respect to which the Borrower is not required to pay additional amounts under this Section 11.15(a).
(iii) If a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lenders obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this paragraph, FATCA shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(b) Upon the request of the Administrative Agent, each Lender that is a United States person within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code shall deliver to the Administrative Agent two duly signed completed copies of IRS Form W-9. If such Lender fails to deliver such forms, then the Administrative Agent may withhold from any interest payment to such Lender an amount equivalent to the applicable back-up withholding tax imposed by the Internal Revenue Code, without reduction. The Borrower shall not have any liability under Section 3.01 or otherwise with respect to amounts withheld by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 11.15(b).
11.16 | Replacement of Lenders. |
If (i) any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, (ii) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, (iii) if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender, (iv) a Lender (a Non-Consenting Lender) does not consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document that has been approved by the Required Lenders as provided in Section 11.01 but requires unanimous consent of all Lenders or all Lenders directly affected thereby (as applicable) or (v) under any other circumstances set forth herein providing that the Borrower shall have the right to replace a Lender as a party to this Agreement, 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
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recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.07), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:
(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee specified in Section 11.07(b);
(b) 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 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a Non-Consenting Lenders failure to consent to a proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination with respect to any Loan Document, the applicable replacement bank, financial institution or Fund consents to the proposed change, waiver, discharge or termination;
provided, further, so long as Sections 11.16(a) through 11.16(e) have been satisfied, the failure by such Lender to execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption shall not impair the validity of the removal of such Lender and the mandatory assignment of such Lenders Commitments and outstanding Loans pursuant to this Section 11.16 shall nevertheless be effective without the execution by such Lender of an Assignment and Assumption.
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.
11.17 | USA PATRIOT Act Notice. |
Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the Act), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable know your customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
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11.18 | Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. |
(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (OTHER THAN THOSE CONFLICT OF LAW RULES THAT WOULD DEFER TO THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION).
(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION 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 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
11.19 | Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. |
EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN
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ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
11.20 | [Reserved]. |
11.21 | No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. |
In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, MLPFS, and the other lead arranger(s) are arms-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, MLPFS, and the other lead arranger(s), on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, MLPFS, and each other lead arranger each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, MLPFS nor any other lead arranger has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, MLPFS and the other lead arranger(s) and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, MLPFS nor any other lead arranger has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, MLPFS and the other lead arranger(s) with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
11.22 | Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. |
The words execute execution, signed, signature, and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption or in any amendment or other modification hereof (including waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent 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.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
BORROWER: | ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, | |||||
a Virginia corporation | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT: | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | |||||
as Administrative Agent | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
LENDERS: | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | |||||
as a Lender | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
Exhibit 10.2
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT, dated as of August 15, 2014 (this Amendment), is entered into among ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, a Virginia corporation (the Company), ALBEMARLE GLOBAL FINANCE COMPANY SCA, a Belgian partnership limited by shares (société en commandite par actions commanditaire vennootschap op aandelen) (the Belgian Borrower and together with the Company, collectively, the Borrowers), the Lenders party hereto, and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the Administrative Agent). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement (as defined below and as amended by this Amendment).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent are parties to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of February 7, 2014 (the Credit Agreement); and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto have agreed to amend the Credit Agreement as provided herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
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AGREEMENT
1. Amendments.
(a) Section 1.01.
