photronics_8k.htm
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) February 12, 2010
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PHOTRONICS, INC. |
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter) |
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Connecticut
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0-15451
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06-0854886
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(State or other jurisdiction |
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(Commission |
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(IRS Employer |
of incorporation) |
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File Number) |
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Identification
Number) |
15
Secor Road, Brookfield, CT
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06804
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(Address of Principal Executive
Offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
Registrant's Telephone
Number, including area code (203)
775-9000
(Former name or former
address, if changed since last report) |
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Check the appropriate
box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
o |
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
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o |
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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o |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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o |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Item 1.02 |
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Entry into Material Definitive
Agreement |
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On February 12,
2010, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement by
and among Photronics, Inc., the Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers from time to
time parties thereto, the institutions from time to time parties thereto
as Lenders and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as Administrative
Agent for itself and the other lenders and as Collateral Agent and RBS
Citizens, National Association as Syndication Agent (the “Credit
Agreement”). The Credit Agreement was originally entered into on June 6,
2007 and was previously amended on April 25, 2008, October 31, 2008,
December 3, 2008 and December 12, 2008, May 15, 2009, June 8, 2009,
September 2, 2009 and October 26, 2009. The Credit Agreement is a three year revolving
credit facility in the amount of $50 million with an expansion capability
up to $65 million. The Credit Agreement provides for reduced interest
rates and covenant amendments collectively to the benefit of the
Company. The interest rates were reduced by (i) the elimination of PIK and
(ii) lowering the interest rate spread. The covenants were amended by (i)
deleting the Maximum Senior Leverage Ratio and (ii) the Minimum EBITDA
requirement as well as by amending (i) the Total Leverage Ratio, (ii) the
Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, and the (iii) Maximum Capital
Expenditures covenant collectively to the benefit of the Company.
Each of the above referenced covenants is defined in the Credit Agreement.
The Credit Agreement also provides that the Commitments will be
collateralized and guaranteed by certain U.S. assets and the Company
entered into an Amended Security Agreement, Amended Pledge Agreements and
will enter into Amended
Mortgages.
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Item 9.01. |
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Financial Statements and
Exhibits |
(d)
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Exhibits |
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99.1 |
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Amended and
Restated Credit Agreement dated as of February 12,
2010.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
PHOTRONICS, INC. |
(Registrant)
|
DATE: |
February 16,
2010 |
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BY |
/s/ Richelle
E. Burr |
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|
Richelle E. Burr |
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|
Vice President, General
Counsel |
exhibit99-1.htm
EXECUTION COPY
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as
of
February 12,
2010
among
PHOTRONICS,
INC.
The Foreign Subsidiary
Borrowers Party Hereto
The Lenders Party
Hereto
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
N.A.
as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent
RBS CITIZENS, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
as Syndication Agent
_______________________________
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES
INC.,
as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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Page |
ARTICLE I Definitions |
1 |
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|
Defined Terms |
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1 |
SECTION 1.02. |
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Classification of Loans and Borrowings |
23 |
SECTION 1.03. |
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Terms Generally |
23 |
SECTION 1.04. |
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Accounting Terms; GAAP |
23 |
SECTION 1.05. |
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Status of Obligations |
23 |
SECTION 1.06. |
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Amendment and Restatement of the Existing Agreements |
24 |
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ARTICLE II The Credits |
24 |
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SECTION 2.01. |
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Commitments |
24 |
SECTION 2.02. |
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Loans
and Borrowings |
25 |
SECTION 2.03. |
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Requests for Revolving Borrowings |
25 |
SECTION 2.04. |
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Determination of Dollar Amounts |
26 |
SECTION 2.05. |
|
Swingline Loans |
26 |
SECTION 2.06. |
|
Letters
of Credit |
27 |
SECTION 2.07. |
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Funding
of Borrowings |
32 |
SECTION 2.08. |
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Interest Elections |
33 |
SECTION 2.09. |
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Termination and Reduction of Commitments |
34 |
SECTION 2.10. |
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Repayment of Loans; Evidence of Debt |
34 |
SECTION 2.11. |
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Prepayment of Loans |
35 |
SECTION 2.12. |
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Fees |
36 |
SECTION 2.13. |
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Interest |
37 |
SECTION 2.14. |
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Alternate Rate of Interest |
37 |
SECTION 2.15. |
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Increased Costs |
38 |
SECTION 2.16. |
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Break
Funding Payments |
39 |
SECTION 2.17. |
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Taxes |
39 |
SECTION 2.18. |
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Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of
Set-offs |
41 |
SECTION 2.19. |
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Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders |
42 |
SECTION 2.20. |
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Expansion Option |
43 |
SECTION 2.21. |
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Market
Disruption |
44 |
SECTION 2.22. |
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Judgment Currency |
44 |
SECTION 2.23. |
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Designation of Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers |
45 |
SECTION 2.24. |
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Defaulting Lenders |
45 |
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ARTICLE III Representations and
Warranties |
46 |
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SECTION 3.01. |
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Organization; Powers; Subsidiaries |
46 |
SECTION 3.02. |
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Authorization; Enforceability |
46 |
SECTION 3.03. |
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Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts |
46 |
SECTION 3.04. |
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Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change |
47 |
SECTION 3.05. |
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Properties |
47 |
SECTION 3.06. |
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Litigation and Environmental Matters |
47 |
SECTION 3.07. |
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Compliance with Laws and Agreements |
47 |
SECTION 3.08. |
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Investment Company Status |
48 |
SECTION 3.09. |
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Taxes |
48 |
Table of Contents
(continued)
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Page |
SECTION 3.10. |
|
ERISA |
48 |
SECTION
3.11. |
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Disclosure |
48 |
SECTION 3.12. |
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Federal Reserve Regulations |
48 |
SECTION
3.13. |
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Liens |
48 |
SECTION 3.14. |
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No Default |
48 |
SECTION
3.15. |
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Security Interest in Collateral |
48 |
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ARTICLE IV Conditions |
49 |
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SECTION
4.01. |
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Effective Date |
49 |
SECTION
4.02. |
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Each
Credit Event |
50 |
SECTION
4.03. |
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Designation of a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower |
50 |
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ARTICLE V Affirmative Covenants |
51 |
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SECTION
5.01. |
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Financial Statements and Other Information |
51 |
SECTION
5.02. |
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Notices
of Material Events |
52 |
SECTION
5.03. |
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Existence; Conduct of Business |
52 |
SECTION
5.04. |
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Payment
of Obligations |
52 |
SECTION
5.05. |
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Maintenance of Properties; Insurance |
52 |
SECTION
5.06. |
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Books
and Records; Inspection Rights |
53 |
SECTION
5.07. |
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Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations |
53 |
SECTION
5.08. |
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Use of
Proceeds |
54 |
SECTION
5.09. |
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Subsidiary Guarantors; Pledges; Additional Collateral; Further
Assurances |
54 |
SECTION
5.10. |
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Depository Banks |
55 |
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ARTICLE VI Negative Covenants |
55 |
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SECTION
6.01. |
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Indebtedness |
55 |
SECTION
6.02. |
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Liens |
56 |
SECTION
6.03. |
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Fundamental Changes and Asset Sales |
57 |
SECTION
6.04. |
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Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions |
58 |
SECTION
6.05. |
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Swap
Agreements |
59 |
SECTION
6.06. |
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Restricted Payments |
59 |
SECTION
6.07. |
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Transactions with Affiliates |
60 |
SECTION
6.08. |
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Restrictive Agreements |
60 |
SECTION
6.09. |
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Issuances of Equity Interests by Subsidiaries |
60 |
SECTION
6.10. |
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Amendment of Material Documents |
60 |
SECTION
6.11. |
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Financial Covenants |
60 |
ii
Table of Contents
(continued)
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Page |
ARTICLE VII Events of Default |
61 |
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ARTICLE VIII The Administrative Agent
and the Collateral Agent |
64 |
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ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous |
68 |
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SECTION 9.01. |
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Notices |
68 |
SECTION 9.02. |
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Waivers; Amendments |
69 |
SECTION 9.03. |
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Expenses; Indemnity; Damage
Waiver |
70 |
SECTION 9.04. |
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Successors and Assigns |
71 |
SECTION 9.05. |
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Survival |
73 |
SECTION 9.06. |
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Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness |
74 |
SECTION 9.07. |
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Severability |
74 |
SECTION 9.08. |
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Right
of Setoff |
74 |
SECTION 9.09. |
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Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to
Service of Process |
74 |
SECTION 9.10. |
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WAIVER
OF JURY TRIAL |
75 |
SECTION 9.11. |
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Headings |
75 |
SECTION 9.12. |
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Confidentiality |
76 |
SECTION 9.13. |
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USA PATRIOT Act |
76 |
SECTION 9.14. |
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Appointment for Perfection |
76 |
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ARTICLE X |
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76 |
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Company Guarantee |
76 |
iii
Table of Contents
(continued)
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Page |
SCHEDULES: |
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Schedule 2.01 |
-- |
Commitments |
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Schedule 2.02 |
-- |
Mandatory Cost |
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Schedule 2.06 |
-- |
Existing Letters of Credit |
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Schedule 3.01 |
-- |
Subsidiaries |
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Schedule 6.01 |
-- |
Existing Indebtedness |
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Schedule 6.02 |
-- |
Existing Liens |
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Schedule 6.04 |
-- |
Existing Investments, Loans and
Advances |
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Schedule 6.07 |
-- |
Affiliate Transactions |
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Schedule 6.08 |
-- |
Existing Restrictions |
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EXHIBITS: |
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Exhibit A -- Form
of Assignment and Assumption |
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Exhibit B -- Form of Opinion of
Loan Parties’ Counsel |
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Exhibit C -- Form
of Increasing Lender Supplement |
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Exhibit D -- Form of Augmenting
Lender Supplement |
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Exhibit E -- List
of Closing Documents |
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Exhibit F-1 -- Form of Borrowing
Subsidiary Agreement |
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Exhibit F-2 -- Form
of Borrowing Subsidiary Termination |
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Exhibit G -- Form of Subsidiary
Guaranty |
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Exhibit H -- Form
of Pledge Agreement |
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iv
AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this
“Agreement”) dated as of February 12, 2010 among
PHOTRONICS, INC., the FOREIGN SUBSIDIARY BORROWERS from time to time party
hereto, the LENDERS from time to time party hereto, RBS CITIZENS, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as Syndication Agent, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as
Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent.
WHEREAS,
(i) the Company, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as
administrative agent and collateral agent thereunder are currently party to the
Credit Agreement, dated as of June 6, 2007 (as amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”) and (ii) the Company, the lenders party
thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral
agent thereunder are currently party to the Loan Agreement, dated as of June 8,
2009 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to the date hereof,
the “Existing Loan Agreement” and together with the Existing Credit
Agreement, the “Existing Agreements”).
WHEREAS,
the Company, the Lenders, the Departing Lenders (as hereafter defined), the
Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent have agreed (a) to enter into this
Agreement in order to (i) amend and restate the Existing Agreements in their
entirety; (ii) re-evidence the “Obligations” under, and as defined in, the
Existing Agreements, which shall be repayable in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement; and (iii) set forth the terms and conditions under which the
Lenders will, from time to time, make loans and extend other financial
accommodations to or for the benefit of the Borrowers and (b) that each
Departing Lender shall cease to be a party to the Existing Agreements, as
applicable, as evidenced by its execution and delivery of its Departing Lender
Signature Page.
WHEREAS,
it is the intent of the parties hereto that this Agreement not constitute a
novation of the obligations and liabilities of the parties under the Existing
Agreements or be deemed to evidence or constitute full repayment of such
obligations and liabilities, but that this Agreement amend and restate in its
entirety the Existing Agreements and re-evidence the obligations and liabilities
of the Company and the Subsidiaries outstanding thereunder, which shall be
payable in accordance with the terms hereof.
WHEREAS,
it is also the intent of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors to confirm
that all obligations under the applicable “Loan Documents” (as referred to and
defined in each Existing Agreement) shall continue in full force and effect as
modified or restated by the Loan Documents (as referred to and defined herein)
and that, from and after the Effective Date, all references to the “Credit
Agreement” or “Loan Agreement”, as applicable, contained in any such existing
“Loan Documents” shall be deemed to refer to this Agreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained
herein, the parties hereto hereby agree that the Existing Agreements are hereby
amended and restated as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
Defined
Terms. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
“ABR”, when used in reference to any Loan or
Borrowing, refers to a Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bearing
interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency
Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum which is an
interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%)
equal to the sum of (i) (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by
(b) the Statutory Reserve Rate plus, without duplication, (ii) in the case of
Loans by a Lender from its office or branch in the United Kingdom, the Mandatory
Cost.
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its
capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder.
“Administrative
Questionnaire” means an
Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
“Affected Foreign Subsidiary” means any Foreign Subsidiary to the extent
such Foreign Subsidiary acting as a Subsidiary Guarantor would cause a Deemed
Dividend Problem.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person,
another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person
specified.
“Agents” means the Administrative Agent and the
Collateral Agent.
“Aggregate Commitment” means the aggregate of the Commitments of
all of the Lenders, as reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to the
terms and conditions hereof. As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Commitment
is $50,000,000.
“Agreed Currencies” means (i) Dollars and (ii) any Foreign
Currency agreed to by the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders.
“Alternate Base Rate” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal
to the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal
Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus ½ of 1% and (c) the Adjusted
LIBO Rate for a one month Interest Period on such day (or if such day is not a
Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus a percentage per
annum equal to the then applicable “Eurocurrency Spread” on such day as set
forth in the definition of “Applicable Rate”; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the
Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the rate appearing on the
Reuters BBA Libor Rates Page 3750 (or on any successor or substitute page of
such page) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day. Any change in
the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds
Effective Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including
the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective
Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively.
“Applicable Pledge
Percentage” means 100% but
65% in the case of a pledge by the Company or any Domestic Subsidiary of its
Equity Interests in an Affected Foreign Subsidiary.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, the
percentage of the Aggregate Commitment represented by such Lender’s Commitment.
If the Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall
be determined based upon the Commitments most recently in effect, giving effect
to any assignments.
2
“Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any
Eurocurrency Revolving Loan, or any ABR Revolving Loan or with respect to the
commitment fees payable hereunder, as the case may be, the applicable rate per
annum set forth below under the caption “Eurocurrency Spread”, “ABR Spread” or
“Commitment Fee Rate”, as the case may be, based upon the Total Leverage Ratio
applicable on such date:
|
Total Leverage
Ratio: |
Commitment |
Eurocurrency |
ABR |
|
|
Fee
Rate |
Spread |
Spread |
Category
1: |
< 0.75 to
1.00 |
0.50% |
3.50% |
2.50% |
Category
2: |
≥ 0.75 to
1.00 |
0.625% |
3.75% |
2.75% |
|
but |
|
|
|
|
< 1.25 to
1.00 |
|
|
|
Category
3: |
≥ 1.25 to 1.00 but |
0.75% |
4.00% |
3.00% |
|
< 1.75 to
1.00 |
|
|
|
Category
4: |
≥ 1.75 to
1.00 |
1.00% |
4.50% |
3.50% |
For
purposes of the foregoing,
(i) if
at any time the Company fails to deliver the Financials on or before the date
the Financials are due pursuant to Section 5.01, Category 4 shall be deemed
applicable for the period commencing five (5) Business Days after the required
date of delivery and ending on the date which is five (5) Business Days after
the Financials are actually delivered, after which the Category shall be
determined in accordance with the table above as applicable;
(ii)
adjustments, if any, to the Category then in effect shall be effective five (5)
Business Days after the Administrative Agent has received the applicable
Financials (it being understood and agreed that each change in Category shall
apply during the period commencing on the effective date of such change and
ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such
change); and
(iii)
notwithstanding the foregoing, Category 3 shall be deemed to be applicable until
the Administrative Agent’s receipt of the applicable Financials for the
Company’s first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date (unless such
Financials demonstrate that Category 4 should have been applicable during such
period, in which case such other Category shall be deemed to be applicable
during such period) and adjustments to the Category then in effect shall
thereafter be effected in accordance with the preceding paragraphs.
“Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 9.04.
“Approximate Equivalent
Amount” of any currency
with respect to any amount of Dollars shall mean the Equivalent Amount of such
currency with respect to such amount of Dollars on or as of such date, rounded
up to the nearest amount of such currency as determined by the Administrative
Agent from time to time.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption agreement
entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose
consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent,
in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Augmenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.20.
3
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the
Effective Date to but excluding the earlier of the Maturity Date and the date of
termination of the Commitments.
“Available Revolving
Commitment” means, at any
time, the Aggregate Commitment then in effect minus the Revolving Credit Exposure (excluding, for
the purpose of calculating the commitment fee under Section 2.12, the Swingline
Exposure) of all Lenders at such time.
“Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank
services provided to the Company or any Subsidiary by any Lender or any of its
Affiliates: (a) commercial credit cards, (b) stored value cards and (c) treasury
management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement,
automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate
depository network services).
“Banking Services Agreement” means any agreement entered into by the
Company or any Subsidiary in connection with Banking Services.
“Banking Services
Obligations” means any and
all obligations of the Company or any Subsidiary, whether absolute or contingent
and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including
all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor)
in connection with Banking Services.
“Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System of the United States of America.
“Borrower” means the Company or any Foreign Subsidiary
Borrower.
“Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type,
made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Eurocurrency
Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect or (b) a Swingline
Loan.
“Borrowing Request” means a request by any Borrower for a
Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.
“Borrowing Subsidiary
Agreement” means a
Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit F-1.
“Borrowing Subsidiary
Termination” means a
Borrowing Subsidiary Termination substantially in the form of Exhibit F-2.
“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday
or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or
required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a
Eurocurrency Loan, the term “Business
Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for dealings
in Agreed Currencies in the London interbank market or the principal financial
center of the country in which payment or purchase of such Agreed Currency can
be made (and, if the Borrowings or LC Disbursements which are the subject of a
borrowing, drawing, payment, reimbursement or rate selection are denominated in
euro, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which the TARGET
payment system is not open for the settlement of payments in euro).
“Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any cash
expenditures for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset which would be
classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of the
Company and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.
4
“Capital Lease Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such
Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement
conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof,
which obligations are required to be classified and accounted for as capital
leases on a balance sheet of such Person under GAAP, and the amount of such
obligations shall be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance
with GAAP.
“Change in Control” means (a) the acquisition of ownership,
directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group
(within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder as in effect on the date hereof),
of Equity Interests representing more than 35% of the aggregate ordinary voting
power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Company;
(b) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board
of directors of the Company by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the
board of directors of the Company nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated;
or (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Company by any
Person or group; or (d) the occurrence of a change in control, or other similar
provision, as defined in any agreement or instrument evidencing any Material
Indebtedness (triggering a default or mandatory prepayment, which default or
mandatory prepayment has not been waived in writing); or (e) the Company ceases
to own, directly or indirectly, and Control 100% (other than directors’
qualifying shares) of the ordinary voting and economic power of any Foreign
Subsidiary Borrower, other than, to the extent such Subsidiaries are Foreign
Subsidiary Borrowers, PKL and PSMC in respect of which the Company will continue
to own and Control more than 50%.
“Change in Law” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or
regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or
regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental
Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender or
any Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of
such Lender or by such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any)
with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of
law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this
Agreement.
“Chinese Facility Sale” means any sale of the Company’s direct or
indirect Equity Interests in Photronics China or all or a portion of the assets
of Photronics China (excluding equipment returned by Photronics China to the
Company or any Subsidiary).
“Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or
Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing,
are Revolving Loans or Swingline Loans.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time.
“Collateral” means all Pledged Equity, all “Collateral”
as defined in the Security Agreement and all other property pledged in favor of
the Collateral Agent, on behalf of itself and the Holders of Secured
Obligations, pursuant to the Mortgages and any other Collateral Document from
time to time.
“Collateral Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its
capacity as Collateral Agent for the Holders of Secured Obligations and any
successor Collateral Agent appointed pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
“Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the Security Agreement,
the Pledge Agreements, the Mortgages and all other agreements, instruments and
documents executed in connection with
this Agreement that are intended to create, evidence or perfect Liens to secure
the Secured Obligations.
5
“Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the
commitment of such Lender to make Revolving Loans and to acquire participations
in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount
representing the maximum aggregate amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit
Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be (a) reduced or terminated from
time to time pursuant to Section 2.09, (b) increased from time to time pursuant
to Section 2.20 and (c) reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to
assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of
each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on Schedule 2.01, or in the Assignment and
Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as
applicable.
“Company” means Photronics, Inc., a Connecticut
corporation.
“Computation Date” is defined in Section 2.04.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Consolidated Net
Income for such period, minus the aggregate amount of extraordinary, unusual or
non-recurring income or gains for such period to the extent required to be
separately stated in the Company’s financial statements in accordance with GAAP,
plus, without duplication and to the extent deducted from revenues in
determining Consolidated Net Income for such period, the sum of (a) the
aggregate amount of Consolidated Interest Expense for such period, plus (b) the
aggregate amount of income tax expense for such period, plus (c) the aggregate
amount of depreciation and amortization for such period, plus (d) non-cash
expenses related to stock-based compensation, plus (e) any extraordinary or
non-recurring non-cash expenses, write-downs, write-offs, or losses including
impairment or restructuring charges, all as determined on a consolidated basis
with respect to the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with
GAAP, minus, to the extent included in determining Consolidated Net Income for
such period, any cash payments made during such period in respect of items
described in clauses (d) and (e) above subsequent to the fiscal quarter in which
the relevant non-cash expense or loss was reflected in a statement of
Consolidated Net Income. For the purposes of calculating Consolidated EBITDA for
any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters (each, a “Reference Period”), (i) if at any time during such Reference
Period the Company or any Subsidiary shall have made any Material Disposition,
the Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be reduced by an amount
equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if positive) attributable to the property that
is the subject of such Material Disposition for such Reference Period or
increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated EBITDA (if negative)
attributable thereto for such Reference Period, and (ii) if during such
Reference Period the Company or any Subsidiary shall have made a Material
Acquisition, Consolidated EBITDA for such Reference Period shall be calculated
after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Material Acquisition occurred
on the first day of such Reference Period. As used in this definition,
“Material Acquisition” means any acquisition of property or series
of related acquisitions of property that (a) constitutes (i) assets comprising
all or substantially all or any significant portion of a business or operating
unit of a business, or (ii) all or substantially all of the common stock or
other Equity Interests of a Person, and (b) involves the payment of
consideration by the Company and its Subsidiaries in excess of $10,000,000; and
“Material Disposition” means any sale, transfer or disposition of
property or series of related sales, transfers, or dispositions of property that
yields gross proceeds to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in excess of
$10,000,000.
“Consolidated Fixed Charges” means, with reference to any period, without
duplication, interest payments in cash during such period, plus Taxes paid in
cash, all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis.
6
“Consolidated Interest
Expense” means, with
reference to any period, the interest expense (including without limitation
interest expense under Capital Lease Obligations that is treated as interest in
accordance with GAAP) of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated on a
consolidated basis for such period with respect to (a) all outstanding
Indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries allocable to such period in
accordance with GAAP and (b) Swap Agreements (including, without limitation, all
commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters
of credit and bankers acceptance financing and net costs under interest rate
Swap Agreements to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in
accordance with GAAP).
“Consolidated Net Income” means, with reference to any period, the net
income (or loss) of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance
with GAAP on a consolidated basis (without duplication) for such period;
provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income
(or deficit) of any Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company) in which the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the
extent that any such income is actually received by the Company or such
Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (b) the
undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary of the Company to the extent that the
declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary
is not at the time permitted by the terms of any contractual obligation (other
than under any Loan Document) or any organizational or governing documents, any
law, treaty, rule or regulation or any determination of an arbitrator or other
Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to such Subsidiary.
“Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of the date of any determination
thereof, total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in
accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis as of such date.
“Consolidated Total
Indebtedness” means at any
time the sum, without duplication, of (a) the aggregate Indebtedness of the
Company and its Subsidiaries calculated on a consolidated basis as of such time
in accordance with GAAP, (b) the aggregate amount of Indebtedness of the Company
and its Subsidiaries relating to the maximum drawing amount of all letters of
credit outstanding and bankers acceptances and (c) Indebtedness of the type
referred to in clauses (a) or (b) hereof of another Person guaranteed by the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“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.
“Country Risk Event” means:
(i)
any law, action or failure to act by any Governmental Authority in any
Borrower’s or Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country which has the effect of:
(a) changing the obligations under the relevant Letter of Credit, the
Credit Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents as originally agreed or
otherwise creating any additional liability, cost or expense to the Issuing
Banks, the Lenders or the Administrative Agent,
(b) changing the ownership or control by such Borrower or Letter of
Credit beneficiary of its business, or
(c) preventing or restricting the conversion into or transfer of the
applicable Agreed Currency;
7
(ii)
force majeure; or
(iii)
any similar event
which, in relation to
(i), (ii) and (iii), directly or indirectly, prevents or restricts the payment
or transfer of any amounts owing under the relevant Letter of Credit or other
Loan Documents in the applicable Agreed Currency into an account designated by
the Administrative Agent or the relevant Issuing Bank and freely available to
the Administrative Agent or the relevant Issuing Bank.
“Credit Event” means a Borrowing, the issuance of a Letter
of Credit, an LC Disbursement or any of the foregoing.
“Deemed Dividend Problem” means, with respect to any Foreign
Subsidiary, such Foreign Subsidiary’s accumulated and undistributed earnings and
profits being deemed to be repatriated to the Company or the applicable parent
Domestic Subsidiary under Section 956 of the Code or any successor or similar
law and the effect of such repatriation causing or expected to cause adverse tax
consequences in excess of $1,000,000 in the aggregate to the Company or such
parent Domestic Subsidiary, in each case as determined by the Company in its
commercially reasonable judgment acting in good faith and in consultation with
its legal and tax advisors.
“Default” means any event or condition which
constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both
would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender, as determined by the
Administrative Agent, that has (a) failed to fund any portion of its Loans or
participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans within three (3) Business
Days of the date required to be funded by it hereunder, (b) notified the
Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or
any Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with any of its funding
obligations under this Agreement or has made a public statement to the effect
that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations under this
Agreement or under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c)
failed, within three (3) Business Days after request by the Administrative
Agent, to confirm that it will comply with the terms of this Agreement relating
to its obligations to fund prospective Loans and participations in then
outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans, (d) otherwise failed to pay
over to the Administrative Agent or any other Lender any other amount required
to be paid by it hereunder within three (3) Business Days of the date when due,
unless the subject of a good faith dispute, or (e) (i) become or is insolvent or
has a parent company that has become or is insolvent or (ii) become the subject
of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator,
trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance
of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such
proceeding or appointment or has a parent company that has become the subject of
a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator,
trustee or custodian appointed for it, or has taken any action in furtherance
of, or indicating its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any such
proceeding or appointment.
“Departing Lender” means each lender under either of the
Existing Agreements that executes and delivers to the Administrative Agent a
Departing Lender Signature Page.
“Departing Lender Signature
Page” means each signature
page to this Agreement on which it is indicated that the Departing Lender
executing the same shall cease to be a party to the Existing Agreements to which
it is a party on the Effective Date.
8
“Dollar Amount” of any currency at any date shall mean (i)
the amount of such currency if such currency is Dollars or (ii) the equivalent
in such currency of Dollars if such currency is a Foreign Currency, calculated on the basis of the
Exchange Rate for such currency, on or as of the most recent Computation Date
provided for in Section 2.04.
“Dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the United States
of America.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary organized under the laws
of a jurisdiction located in the United States of America.
“Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions
specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section
9.02).
“Eligible Foreign Subsidiary” means any Foreign Subsidiary that is
approved from time to time by the Administrative Agent.
“Environmental Laws” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes,
ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding
agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority,
relating in any way to the environment, preservation or reclamation of natural
resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous
Material or to health and safety matters.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise
(including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines,
penalties or indemnities), of the Company or any Subsidiary directly or
indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law,
(b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or
disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials,
(d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the
environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement
pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the
foregoing.
“Equity Interests” means shares of capital stock, partnership
interests, membership interests in a limited liability company, beneficial
interests in a trust or other equity ownership interests in a Person, and any
warrants, options or other rights entitling the holder thereof to purchase or
acquire any such equity interest.
“Equivalent Amount” of any currency with respect to any amount
of Dollars at any date shall mean the equivalent in such currency of such amount
of Dollars, calculated on the basis of the arithmetical mean of the buy and sell
spot rates of exchange of the Administrative Agent for such other currency at
11:00 a.m., London time, on the date on or as of which such amount is to be
determined.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) that, together with the Company, is treated as a single employer
under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code or, solely for purposes of Section 302
of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code, is treated as a single employer under
Section 414 of the Code.
9
“ERISA Event” means (a) any “reportable event”, as defined
in Section 4043 of ERISA or the regulations issued thereunder with respect to a
Plan (other than an event for which the 30-day notice period is waived); (b) the
existence with respect to any Plan of an “accumulated funding deficiency” (as
defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not
waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(d) of the Code or Section 303(d)
of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with
respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability
under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the
receipt by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate from the PBGC or a plan
administrator of any notice relating to an intention to terminate any Plan or
Plans or to appoint a trustee to administer any Plan; (f) the incurrence by the
Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates of any liability with respect to the
withdrawal or partial withdrawal of the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates
from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by the Company or any
ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon the
Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates of Withdrawal Liability or a
determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent or
in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.
“EU” means the European Union.
“euro” and/or “EUR” means the single currency of the
participating member states of the EU.
“Eurocurrency”, when used in reference to a currency means
an Agreed Currency and when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, mean
that such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate
determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
“Eurocurrency Payment Office” of the Administrative Agent shall mean, for
each Foreign Currency, the office, branch, affiliate or correspondent bank of
the Administrative Agent for such currency as specified from time to time by the
Administrative Agent to the Company and each Lender.
“Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Article VII.
“Exchange Rate” means, on any day, with respect to any
Foreign Currency, the rate at which such Foreign Currency may be exchanged into
Dollars, as set forth at approximately 11:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date on
the Reuters World Currency Page for such Foreign Currency. In the event that
such rate does not appear on any Reuters World Currency Page, the Exchange Rate
with respect to such Foreign Currency shall be determined by reference to such
other publicly available service for displaying exchange rates as may be
reasonably selected by the Administrative Agent or, in the event no such service
is selected, such Exchange Rate shall instead be calculated on the basis of the
arithmetical mean of the buy and sell spot rates of exchange of the
Administrative Agent for such Foreign Currency on the London market at 11:00
a.m., Local Time, on such date for the purchase of Dollars with such Foreign
Currency, for delivery two Business Days later; provided, that if at the time of any such
determination, for any reason, no such spot rate is being quoted, the
Administrative Agent, after consultation with the Company, may use any
reasonable method it deems appropriate to determine such rate, and such
determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
“Excluded Taxes” means, with respect to the Administrative
Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any other recipient of any payment to be
made by or on account of any obligation of the Company hereunder, (a) income or
franchise taxes imposed on (or measured by) its net income by the United States
of America, or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which such recipient is
organized or in which its principal office is located or, in the case of any
Lender, in which its applicable lending office is located, (b) any branch
profits taxes imposed by the United States of America or any similar tax imposed
by any other jurisdiction in which the Company is located and (c) in the case of
a Foreign Lender (other than an assignee pursuant to a request by the Company
under Section 2.19(b)), any withholding tax that is imposed 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 is attributable to such
Foreign Lender’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(e), except to the extent
that such Foreign Lender (or its assignor, if any) was entitled, at the time of designation of a new
lending office (or assignment), to receive additional amounts from the Company
with respect to such withholding tax pursuant to Section 2.17(a).
10
“Existing Agreements” is defined in the recitals hereof.
“Existing Convertible Notes” means the 5.5% Convertible Notes due 2014
issued pursuant to the Supplement to Indenture between the Borrower and The Bank
of New York as Trustee dated September 16, 2009, as amended, restated, replaced,
refinanced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“Existing Credit Agreement” is defined in the recitals
hereof.
“Existing Letters of Credit” is defined in Section 2.06(a).
“Existing Loan Agreement” is defined in the recitals
hereof.
“Existing Loans” is defined in Section 2.01.
“Expansion Foreign Loans” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.20.
“Expansion Loan Amendment” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.20.
“Federal Funds Effective
Rate” means, for any day,
the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of
the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal
Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next
succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such
rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average
(rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for
such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three
Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
“Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, any vice
president of finance, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of
the Company.
“Financials” means the annual or quarterly financial
statements, and accompanying certificates and other documents, of the Company
and its Subsidiaries required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or
5.01(b).
“First Tier Foreign
Subsidiary” means each
Foreign Subsidiary and with respect to which any one or more of the Company and
its Domestic Subsidiaries directly owns or controls more than 50% of such
Foreign Subsidiary’s Equity Interests.
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.11(a).
“Foreign Borrower Sublimit” means $25,000,000.
“Foreign Currencies” means Agreed Currencies other than Dollars.
“Foreign Currency LC
Exposure” means, at any
time, the sum of (a) the Dollar Amount of the aggregate undrawn and unexpired
amount of all outstanding Foreign Currency Letters of Credit at such time plus
(b) the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all LC Disbursements in respect of
Foreign Currency Letters of Credit that have not yet been reimbursed at such
time.
11
“Foreign Currency Letter of
Credit” means a Letter of
Credit denominated in a Foreign Currency.
“Foreign Currency Sublimit” means $25,000,000.
“Foreign Lender” means any Lender that is organized under the
laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Company is located. For
purposes of this definition, the United States of America, each State thereof
and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single
jurisdiction.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic
Subsidiary.
“Foreign Subsidiary Borrower” means any Eligible Foreign Subsidiary that
has been designated as a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower pursuant to Section 2.23
and that has not ceased to be a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower pursuant to such
Section.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting
principles in the United States of America.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States of
America, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or
local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court,
central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial,
taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to
government.
“Guarantee” of or by any Person (the “guarantor”) means any obligation, contingent or
otherwise, of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of
guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person (the
“primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect,
(a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment
of) such Indebtedness or other obligation or to purchase (or to advance or
supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to
purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring
the owner of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c)
to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement
condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary
obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation or (d) as an account party
in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such
Indebtedness or obligation; provided, that the term Guarantee shall not include
endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive
substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other
pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos
containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or
medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated
pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Holders of Secured
Obligations” means the
Secured Parties.
“Increasing Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.20.
12
“Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication,
(a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money or with respect to
deposits or advances of any kind, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced
by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such
Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid, (d) all obligations of
such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating
to property acquired by such Person, (e) all obligations of such Person in
respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding
current accounts payable and
accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business), (f) all
Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness
has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien on
property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness
secured thereby has been assumed, (g) all Guarantees by such Person of
Indebtedness of others, (h) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (i)
all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in
respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (j) all obligations,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (k)
all obligations of such Person under any Swap Agreement or under any similar
type of agreement and (l) obligations of such Person under Sale and Leaseback
Transactions. The Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of
any other entity (including any partnership in which such Person is a general
partner) to the extent such Person is liable therefor as a result of such
Person’s ownership interest in or other relationship with such entity, except to
the extent the terms of such Indebtedness provide that such Person is not liable
therefor.
“Indemnified Taxes” means Taxes other than Excluded Taxes.
“Information Memorandum” means the Confidential Information
Memorandum dated October 2009 relating to the Company and the Transactions.
“Interest Election Request” means a request by the applicable Borrower
to convert or continue a Revolving Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.
“Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any ABR Loan
(other than a Swingline Loan), the last day of each March, June, September and
December, (b) with respect to any Eurocurrency Loan, the last day of the
Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part and, in
the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing with an Interest Period of more than three
months’ duration, each day prior to the last day of such Interest Period that
occurs at intervals of three months’ duration after the first day of such
Interest Period and (c) with respect to any Swingline Loan, the day that such
Loan is required to be repaid.
“Interest Period” means with respect to any Eurocurrency
Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending on the
numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or
six months thereafter, as the applicable Borrower may elect; provided, that (i) if any Interest Period would end on
a day other than a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the
next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing
only, such next succeeding Business Day would fall in the next calendar month,
in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day
and (ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurocurrency Borrowing that
commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which
there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such
Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month
of such Interest Period. For purposes hereof, the date of a Borrowing initially
shall be the date on which such Borrowing is made and, in the case of a
Revolving Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent
conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.
“Issuing Bank” means each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and
RBS Citizens, National Association, in its capacity as the issuer of Letters of
Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section
2.06(i). Any Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more
Letters of Credit to be issued by Affiliates of such Issuing Bank, in which case
the term “Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Letters
of Credit issued by such Affiliate.
13
“Joint Venture” means any corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or other legal entity or arrangement in which the Company or
any Subsidiary has an equity investment and direct or indirect Control.
“LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 2.06(j).
“LC Disbursement” means a payment made by any Issuing Bank
pursuant to a Letter of Credit.
“LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the
aggregate undrawn Dollar Amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit at such
time plus (b) the aggregate Dollar Amount of all LC Disbursements that have not
yet been reimbursed by or on behalf of the Company at such time. The LC Exposure
of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total LC
Exposure at such time.
“Lenders” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01
and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereunder pursuant to
Section 2.20 or pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such
Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment and
Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes
the Swingline Lender. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Lenders” excludes the Departing Lenders.
“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued pursuant
to this Agreement.
“LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurocurrency
Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate appearing on, in the case of
Dollars, Reuters BBA Libor Rates Page 3750 and, in the case of any Foreign
Currency, the appropriate page of such service which displays British Bankers
Association Interest Settlement Rates for deposits in such Foreign Currency (or,
in each case, on any successor or substitute page of such Service, or any
successor to or substitute for such Service, providing rate quotations
comparable to those currently provided on such page of such Service, as
determined by the Administrative Agent from time to time for purposes of
providing quotations of interest rates applicable to deposits in the relevant
Agreed Currency in the London interbank market) at approximately 11:00 a.m.,
London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest
Period, as the rate for deposits in the relevant Agreed Currency with a maturity
comparable to such Interest Period. In the event that such rate is not available
at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurocurrency Borrowing
for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which deposits in the relevant
Agreed Currency in an Equivalent Amount of $5,000,000 and for a maturity
comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of
the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank
market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to
the commencement of such Interest Period.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any
mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or
security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a
lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or title retention
agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect
as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of
securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with
respect to such securities.
“Loans” means the loans made by the Lenders to the
Borrowers, or otherwise incurred by the Borrowers, pursuant to this Agreement.
14
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Borrowing
Subsidiary Agreement, each Borrowing Subsidiary Termination, the Subsidiary
Guaranty, the Collateral Documents (including, without limitation, the Pledge
Agreements), any promissory notes executed and delivered pursuant to Section
2.10(e) and any and all other instruments and documents executed and delivered
in connection with any of the foregoing.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrowers and the
Subsidiary Guarantors.
“Local Time” means (i) New York City time in the case of
a Loan, Borrowing or LC Disbursement denominated in Dollars to, or for the
account of, the Company and (ii) local time at the place of the relevant Loan,
Borrowing or LC Disbursement (or such earlier local time as is necessary for the
relevant funds to be received and transferred to the Administrative Agent for
same day value on the date the relevant reimbursement obligation is due) in the
case of a Loan, Borrowing or LC Disbursement which is denominated in a Foreign
Currency or which is to, or for the account of, a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower
(it being understood that such local time shall mean London, England time unless
otherwise notified by the Administrative Agent).
“Mandatory Cost” is described in Schedule 2.02.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the
business, assets, property or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company
and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or (b) the ability of any Borrower or any
other Loan Party to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement or any
other Loan Document or (c) the rights of or remedies available to the Lenders
under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
“Material Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness (other than the Loans
and Letters of Credit), or obligations in respect of one or more Swap
Agreements, of any one or more of the Company and its Subsidiaries in an
aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining
Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of the Company
or any Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the
maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that the
Company or such Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were
terminated at such time.