(i) The following definitions in Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement are hereby amended to read as follows:
Consolidated EBITDA means, for any period, for the Consolidated Group, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable by the Consolidated Group for such period, (iii) the amount of depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) non-cash expenses for such period (excluding any non-cash expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash payments in any future period), (v) non-cash goodwill impairment charges and (vi) any non-cash loss attributable to the mark-to-market adjustments in the valuation of pension liabilities (to the extent the cash impact resulting from such loss has not been realized) in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 715 (ASC 715) plus (c) with respect to the Rockwood Acquisition, cost synergies (net of continued associated expenses) related to operational changes, restructurings, reorganizations, operating expense reductions, operating improvements and similar restructuring initiatives relating to the Rockwood Acquisition that, as of the date of calculation with respect to such period, are reasonably anticipated by the Company in good faith to be realized within 12 months following the Rockwood Acquisition; provided that (i) such cost synergies are calculated on a basis that is consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, (ii) the aggregate amount of such adjustments under this clause (c) taken into account in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period of determination shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to 5% of Consolidated EBITDA for such period (determined without giving effect to this clause (c)) and (iii) to the extent such cost synergies are no longer reasonably expected by the Company to be realized within 12 months following the Rockwood Acquisition, then such cost synergies shall not be included in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA, minus (d) to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, (i) non-cash income during such period (excluding any non-cash income to the extent that it represents cash receipts in any future period) and (ii) any non-cash gains attributable to the mark-to-market adjustments in the valuation of pension liabilities in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification 715 (ASC 715), all as determined in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Funded Debt means Funded Debt of the Consolidated Group determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. Notwithstanding the foregoing, solely for the purposes of determining Consolidated Funded Debt at any time on or prior to the consummation of the
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Rockwood Acquisition, Consolidated Funded Debt shall exclude the Senior Specified Notes (and any guarantees thereof) to the extent such notes include a special mandatory redemption provision (or other similar provision) requiring the Company (within a reasonable period of time following the occurrence of an event set forth in clause (a) or (b)) to redeem the Specified Senior Notes if (a) the Rockwood Acquisition is not consummated on or prior to May 15, 2015 or (b) the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement terminates in accordance with its terms. For avoidance of doubt, the exclusion in the immediately preceding sentence shall not apply after consummation of the Rockwood Acquisition.
Eurocurrency Rate means:
(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan:
(i) in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a LIBOR Quoted Currency, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Company, as published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (in such case, the LIBOR Rate) at or about 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for deposits in the relevant currency (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period;
(ii) in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in Canadian Dollars, the rate per annum equal to the Canadian Dealer Offered Rate (CDOR), or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Company, as published on the applicable Reuters screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at or about 10:00a.m. (Toronto, Ontario time) on the Rate Determination Date with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and
(iii) in the case of any other Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in a Non-LIBOR Quoted Currency (other than those specified above), the rate designated with respect to such Alternative Currency at the time such Alternative Currency is approved pursuant to Section 1.09; and
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(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate , at about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits for a term of one month commencing that day;
provided that (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Company in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and (ii) if the Eurocurrency Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.
Loan Documents means this Agreement, each Note, each Designated Borrower Request and Assumption Agreement, each Issuer Document, the Administrative Agent Fee Letter, the Subsidiary Guaranty and any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16.
(ii) The following definitions are hereby added to Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement in the appropriate alphabetical order to read as follows:
Guarantors means, collectively, each Subsidiary of the Company that is party to the Subsidiary Guaranty.
Pigments Business Disposition Agreement means the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2013, by and between Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc. and Huntsman International LLC.
Rockwood means Rockwood Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
Rockwood Acquisition means the acquisition of all of the outstanding capital stock of Rockwood pursuant to the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement.
Rockwood Acquisition Agreement means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 15, 2014, by and among the Company, Rockwood and Albemarle Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
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Rockwood Funding Date means the date on which the conditions precedent in Section 5.03 are satisfied.
Rockwood Notes means the 4.625% senior notes due October 15, 2020 issued by Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc. pursuant to that certain First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 25, 2012, to the Indenture, dated as of September 25, 2012, among Rockwood Specialties Group, Inc., the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.
Specified Senior Notes mean the senior unsecured notes issued and sold by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Rockwood Acquisition.
Subsidiary Guaranty means the guaranty agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit I hereto made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the other holders of the Obligations.