“Material Subsidiary” means each Subsidiary (i) which, as of the
most recent fiscal year of the Company, for the period of four consecutive
fiscal quarters then ended, for which financial statements have been delivered
pursuant to Section 5.01, contributed greater than ten percent (10%) of the
Company’s Consolidated EBITDA for such period or (ii) which contributed greater
than ten percent (10%) of the Company’s Consolidated Total Assets as of such
date; provided that, if at any time the aggregate amount of
the Company’s Consolidated EBITDA or Company’s Consolidated Total Assets
attributable to Subsidiaries (other than Affected Foreign Subsidiaries) that are
not Subsidiary Guarantors exceeds twenty percent (20%) of the Company’s
Consolidated EBITDA for any such period or twenty percent (20%) of the Company’s
Consolidated Total Assets as of the end of any such fiscal year, the Company
(or, in the event the Company has failed to do so within ten days, the
Administrative Agent) shall designate sufficient Subsidiaries (other than
Affected Foreign Subsidiaries) as “Material Subsidiaries” to eliminate such
excess, and such designated Subsidiaries shall for all purposes of this
Agreement constitute Material Subsidiaries; provided, that, in the case of a Person becoming a
Subsidiary pursuant to an acquisition, the foregoing financial tests shall be
applied on a Pro Forma Basis immediately upon consummation of such acquisition
and, assuming such Subsidiary would constitute a Material Subsidiary on a Pro
Forma Basis, the Company shall comply with Section 5.09.
“Maturity Date” means February 12, 2013.
15
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
“Mortgage” means each mortgage, deed of trust or other
agreement which conveys or evidences a Lien in favor of the Collateral Agent,
for the benefit of the Collateral Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations,
on real property of a Loan Party, including any amendment, restatement,
modification or supplement thereto, each in form and substance reasonably
acceptable to the Collateral Agent and the Company.
“Mortgage Instruments” means such title reports, title insurance,
flood certifications and flood insurance, opinions of counsel, surveys,
appraisals and environmental reports and other similar information and related
certifications as are reasonably requested by, and in form and substance
reasonably acceptable to, the Collateral Agent from time to time.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in
Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“New Mask Shop Obligations” means all obligations of the Company to pay
rent, additional rent and other payments under, or in connection with, the Build
to Suit Lease dated May 5, 2006 by and between the Company and Micron
Technology, Inc., including any, extension, amendment, modification,
replacement, substitution or refinancing of such obligations whether with Micron
Technology, Inc. or a third party lender so long as the principal amount of such
obligations is not increased.
“New Money Credit Event” means with respect to any Issuing Bank, any
increase (directly or indirectly) in such Issuing Bank’s exposure (whether by
way of additional credit or banking facilities or otherwise, including as part
of a restructuring) to the Borrower or any Governmental Authority in the
Borrower’s or any applicable Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country occurring by
reason of (i) any law, action or requirement of any Governmental Authority in
the Borrower’s or such Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country, or (ii) any
request in respect of external indebtedness of borrowers in the Borrower’s or
such Letter of Credit beneficiary’s country applicable to banks generally which
conduct business with such borrowers, or (iii) any agreement in relation to
clause (i) or (ii), in each case to the extent calculated by reference to the
aggregate Revolving Credit Exposures outstanding prior to such increase.
“Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued
and unpaid interest on the Loans, all LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees
and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and
indebtedness (including interest accruing during the pendency of any bankruptcy,
insolvency, receivership or other similar proceeding, regardless of whether
allowed or allowable in such proceeding), obligations and liabilities of any of
the Borrower and its Subsidiaries to any of the Lenders, the Administrative
Agent, any Issuing Bank or any indemnified party, individually or collectively,
existing on the Effective Date or arising thereafter, direct or indirect, joint
or several, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, liquidated or
unliquidated, secured or unsecured, arising by contract, operation of law or
otherwise, arising or incurred under this Credit Agreement or any of the other
Loan Documents or in respect of any of the Loans made or reimbursement or other
obligations incurred or any of the Letters of Credit or other instruments at any
time evidencing any thereof.
“Other Taxes” means any and all present or future stamp or
documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar
levies arising from any payment made hereunder or from the execution, delivery
or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Agreement or any other
Loan Document.
16
“Overnight Foreign Currency
Rate” means, for any
amount payable in a Foreign Currency, the rate of interest per annum as
determined by the Administrative Agent at which overnight or weekend deposits in
the relevant currency (or if such amount due remains unpaid for more than three
Business Days, then for such other period of time as the Administrative Agent
may elect) for delivery in immediately available and freely transferable funds
would be offered by the Administrative Agent to major banks in the interbank
market upon request of such major banks for the relevant currency as determined
above and in an amount comparable to the unpaid principal amount of the related
Credit Event, plus any taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or
withholdings imposed upon, or charged to, the Administrative Agent by any
relevant correspondent bank in respect of such amount in such relevant currency.
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.04.
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation referred to and defined in ERISA and any successor entity performing
similar functions.
“Permitted Acquisition” means any acquisition (whether by purchase,
merger, consolidation or otherwise) or series of related acquisitions by the
Company or any Subsidiary of all or substantially all the assets of, or more
than a majority of the Equity Interests in, a Person or division or line of
business of a Person if, at the time of and immediately after giving effect
thereto, (a) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would arise after
giving effect thereto, (b) such Person or division or line of business is
engaged in the same or a similar line of business as the Company and the
Subsidiaries or business reasonably related or complimentary thereto, (c) all
actions required to be taken with respect to such acquired or newly formed
Subsidiary under Sections 5.09 and 5.10 shall have been taken, (d) the Company
and the Subsidiaries are in compliance, on a Pro Forma Basis after giving effect
to such acquisition, with the covenants contained in Section 6.11 recomputed as
of the last day of the most recently ended fiscal quarter of the Company for
which financial statements are available, as if such acquisition (and any
related incurrence or repayment of Indebtedness, with any new Indebtedness being
deemed to be amortized over the applicable testing period in accordance with its
terms) had occurred on the first day of each relevant period for testing such
compliance and, if the aggregate consideration (including the concurrent
repayment or assumption of any indebtedness and related investments) paid in
respect of such acquisition exceeds $10,000,000, the Company shall have
delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer of
the Company to such effect, together with all relevant financial information,
statements and projections requested by the Administrative Agent, (e) the
aggregate consideration (including the concurrent repayment or assumption of any
indebtedness and related investments) paid in respect of such acquisition, when
aggregated with the aggregate consideration for all other acquisitions, and the
aggregate amount of all other investments, loans and advances made during the
term of this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.04(k), does not (and will not)
exceed $15,000,000 and (f) in the case of an acquisition or merger involving the
Company or a Subsidiary, the Company or such Subsidiary is the surviving entity
of such merger and/or consolidation.
“Permitted Encumbrances” means:
(a) Liens
imposed by law for taxes that are not yet due or are being contested in
compliance with Section 5.04, or as to which the grace period, if any, related
thereto has not expired;
(b)
carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like
Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing
obligations that are not overdue by more than thirty (30) days or are not in
excess of $3,000,000 individually, or $5,000,000 in the aggregate, or are being
contested in compliance with Section 5.04;
17
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary
course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment
insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(d) deposits to secure the performance of
bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds,
performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the
ordinary course of business;
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments
that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Article VII;
and
(f)
easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real
property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do
not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value
of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of
the Company or any Subsidiary;
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall
not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest
on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America (or by
any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith
and credit of the United States of America), in each case maturing within one
year from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b) investments in commercial paper maturing within one year from the
date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the credit
rating of A1 from S&P or P1 from Moody’s;
(c) investments in certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time
deposits maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof issued or
guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or
offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws
of the United States of America or any State thereof which has a combined
capital and surplus and undivided profits of not less than
$500,000,000;
(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more
than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with
a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c)
above;
(e) investments in taxable or tax exempt obligations of any state of the
United States of America or any municipality thereof maturing within three years
of the date of acquisition thereof and which is rated “A1” or higher by Moody’s
or “AA” or higher by S&P;
(f) investments in fixed income securities maturing within one year of
the date of acquisition thereof and which are rated “A” or higher by Moody’s or
S&P;
(g) to the extent the aggregate amount of such investments does not
exceed 10% of Permitted Investments, investments in fixed income securities
maturing within two years of the date of acquisition thereof and which are rated
between “BBB-” and “BBB+” by S&P;
(h) investments in money market mutual funds having assets in excess of
$1,000,000,000 whose sole investments are securities described in clauses (a)
through (g) above; and
18
(i) in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, investments of comparable
tenure and credit quality to those described in the foregoing clauses (a)
through (h) or other high quality short term investments, in each case,
customarily utilized in countries in which such Foreign Subsidiary operates for
short term cash management purposes.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation,
limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company,
partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Photronics China” means Photronics Imaging Technologies
(Shanghai) Co., Ltd., a Chinese corporation.
“PKL” means PKL, Ltd., a Korean
corporation.
“Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan
(other than a Multiemployer Plan) subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA
or Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, and in respect of which the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate is (or, if such plan were terminated, would under
Section 4069 of ERISA be deemed to be) an “employer” as defined in Section 3(5)
of ERISA.
“Pledge Agreements” means that certain Amended and Restated
Pledge Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit H (including any and all
supplements thereto) and executed by the relevant Loan Parties, and, in the case
of any pledge of Equity Interests of a Foreign Subsidiary, any other pledge
agreements, share mortgages, charges and comparable instruments and documents
from time to time executed pursuant to the terms of Section 5.09 in favor of the
Collateral Agent for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations as
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“Pledge Subsidiary” means (i) each Domestic Subsidiary and (ii)
each First Tier Foreign Subsidiary that is a Material Subsidiary.
“Pledged Equity” means all pledged Equity Interests in or
upon which a security interest or Lien is from time to time granted to the
Collateral Agent, for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations, under
the Pledge Agreements.
“Pounds Sterling” means the lawful currency of the United
Kingdom.
“Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum
publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as its prime
rate in effect at its principal office in New York City; each change in the
Prime Rate shall be effective from and including the date such change is
publicly announced as being effective.
“Pro Forma Basis” means on a basis in accordance with GAAP and
Regulation S-X and otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative
Agent.
“PSMC” means Photronics Semiconductor Mask
Corporation, a Republic of China corporation.
“Register” has the meaning set forth in Section
9.04.
“Regulation S-X” means Regulation S-X under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.
19
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person,
such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees,
agents and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, two (2) or more Lenders
having Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than
50% of the sum of the total Revolving Credit Exposures and unused Commitments at
such time.
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution
(whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity
Interests in the Company or any Subsidiary, or any payment (whether in cash,
securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on
account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or
termination of any such Equity Interests in the Company or any option, warrant
or other right to acquire any such Equity Interests in the Company.
“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any
time, the sum of the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Revolving
Loans and its LC Exposure and Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Revolving Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section
2.01.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s.
“Sale and Leaseback
Transaction” means any
sale or other transfer of property by any Person with the intent to lease such
property as lessee.
“Secured Obligations” means all Obligations, together with all (i)
Banking Services Obligations and (ii) Swap Obligations owing to one or more
Secured Parties or their respective Affiliates.
“Secured Parties” means the holders of the Secured Obligations
from time to time and shall include (i) each Lender and each Issuing Bank in
respect of its Loans and LC Exposure respectively, (ii) the Administrative
Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders in respect of all other present and
future obligations and liabilities of the Company and each Subsidiary of every
type and description arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement or
any other Loan Document, (iii) each Lender and affiliate of such Lender in
respect of Swap Agreements and Banking Services entered into with such Person by
the the Company or any Subsidiary, (iv) each indemnified party under Section
9.03 in respect of the obligations and liabilities of the Borrowers to such
Person hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and (v) their respective
successors and (in the case of a Lender, permitted) transferees and
assigns.
“Security Agreement” means that certain Amended and Restated
Security Agreement (including any and all supplements thereto), dated as of the
Effective Date, between the Loan Parties and the Collateral Agent, for the
benefit of the Collateral Agent and the other Holders of Secured Obligations, as
the same may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to
time.
“Specified Chinese Assets” means the site or any buildings located at
No. 158, Jin Qiu Road, Shanghai (including, for the avoidance of doubt, both
allocated land and granted land) and any other property (whether real, personal,
tangible, intangible, or mixed) of Photronics China reasonably requested by the
Collateral Agent.
20
“Specified Intercompany Note” means the intercompany note payable by
Photronics China to the Company and evidencing the intercompany loan made prior
to the Effective Date from the Company to Photronics China.
“Statutory Reserve Rate” means, with respect to any currency, a
fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and
the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum
reserve, liquid asset, fees or similar requirements (including any marginal,
special, emergency or supplemental reserves or other requirements) established
by any central bank, monetary authority, the Board, the Financial Services
Authority, the European Central Bank or other Governmental Authority for any
category of deposits or liabilities customarily used to fund loans in such
currency, expressed in the case of each such requirement as a decimal. Such
reserve percentages shall, in the case of Dollar denominated Loans, include
those imposed pursuant to Regulation D of the Board. Eurocurrency Loans shall be
deemed to be subject to such reserve, liquid asset or similar requirements
without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be
available from time to time to any Lender under any applicable law, rule or
regulation, including Regulation D. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted
automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve,
liquid asset or similar requirement.
“Subordinated Indebtedness” of the Company or any Subsidiary means any
Indebtedness of such Person the payment of which is subordinated to payment of
the obligations under the Loan Documents to the written satisfaction of, and the
terms and conditions of which are otherwise satisfactory to, the Administrative
Agent.
“Subordinated Indebtedness
Documents” means any
document, agreement or instrument evidencing any Subordinated Indebtedness or
entered into in connection with any Subordinated Indebtedness.
“subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person (the
“parent”) at any date, any corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of
which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s
consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in
accordance with GAAP as of such date, as well as any other corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, association or other entity (a) of which
securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity
or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership,
more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of such date, owned,
controlled or held, or (b) that is, as of such date, otherwise Controlled, by
the parent or one or more subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or
more subsidiaries of the parent.
“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the
Company.
“Subsidiary Guarantor” means each Subsidiary (other than Affected
Foreign Subsidiaries). The Subsidiary Guarantors on the Effective Date are
identified as such in Schedule 3.01 hereto.
“Subsidiary Guaranty” means that certain Amended and Restated
Guaranty, dated as of the Effective Date, in the form of Exhibit G (including
any and all supplements thereto) and executed by each Subsidiary Guarantor party
thereto, and, in the case of any guaranty by a Foreign Subsidiary, any other
guaranty agreements as are requested by the Administrative Agent and its
counsel, in each case as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified
from time to time.
21
“Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any
swap, forward, future or derivative transaction or option or similar agreement
involving, or settled by reference to, one or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity or debt
instruments or securities, or economic, financial or pricing indices or measures
of economic, financial or pricing risk or value or any similar transaction or
any combination of these transactions; provided that no phantom stock or similar plan
providing for payments only on account of services provided by current or former
directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company or the Subsidiaries
shall be a Swap Agreement.
“Swap Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Company
or any Subsidiary, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever
created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and
modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (a) any and all Swap
Agreements permitted hereunder with a Lender or an affiliate of a Lender, and
(b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments
of any such Swap Agreement transaction.
“Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal
amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure
of any Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total
Swingline Exposure at such time.
“Swingline Lender” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its
capacity as lender of Swingline Loans hereunder.
“Swingline Loan” means a Loan made pursuant to Section
2.05.
“Syndication Agent” means RBS Citizens, National Association, in
its capacity as syndication agent for the credit facility evidenced by this
Agreement.
“TARGET” means the Trans-European Automated Real-time
Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET) payment system (or, if such payment
system ceases to be operative, such other payment system (if any) reasonably
determined by the Administrative Agent to be a suitable replacement) for the
settlement of payments in euro.
“Taxes” means any and all present or future taxes,
levies, imposts, duties, deductions, charges or withholdings imposed by any
Governmental Authority.
“Total Leverage Ratio” has the meaning assigned to such term in
Section 6.11(b).
“Transactions” means the execution, delivery and
performance by the Loan Parties of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents,
the borrowing of Loans, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of
Letters of Credit hereunder.
“Type”, when used in reference to any Loan or
Borrowing, refers to whether the rate of interest on such Loan, or on the Loans
comprising such Borrowing, is determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate
or the Alternate Base Rate.
“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in
effect from time to time in the State of New York or any other state the laws of
which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of
security interests.
“Withdrawal Liability” means liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a
result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such
terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
22
SECTION 1.02. Classification of Loans and
Borrowings. For purposes
of this Agreement, Loans may be classified and referred to by Class
(e.g., a “Revolving Loan”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Loan”) or by Class and Type
(e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving Loan”). Borrowings
also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type
(e.g., a “Eurocurrency Borrowing”) or by Class and
Type (e.g., a “Eurocurrency Revolving
Borrowing”).
SECTION 1.03. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein shall apply
equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the
context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine,
feminine and neuter forms. The words “include”, “includes” and “including” shall
be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation”. The word “will”
shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall”.
Unless the context requires otherwise (a) any definition of or reference to any
agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring
to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended,
restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on
such amendments, restatements, supplements or modifications set forth herein),
(b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such
Person’s successors and assigns, (c) the words “herein”, “hereof” and
“hereunder”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this
Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all
references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be
construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to,
this Agreement and (e) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to
have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and
intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and
contract rights.
SECTION 1.04. Accounting Terms; GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided
herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in
accordance with GAAP, as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Company notifies the
Administrative Agent that the Company requests an amendment to any provision
hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in
GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of such provision (or if the
Administrative Agent notifies the Company that the Required Lenders request an
amendment to any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether any
such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application
thereof, then such provision shall be interpreted on the basis of GAAP as in
effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective
until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in
accordance herewith. Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, all
terms of an accounting or financial nature used herein shall be construed, and
all computations of amounts and ratios referred to herein shall be made, without
giving effect to any election under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
159 (or any other Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or
effect) to value any Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or any
Subsidiary at “fair value”, as defined therein.
SECTION 1.05. Status of Secured
Obligations. In the event
that the Company or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have
outstanding any Subordinated Indebtedness, the Company shall take or cause such
other Loan Party to take all such actions as shall be necessary to cause the
Secured Obligations to constitute senior indebtedness (however denominated) in
respect of such Subordinated Indebtedness and to enable the Administrative Agent
and the Lenders to have and exercise any payment blockage or other remedies
available or potentially available to holders of senior indebtedness under the
terms of such Subordinated Indebtedness. Without limiting the foregoing, the
Secured Obligations are hereby designated as “senior indebtedness” and as
“designated senior indebtedness” and words of similar import under and in
respect of any indenture or other agreement or instrument under which such other
Subordinated Indebtedness is outstanding and are further given all such other
designations as shall be required under the terms of any such Subordinated
Indebtedness in order that the Lenders may have and exercise any payment
blockage or other remedies available or potentially available to holders of
senior indebtedness under the terms of such Subordinated
Indebtedness.
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SECTION 1.06. Amendment and Restatement of the Existing
Agreements. The parties to
this Agreement agree that, upon (i) the execution and delivery by each of the
parties hereto of this Agreement and (ii) satisfaction of the conditions set
forth in Section 4.01, the terms and provisions of the Existing Agreements shall
be and hereby are amended, superseded and restated in their entirety by the
terms and provisions of this Agreement. This Agreement is not intended to and
shall not constitute a novation. All Loans made and Secured Obligations incurred
under each Existing Agreement which are outstanding on the Effective Date shall
continue as Loans and Secured Obligations under (and shall be governed by the
terms of) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Without limiting the
foregoing, upon the effectiveness hereof: (a) all references in the “Loan
Documents” (as defined in each Existing Agreement) to the “Administrative
Agent”, the “Credit Agreement”, the “Loan Agreement” and the “Loan Documents”
shall be deemed to refer to the Administrative Agent, this Agreement and the
Loan Documents, (b) in the case of the Existing Credit Agreement, the Existing
Letters of Credit which remain outstanding on the Effective Date shall continue
as Letters of Credit under (and shall be governed by the terms of) this
Agreement, (c) all obligations constituting “Secured Obligations” with any
Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender which are outstanding on the Effective
Date shall continue as Secured Obligations under this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents, (d) the Administrative Agent shall make such reallocations,
sales, assignments or other relevant actions in respect of each Lender’s credit
and loan exposure under the Existing Agreements as are necessary in order that
each such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure and outstanding Revolving Loans
hereunder reflects such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding
aggregate Revolving Exposures on the Effective Date, (e) the Existing Loans (as
defined in Section 2.01) of each Departing Lender shall be repaid in full
(accompanied by any accrued and unpaid interest and fees thereon), each
Departing Lender’s “Commitment” under the Existing Credit Agreement shall be
terminated and each Departing Lender shall not be a Lender hereunder and (f) the
Company hereby agrees to compensate each Lender (including each Departing
Lender) for any and all losses, costs and expenses incurred by such Lender in
connection with the sale and assignment of any Eurocurrency Loans (including the
“Eurocurrency Loans” under the Existing Credit Agreement and the “Eurodollar
Loans” under the Existing Loan Agreement) and such reallocation described above,
in each case on the terms and in the manner set forth in Section 2.16
hereof.
ARTICLE
II
The Credits
SECTION 2.01. Commitments. Prior to the Effective Date, certain loans
were previously made to the Company under the Existing Agreements which remain
outstanding as of the date of this Agreement (such outstanding loans being
hereinafter referred to as the “Existing Loans”). Subject to the terms
and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Borrowers and each of the
Lenders agree that on the Effective Date but subject to the satisfaction of the
conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.01 and the reallocation and other
transactions described in Section 1.05, the Existing Loans shall be reevidenced
as Revolving Loans under this Agreement and the terms of the Existing Loans
shall be restated in their entirety and shall be evidenced by this Agreement.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make
Revolving Loans to any Borrower in Agreed Currencies from time to time during
the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in
(a) the Dollar Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Exposure exceeding the
Dollar Amount of such Lender’s Commitment, (b) subject to Section 2.04, the sum
of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the Aggregate Commitment, (c)
subject to Section 2.04, the Dollar Amount of the total outstanding Revolving
Loans and LC Exposure, in each case denominated in Foreign Currencies, exceeding
the Foreign Currency Sublimit or (d) subject to Section 2.04, the Dollar Amount
of the total outstanding Revolving Loans made to Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers
exceeding the Foreign Borrower Sublimit. Within the foregoing limits and subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay
and reborrow Revolving Loans.
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SECTION 2.02. Loans and Borrowings. (a) Each Revolving Loan shall be made as
part of a Borrowing consisting of Revolving Loans made by the Lenders ratably in
accordance with their respective Commitments. The failure of any Lender to make
any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its
obligations hereunder; provided that the Commitments of the Lenders are
several and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to
make Loans as required.
(b) Subject to Section 2.14, each Revolving
Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of ABR Loans or Eurocurrency Loans as the
relevant Borrower may request in accordance herewith; provided that each ABR
Loan shall only be made in Dollars. Each Swingline Loan shall be an ABR Loan.
Each Lender at its option may make any Eurocurrency Loan by causing any domestic
or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan; provided that any exercise of such option shall not
affect the obligation of the relevant Borrower to repay such Loan in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement.
(c) At the commencement of each Interest
Period for any Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an
aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 and not less than
$3,000,000 (or the Approximate Equivalent Amount of each such amount if such
Borrowing is denominated in a Foreign Currency). At the time that each ABR
Revolving Borrowing is made, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that
is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000; provided that an ABR Revolving Borrowing may be in an
aggregate amount that is equal to the entire unused balance of the Aggregate
Commitment or that is required to finance the reimbursement of an LC
Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e). Each Swingline Loan shall be in
an amount that is an integral multiple of $100,000 and not less than $1,000,000.
Borrowings of more than one Type and Class may be outstanding at the same time;
provided that there shall not at any time be more than
a total of ten (10) Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowings outstanding.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, no Borrower shall be entitled to request, or to elect to convert
or continue, any Borrowing if the Interest Period requested with respect thereto
would end after the Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.03. Requests for Revolving
Borrowings. To request a
Revolving Borrowing, the applicable Borrower, or the Company on behalf of the
applicable Borrower, shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request (a)
by irrevocable written notice (via a written Borrowing Request in a form
approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company (on its own
behalf or, as applicable, on behalf of a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower), promptly
followed by telephonic confirmation of such request) in the case of a
Eurocurrency Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, three (3)
Business Days (in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in Dollars to
the Company) or by irrevocable written notice (via a written Borrowing Request
in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Company (on its
own behalf or, as applicable, on behalf of a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower)) four
(4) Business Days (in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing denominated in a
Foreign Currency or a Eurocurrency Borrowing to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower),
in each case before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) by telephone in
the case of an ABR Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one
(1) Business Day before the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of an ABR Revolving
Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by
Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on
the date of the proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall
be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or telecopy to
the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by
the Administrative Agent and signed by the applicable Borrower, or the Company
on behalf of the applicable Borrower. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing
Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section
2.02:
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(i) the aggregate
amount of the requested Borrowing;
(ii) the date of such
Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether such
Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a Eurocurrency Borrowing;
(iv) in the case of a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Agreed Currency and
initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period
contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”; and
(v) the location and number of the applicable Borrower’s account to which
funds are to be disbursed, which shall comply with the requirements of Section
2.07.
If no election as to
the Type of Revolving Borrowing is specified, then, in the case of a Borrowing
denominated in Dollars to the Company, the requested Revolving Borrowing shall
be an ABR Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any
requested Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, then the relevant Borrower shall be
deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration. Promptly
following receipt of a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the
Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the details thereof and of the
amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made as part of the requested Borrowing.
SECTION 2.04. Determination of Dollar
Amounts. The
Administrative Agent will determine the Dollar Amount of:
(a) each Eurocurrency Borrowing as of the date
three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing or, if applicable,
date of conversion/continuation of any Borrowing as a Eurocurrency
Borrowing,
(b) the LC Exposure as of the date of each
request for the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of
Credit, and
(c) all outstanding Credit Events on and as of
the last Business Day of each calendar quarter and, during the continuation of
an Event of Default, on any other Business Day elected by the Administrative
Agent in its discretion or upon instruction by the Required
Lenders.
Each day upon or as
of which the Administrative Agent determines Dollar Amounts as described in the
preceding clauses (a), (b) and (c) is herein described as a “Computation Date”
with respect to each Credit Event for which a Dollar Amount is determined on or
as of such day.
SECTION 2.05. Swingline Loans. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein, the Swingline Lender agrees to make Swingline Loans in Dollars to
the Company from time to time during the Availability Period, in an aggregate
principal amount at any time outstanding that will not result in (i) the
aggregate principal amount of outstanding Swingline Loans exceeding $10,000,000
or (ii) the Dollar Amount of the total Revolving Credit Exposures exceeding the
Aggregate Commitment; provided that the Swingline Lender shall not be
required to make a Swingline Loan to refinance an outstanding Swingline Loan.
Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Company may borrow, prepay and reborrow Swingline
Loans.
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(b) To request a Swingline Loan, the Company
shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request by telephone (confirmed by
telecopy), not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the day of a
proposed Swingline Loan. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify
the requested date (which shall be a Business Day) and amount of the requested
Swingline Loan. The Administrative Agent will promptly advise the Swingline
Lender of any such notice received from the Company. The Swingline Lender shall
make each Swingline Loan available to the Company by means of a credit to the
general deposit account of the Company with the Swingline Lender (or, in the
case of a Swingline Loan made to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement
as provided in Section 2.06(e), by remittance to such Issuing Bank) by 3:00
p.m., New York City time, on the requested date of such Swingline
Loan.
(c) The Swingline Lender may by written notice
given to the Administrative Agent not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time,
on any Business Day require the Lenders to acquire participations on such
Business Day in all or a portion of the Swingline Loans outstanding. Such notice
shall specify the aggregate amount of Swingline Loans in which Lenders will
participate. Promptly upon receipt of such notice, the Administrative Agent will
give notice thereof to each Lender, specifying in such notice such Lender’s
Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender hereby
absolutely and unconditionally agrees, upon receipt of notice as provided above,
to pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Swingline Lender,
such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan or Loans. Each Lender
acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire participations in
Swingline Loans pursuant to this paragraph is absolute and unconditional and
shall not be affected by any circumstance whatsoever, including the occurrence
and continuance of a Default or reduction or termination of the Commitments, and
that each such payment shall be made without any offset, abatement, withholding
or reduction whatsoever. Each Lender shall comply with its obligation under this
paragraph by wire transfer of immediately available funds, in the same manner as
provided in Section 2.07 with respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section
2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders),
and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Swingline Lender the
amounts so received by it from the Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall
notify the Company of any participations in any Swingline Loan acquired pursuant
to this paragraph, and thereafter payments in respect of such Swingline Loan
shall be made to the Administrative Agent and not to the Swingline Lender. Any
amounts received by the Swingline Lender from the Company (or other party on
behalf of the Company) in respect of a Swingline Loan after receipt by the
Swingline Lender of the proceeds of a sale of participations therein shall be
promptly remitted to the Administrative Agent; any such amounts received by the
Administrative Agent shall be promptly remitted by the Administrative Agent to
the Lenders that shall have made their payments pursuant to this paragraph and
to the Swingline Lender, as their interests may appear; provided that any such
payment so remitted shall be repaid to the Swingline Lender or to the
Administrative Agent, as applicable, if and to the extent such payment is
required to be refunded to the Company for any reason. The purchase of
participations in a Swingline Loan pursuant to this paragraph shall not relieve
the Company of any default in the payment thereof.
SECTION 2.06. Letters of Credit. (a) General. Subject to the terms and conditions set
forth herein, the Company may request the issuance of Letters of Credit
denominated in Agreed Currencies for its own account, in a form reasonably
acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the relevant Issuing Bank, at any
time and from time to time during the Availability Period. In the event of any
inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms
and conditions of any form of letter of credit application or other agreement
submitted by the Company to, or entered into by the Company with, the relevant
Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this
Agreement shall control; provided, however, if such Issuing Bank is requested to
issue Letters of Credit with respect to a jurisdiction the relevant Issuing Bank
deems, in its reasonable judgment, may at any time subject it to a New Money
Credit Event or a Country Risk Event, the Company shall, at the request of an
Issuing Bank, guaranty and indemnify the requesting Issuing Bank against any and
all costs, liabilities and losses resulting from such New Money Credit Event or
Country Risk Event, in each case in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the relevant Issuing Bank. The letters of credit identified on Schedule 2.06
(the “Existing Letters of Credit”) shall be deemed to be “Letters of Credit”
issued on the Effective Date for all purposes of the Loan
Documents.
27
(b) Notice of Issuance, Amendment, Renewal,
Extension; Certain Conditions. To request the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or the amendment,
renewal or extension of an outstanding Letter of Credit), the Company shall hand
deliver or telecopy (or transmit by electronic communication, if arrangements
for doing so have been approved by the relevant Issuing Bank) to an Issuing Bank
and the Administrative Agent (reasonably in advance of the requested date of
issuance, amendment, renewal or extension) a notice requesting the issuance of a
Letter of Credit, or identifying the Letter of Credit to be amended, renewed or
extended, and specifying the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension
(which shall be a Business Day), the date on which such Letter of Credit is to
expire (which shall comply with paragraph (c) of this Section), the amount of
such Letter of Credit, the Agreed Currency applicable thereto, the name and
address of the beneficiary thereof and such other information as shall be
necessary to prepare, amend, renew or extend such Letter of Credit. If requested
by an Issuing Bank, the Company also shall submit a letter of credit application
on the relevant Issuing Bank’s standard form in connection with any request for
a Letter of Credit. A Letter of Credit shall be issued, amended, renewed or
extended only if (and upon issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of each
Letter of Credit the Company shall be deemed to represent and warrant that),
after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the
Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure shall not exceed $25,000,000, (ii) subject to
Section 2.04, the total Revolving Credit Exposures shall not exceed the
Aggregate Commitment and (iii) subject to Section 2.04, the Dollar Amount of the
sum of the total outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure, in each case
denominated in Foreign Currencies, shall not exceed the Foreign Currency
Sublimit.
(c) Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire at or
prior to the close of business on the earlier of (i) the date one year after the
date of the issuance of such Letter of Credit (or, in the case of any renewal or
extension thereof, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date
that is five (5) Business Days prior to the Maturity Date.
(d) Participations. By the issuance of a Letter of Credit (or an
amendment to a Letter of Credit increasing the amount thereof) and without any
further action on the part of any Issuing Bank or the Lenders, each Issuing Bank
hereby grants to each Lender, and each Lender hereby acquires from each Issuing
Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage of the aggregate Dollar Amount available to be drawn under such
Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each
Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay to the Administrative
Agent, for the account of the relevant Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by such Issuing Bank and not reimbursed
by the Company on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or
of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Company for any
reason. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that its obligation to acquire
participations pursuant to this paragraph in respect of Letters of Credit is
absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance
whatsoever, including any amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of
Credit or the occurrence and continuance of a Default or reduction or
termination of the Commitments, and that each such payment shall be made without
any offset, abatement, withholding or reduction whatsoever.
28
(e) Reimbursement. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC
Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Company shall reimburse such
LC Disbursement by paying to the Administrative Agent in Dollars the Dollar Amount equal to
such LC Disbursement, calculated as of the date such Issuing Bank made such LC
Disbursement (or if an Issuing Bank shall so elect in its sole discretion by
notice to the Company, in such other Agreed Currency which was paid by such
Issuing Bank pursuant to such LC Disbursement in an amount equal to such LC
Disbursement) not later than 12:00 noon, Local Time, on the date that such LC
Disbursement is made, if the Company shall have received notice of such LC
Disbursement prior to 10:00 a.m., Local Time, on such date, or, if such notice
has not been received by the Company prior to such time on such date, then not
later than 12:00 noon, Local Time, on (i) the Business Day that the Company
receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 10:00 a.m., Local
Time, on the day of receipt, or (ii) the Business Day immediately following the
day that the Company receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior
to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Company may, subject to the
conditions to borrowing set forth herein, request in accordance with Section
2.03 or 2.05 that such payment be financed with an ABR Revolving Borrowing or
Swingline Loan in an equivalent Dollar Amount of such LC Disbursement and, to
the extent so financed, the Company’s obligation to make such payment shall be
discharged and replaced by the resulting ABR Revolving Borrowing or Swingline
Loan. If the Company fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative
Agent shall notify each Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment
then due from the Company in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable
Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Lender shall
pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then
due from the Company, in the same manner as provided in Section 2.07 with
respect to Loans made by such Lender (and Section 2.07 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the payment obligations of the Lenders),
and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the relevant Issuing Bank the
amounts so received by it from the Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the
Administrative Agent of any payment from the Company pursuant to this paragraph,
the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the relevant Issuing
Bank or, to the extent that Lenders have made payments pursuant to this
paragraph to reimburse such Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and such Issuing
Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Lender pursuant to
this paragraph to reimburse an Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than
the funding of ABR Revolving Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above)
shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Company of its obligation
to reimburse such LC Disbursement. If the Company’s reimbursement of, or
obligation to reimburse, any amounts in any Foreign Currency would subject the
Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to any stamp duty, ad
valorem charge or similar tax that would not be payable if such reimbursement
were made or required to be made in Dollars, the Company shall, at its option,
either (x) pay the amount of any such tax requested by the Administrative Agent,
the relevant Issuing Bank or the relevant Lender or (y) reimburse each LC
Disbursement made in such Foreign Currency in Dollars, in an amount equal to the
Equivalent Amount, calculated using the applicable exchange rates, on the date
such LC Disbursement is made, of such LC Disbursement.
(f) Obligations Absolute. The Company’s obligation to reimburse LC
Disbursements as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section shall be absolute,
unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be performed strictly in accordance
with the terms of this Agreement under any and all circumstances whatsoever and
irrespective of (i) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Letter of
Credit or this Agreement, or any term or provision therein, (ii) any draft or
other document presented under a Letter of Credit proving to be forged,
fraudulent or invalid in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or
inaccurate in any respect, (iii) payment by an Issuing Bank under a Letter of
Credit against presentation of a draft or other document that does not comply
with the terms of such Letter of Credit, or (iv) any other event or circumstance
whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, that might, but for
the provisions of this Section, constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or
provide a right of setoff against, the Company’s obligations hereunder. Neither
the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor any Issuing Bank, nor any of their
Related Parties, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in
connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment
or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the
circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or
29
any error, omission,
interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or
other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any
document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of
technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the
relevant Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to
excuse any Issuing Bank from liability to the Company to the extent of any
direct damages (as opposed to consequential damages, claims in respect of which
are hereby waived by the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law)
suffered by the Company that are caused by such Issuing Bank’s failure to
exercise care when determining whether drafts and other documents presented
under a Letter of Credit comply with the terms thereof. The parties hereto
expressly agree that, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct
on the part of any Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction), such Issuing Bank shall be deemed to have exercised care in each
such determination. In furtherance of the foregoing and without limiting the
generality thereof, the parties agree that, with respect to documents presented
which appear on their face to be in substantial compliance with the terms of a
Letter of Credit, each Issuing Bank may, in its sole discretion, either accept
and make payment upon such documents without responsibility for further
investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, or
refuse to accept and make payment upon such documents if such documents are not
in strict compliance with the terms of such Letter of Credit.
(g) Disbursement Procedures. Each Issuing Bank shall, promptly following
its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for
payment under a Letter of Credit. Each Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the
Administrative Agent and the Company by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of
such demand for payment and whether such Issuing Bank has made or will make an
LC Disbursement thereunder; provided that any failure to give or delay in giving
such notice shall not relieve the Company of its obligation to reimburse such
Issuing Bank and the Lenders with respect to any such LC
Disbursement.
(h) Interim Interest. If any Issuing Bank shall make any LC
Disbursement, then, unless the Company shall reimburse such LC Disbursement in
full on the date such LC Disbursement is made, the unpaid amount thereof shall
bear interest, for each day from and including the date such LC Disbursement is
made to but excluding the date that the Company reimburses such LC Disbursement,
at the rate per annum then applicable to ABR Revolving Loans (or in the case
such LC Disbursement is denominated in a Foreign Currency, at the Overnight
Foreign Currency Rate for such Agreed Currency plus the then effective Applicable Rate with
respect to Eurocurrency Revolving Loans); provided that, if the Company fails to reimburse such
LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section
2.13(e) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for
the account of such Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the
date of payment by any Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to
reimburse such Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the
extent of such payment.
(i) Replacement of an Issuing
Bank. Any Issuing Bank may
be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Company, the
Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Lenders of any such replacement of an
Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the
Company shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the replaced
Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.12(b). From and after the effective date of
any such replacement, (i) the successor Issuing Bank shall have all the rights
and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect to Letters
of Credit to be issued thereafter and (ii) references herein to the term
“Issuing Bank” shall be deemed to refer to such successor or to any previous
Issuing Bank, or to such successor and all previous Issuing Banks, as the
context shall require. After the replacement of an Issuing Bank hereunder, the
replaced Issuing Bank shall remain a party hereto and shall continue to have all
the rights and obligations of an Issuing Bank under this Agreement with respect
to Letters of Credit issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be
required to issue additional Letters of Credit.