(iii) The pricing grid in the definition of Applicable Rate in Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:
Pricing Level |
Debt Rating S&P/Moodys |
Applicable Rate for Eurocurrency Rate Loans |
Applicable Rate for Base Rate Loans |
Letter of Credit Fee |
Facility Fee |
|||||||||||||
1 |
BBB+/Baa1 or better | 1.000 | % | 0.000 | % | 1.000 | % | 0.125 | % | |||||||||
2 |
BBB/Baa2 | 1.100 | % | 0.100 | % | 1.100 | % | 0.150 | % | |||||||||
3 |
BBB-/Baa3 | 1.300 | % | 0.300 | % | 1.300 | % | 0.200 | % | |||||||||
4 |
BB+/Ba1 | 1.500 | % | 0.500 | % | 1.500 | % | 0.250 | % | |||||||||
5 |
worse than BB+/Ba1 or unrated | 1.700 | % | 0.700 | % | 1.700 | % | 0.300 | % |
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(b) Section 3.03. Section 3.03 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.
If in connection with any request for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof that (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (A) deposits in the Applicable Currency are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurocurrency Rate for the Interest Period with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (i), Impacted Loans), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to the Lenders of funding such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Company and all Lenders. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the Applicable Currency shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods) and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurocurrency Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Company may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Committed Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
(c) Section 5.03. A new Section 5.03 is hereby added to the Credit Agreement immediately following Section 5.02 to read as follows:
5.03 Conditions to Rockwood Acquisition Funding.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the obligation of each Lender to honor a Request for Credit Extension for up to $100,000,000 for purposes of consummating the Rockwood Acquisition is subject to only the following conditions precedent and no other conditions precedent:
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(a) The representations and warranties made by or on behalf of Rockwood in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement and which are material to the interests of the Lenders (in their capacities as such) shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, with respect to representations already qualified by concepts of materiality, in all respects) as of the Rockwood Funding Date, but only to the extent that the Company or any of its Affiliates has the right to terminate its obligations under the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement or to decline to consummate the Rockwood Acquisition as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement.
(b) Each of the representations and warranties set forth in the following Sections shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, with respect to representations already qualified by concepts of materiality, in all respects) at the time of and after giving effect to the Credit Extensions hereunder on the Rockwood Funding Date: Sections 6.01 (with respect to subclauses (a), (b)(ii) and (c) thereof), 6.02 (exclusive of subclause (b) thereof), 6.04, 6.13, 6.18 and 6.20.
(c) Since December 31, 2013, there has not been any event, change, conditions, occurrence or effect, that individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. Company Material Adverse Effect means an event, change, condition, occurrence or effect that has had a material adverse effect on the assets, business, financial condition or results of operations of Rockwood and the Company Subsidiaries (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), taken as a whole, provided, however, that no events, changes, conditions, occurrences or effects arising out of or relating to any of the following, either alone or in combination, shall constitute or be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) any change generally affecting regulatory or political conditions in the United States, the European Union or in any other country; (ii) any change generally affecting economic conditions in the United States, the European Union or in any other country; (iii) any change generally affecting the capital or financial markets, including changes in interest or exchange rates, in the United States, the European Union or in any other country; (iv) any change generally affecting the industries, markets or geographical areas in which Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary operates; (v) any hurricane, flood, earthquake or other natural disaster; (vi) any military action, civil disturbance (other than in connection with any labor dispute), acts of war (whether or not declared) or terrorism, or any outbreak, escalation or worsening of any of the foregoing; (vii) any change or proposed change in
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GAAP (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or the interpretation thereof; (viii) any change or proposed change in applicable Law (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or the interpretation thereof; (ix) any change in the price or availability of any raw material or commodity used or sold by Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary; (x) the negotiation, execution, delivery, pendency or performance of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, or any public disclosure relating to any of the foregoing, or the impact of any of the foregoing on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, lenders, employees, unions, licensors, joint venture partners or other Persons (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) with business relationships with Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary or any action or inaction by a Governmental Entity (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or any Proceeding (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or dispute brought or threatened arising out of or relating to the matters in this clause (x); (xi) the pendency or performance of the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement (including any amendment or waiver thereof, consent thereunder or termination thereof in compliance with the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement) or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (including the taking of any action or failure to take any action contemplated by the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement, to facilitate the consummation thereof) or any post-closing indemnity or other liability or obligation arising out of or relating to such agreement (it being understood that any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect underlying any such post-closing indemnity may be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect), or any public disclosure relating to any of the foregoing, or the impact of any of the foregoing on relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, lenders, employees, unions, joint venture partners or other Persons with business relationships with Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary, or any action or inaction by a Governmental Entity or any Proceeding or dispute brought or threatened arising out of or relating to the matters in this clause (xi) (it being understood that any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect underlying any such Proceeding that is brought after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Pigments Business Disposition Agreement may be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect); (xii) any action taken at the Borrowers request; (xiii) any decline in the credit rating, market price or trading volume of any Securities (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) or Indebtedness (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) of Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary or any failure of Rockwood or any Company Subsidiary to achieve any internal or public earnings or other financial projections or forecasts (it being understood that any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect underlying such decline or failure (other than any event, change, condition, occurrence or effect relating to matters in clauses (i) through (xii) and (xiv))
8
may be taken into account in determining a Company Material Adverse Effect); or (xiv) any action taken by the Borrower or its Affiliates (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof) (including any disclosure regarding the Borrowers plans with respect to the conduct of the business of Rockwood following the Effective Time (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof)); except in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (vii), to the extent that Rockwood and its Subsidiaries (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as in effect on the date hereof), taken as a whole, are disproportionately adversely affected thereby in any material respect as compared to other participants in the industries in which Rockwood and its Subsidiaries operate.
(d) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Company certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 5.03(a), 5.03(b) and 5.03(f) have been satisfied, (B) the current Debt Ratings and (C) that attached thereto is a true, complete and correct copy of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement as of the Rockwood Funding Date.
(e) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Solvency Certificate in the form of Exhibit J hereto.
(f) The Rockwood Acquisition shall have been, or shall concurrently with the funding of Loans on the Rockwood Funding Date be, consummated in accordance with the terms of the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement, without giving effect to any amendment, modification, waiver or consent thereunder that is materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders (in their capacities as such) unless such amendment, modification, waiver or consent is approved by MLPFS (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned); provided, that (i) any increase in the purchase price shall not be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders so long as such increase is not funded with the incurrence or assumption of additional Indebtedness, (ii) any decrease in purchase price by 10% or more shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders and (iii) any change to the definition of Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Rockwood Acquisition Agreement) shall be deemed to be materially adverse to the Lenders.
(g) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Committed Loan Notice duly completed by a Responsible Officer of the Company.
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(h) The Company shall have paid all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Rockwood Funding Date, plus such additional amounts of Attorney Costs as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of Attorney Costs incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Company and the Administrative Agent).
The Committed Loan Notice delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.03(g) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article VI are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Rockwood Funding Date; provided, however, that the only representations and warranties the accuracy of which shall be a condition precedent to the funding of up to $100,000,000 in Loans hereunder are the representations and warranties provided pursuant to Section 5.03(b).
(d) Section 6.14. The following proviso is hereby added at the end of Section 6.14 of the Credit Agreement to read as follows:
provided, further, that with respect to the financial statements provided pursuant to Section 7.02(e), this representation is made to the best knowledge of the Company.
(e) Section 6.20. Section 6.20 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:
6.20 OFAC; Anti-Corruption Laws.
(a) None of the Borrowers, nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity currently the subject of any Sanctions, nor is any Borrower or any Subsidiary located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.