30
(j) Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be
continuing, on the Business Day that the Company receives notice from the
Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans
has been accelerated, from two (2) or more Lenders with LC Exposure representing
greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash
collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Company shall deposit in an account
with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for
the benefit of the Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to the Dollar
Amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus any accrued and unpaid interest
thereon; provided that (i) the portions of such amount
attributable to undrawn Foreign Currency Letters of Credit or LC Disbursements
in a Foreign Currency that the Company is not late in reimbursing shall be
deposited in the applicable Foreign Currencies in the actual amounts of such
undrawn Letters of Credit and LC Disbursements and (ii) the obligation to
deposit such cash collateral shall become effective immediately, and such
deposit shall become immediately due and payable, without demand or other notice
of any kind, upon the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the
Company described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. For the purposes of this
paragraph, the Foreign Currency LC Exposure shall be calculated using the
applicable exchange rates of the Administrative Agent on the date notice
demanding cash collateralization is delivered to the Company. The Company also
shall deposit cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph as and to the extent
required by Section 2.11(b). Such deposit shall be held by the Administrative
Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Obligations. The
Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the
exclusive right of withdrawal, over such account. Other than any interest earned
on the investment of such deposits, which investments shall be made at the
option and sole discretion of the Administrative Agent and at the Company’s risk
and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any,
on such investments shall accumulate in such account. Moneys in such account
shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the relevant Issuing
Bank for LC Disbursements for which it has not been reimbursed and, to the
extent not so applied, shall be held for the satisfaction of the reimbursement
obligations of the Company for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity
of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Lenders with LC
Exposure representing greater than 50% of the total LC Exposure), be applied to
satisfy other obligations of the Company under this Agreement. If the Company is
required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the
occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as
aforesaid) shall be returned to the Company within three Business Days after all
Events of Default have been cured or waived.
(k) Conversion. In the event that the Loans become
immediately due and payable on any date pursuant to Article VII, all amounts (i)
that the Company is at the time or thereafter becomes required to reimburse or
otherwise pay to the Administrative Agent in respect of LC Disbursements made
under any Foreign Currency Letter of Credit (other than amounts in respect of
which the Company has deposited cash collateral pursuant to paragraph (j) above,
if such cash collateral was deposited in the applicable Foreign Currency to the
extent so deposited or applied), (ii) that the Lenders are at the time or
thereafter become required to pay to the Administrative Agent and the
Administrative Agent is at the time or thereafter becomes required to distribute
to an Issuing Bank pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section in respect of
unreimbursed LC Disbursements made under any Foreign Currency Letter of Credit
and (iii) of each Lender’s participation in any Foreign Currency Letter of
Credit under which an LC Disbursement has been made shall, automatically and
with no further action required, be converted into the Dollar Amount, calculated
using the Administrative Agent’s currency exchange rates on such date (or in the
case of any LC Disbursement made after such date, on the date such LC
Disbursement is made), of such amounts. On and after such conversion, all
amounts accruing and owed to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any
Lender in respect of the obligations described in this paragraph shall accrue
and be payable in Dollars at the rates otherwise applicable
hereunder.
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(l) Issuing Bank Agreements. Each Issuing Bank agrees that, unless
otherwise requested by the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank shall report
in writing to the Administrative Agent (i) on the first Business Day of each
week, the daily activity (sort forth by day) in respect of its Letters of Credit
during the immediately preceding week, including all issuances, extensions,
amendments and renewals, all expirations and cancellations and all disbursements
and reimbursements (it being understood and agreed that no such reports shall be
required at any time during which such Issuing Bank does not have Letters of
Credit outstanding hereunder), (ii) on or prior to each Business Day on which
such Issuing Bank expects to issue, amend, renew or extend any Letter of Credit,
the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension, and the aggregate
face amount of the Letters of Credit to be issued, amended, renewed or extended
by it and outstanding after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal
or extension occurred (and whether the amount thereof changed), it being
understood that such Issuing Bank shall not permit any issuance, renewal,
extension or amendment resulting in an increase in the amount of any Letter of
Credit to occur without first obtaining written confirmation from the
Administrative Agent that is then permitted under this Agreement, (iii) on each
Business Day on which such Issuing Bank makes any LC Disbursement, the date of
such LC Disbursement and the amount of such LC Disbursement, (iv) on any
Business Day on which the Borrower fails to reimburse an LC Disbursement
required to be reimbursed to such Issuing Bank on such day, the date of such
failure and the amount and currency of such LC Disbursement and (v) on any other
Business Day, such other information as the Administrative Agent shall
reasonably request.
SECTION 2.07. Funding of Borrowings. (a) Each Lender shall make each Loan to be
made by it hereunder on the proposed date thereof by wire transfer of
immediately available funds (i) in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars to
the Company, by 12:00 noon, New York City time, to the account of the
Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice
to the Lenders and (ii) in the case of each Loan denominated in a Foreign
Currency or to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, by 12:00 noon, Local Time, in the
city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency
and Borrower and at such Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency and
Borrower; provided that Swingline Loans shall be made as
provided in Section 2.05. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans
available to the relevant Borrower by promptly crediting the amounts so
received, in like funds, to (x) an account of the Company maintained with the
Administrative Agent in New York City and designated by the relevant Borrower in
the applicable Borrowing Request, in the case of Loans denominated in Dollars to
the Company and (y) an account of such Borrower maintained with the
Administrative Agent in the relevant jurisdiction and designated by such
Borrower in the applicable Borrowing Request, in the case of Loans denominated
in a Foreign Currency or to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower; provided that ABR Revolving Loans made to finance the
reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be
remitted by the Administrative Agent to the relevant Issuing Bank.
(b) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have
received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing that
such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s
share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender
has made such share available on such date in accordance with paragraph (a) of
this Section and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the
relevant 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 such Borrower severally agree to pay to
the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with
interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made
available to such Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the
Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the
Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent
in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation (including
without limitation the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate in the case of Loans
denominated in a Foreign Currency) or (ii) in the case of such Borrower, the
interest rate applicable to ABR Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the
Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan
included in such Borrowing.
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SECTION 2.08. Interest Elections. (a) Each Revolving Borrowing initially shall
be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of
a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as
specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the relevant Borrower may elect
to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and,
in the case of a Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods
therefor, all as provided in this Section. A Borrower may elect different
options with respect to different portions of the affected Borrowing, in which
case each such portion shall be allocated ratably among the Lenders holding the
Loans comprising such Borrowing, and the Loans comprising each such portion
shall be considered a separate Borrowing. This Section shall not apply to
Swingline Borrowings, which may not be converted or continued.
(b) To make an election pursuant to this
Section, a Borrower, or the Company on its behalf, shall notify the
Administrative Agent of such election by telephone by the time that a Borrowing
Request would be required under Section 2.03 if such Borrower were requesting a
Revolving Borrowing of the Type resulting from such election to be made on the
effective date of such election. Each such telephonic Interest Election Request
shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery or
telecopy to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a
form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the relevant Borrower,
or the Company on its behalf. Notwithstanding any contrary provision herein,
this Section shall not be construed to permit any Borrower to (i) change the
currency of any Borrowing, (ii) elect an Interest Period for Eurocurrency Loans
that does not comply with Section 2.02(d) or (iii) convert any Borrowing to a
Borrowing of a Type not available under the Class of Commitments pursuant to
which such Borrowing was made.
(c) Each telephonic and written Interest
Election Request shall specify the following information in compliance with
Section 2.02:
(i) the Borrowing to which such Interest Election Request applies and, if
different options are being elected with respect to different portions thereof,
the portions thereof to be allocated to each resulting Borrowing (in which case
the information to be specified pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv) below shall
be specified for each resulting Borrowing);
(ii) the effective date of the election made pursuant to such Interest
Election Request, which shall be a Business Day;
(iii) whether the resulting Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing or a
Eurocurrency Borrowing; and
(iv) if the resulting Borrowing is a Eurocurrency Borrowing, the Interest
Period and Agreed Currency to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such
election, which Interest Period shall be a period contemplated by the definition
of the term “Interest Period”.
If any such Interest
Election Request requests a Eurocurrency Borrowing but does not specify an
Interest Period, then the applicable Borrower shall be deemed to have selected
an Interest Period of one month’s duration.
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(d) Promptly following receipt of an Interest
Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Lender of the
details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting
Borrowing.
(e) If the relevant Borrower fails to deliver
a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Eurocurrency Revolving
Borrowing prior to the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto, then,
unless such Borrowing is repaid as provided herein, at the end of such Interest
Period (i) in the case of a Borrowing denominated in Dollars, such Borrowing
shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing and (ii) in the case of a Borrowing
denominated in a Foreign Currency, such Borrowing shall automatically continue
as a Eurocurrency Borrowing in the same Agreed Currency with an Interest Period
of one month unless (x) such Eurocurrency Borrowing is or was repaid in
accordance with Section 2.11 or (y) such Borrower shall have given the
Administrative Agent an Interest Election Request requesting that, at the end of
such Interest Period, such Eurocurrency Borrowing continue as a Eurocurrency
Borrowing for the same or another Interest Period. Notwithstanding any contrary
provision hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the
Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the
Company, then, so long as an Event of Default is continuing (i) no outstanding
Revolving Borrowing borrowed by the Company may be converted to or continued as
a Eurocurrency Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Eurocurrency Revolving
Borrowing borrowed by the Company shall be converted to an ABR Borrowing in
Dollars at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.
SECTION 2.09. Termination and Reduction of
Commitments. (a) Unless
previously terminated, the Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity
Date.
(b) The Company may at any time terminate, or
from time to time reduce, the Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments
shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less
than $1,000,000 and (ii) the Company shall not terminate or reduce the
Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in
accordance with Section 2.11, the Dollar Amount of the sum of the Revolving
Credit Exposures would exceed the Aggregate Commitment.
(c)
[Intentionally Omitted.]
(d) The Company shall notify the
Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments
under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the
effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and
the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the
Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each
notice delivered by the Company pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable;
provided that a notice of termination of the
Commitments delivered by the Company may state that such notice is conditioned
upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may
be revoked by the Company (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to
the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any
termination or reduction of the Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction
of the Commitments shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with
their respective Commitments.
SECTION 2.10. Repayment of Loans; Evidence of
Debt. (a) Each Borrower
hereby unconditionally promises to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the
account of each Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Loan
made to such Borrower on the Maturity Date in the currency of such Loan and (ii)
in the case of the Company, to the Swingline Lender the then unpaid principal
amount of each Swingline Loan on the earlier of the Maturity Date and the first
date after such Swingline Loan is made that is the 15th or last day of a
calendar month and is at least two Business Days after such Swingline Loan is
made; provided that on each date that a Revolving Borrowing
is made, the Company shall repay all Swingline Loans then
outstanding.
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(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance
with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of
each Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender,
including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender
from time to time hereunder.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain
accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder,
the Class, Agreed Currency and Type thereof and the Interest Period applicable
thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to
become due and payable from each Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the
amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account
of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts
maintained pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section shall be
prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the
obligations recorded therein; provided that the failure of any Lender or the
Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not in
any manner affect the obligation of any Borrower to repay the Loans in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) Any Lender may request that Loans made by
it to any Borrower be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the
relevant Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory
note payable to the order of such Lender (or, if requested by such Lender, to
such Lender and its registered assigns) and in a form approved by the
Administrative Agent. Thereafter, the Loans evidenced by such promissory note
and interest thereon shall at all times (including after assignment pursuant to
Section 9.04) be represented by one or more promissory notes in such form
payable to the order of the payee named therein (or, if such promissory note is
a registered note, to such payee and its registered assigns).
SECTION
2.11. Prepayment of Loans.
(a) Any Borrower shall have the right at any
time and from time to time to prepay any Borrowing in whole or in part, subject
to prior notice in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2.11(a). The
applicable Borrower, or the Company on behalf of the applicable Borrower, shall
notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline
Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any
prepayment hereunder (i) in the case of prepayment of a Eurocurrency Revolving
Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., Local Time, three Business Days before the
date of prepayment, (ii) in the case of prepayment of an ABR Revolving
Borrowing, not later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, one Business Day
before the date of prepayment or (iii) in the case of prepayment of a Swingline
Loan, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of prepayment.
Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date and
the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid;
provided that, if a notice of prepayment is given in
connection with a conditional notice of termination of the Commitments as
contemplated by Section 2.09, then such notice of prepayment may be revoked if
such notice of termination is revoked in accordance with Section 2.09. Promptly
following receipt of any such notice relating to a Revolving Borrowing, the
Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each
partial prepayment of any Revolving Borrowing shall be in an amount that would
be permitted in the case of an advance of a Revolving Borrowing of the same Type
as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Revolving Borrowing shall be
applied ratably to the Loans included in the prepaid Borrowing. Prepayments
shall be accompanied by (i) accrued interest to the extent required by Section
2.13 and (ii) break funding payments pursuant to Section 2.16.
35
(b) If at any time, (i) other than as a result
of fluctuations in currency exchange rates, the sum of the aggregate principal
Dollar Amount of all of the Revolving Credit Exposures (calculated, with respect
to those Credit Events denominated in Foreign Currencies, as of the most recent
Computation Date with respect to each such Credit Event) exceeds the Aggregate
Commitment (as reduced pursuant to Section 2.09) and (ii) solely as a result of
fluctuations in currency exchange rates, (x) the sum of the aggregate principal
Dollar Amount of all of the outstanding Revolving Loans and LC Exposure, in each
case denominated in Foreign Currencies, as of the most recent Computation Date
with respect to each such Credit Event, exceeds 105% of the Foreign Currency
Sublimit or (y) the sum of the aggregate principal Dollar Amount of all of the
outstanding Revolving Loans made to Foreign Subsidiary Borrowers as of the most
recent Computation Date with respect to each such Credit Event, exceeds 105% of
the Foreign Borrower Sublimit, in each case the Borrowers shall immediately
repay Borrowings or cash collateralize LC Exposure in an account with the
Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.06(j), as applicable, in an aggregate
principal amount sufficient to eliminate any such excess.
SECTION 2.12. Fees. (a) The Company agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a commitment fee, which
shall accrue at the Applicable Rate on the average daily amount of the Available
Revolving Commitment of such Lender during the period from and including the
Effective Date to but excluding the date on which such Commitment terminates;
provided that, if such Lender continues to have any
Revolving Credit Exposure after its Commitment terminates, then such commitment
fee shall continue to accrue on the amount of such Lender’s Commitment from and
including the date on which its Commitment terminates to but excluding the date
on which such Lender ceases to have any Revolving Credit Exposure. Accrued
commitment fees shall be payable in arrears on the last day of March, June,
September and December of each year and on the date on which the Commitments
terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof;
provided that any commitment fees accruing after the
date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. All
commitment fees shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall
be payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day).
(b) The Company agrees to pay (i) to the
Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender a participation fee with
respect to its participations in Letters of Credit, which shall accrue at the
same Applicable Rate used to determine the interest rate applicable to
Eurocurrency Revolving Loans on the average daily Dollar Amount of such Lender’s
LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC
Disbursements) during the period from and including the Effective Date to but
excluding the later of the date on which such Lender’s Commitment terminates and
the date on which such Lender ceases to have any LC Exposure, and (ii) to the
relevant Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at a rate per annum
separately agreed upon between the Company and the relevant Issuing Bank on the
average daily Dollar Amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof
attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) attributable to Letters of Credit
issued by such Issuing Bank during the period from and including the Effective
Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Commitments
and the date on which there ceases to be any LC Exposure, as well as such
Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance,
amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or
extension of any Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder.
Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day
of March, June, September and December of each year shall be payable on the
third (3rd)
Business Day following such last day, commencing on the first such date to occur
after the Effective Date; provided that all such fees shall be payable on the
date on which the Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the
date on which the Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other
fees payable to any Issuing Bank pursuant to this paragraph shall be payable
within ten (10) days after demand. All participation fees and fronting fees
shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and shall be payable for
the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the
last day).
36
(c) The Company agrees to pay to the
Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at
the times separately agreed upon between the Company and the Administrative
Agent.
(d) All fees payable hereunder shall be paid
on the dates due, in Dollars (except as otherwise expressly provided in this
Section) and immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the
relevant Issuing Bank, in the case of fees payable to it) for distribution, in
the case of commitment fees and participation fees, to the Lenders. Fees paid
shall not be refundable under any circumstances.
SECTION 2.13. Interest. (a) The Loans comprising each ABR Borrowing
(including each Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate
plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) The Loans comprising each Eurocurrency
Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period
in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.
(c)
[Intentionally Omitted.]
(d)
[Intentionally Omitted.]
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any
principal of or interest on any Loan or any fee or other amount payable by any
Borrower hereunder is not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, upon
acceleration or otherwise, such overdue amount shall bear interest, after as
well as before judgment, at a rate per annum equal to (i) in the case of overdue
principal of any Loan, 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loan as
provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any
other amount, 2% plus the rate applicable to ABR Loans as provided in paragraph
(a) of this Section.
(f) Accrued interest on each Loan shall be
payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and, in the case
of Revolving Loans, upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to
paragraph (e) of this Section shall be payable on demand, (ii) in the event of
any repayment or prepayment of any Loan (other than a prepayment of an ABR
Revolving Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on
the principal amount repaid or prepaid shall be payable on the date of such
repayment or prepayment and (iii) in the event of any conversion of any
Eurocurrency Revolving Loan prior to the end of the current Interest Period
therefor, accrued interest on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date
of such conversion.
(g) All interest hereunder shall be computed
on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest (i) computed by
reference to the Alternate Base Rate at times when the Alternate Base Rate is
based on the Prime Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or
366 days in a leap year) and (ii) for Borrowings denominated in Pounds Sterling
shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days, and in each case shall be
payable for the actual number of days elapsed (including the first day but
excluding the last day). The applicable Alternate Base Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate
or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such
determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
SECTION 2.14. Alternate Rate of Interest. If prior to the commencement of any Interest
Period for a Eurocurrency Borrowing:
(a) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be
conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not
exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable,
for such Interest Period; or
37
(b) the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the
Adjusted LIBO Rate or the LIBO Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period
will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of
making or maintaining their Loans (or its Loan) included in such Borrowing for
such Interest Period;
then the
Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the applicable Borrower and
the Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and,
until the Administrative Agent notifies the applicable Borrower and the Lenders
that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer exist, (i) any
Interest Election Request that requests the conversion of any Revolving
Borrowing to, or continuation of any Revolving Borrowing as, a Eurocurrency
Borrowing shall be ineffective and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a
Eurocurrency Revolving Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be made as an ABR
Borrowing; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such
notice affect only one Type of Borrowings, then the other Type of Borrowings
shall be permitted.
SECTION
2.15. Increased Costs. (a) If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or
similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or
credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in
the Adjusted LIBO Rate) or any Issuing Bank; or
(ii) impose on any Lender or any Issuing Bank or the London interbank
market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Loans made
by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
and the result of any
of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or
maintaining any Eurocurrency Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any
such Loan (including, without limitation, pursuant to any conversion of any
Borrowing denominated in an Agreed Currency into a Borrowing denominated in any
other Agreed Currency) or to increase the cost to such Lender or such Issuing
Bank of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit
(including, without limitation, pursuant to any conversion of any Borrowing
denominated in an Agreed Currency into a Borrowing denominated in any other
Agreed Currency) or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by
such Lender or such Issuing Bank hereunder, whether of principal, interest or
otherwise (including, without limitation, pursuant to any conversion of any
Borrowing denominated in an Agreed Currency into a Borrowing denominated in any
other Agreed Currency), then the applicable Borrower will pay to such Lender or
such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will
compensate such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, for such
additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender or any Issuing Bank
determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would
have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or such Issuing
Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding
company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by, or
participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of
Credit issued by such Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or
such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding company could
have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such
Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or
such Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from
time to time the applicable Borrower will pay to such Lender or such Issuing
Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate
such Lender or such Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s holding
company for any such reduction suffered.
38
(c) A certificate of a Lender or an Issuing
Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or
such Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in
paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Company and shall
be conclusive absent manifest error. The Company shall pay, or cause the other
Borrowers to pay, such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the
amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt
thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender
or any Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not
constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s right to demand such
compensation; provided that the Company shall not be required to
compensate a Lender or an Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any
increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that
such Lender or such Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Company of
the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such
Lender’s or such Issuing Bank’s intention to claim compensation therefor;
provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to
such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period
referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect
thereof.
SECTION 2.16. Break Funding Payments. In the event of (a) the payment of any
principal of any Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of an Interest
Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default or as a
result of any prepayment pursuant to Section 2.11), (b) the conversion of any
Eurocurrency Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable
thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Eurocurrency
Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless
of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.11(b) and is revoked in
accordance therewith) or (d) the assignment of any Eurocurrency Loan other than
on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a
request by the Company pursuant to Section 2.19, then, in any such event, the
Borrowers shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense
attributable to such event. Such loss, cost or expense to any Lender shall be
deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any,
of (i) the amount of interest which would have accrued on the principal amount
of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would
have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to
the last day of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a
failure to borrow, convert or continue, for the period that would have been the
Interest Period for such Loan), over (ii) the amount of interest which would
accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such
Lender would bid were it to bid, at the commencement of such period, for
deposits in the relevant currency of a comparable amount and period from other
banks in the eurocurrency market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any
amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this
Section shall be delivered to the applicable Borrower and shall be conclusive
absent manifest error. The applicable Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount
shown as due on any such certificate within thirty (30) days after receipt
thereof.
SECTION 2.17. Taxes. (a) Any and all payments by or on account of
any obligation of each Borrower hereunder shall be made free and clear of and
without deduction for any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that if any Borrower shall be required to
deduct any Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes from such payments, then (i) the sum
payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required
deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under
this Section) the Administrative Agent, relevant Lender or relevant Issuing Bank
(as the case may be) receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received
had no such deductions been made, (ii) such Borrower shall make such deductions
and (iii) such Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted to the relevant
Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law.
39
(b) In addition, each Borrower shall pay any
Other Taxes related to such Borrower and imposed on or incurred by the
Administrative Agent, a Lender or an Issuing Bank to the relevant Governmental
Authority in accordance with applicable law.
(c) The relevant Borrower shall indemnify the
Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank, within ten (10) days
after written demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes or
Other Taxes paid by the Administrative Agent, such Lender or such Issuing Bank,
as the case may be, on or with respect to any payment by or on account of any
obligation of such Borrower hereunder (including Indemnified Taxes or Other
Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this
Section) and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom
or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes
were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental
Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered
to the Company by a Lender or an Issuing Bank, or by the Administrative Agent on
its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, shall be conclusive
absent manifest error.
(d) As soon as practicable after any payment
of Indemnified Taxes or Other Taxes by any Borrower to a Governmental Authority,
such Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a
certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing
such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of
such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Any Foreign Lender that is entitled to an
exemption from or reduction of withholding tax under the law of the jurisdiction
in which a Borrower is located, or any treaty to which such jurisdiction is a
party, with respect to payments under this Agreement shall deliver to such
Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at the time or times
prescribed by applicable law, such properly completed and executed documentation
prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by such Borrower as will
permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate.
(f) If the Administrative Agent or a Lender
determines, in its sole discretion, that it has received a refund of any Taxes
or Other Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrowers or with
respect to which a Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section
2.17, it shall pay over such refund to such Borrower (but only to the extent of
indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by such Borrower under this
Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes or Other Taxes giving rise to such
refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses of the Administrative Agent or such
Lender and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant
Governmental Authority with respect to such refund); provided, that such
Borrower, upon the request of the Administrative Agent or such Lender, agrees to
repay the amount paid over to such Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or
other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the
Administrative Agent or such Lender in the event the Administrative Agent or
such Lender is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.
This Section shall not be construed to require the Administrative Agent or any
Lender to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to
its taxes which it deems confidential) to any Borrower or any other Person.
40
SECTION
2.18. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment;
Sharing of Set-offs.
(a)
Each Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it hereunder
(whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or
of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to (i)
in the case of payments denominated in Dollars by the Company, 12:00 noon, New
York City time and (ii) in the case of payments denominated in a Foreign
Currency or by a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, 12:00 noon, Local Time, in the
city of the Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such
currency, in each case on the date when due, in immediately available funds,
without set-off or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on
any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have
been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating
interest thereon. All such payments shall be made (i) in the same currency in
which the applicable Credit Event was made (or where such currency has been
converted to euro, in euro) and (ii) to the Administrative Agent at its offices
at 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 or, in the case of a Credit Event
denominated in a Foreign Currency or to a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower, the
Administrative Agent’s Eurocurrency Payment Office for such currency, except
payments to be made directly to an Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly
provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17
and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The
Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments denominated in the same
currency received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate
recipient promptly following receipt thereof. If any payment hereunder shall be
due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended
to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing
interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if, after the making
of any Credit Event in any Foreign Currency, currency control or exchange
regulations are imposed in the country which issues such currency with the
result that the type of currency in which the Credit Event was made (the
“Original Currency”) no longer exists or any Borrower is not
able to make payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders
in such Original Currency, then all payments to be made by such Borrower
hereunder in such currency shall instead be made when due in Dollars in an
amount equal to the Dollar Amount (as of the date of repayment) of such payment
due, it being the intention of the parties hereto that the Borrowers take all
risks of the imposition of any such currency control or exchange regulations.
(b) If at any time insufficient funds are
received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts
of principal, unreimbursed LC Disbursements, interest and fees then due
hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, towards payment of interest
and fees then due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in
accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and
(ii) second, towards payment of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then
due hereunder, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the
amounts of principal and unreimbursed LC Disbursements then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any
right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any
principal of or interest on any of its Revolving Loans or participations in LC
Disbursements or Swingline Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a
greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Revolving Loans and
participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest
thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender, then the Lender
receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value)
participations in the Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and
Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of
all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the
aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective
Revolving Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans;
provided that (i) if any such participations are
purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is
recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price
restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the
provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made
by any Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this
Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the
assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations
in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other
than to the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the
provisions of this paragraph shall apply). Each 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 such
Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation
as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount
of such participation.
41
(d) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have
received notice from the relevant Borrower prior to the date on which any
payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the
Issuing Banks hereunder that such Borrower will not make such payment, the
Administrative Agent may assume that such Borrower has made such payment on such
date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption,
distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, the amount
due. In such event, if such Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then
each of the Lenders or each of the Issuing Banks, as the case may be, severally
agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so
distributed to such Lender or such Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each
day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but
excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the
Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent
in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation (including
without limitation the Overnight Foreign Currency Rate in the case of Loans
denominated in a Foreign Currency).
(e) If any Lender shall fail to make any
payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e),
2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), then the Administrative Agent may, in its
discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts
thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender
to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such
unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
SECTION 2.19. Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of
Lenders. (a) If any Lender
requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if any Borrower is required to pay
any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the
account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use
reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or
booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to
another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such
Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts
payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and
(ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would
not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Company hereby agrees to
pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with
any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under
Section 2.15, or if any Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any
Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to
Section 2.17, or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Company
may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the
Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without
recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in
Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under the Loan
Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may
be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Company shall have received the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not
unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an
amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and participations in LC
Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and
all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of
such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Company (in the
case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment
resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required
to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction
in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any
such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances
entitling the Company to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
42
SECTION 2.20. Expansion Option. The Company may from time to time elect to
increase the Commitments or obtain one or more tranches of loans by one or more
Lenders to certain of the Company’s Foreign Subsidiaries (“Expansion Foreign Loans”), in each case in minimum increments of
$5,000,000 so long as, after giving effect thereto, (i) the aggregate amount of
such increases and Expansion Foreign Loans does not exceed $15,000,000 and (ii)
the Dollar Amount of the total outstanding Revolving Loans made to Foreign
Subsidiary Borrowers and Expansion Foreign Loans does not exceed the Foreign
Borrower Sublimit. The Company may arrange for any such increase or tranche to
be provided by one or more Lenders (each Lender so agreeing to an increase in
its Commitment or to participate in such a tranche, an “Increasing Lender”), or by one or more new banks, financial
institutions or other entities (each such new bank, financial institution or
other entity, an “Augmenting Lender”), to increase their existing Commitments, or
to participate in such a tranche, or extend Commitments, as the case may be;
provided that (i) each Augmenting Lender, shall be
subject to the approval of the Company and the Administrative Agent and (ii) (x)
in the case of an Increasing Lender, the Company and such Increasing Lender
execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, with such modifications thereto as
are reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to give effect to this
Section 2.20 and (y) in the case of an Augmenting Lender, the Company and such
Augmenting Lender execute an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, with such modifications thereto as
are reasonably required by the Administrative Agent to give effect to this
Section 2.20. Increases and new Commitments and Expansion Foreign Loans created
pursuant to this Section 2.20 shall become effective on the date agreed by the
Company, the Administrative Agent and the relevant Increasing Lenders or
Augmenting Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender
thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no increase in the Commitments (or in
the Commitment of any Lender) or tranches of Expansion Foreign Loans shall
become effective under this paragraph unless, (i) on the proposed date of the
effectiveness of such increase or tranche, (x) the conditions set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02 shall be satisfied or waived by the
Required Lenders and (y) the Borrowers shall be in compliance, on a pro forma
basis after giving effect to such increase in the Commitments or new tranche of
loans, with the covenants contained in Section 6.11 recomputed as if such
increase in the Commitments or new tranche of loans had occurred on the first
day of the period for testing such compliance and the Administrative Agent shall
have received a certificate with respect to the foregoing clauses (x) and (y)
dated such date and executed by a Financial Officer of the Company and (ii) the
Administrative Agent shall have received, to the extent it so requests,
documents consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date as to the
corporate power and authority of the Borrowers to borrow hereunder after giving
effect to such increase. On the effective date of any increase in the
Commitments, (i) each relevant Increasing Lender and Augmenting Lender shall
make available to the Administrative Agent such amounts in immediately available
funds as the Administrative Agent shall determine, for the benefit of the other
Lenders, as being required in order to cause, after giving effect to such
increase and the use of such amounts to make payments to such other Lenders,
each Lender’s portion of the outstanding Revolving Loans of all the Lenders to
equal its Applicable Percentage of such outstanding Revolving Loans, and (ii)
the Borrowers shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding
Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase in the Commitments (with such
reborrowing to consist of the Types of Revolving Loans, with related Interest
Periods if applicable, specified in a notice delivered by the Company in
accordance with the requirements of Section 2.03). The deemed payments made
pursuant to clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall be
accompanied by payment of all accrued interest on the amount prepaid and, in
respect of each Eurocurrency Loan, shall be subject to indemnification by the
Borrowers pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.16 if the deemed payment
occurs other than on the last day of the related Interest Periods. The Expansion
Foreign Loans (a) shall rank pari passu in right of payment and of security with the
Revolving Loans, (b) shall not mature earlier than the Maturity Date (but may
have amortization prior to such date) and (c) shall be treated substantially the
same as (and in any event no more favorably than) the Revolving Loans, provided that the Expansion Foreign Loans may be
priced differently than the Revolving Loans. Expansion Foreign Loans may be made hereunder
pursuant to an amendment (an “Expansion Loan Amendment”) to this Agreement and, as appropriate, the
other Loan Documents, executed by the Borrowers, each Augmenting Lender
participating in such tranche, if any, and the Administrative Agent. The
Expansion Loan Amendment may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect
such amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as may be
necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent,
to effect the provisions of this Section, including without limitation to effect
the risk participation by the Lenders in the Expansion Foreign Loans.
43
SECTION 2.21. Market Disruption. Notwithstanding the satisfaction of all
conditions referred to in Article II and Article IV with respect to any Credit
Event to be effected in any Foreign Currency, if (i) there shall occur on or
prior to the date of such Credit Event any change in national or international
financial, political or economic conditions or currency exchange rates or
exchange controls which would in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative
Agent, the Issuing Banks (if such Credit Event is a Letter of Credit) or the
Required Lenders make it impracticable for the Eurocurrency Borrowings or
Letters of Credit comprising such Credit Event to be denominated in the Agreed
Currency specified by the applicable Borrower or (ii) an Equivalent Amount of
such currency is not readily calculable, then the Administrative Agent shall
forthwith give notice thereof to such Borrower, the Lenders and, if such Credit
Event is a Letter of Credit, the Issuing Banks, and such Credit Events shall not
be denominated in such Agreed Currency but shall, except as otherwise set forth
in Section 2.07, be made on the date of such Credit Event in Dollars, (a) if
such Credit Event is a Borrowing, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
Dollar Amount of the aggregate principal amount specified in the related Credit
Event Request or Interest Election Request, as the case may be, as ABR Loans,
unless such Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent at least one Business Day
before such date that (i) it elects not to borrow on such date or (ii) it elects
to borrow on such date in a different Agreed Currency, as the case may be, in
which the denomination of such Loans would in the reasonable opinion of the
Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders be practicable and in an aggregate
principal amount equal to the Dollar Amount of the aggregate principal amount
specified in the related Credit Event Request or Interest Election Request, as
the case may be or (b) if such Credit Event is a Letter of Credit, in a face
amount equal to the Dollar Amount of the face amount specified in the related
request or application for such Letter of Credit, unless such Borrower notifies
the Administrative Agent at least one (1) Business Day before such date that (i)
it elects not to request the issuance of such Letter of Credit on such date or
(ii) it elects to have such Letter of Credit issued on such date in a different
Agreed Currency, as the case may be, in which the denomination of such Letter of
Credit would in the reasonable opinion of the Issuing Banks, the Administrative
Agent and the Required Lenders be practicable and in face amount equal to the
Dollar Amount of the face amount specified in the related request or application
for such Letter of Credit, as the case may be.
SECTION 2.22. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in
any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from any Borrower hereunder in
the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto
agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of
exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking
procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with
such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s main New York City office on
the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is
given. The obligations of each Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender
or the Administrative Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a
currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent
that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender or the Administrative
Agent (as the case may be) of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other
currency such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) may in
accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified
currency with such other currency. If
the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum
originally due to such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be,
in the specified currency, each Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent that it
may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such
judgment, to indemnify such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may
be, against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased
exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent, as
the case may be, in the specified currency and (b) any amounts shared with other
Lenders as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment
to such Lender under Section 2.18, such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as
the case may be, agrees to remit such excess to such Borrower.
44
SECTION 2.23. Designation of Foreign Subsidiary
Borrowers. The Company may
at any time and from time to time designate any Eligible Foreign Subsidiary as a
Foreign Subsidiary Borrower by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a
Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement executed by such Subsidiary and the Company and
the satisfaction of the other conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.03,
and upon such delivery and satisfaction such Subsidiary shall for all purposes
of this Agreement be a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower and a party to this Agreement
until the Company shall have executed and delivered to the Administrative Agent
a Borrowing Subsidiary Termination with respect to such Subsidiary, whereupon
such Subsidiary shall cease to be a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower and a party to
this Agreement. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, no Borrowing Subsidiary
Termination will become effective as to any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower at a
time when any principal of or interest on any Loan to such Borrower shall be
outstanding hereunder, provided
that such Borrowing Subsidiary Termination shall be effective to terminate the
right of such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower to make further Borrowings under this
Agreement. As soon as practicable upon receipt of a Borrowing Subsidiary
Agreement, the Administrative Agent shall furnish a copy thereof to each Lender.
SECTION 2.24. Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the
following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting
Lender:
(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded
portion of the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);
(b) the Commitment and Revolving Credit
Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether
all Lenders or the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder
(including any consent to any amendment or waiver pursuant to Section 9.02);
provided that any waiver, amendment or modification
requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender which affects such
Defaulting Lender differently than other affected Lenders shall require the
consent of such Defaulting Lender;
(c) if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure
exists at the time a Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall within
one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (i) prepay
such Swingline Exposure or, if agreed by the Swingline Lender, cash
collateralize the Swingline Exposure of the Defaulting Lender on terms
satisfactory to the Swingline Lender and (ii) cash collateralize such Defaulting
Lender’s LC Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section
2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding; and
(d) the Swingline Lender shall not be required
to fund any Swingline Loan and any Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue,
amend or increase any Letter of Credit unless it is satisfied that cash
collateral will be provided by the Company in accordance with Section 2.24(c).
45
ARTICLE
III
Representations and
Warranties
Each
Borrower represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01. Organization; Powers;
Subsidiaries. Each of the
Company and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing (to the extent such concept is applicable in the relevant jurisdiction)
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power
and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the
failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in,
and is in good standing (to the extent such concept is applicable) in, every
jurisdiction where such qualification is required. Schedule 3.01 hereto (as
supplemented from time to time) identifies each Subsidiary, if such Subsidiary
is a Material Subsidiary, the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization,
as the case may be, the percentage of issued and outstanding shares of each
class of its capital stock or other equity interests owned by the Company and
the other Subsidiaries and, if such percentage is not 100% (excluding directors’
qualifying shares as required by law), a description of each class issued and
outstanding. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock and other equity
interests of each Subsidiary are validly issued and outstanding and fully paid
and nonassessable and all such shares and other equity interests indicated on
Schedule 3.01 (as supplemented from time to time but, in the case of any
Subsidiary, as permitted by Section 6.09) as owned by the Company or another
Subsidiary are owned, beneficially and of record, by the Company or any
Subsidiary free and clear of all Liens, other than Liens created under the Loan
Documents. Except as set forth in Schedule 3.01 (as supplemented from time to
time but, in the case of any Subsidiary, as permitted by Section 6.09), there
are no outstanding commitments or other obligations of the Company or any
Subsidiary to issue, and no options, warrants or other rights of any Person to
acquire, any shares of any class of capital stock or other equity interests of
the Company or any Subsidiary.
SECTION 3.02. Authorization;
Enforceability. The
Transactions are within each Loan Party’s corporate powers and have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, shareholder action. The
Loan Documents to which each Loan Party is a party have been duly executed and
delivered by such Loan Party and constitute a legal, valid and binding
obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with their terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general
principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law.
SECTION 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No
Conflicts. The
Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or
filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as
have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, and except where
the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate any
applicable law or regulation or the charter, by-laws or other organizational
documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any
Governmental Authority, except for violations, individually or in the aggregate,
which could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect,
(c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or
other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or its
assets, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for violations or defaults,
individually or in the aggregate, which could not reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect, and (d) will not result in the creation or
imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
other than Liens created under the Loan Documents.
46
SECTION 3.04. Financial Condition; No Material Adverse
Change. (a) The Company
has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and
statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows as of and for the
fiscal year ended November 1, 2009 reported on by Deloitte & Touche LLP,
independent public accountants. Such financial statements present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash
flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such date in
accordance with GAAP.
(b) Since November 1, 2009, there has been no
material adverse change in the business, assets, operations or condition,
financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
SECTION 3.05. Properties. (a) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all its real and personal
property material to its business, except for minor defects in title that do not
interfere with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to
utilize such properties for their intended purposes. There are no Liens on any
of the real or personal properties of the Company or any Subsidiary except for
Liens permitted by Section 6.02.
(b) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries
owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and
other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the
Company and its Subsidiaries does not infringe upon the rights of any other
Person, except for any such infringements that, individually or in the
aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
SECTION 3.06. Litigation and Environmental
Matters. (a) There are no
actions, suits, proceedings or investigations by or before any arbitrator or
Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Borrower,
threatened against or affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (i) as to
which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if
adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the
aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve this
Agreement or the Transactions. There are no labor controversies pending against
or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries (i) which could reasonably be expected, individually
or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) that
involve this Agreement or the Transactions.
(b) Except with respect to any other matters
that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain,
maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any
Environmental Law, (ii) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (iii)
has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or
(iv) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
(c) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is
party or subject to any law, regulation, rule or order, or any obligation under
any agreement or instrument, that has a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.07. Compliance with Laws and
Agreements. Each of the
Company and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with all laws, regulations and
orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all
indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property,
except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
47
SECTION 3.08. Investment Company Status. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation
under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.
SECTION 3.09. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has
timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have
been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been
paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and for which the Company or such Subsidiary, as
applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent
that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.10. ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably
expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for
which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.11. Disclosure. The Company has disclosed to the Lenders all
agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any
of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that,
individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Information Memorandum nor any of the other
reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or
on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or any
Lender in connection with 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 Borrowers represent only that such information was prepared in
good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
SECTION 3.12. Federal Reserve Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loan have
been used or will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that
entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Board, including
Regulations T, U and X.