10
(b) The Borrowers and their Subsidiaries have conducted their business in compliance in all material respects with applicable anti-corruption laws and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
(f) Section 7.02. Section 7.02 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended such that clause (e) is renumbered as clause (f) and a new clause (e) is hereby added to Section 7.02 immediately before clause (f) to read as follows:
(e) promptly after the same are available on the applicable SEC website, until such time as the Rockwood Acquisition is consummated, copies of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries as of the end of, and related statements of income and cash flows of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries for, the fiscal year ending after December 31, 2013 and at least ninety (90) days prior to the Rockwood Funding Date and (ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries as of the end of, and related statements of income and cash flows of Rockwood and its Subsidiaries, for each fiscal quarter ending after December 31, 2013 and at least forty-five (45) days prior to the Rockwood Funding Date, prepared in accordance with GAAP except for the absence of footnotes and for normal year-end audit adjustments; and
(g) Section 7.12. A new Section 7.12 is hereby added to the Credit Agreement immediately following Section 7.11 to read as follows:
7.12 Subsidiary Guaranty.
Upon the earlier of (i) seventy days following the guarantee by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (excluding Rockwood and its Subsidiaries) of the Rockwood Notes and (ii) the guarantee by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of any Specified Senior Notes, cause such Subsidiaries as are guarantors or obligors with respect to either of the Rockwood Notes or any Specified Senior Notes to execute and deliver the Subsidiary Guaranty, and deliver to the Administrative Agent documentation of the types described in Sections 5.01(a)(iii) through 5.01(a)(vi), each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided, that, at such time when
11
neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an obligor or guarantor of the Rockwood Notes or any Specified Senior Notes, the Subsidiary Guaranty provided pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be released.
(h) Section 8.01. Section 8.01(n) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:
(n) Liens on the property and assets of any Person to the extent such Liens are existing at the time such Person becomes a member of the Consolidated Group, and any renewals, extensions or replacements thereof so long as the scope of the property covered thereby is not increased, provided such Liens are not created in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any property or assets of any other member of the Consolidated Group;
(i) Section 8.02. Section 8.02 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to add a new clause (e) immediately following clause (d) to read as follows:
(e) The Company may consummate the Rockwood Acquisition.
(j) Section 8.06. Section 8.06 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:
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8.06 Financial Covenant.
Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Company to be greater than 3.5:1.00; provided that, if the Rockwood Acquisition has been consummated, the Company shall not permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Company set forth below to be greater than the ratio corresponding to such fiscal quarter:
Fiscal Quarter |
Consolidated Leverage Ratio |
|||
the fiscal quarter in which the Rockwood Acquisition is consummated (the Initial Quarter): |
4.5:1.00 | |||
the first, second and third fiscal quarters ending after the Initial Quarter: |
4.5:1.00 | |||
the fourth fiscal quarter ending after the Initial Quarter: |
4.25:1.00 | |||
the fifth fiscal quarter ending after the Initial Quarter: |
4.0:1.00 | |||
the sixth fiscal quarter ending after the Initial Quarter: |
3.75:1.00 | |||
the seventh fiscal quarter after the Initial Quarter (the Final Quarter): |
3.5:1.00 | |||
each fiscal quarter ending after the Final Quarter: |
3.5:1.00 |
(k) Section 8.07. Section 8.07(c) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended to read as follows:
(c) Indebtedness of any Person to the extent such Indebtedness is existing at the time such Person becomes a member of the Consolidated Group and, any refinancings, replacements or extensions thereof so long as the amount of such Indebtedness, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, plus any reasonable penalty, premium or defeasance costs and reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with such refinancings, replacements or extensions, is not increased at the time of such refinancing, replacement or extension, provided such (i) Indebtedness is not created in contemplation thereof and (ii) the scope of obligors liable for such Indebtedness is not increased; provided that this subclause (ii) shall not exclude the Rockwood Notes so long as the Company is in compliance with Section 7.12;
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(l) Section 8.09. A new Section 8.09 is hereby added to the Credit Agreement immediately following Section 8.08 to read as follows:
8.09 Anti-Corruption Laws.
Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar legislation in other jurisdictions.
(m) Exhibits A, I and J. Exhibit A to the Credit Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with Exhibit A attached hereto. New Exhibits I and J are hereby added to the Credit Agreement in the form of Exhibits I and J attached hereto.
2. Effectiveness; Conditions Precedent. This Amendment shall be and become effective as of date hereof when all of the conditions set forth in this Section 2 shall have been satisfied.
(a) Execution of Counterparts of Amendment. The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment, which collectively shall have been duly executed on behalf of each of the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders.
(b) Opinions of Counsel. The Administrative Agent shall have received favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Borrowers, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the date hereof, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(c) Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Borrower, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its legal counsel, (i) certifying that the Organization Documents of such Borrower delivered on the Closing Date have not been amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and remain in full force and effect as of the date hereof, or, if such Organization Documents have been amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, attaching certified copies of the Organization Documents and (ii) attaching resolutions of such Borrower approving and adopting this Amendment, the transactions contemplated herein and authorizing the execution and delivery of this Amendment and any documents, agreements or certificates related thereto and certifying that such resolutions have not been amended, supplemented or otherwise modified and remain in full force and effect as of the date hereof.
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(d) Lender/Arranger Fees. The Company shall have paid (i) to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender, all agreed upfront fees due and payable to such Persons on the date hereof and (ii) to the Administrative Agent and MLPFS, all fees due and payable to such Persons on the date hereof.
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 10.03 of the Credit Agreement, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 2, each Lender that has signed this Amendment shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required hereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the effectiveness of this Amendment specifying its objection thereto.
3. Expenses. The Borrowers agree to reimburse the Administrative Agent for all reasonable documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution and delivery of this Amendment, including without limitation the reasonable documented fees and expenses of Moore & Van Allen PLLC.
4. Ratification. Each Borrower acknowledges and consents to the terms set forth herein and agrees that this Amendment does not impair, reduce or limit any of its obligations under the Loan Documents, as amended hereby. This Amendment is a Loan Document.
5. Authority/Enforceability. Each Borrower represents and warrants as follows:
(a) It has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment.
(b) This Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by such Borrower and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligations, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be subject to (i) applicable Debtor Relief Laws and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).
15
(c) No material consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any court or Governmental Authority or third party is required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by such Borrower of this Amendment.
(d) The execution and delivery of this Amendment does not (i) violate, contravene or conflict with any provision of its Organization Documents or (ii) materially violate, contravene or conflict with any Laws applicable to it.
6. Representations and Warranties of the Borrowers. Each Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that after giving effect to this Amendment (a) the representations and warranties set forth in Article VI of the Credit Agreement are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof unless they specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and (b) no Default exists.
7. Counterparts/Telecopy. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of executed counterparts of this Amendment by telecopy or other secure electronic format (.pdf) shall be effective as an original.
8. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AMENDMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
9. Successors and Assigns. This Amendment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
10. Headings. The headings of the sections hereof are provided for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of any provision of this Amendment.
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11. Severability. If any provision of this Amendment is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Amendment shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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Each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
COMPANY: | ALBEMARLE CORPORATION, | |||||
a Virginia corporation | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: |
| |||||
Title: |
| |||||
BELGIAN BORROWER: | ALBEMARLE GLOBAL FINANCE COMPANY SCA | |||||
By: ALBEMARLE EUROPE SPRL, | ||||||
as unlimited partner | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: |
| |||||
Title: |
|
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE | ||||||
AGENT: | ||||||
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | ||||||
as Administrative Agent | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
LENDERS: | BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., | |||||
as a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
BNP PARIBAS, | ||||||
as a Lender | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD., | ||||||
as a Lender | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC, | ||||||
as a Lender | ||||||
By: |
| |||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: |
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., | ||
as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION, as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
THE NORTHERN TRUST COMPANY, as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
WHITNEY BANK, | ||
as a Lender | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
ALBEMARLE CORPORATION
FIRST AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
Exhibit A
FORM OF COMMITTED LOAN NOTICE
Date: , 20
To: | Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent | |
Re: | Credit Agreement dated as of February 7, 2014 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the Credit Agreement) among Albemarle Corporation, a Virginia corporation (the Company), Albemarle Global Finance Company SCA, a Belgium partnership limited by shares (société en commandite par actionscommanditaire vennootschap op aandelen), the Lenders from time to time party thereto, and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein have the meanings provided in the Credit Agreement. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby requests (select one):
¨ | A Borrowing of Committed Loans |
¨ | A conversion or continuation of Committed Loans |
On , (a Business Day).