SECTION 3.13. Liens. There are no Liens on any of the real or
personal properties of the Company or any Subsidiary except for Liens permitted
by Section 6.02.
SECTION 3.14. No Default. Each Borrower is in full compliance with
this Agreement and no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing.
SECTION 3.15. Security Interest in
Collateral. The provisions
of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on
all the Collateral covered thereby in favor of the Collateral Agent, for the
benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations, and (i) when all appropriate
filings, recordings, registrations, stampings or notifications are made and (ii)
upon the taking of possession or control by the Collateral Agent of such
Collateral with respect to which a security interest may be perfected only by
possession or control, such Liens shall constitute perfected and continuing
Liens on the Collateral, securing the Secured Obligations, and having priority
over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) Permitted
Encumbrances, to the extent any such Permitted Encumbrances would have priority
over the Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent pursuant to any applicable law
and (b) Liens perfected only by possession (including possession of any
certificate of title) to the extent the Collateral Agent has not obtained or
does not maintain possession of such Collateral.
48
ARTICLE IV
Conditions
SECTION 4.01. Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans
and of the Issuing Banks to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become
effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied
(or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from
each party hereto either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of
such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent
(which may include telecopy transmission of a signed signature page of this
Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received favorable written
opinions (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the
Effective Date) of Richelle Burr, General Counsel of the Company and Brenner,
Saltzman & Wallman LLP, outside counsel for the initial Loan Parties,
substantially in the form of Exhibit B, and covering such other matters relating
to the Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions as the
Administrative Agent shall reasonably request. The Company hereby requests such
counsel to deliver such opinion.
(c) The Lenders shall have received satisfactory financial statement
projections through and including the Company’s 2012 fiscal year, together with
such information as the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall reasonably
request.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and
certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request
relating to the organization, existence and good standing of the initial Loan
Parties, the authorization of the Transactions and any other legal matters
relating to such Loan Parties, the Loan Documents or the Transactions, all in
form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel and
as further described in the list of closing documents attached as Exhibit E.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the
Effective Date and signed by the President, a Vice President or a Financial
Officer of the Company, confirming compliance with the conditions set forth in
paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 4.02.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received all fees and other
amounts due and payable on or prior to the Effective Date, including, to the
extent invoiced, reimbursement or payment of all out-of-pocket expenses required
to be reimbursed or paid by the Company hereunder.
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence reasonably
satisfactory to it that all governmental and third party approvals necessary or,
in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, advisable in connection with the
Transactions have been obtained and are in full force and effect.
The Administrative
Agent shall notify the Company and the Lenders of the Effective Date, and such
notice shall be conclusive and binding.
49
SECTION 4.02. Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan
on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Banks to issue, amend,
renew or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the
following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrowers set forth in this
Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Borrowing or
the date of issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit,
as applicable.
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing
or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of such Letter of Credit, as
applicable, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(c) No law or regulation shall prohibit, and no order, judgment or decree
of any Governmental Authority shall enjoin, prohibit or restrain, any Lender
from making the requested Loan or any Issuing Bank or any Lender from issuing,
renewing, extending or increasing the face amount of or participating in the
Letter of Credit requested to be issued, renewed, extended or increased.
Each Borrowing and
each issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be
deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date
thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section.
SECTION 4.03. Designation of a Foreign Subsidiary
Borrower. The designation
of a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower pursuant to Section 2.23 is subject to the
condition precedent that the Company or such proposed Foreign Subsidiary
Borrower shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Administrative
Agent:
(a) Copies, certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of such
Subsidiary, of its Board of Directors’ resolutions (and resolutions of other
bodies, if any are deemed necessary by counsel for the Administrative Agent)
approving the Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement and any other Loan Documents to
which such Subsidiary is becoming a party;
(b) An incumbency certificate, executed by the Secretary or Assistant
Secretary of such Subsidiary, which shall identify by name and title and bear
the signature of the officers of such Subsidiary authorized to request
Borrowings hereunder and sign the Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement and the other
Loan Documents to which such Subsidiary is becoming a party, upon which
certificate the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely
until informed of any change in writing by the Company or such Subsidiary;
(c) Opinions of counsel to such Subsidiary, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, with
respect to the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and such other matters
as are reasonably requested by counsel to the Administrative Agent and addressed
to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders.
(d) Any promissory notes requested by any Lender, and any other
instruments and documents reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
50
ARTICLE V
Affirmative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or been
terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable
hereunder shall have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit shall have
expired or terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the
Company covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01. Financial Statements and Other
Information. The Company
will furnish to the Administrative Agent for distribution to each Lender:
(a) as soon as the same is available but in any event within ninety (90)
days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, its audited consolidated
balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and
cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in
comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by
Deloitte & Touche LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized
national standing (without a “going concern” or like qualification or exception
and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) to the
effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all
material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance
with GAAP consistently applied;
(b) as soon as the same is available but in any event within forty five
(45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each
fiscal year of the Company, its consolidated balance sheet and related
statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows as of the end of
and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year,
setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding
period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of)
the previous fiscal year, all certified by one of its Financial Officers as
presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results
of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end
audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause
(a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Company (i)
certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred,
specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with
respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations
demonstrating compliance with Section 6.11 and (iii) stating whether any change
in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited
financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has
occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements
accompanying such certificate;
(d) within 90 days of the commencement of each fiscal year of the
Company, projected consolidated balance sheets, income statements and cash flow
statements of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries for such fiscal
year;
(e) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all
10-Ks, 10-Qs and 8-Ks filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to
any or all of the functions of said Commission, or with any national securities
exchange, or distributed by the Company to its shareholders generally, as the
case may be; and
(f) promptly following any request therefor, such other information
regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition of the
Company or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as
the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.
51
Documents required to
be delivered pursuant to clauses (a), (b) or (e) of this Section 5.01 may be
delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been
delivered on the date (i) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides
a link thereto on the Company’s website on the Internet at the website address
<www.photronics.com>; (ii) on which such documents are posted on the
Company’s behalf on IntraLinks™ or a substantially similar electronic platform,
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); or (iii) on which such documents are filed for public availability on
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering and
Retrieval System; provided that the Company shall notify (which may be
by facsimile or electronic mail) the Administrative Agent of the posting of any
such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail
electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. Notwithstanding
anything contained herein, in every instance the Company shall be required to
provide paper copies of the compliance certificates required by clause (c) of
this Section 5.01 to the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 5.02. Notices of Material Events. The Company will furnish to the
Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of
any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or
before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting the Company
or any Affiliate thereof that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any
other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Effect; and
(d) any other development that results in, or could reasonably be
expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered
under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer or
other executive officer of the Company setting forth the details of the event or
development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken
with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.03. Existence; Conduct of
Business. The Company
will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, do or cause to be done all
things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal
existence and the rights, licenses, permits, privileges and franchises material
to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any
merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03.
SECTION 5.04. Payment of Obligations. The Company will, and will cause each of its
Subsidiaries to, pay its obligations, including Tax liabilities, that, if not
paid, could result in a Material Adverse Effect before the same shall become
delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) the Company or
such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect
thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) the failure to make payment pending such
contest could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION
5.05. Maintenance of Properties;
Insurance.
52
(a) The Company will, and will cause each of
its Subsidiaries to, (i) keep and maintain all property material to the conduct
of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear
excepted, and (ii) maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers (1)
insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such
risks (including loss or damage by fire and loss in transit; theft, burglary,
pilferage, larceny, embezzlement, and other criminal activities; business
interruption; and general liability) and such other hazards, as is customarily
maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar
businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (2) all insurance
required pursuant to the Collateral Documents. The Company will furnish to the
Lenders, upon request of the Collateral Agent, information in reasonable detail
as to the insurance so maintained.
(b) The Company shall deliver to the
Collateral Agent endorsements (x) to all “All Risk” physical damage insurance
policies on the Loan Parties’ tangible personal property and assets located in
the United States of America and business interruption insurance policies naming
the Collateral Agent as lender loss payee, and (y) to all general liability and
other liability policies naming the Collateral Agent an additional insured. Each
policy for liability insurance shall provide for all losses to be paid on behalf
of the Collateral Agent and the Company or its Subsidiaries as their interests
may appear. In the event the Company or any of its Subsidiaries at any time or
times hereafter shall fail to obtain or maintain any of the policies or
insurance required herein or to pay any premium in whole or in part relating
thereto, then the Collateral Agent, without waiving or releasing any obligations
or resulting Default hereunder, may at any time or times thereafter (but shall
be under no obligation to do so) obtain and maintain such policies of insurance
and pay such premiums and take any other action with respect thereto which the
Collateral Agent deems advisable. All sums so disbursed by the Collateral Agent
shall constitute part of the Secured Obligations, payable as provided in this
Agreement. The Company will furnish to the Collateral Agent prompt written
notice of any casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of the
Collateral or the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any
material portion of the Collateral or interest therein under power of eminent
domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding.
(c) So long as no Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing, all insurance payments received by the Collateral
Agent in connection with any loss, damage or destruction of any property of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries will be released by the Collateral Agent to
the applicable Company or such Subsidiary for the repair, replacement or
restoration thereof.
SECTION 5.06. Books and Records; Inspection
Rights. The Company will,
and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and
account in which entries that are full, true and correct in all material
respects are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business
and activities. The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to,
permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender,
upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine
and make extracts from its relevant books and records, including environmental
assessment reports and Phase I or Phase II studies, and to discuss its affairs,
finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at
such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested. The Company
acknowledges that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of
inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain reports pertaining
to the Company and its Subsidiaries’ assets for internal use by the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders.
SECTION 5.07. Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual
Obligations. The Company
will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) comply with all laws,
rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or
its property (including without limitation Environmental Laws) and (ii) perform
in all material respects its obligations under material agreements to which it
is a party, in each case except where the failure to do so, individually or in
the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
53
SECTION 5.08. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans will be used only
to repay certain existing Indebtedness, finance the working capital needs, and
for general corporate purposes, of the Company and its Subsidiaries in the
ordinary course of business. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used,
whether directly or indirectly, (i) for any purpose that entails a violation of
any of the Regulations of the Board, including Regulations T, U and X and (ii)
to repay, prepay, redeem, purchase, retire, acquire, cancel or defease the
Existing Convertible Notes and any other notes convertible into Equity Interests
in the Company or any Subsidiary.
SECTION 5.09. Subsidiary Guarantors; Pledges; Additional
Collateral; Further Assurances
(a) As promptly as possible but in any event
within forty-five (45) days (or such later date as may be agreed upon by the
Administrative Agent) after any Person becomes a Subsidiary or any Subsidiary
qualifies independently as, or is designated by the Company or the
Administrative Agent as, a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to the definition of
“Subsidiary Guarantor”, the Company shall provide the Administrative Agent with
written notice thereof setting forth information in reasonable detail describing
the earnings and material assets of such Person and shall cause each such
Subsidiary which also qualifies as a Subsidiary Guarantor to deliver to the
Administrative Agent a joinder to the Subsidiary Guaranty and the Security
Agreement (in each case in the form contemplated thereby) pursuant to which such
Subsidiary agrees to be bound by the terms and provisions of thereof, such
Subsidiary Guaranty to be accompanied by appropriate corporate resolutions,
other corporate documentation and legal and joinder opinions in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(b) The Company will cause, and will cause
each other Subsidiary qualifying as a Loan Party to cause, within the time
periods set forth below with respect to real property, all of its owned property
(whether real, personal, tangible, intangible, or mixed) to be subject at all
times to first priority and perfected (subject in each case to the
qualifications specified in Section 3.15 with respect to priority and
perfection) Liens in favor of the Collateral Agent for the benefit of the
Holders of Secured Obligations to secure the Secured Obligations in accordance
with the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents (including amendments,
restatements, supplements or other modifications to the Collateral Documents in
effect prior to the Effective Date, in each case to the extent, and within such
time period, as is reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent), subject in any
case to Liens permitted by Section 6.02. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Company (i) will cause the Applicable Pledge Percentage of the
issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Pledge Subsidiary directly owned
by the Company or any other Subsidiary qualifying as a Loan Party to be subject
at all times to a first priority and perfected (subject in each case to the
qualifications specified in Section 3.15 with respect to priority and
perfection) Lien in favor of the Collateral Agent to secure the Secured
Obligations in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Collateral
Documents; provided that no such pledge of the Equity Interests
of a Foreign Subsidiary shall be required hereunder to the extent such pledge is
prohibited by applicable law or the Collateral Agent and its counsel reasonably
determine that, in light of the cost and expense associated therewith, such
pledge would be unduly burdensome or not provide material Pledged Equity for the
benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations pursuant to legally binding, valid
and enforceable Pledge Agreements, and (ii) will, and will cause each other
Subsidiary qualifying as a Loan Party to, deliver amendments, restatements,
supplements or other modifications to the Mortgages, Mortgage Instruments and
foreign law governed Pledge Agreements existing on the Effective Date to the
extent, and within such time period as is, reasonably required by the Collateral
Agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendments, restatements, supplements
or other modifications to foreign law governed Pledge Agreements existing on the
Effective Date are required to be delivered hereunder until March 31, 2010 or
such later date as the Collateral Agent may agree in the exercise of its
reasonable discretion with respect thereto.
54
(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the
Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, execute and deliver, or cause
to be executed and delivered, to the Collateral Agent such documents, agreements
and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions
(including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings,
mortgages, deeds of trust and other documents and such other actions or
deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be
required by law or which the Collateral Agent may, from time to time, reasonably
request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other
Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or
intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all at the expense of the
Company.
(d) If any real property or improvements
thereto or any interests therein are acquired by a Loan Party after the
Effective Date (other than assets already constituting Collateral under the
Security Agreement or any Mortgage), the Company will notify the Collateral
Agent thereof, and, if requested by the Collateral Agent, the Company will cause
such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations and will
take, and cause the other Loan Parties to take, such actions as shall be
necessary or reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent to grant and perfect
such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (c) of this Section, all at
the expense of the Company.
SECTION 5.10. Depository Banks. The Company and each Subsidiary will
maintain one or more of the Lenders (or their subsidiaries or affiliates) as its
principal depository bank, including for the maintenance of operating,
administrative, cash management, collection activity, and other deposit accounts
for the conduct of its business, in each case so long as the Lenders or their
subsidiaries or affiliates provide the applicable depository services in the
applicable jurisdiction. In the event that any Lender ceases to be a Lender
hereunder, the Company and its applicable Subsidiaries shall have 30 days, or
such longer period as may be agreed by the Collateral Agent in its reasonable
discretion, to move its accounts to one or more of the other Lenders (or their
subsidiaries or affiliates).
ARTICLE VI
Negative Covenants
Until the Commitments have expired or
terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan and all fees payable
hereunder have been paid in full and all Letters of Credit have expired or
terminated and all LC Disbursements shall have been reimbursed, the Company
covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01. Indebtedness. The Company will not, and will not permit
any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness,
except:
(a) the Secured Obligations and any other Indebtedness created under the
Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule
6.01 and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness with
Indebtedness of a similar type that does not increase the outstanding principal
amount thereof;
(c) Indebtedness of (i) any Loan Party to any other Loan Party, (ii) any
Subsidiary to any Loan Party, (iii) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to
any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and (iv) subject to Section
6.04(d), any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;
55
(d) Guarantees by the Company of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and by
any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Company or any other Subsidiary;
(e) Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the
acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets,
including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection
with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets
prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of
any such Indebtedness that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
thereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior
to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such
construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of
Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) shall not exceed $20,000,000 at any
time outstanding;
(f) Subordinated Indebtedness so long as, after giving effect to the
incurrence thereof, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and the
Borrowers shall be in compliance, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to
such incurrence, with the covenants contained in Section 6.11 recomputed as if
such incurrence had occurred on the first day of the period for testing such
compliance;
(g) Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary as an account party in
respect of trade letters of credit;
(h) (i) Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary under any Swap
Agreement otherwise permitted under Section 6.05, (ii) the Guarantee of any Loan
Party of any such Indebtedness and (iii) the Guarantee of any Loan Party of the
obligations of PSMC, PKL or any of their respective subsidiaries under any Swap
Agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(i) the New Mask Shop
Obligations; and
(j) unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding
$10,000,000 at any time outstanding.
SECTION 6.02. Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit
any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any
property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any
income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any
thereof, except:
(a) Permitted Encumbrances, Liens created under any Loan Document and
Liens on the Specified Chinese Assets securing the Specified Intercompany Note;
(b) any Lien on any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary
existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i)
such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of the Company or any
Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it
secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof
that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(c) any Lien existing on any property or asset prior to the acquisition
thereof by the Company or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset of
any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time
such Person becomes a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in
contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Subsidiary, as the case may
be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the
Company or any Subsidiary and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those
obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such
Person becomes a Subsidiary, as the case may be and extensions, renewals and
replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount
thereof;
56
(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by
the Company or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such security interests secure
Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such security
interests and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within
ninety (90) days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction
or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of
the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets
and (iv) such security interests shall not apply to any other property or assets
of the Company or any Subsidiary; and
(e) customary bankers’ Liens and rights of setoff arising by operation of
law and incurred on deposits made in the ordinary course of business;
(f) Liens on certain real property located in Boise, Idaho securing the
New Mask Shop Obligations; and
(g) attachments, appeal bonds, judgments and other similar Liens, for
sums not exceeding $1,000,000 in the aggregate arising in connection with court
proceedings; provided, that the execution or other enforcement of such Liens is
effectively stayed and the claims secured thereby are being contested in good
faith and by appropriate proceedings and adequate reserves in respect thereof
have been established on the books of the Company to the extent required by
GAAP.
SECTION 6.03. Fundamental Changes and Asset
Sales. (a) The Company
will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, 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) any of its assets, (including pursuant to a Sale and
Leaseback Transaction), or all or any of the Equity Interests of any of its
Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or
liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after
giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any
Person may merge into the Company in a transaction in which the Company is the
surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into a Loan Party in a
transaction in which the surviving entity is such Loan Party (provided that any
such merger involving the Company must result in the Company as the surviving
entity), (iii) any Loan Party (other than the Company) or any Subsidiary may
sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its assets to, or otherwise
dissolve into, a Loan Party and (iv) the Company and its Subsidiaries may (A)
sell inventory, used or surplus equipment and Permitted Investments in the
ordinary course of business and real estate located in Dresden, Germany not
currently used in the operation of the Company’s business, (B) effect sales,
trade-ins or dispositions of used equipment for value in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice, (C) enter into licenses of technology in
the ordinary course of business, (D) enter into the Chinese Facility Sale and
(E) make any other sales, transfers, leases or dispositions of assets with an
aggregate book value that, together with the aggregate book value of all other
assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries previously leased, sold or disposed
of as permitted by this clause (E) during any fiscal year of the Company, does
not exceed 3% of Consolidated Total Assets (as reflected in the most recent
consolidated balance sheet of the Company delivered to the Lenders) or as
otherwise approved in writing by the Administrative Agent and (v) any Subsidiary
(other than a Foreign Subsidiary Borrower or a Material Subsidiary) may
liquidate or dissolve if the Company determines in good faith that such
liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Company and is not
materially disadvantageous to the
Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that
is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be
permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.
57
(b) The Company will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any material extent in any business other
than businesses of the type conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the
date of execution of this Agreement and businesses reasonably related thereto,
including semi-conductor application processes.
(c) The Company will not change its fiscal
year from the annual period which ends on the Sunday closest to October 29 or
its fiscal quarters which, during the term of this Agreement, consist of four
equal 13 week periods.