Applicable Currency: .
In the amount of $ .1
Comprised of (Type of Committed Loan requested).
For Eurocurrency Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of months.
Applicable Borrower: .
With respect to any Borrowing requested herein, the undersigned hereby represents and warrants that (i) such request complies with the requirements of Section 2.01(a) of the Credit Agreement and (ii) each of the conditions set forth in Section 5.022 of the Credit Agreement has been satisfied on and as of the date of such Borrowing.
1 | Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c) of the Credit Agreement, each Committed Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. |
2 | The reference to 5.02 should be changed to 5.03 in the case of a Committed Borrowing pursuant to Section 5.03 of the Credit Agreement. |
[APPLICABLE BORROWER] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: | ||
Title: |
Exhibit I
FORM OF SUBSIDIARY GUARANTY
See attached.
Exhibit J
FORM OF SOLVENCY CERTIFICATE
[ ], [ ]
The undersigned, [ ], the [ ] of Albemarle Corporation (the Parent), is familiar with the properties, businesses, assets and liabilities of the Parent and is duly authorized to execute this certificate (this Solvency Certificate) on behalf of the Parent.
This Solvency Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 5.03(e) of the Credit Agreement dated as of February 7, 2014 (the Credit Agreement; terms defined therein unless otherwise defined herein being used herein as therein defined) among Parent, the other borrowers party thereto, each lender from time to time party thereto (collectively, the Lenders) and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent thereunder (in such capacity, the Administrative Agent).
As used herein, Company means Parent and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.
1. I, [ ], hereby certify that I am the [ ] of the Parent and that I am knowledgeable of the financial and accounting matters of the Company, the Credit Agreement and the covenants and representations (financial or otherwise) contained therein and that, as such, I am authorized to execute and deliver this Solvency Certificate on behalf of the Parent.
2. The undersigned certifies, on behalf of the Parent and not in [his/her] individual capacity, that [he/she] has made such investigation and inquiries as to the financial condition of the Parent as the undersigned deems necessary and prudent for the purposes of providing this Solvency Certificate. The undersigned acknowledges that the Administrative Agent and the Lenders are relying on the truth and accuracy of this Solvency Certificate in connection with the making of Loans under the Credit Agreement.
3. The undersigned certifies, on behalf of the Parent and not in [his/her] individual capacity, that (a) the financial information, projections and assumptions which underlie and form the basis for the representations made in this Solvency Certificate were made in good faith and were based on assumptions reasonably believed by the Parent to be fair in light of the circumstances existing at the time made; and (b) for purposes of providing this Solvency Certificate, the amount of contingent liabilities has been computed at the amount which, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing as of the date hereof, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability reduced by the amount of any contribution or indemnity that can reasonably be expected to be received.
BASED ON THE FOREGOING, the undersigned certifies, on behalf of the Parent and not in [his/her] individual capacity, that, on the date hereof, before and after giving effect to the Rockwood Acquisition (and the Loans made or to be made and other obligations incurred or to be incurred on the Closing Date):
(a) the Company is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the normal course of business;
(b) the Company does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond the Companys ability to pay as such debts and liabilities mature in their ordinary course;
(c) the Company is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which the Companys assets would constitute unreasonably small capital after giving due consideration to the prevailing practice in the industry in which the Company is engaged or is to engage;
(d) the fair value of the assets of the Company is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including, without limitation, contingent liabilities, of the Company; and
(e) the present fair saleable value of the assets of the Company is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of the Company on its debts as they become absolute and matured.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Solvency Certificate as of the first date written above, solely in [his/her] capacity as [ ] of the Parent and not in [his/her] individual capacity.
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