SECTION 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and
Acquisitions. The Company
will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, purchase, hold or
acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly
owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any capital stock, evidences of
indebtedness or other securities (including any option, warrant or other right
to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or
advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any
investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise
acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any Person or any
assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:
(a)
Permitted Investments;
(b) with respect to any Foreign Subsidiary,
direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are
unconditionally guaranteed by, the government of the country in which such
Foreign Subsidiary is organized or has its principal place of business, in each
case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof, so long as
the aggregate amount of all such obligations for all Foreign Subsidiaries does
not exceed $5,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding;
(c) loans, advances or investments existing on
the date hereof by the Company and the Subsidiaries to or in their respective
subsidiaries;
(d) investments, loans or advances made by the
Company in or to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to the Company or any
other Subsidiary (provided that not more than $10,000,000 in investments, loans
or advances or capital contributions may be made and remain outstanding, during
the term of this Agreement, by any Loan Party to a Subsidiary which is not a
Loan Party but provided further that investments, loans, advances or capital
contributions made to fund the operating expenses of Photronics China in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice shall not be subject
to the foregoing proviso);
(e) Guarantees constituting Indebtedness
permitted by Section 6.01 and Guarantees by the Company of rental obligations or
accounts payable of any Subsidiary;
(f) investments received in connection with
the bankruptcy or reorganization of, or settlement of delinquent accounts and
disputes with, customers and suppliers, in each case in the ordinary course of
business;
(g) investments made in connection with a sale
of assets permitted by Section 6.03 to the extent of the non-cash consideration
received by the Company or a Subsidiary;
58
(h)
Permitted Acquisitions;
(i) Investments, loans and advances existing
on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.04 and extensions, renewals and
replacements of any such investments, loans or advances with investments, loans
or advances of a similar type that do not increase the outstanding amount
thereof;
(j) investments by the Company or any
Subsidiary made solely in the form of capital stock of the Company; and
(k) any other investment (other than
acquisitions), loan or advance (including investments made to meet minimum
capital requirements of foreign jurisdictions) so long as the aggregate amount
of all such investments, loans and advances, when aggregated with the aggregate
consideration (including the concurrent repayment or assumption of any
indebtedness and related investments) paid in respect of all Permitted
Acquisitions during the term of this Agreement, does not exceed $15,000,000
during the term of this Agreement.
SECTION 6.05. Swap Agreements. The Company will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap
Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Company or any
Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into
in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to
floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise)
with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Company or
any Subsidiary.
SECTION 6.06. Restricted Payments. (a) The Company will not, and will not
permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare or make, or agree to pay or make,
directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (i) the Company may
declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests payable solely in
additional shares of its common stock, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay
dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) the Company may
make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans
or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, (iv) PSMC may make dividends to its shareholders and (v) the
Company or any other Subsidiary may make any other Restricted Payment so long as
(1) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing prior to
making such Restricted Payment or would arise after giving effect (including pro
forma effect) thereto and (2) the aggregate amount of such Restricted Payments
made by the Company or any Subsidiary does not exceed $5,000,000 during any
fiscal year of the Company.
(b) The Company will not, and will not permit
any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any
payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of
or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness, or any payment or
other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including
any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption,
retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Indebtedness,
except: (i) payment of Indebtedness created under the Loan Documents; (ii)
payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due
in respect of any Indebtedness (subject to any subordination provisions
thereof); and (iii) payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result
of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such
Indebtedness.
59
SECTION 6.07.
Transactions with
Affiliates. The Company will
not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, sell, lease or otherwise
transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any
property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any
of its Affiliates, except (a) in the ordinary course of business at prices and
on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary
than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties,
(b) transactions between or among the Company and its wholly owned
Subsidiaries not involving any other Affiliate, (c) in addition to transactions
set forth in Schedule 6.07, transactions with Related Parties not exceeding
$6,000,000 in the aggregate, (d) Indebtedness permitted by Sections 6.01(b) and
6.01(c), investments permitted by Section 6.04 and fundamental changes permitted
by Section 6.03 so long as each such transaction is at a price and on terms and
conditions not less favorable to the Company or such Subsidiary than could be
obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (e) any
Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.06, (f) transactions existing on the
date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.07 and (g) any Affiliate who is an
individual may serve as a director, officer or employee of the Company or such
Subsidiary and receive compensation (including stock options) for his or her
services in such capacity.
SECTION 6.08. Restrictive Agreements. The Company will not, and will not permit
any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit
to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes
any condition upon (a) the ability of the Company or any Subsidiary to create,
incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets, or (b) the
ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect
to holders of its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to the
Company or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of the Company or
any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to
restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by this Agreement, (ii) the
foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date
hereof identified on Schedule 6.08 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal
of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such
restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary
restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a
Subsidiary pending such sale, provided such restrictions and conditions apply
only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder,
(iv) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions
imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this
Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or
assets securing such Indebtedness, (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not
apply to customary provisions in leases and other contracts restricting the
assignment thereof and (vi) clause (b) of the foregoing shall not apply to
restrictions or conditions imposed by the organizational documents of any Joint
Venture to the extent that an investment in such Joint Venture is permitted by
Section 6.04.
SECTION 6.09. Issuances of Equity Interests by
Subsidiaries. The Company
will not permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional shares of its Equity
Interests other than (a) to the Company or a wholly-owned Subsidiary, (b) any
such issuance that does not change the Company’s direct or indirect percentage
ownership interest in such Subsidiary, (c) any such issuance that is permitted
pursuant to Section 6.03 or 6.04 and (d) any such issuance by PKL, PSMC,
Photronics China or PKLT Co., Ltd., a Taiwanese corporation, so long as the
Company continues to own and control more than 50% of the voting and economic
power of such Subsidiary.
SECTION 6.10. Amendment of Material
Documents. The Company
will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive (a) any
of its rights under its certificate of incorporation, by-laws or other
organizational documents, in each case in any respect adverse to the Lenders or
(b) any of the terms of any Subordinated Indebtedness, in each case in any
respect adverse to the Lenders (for the purposes of this Section 6.10(b) and
without limitation of the scope of the definition of “adverse”, any amendment to
increase the principal amount, the interest rate or fees or other amounts
payable, to advance the dates upon which payments are made or to alter any
subordination provision (or any definition related thereto) shall be deemed to
be “adverse”).
SECTION
6.11. Financial Covenants.
60
(a) Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage
Ratio. The Company will
not permit the ratio (the “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio”), determined as of the end of each of its
fiscal quarters ending on or after January 31, 2010, of (i) Consolidated EBITDA
less Capital Expenditures to (ii) Consolidated Fixed Charges, in each case for
the period of 4 consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal
quarter, all calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis, to be less than 1.50 to 1.00.
(b) Total Leverage Ratio. The Company will not permit the ratio (the
“Total Leverage Ratio”), determined as of the end of each of its
fiscal quarters ending on or after January 31, 2010, of (i) Consolidated Total
Indebtedness to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA, in each case for the period of 4
consecutive fiscal quarters ending with the end of such fiscal quarter, all
calculated for the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, to be
greater than 2.00 to 1.00.
(c) Minimum Unrestricted Cash
Balances. The Company will
not permit the aggregate amount of unrestricted and unencumbered cash balances
and Permitted Investments maintained by the Company and its Subsidiaries to be
less than $50,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, any cash deposited with the
Collateral Agent pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Documents shall be
deemed to be unrestricted or unencumbered cash.
(d) Maximum Capital
Expenditures. The Company
will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make Capital Expenditures in an
amount (in the aggregate for the Company and its Subsidiaries) during the period
of 4 consecutive fiscal quarters ending as of the end of each of its fiscal
quarters set forth below in excess of the corresponding amount set forth
opposite such fiscal quarter:
Fiscal Quarter Ending
On or About |
|
Maximum Capital
Expenditures |
January 31, 2010 |
|
$65,000,000 |
May 2, 2010 |
|
$65,000,000 |
August 1, 2010 |
|
$75,000,000 |
October 31, 2010 |
|
$75,000,000 |
November 1, 2010 |
|
$75,000,000 |
January 31, 2011 |
|
$75,000,000 |
May 2, 2011 |
|
$75,000,000 |
August 1, 2011 |
|
$75,000,000 |
October 31, 2011 and each Fiscal
Quarter |
|
$85,000,000 |
ending thereafter |
|
|
ARTICLE VII
Events of Default
If any
of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:
(a) any Borrower shall fail to pay any
principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC
Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the
due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or
otherwise;
(b) any Borrower shall fail to pay any
interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount
referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement, when
and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue
unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;
61
(c) any representation or warranty made or
deemed made by or on behalf of any Borrower or any Subsidiary in or in
connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or
modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any report, certificate,
financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection
with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification
thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material
respect when made or deemed made;
(d) (i) the Company shall fail to observe or
perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03
(with respect to any Borrower’s existence), 5.08, 5.09 or 5.10, in Article VI or
in Article X or (ii) any Loan Document shall for any reason not be or shall
cease to be in full force and effect or is declared to be null and void, or the
Company or any Subsidiary takes any action for the purpose of terminating,
repudiating or rescinding any Loan Document or any of its obligations
thereunder;
(e) any Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor,
as applicable, shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or
agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those specified in clause (a),
(b) or (d) of this Article) or any other Loan Document, and such failure shall
continue unremedied for a period of thirty (30) days after notice thereof from
the Administrative Agent to the Company (which notice will be given at the
request of any Lender);
(f) the Company or any Subsidiary shall fail
to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount)
in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due
and payable;
(g) any event or condition occurs that results
in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or
that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time
or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or
agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due,
or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof,
prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to
secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or
transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness;
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be
commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation,
reorganization or other relief in respect of the Company or any Subsidiary or
its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or
foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in
effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator,
conservator or similar official for the Company or any Subsidiary or for a
substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or
petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving
or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i) the Company or any Subsidiary shall (i)
voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation,
reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy,
insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent
to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner,
any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply
for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian,
sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the Company or any Subsidiary
or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the
material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v)
make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action
for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
62
(j) the Company or any Subsidiary shall become
unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as
they become due;
(k) one or more judgments for the payment of
money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 shall be rendered against
the Company, any Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain
undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall
not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment
creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of the Company or any Subsidiary to
enforce any such judgment;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that,
in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA
Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect;
(m) a
Change in Control shall occur; or
(n) any Collateral Document shall for any
reason fail to create a valid and perfected first priority security interest in
any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, except
as permitted by the terms of any Loan Document;
then, and in every
such event (other than an event with respect to the Company described in clause
(h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance
of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required
Lenders shall, by notice to the Company, take either or both of the following
actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and
thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the
Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case
any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared
to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to
be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees and
other Obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder and under the other Loan
Documents, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by
the Borrowers; and in case of any event with respect to any Borrower described
in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically
terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued
interest thereon and all fees and other Secured Obligations accrued hereunder
and under the other Loan Documents, shall automatically become due and payable,
without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which
are hereby waived by the Borrowers.
Any proceeds of Collateral received by the
Administrative Agent after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing
and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct, such
funds shall be applied first, to pay any reasonable out-of-pocket fees,
indemnities, or expense reimbursements including amounts then due to the
Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks from the Loan Parties, second, to pay any fees or expense reimbursements
then due to the Lenders from the Loan Parties, third, to pay interest then due and payable on the
Loans ratably, fourth, on a ratable basis, to prepay principal on
the Loans and unreimbursed LC Disbursements, to pay an amount to the
Administrative Agent equal to one hundred five percent (105%) of the aggregate
undrawn face amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit and the aggregate
amount of any unpaid LC Disbursements to be held as cash collateral for such
Secured Obligations, to payment of any amounts owing with respect to Banking
Services Obligations and Swap Obligations, and fifth, to the payment of any other Secured
Obligations due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Loan Parties.
The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have the continuing and exclusive
right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to
any portion of the Secured Obligations.
63
Upon the occurrence and during the continuance
of an Event of Default, the Collateral Agent may exercise any rights and
remedies provided to the Collateral Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or
equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.
ARTICLE VIII
The Administrative Agent and the Collateral
Agent
Each of the Lenders and each of the Issuing
Banks hereby irrevocably appoints JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative
Agent and Collateral Agent hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and
each of the Lenders and each of the Issuing Banks authorizes each of the Agents
to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated
to the Agents by the terms hereof and the terms of the other Loan Documents,
together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
The bank serving as the Administrative Agent
hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as
any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the
Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from,
lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with Company or any
Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent
hereunder.
No Agent shall have any duties or obligations
except those expressly set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, (a) no Agent shall be subject to any fiduciary or other implied
duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) no
Agent shall have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any
discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly
contemplated hereby that such Agent is required to exercise in writing as
directed by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the
Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section
9.02), and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, no Agent shall have any
duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any
information relating to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that is
communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as either Agent or any of its
Affiliates in any capacity. No Agent shall be liable for any action taken or not
taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such
other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the
circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross
negligence or willful misconduct. No Agent shall be deemed to have knowledge of
any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to such Agent by
the Company or a Lender, and neither Agent shall 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, (ii) the contents of any
certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection
herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants,
agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity,
enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement or any other
agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set
forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items
expressly required to be delivered to such Agent or (vi) the creation,
perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral or the existence of the
Collateral.
The Agents shall be entitled to rely upon, and
shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request,
certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed
by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The
Agents also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and
believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any
liability for relying thereon. The Agents may consult with legal counsel (who
may be counsel for the Company), 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.
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Either Agent may perform any and all its
duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more
sub-agents appointed by such Agent. The Agents and any such sub-agent may
perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their
respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding
paragraphs shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the
Agents and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in
connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as
well as activities as an Agent.
Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a
successor Agent as provided in this paragraph, any Agent may resign at any time
by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Company. Upon any such
resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the
Company, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by
the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days
after the retiring Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring
Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor
Agent which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York, or an
Affiliate of any such bank. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as the
applicable Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and
become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring
Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and
obligations hereunder. The fees payable by any Borrower to a successor Agent
shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed
between such Borrower and such successor. After any Agent’s resignation
hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in
effect for the benefit of such retiring Agent, its sub-agents and their
respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be
taken by any of them while it was acting as Agent.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has,
independently and without reliance upon either Agent or any other Lender and
based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its
own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also
acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon either Agent
or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from
time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or
not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any related agreement or
any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
None of the Lenders, if any, identified in
this Agreement as a Syndication Agent or Documentation Agent shall have any
right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement
other than those applicable to all Lenders as such. Without limiting the
foregoing, none of such Lenders shall have or be deemed to have a fiduciary
relationship with any Lender. Each Lender hereby makes the same acknowledgments
with respect to the relevant Lenders in their respective capacities as
Syndication Agent and Documentation Agent as it makes with respect to the
Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.
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In its capacity, the Collateral Agent is a
“representative” of the Holders of Secured Obligations within the meaning of the
term “secured party” as defined in the New York Uniform Commercial Code. Each
Lender authorizes the Collateral Agent to enter into each of the Collateral
Documents to which it is a party and to take all action contemplated by such
documents. Each Lender agrees that no Holder of Secured Obligations (other than
the Collateral Agent) shall have the right individually to seek to realize upon the
security granted by any Collateral Document, it being understood and agreed that
such rights and remedies may be exercised solely by the Collateral Agent for the
benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations upon the terms of the Collateral
Documents. In the event that any Collateral is hereafter pledged by any Person
as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, the Collateral Agent is
hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and
deliver on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations any Loan Documents
necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor
of the Collateral Agent on behalf of the Holders of Secured Obligations. The
Lenders hereby authorize the Collateral Agent, at its option and in its
discretion, to release any Lien granted to or held by the Collateral Agent upon
any Collateral (i) as described in Section 9.02(b); (ii) as permitted by, but
only in accordance with, the terms of the applicable Loan Document; or (iii) if
approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, unless such
release is required to be approved by all of the Lenders hereunder. Upon request
by the Collateral Agent at any time, the Lenders will confirm in writing the
Collateral Agent’s authority to release particular types or items of Collateral
pursuant hereto. Upon any sale or transfer of assets constituting Collateral
which is permitted pursuant to the terms of any Loan Document, or consented to
in writing by the Required Lenders or all of the Lenders, as applicable, and
upon at least five Business Days’ prior written request by the Company to the
Collateral Agent, the Collateral Agent shall (and is hereby irrevocably
authorized by the Lenders to) execute such documents as may be necessary to
evidence the release of the Liens granted to the Collateral Agent for the
benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations herein or pursuant hereto upon the
Collateral that was sold or transferred; provided, however, that (i) the Collateral Agent shall not be
required to execute any such document on terms which, in the Collateral Agent’s
opinion, would expose the Collateral Agent to liability or create any obligation
or entail any consequence other than the release of such Liens without recourse
or warranty, and (ii) such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect or
impair the Secured Obligations or any Liens upon (or obligations of the Company
or any Subsidiary in respect of) all interests retained by the Company or any
Subsidiary, including (without limitation) the proceeds of the sale, all of
which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral.
In connection with a Foreign Subsidiary
Borrower organized under the laws of England and Wales (a “UK Borrower”), each Lender (i) irrevocably appoints the
Administrative Agent to act as syndicate manager under, and authorizes the
Administrative Agent to operate, and take any action necessary or desirable
under, the Provisional Treaty Relief scheme as described in the United Kingdom’s
Inland Revenue Guidelines dated January 2003 and administered by the United
Kingdom’s H.M. Revenue & Custom’s Centre for Non-Residents (the
“PTR Scheme”) in connection with this Agreement, (ii)
shall co-operate with the Administrative Agent in completing any procedural
formalities necessary under the PTR Scheme, and shall promptly supply to the
Administrative Agent such information as the Administrative Agent may request in
connection with the operation of the PTR Scheme and (iii) without limiting the
liability of any UK Borrower under this Agreement, shall, within 5 Business Days
of demand, indemnify the Administrative Agent for any liability or loss incurred
by the Administrative Agent as a result of the Administrative Agent acting as
syndicate manager under the PTR Scheme in connection with such Lender’s
participation in any Loan (except to the extent that the liability or loss
arises directly from the Administrative Agent’s gross negligence or willful
misconduct). Each UK Borrower acknowledges that it is fully aware of its
contingent obligations under the PTR Scheme and shall promptly supply to the
Administrative Agent such information as the Administrative Agent may request in
connection with the operation of the PTR Scheme and act in accordance with any
provisional notice issued by the UK Inland Revenue under the PTR Scheme. The
Administrative Agent agrees to provide, as soon as reasonably practicable, a
copy of any provisional authority issued to it under the PTR Scheme in
connection with any Loan to any UK Borrower. All parties hereto acknowledge that
(i) the Administrative Agent is entitled to rely completely upon information
provided to it in connection with this paragraph, (ii) is not obliged to
undertake any enquiry into the accuracy of such information, nor into the
taxation status of any Lender or, as the case may be, any UK Borrower providing
such information and (iii) shall have no liability to any person for the
accuracy of any information it submits in connection with this paragraph.
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Each Borrower, on its behalf and on behalf of
its Subsidiaries, and each Lender, on its behalf and on the behalf of its
affiliated Holders of Secured Obligations, hereby irrevocably constitute the
Collateral Agent as the holder of an irrevocable power of attorney (fondé de pouvoir
within the meaning of Article 2692 of the Civil Code of Québec) in order to hold
hypothecs and security granted by each Borrower or any Subsidiary on property
pursuant to the laws of the Province of Quebec to secure obligations of any
Borrower or any Subsidiary under any bond, debenture or similar title of
indebtedness issued by any Borrower or any Subsidiary in connection with this
Agreement, and agree that the Collateral Agent may act as the bondholder and
mandatary with respect to any bond, debenture or similar title of indebtedness
that may be issued by any Borrower or any Subsidiary and pledged in favor of the
Holder of Secured Obligations in connection with this Agreement. Notwithstanding
the provisions of Section 32 of the An Act respecting the special powers of
legal persons (Quebec), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Collateral Agent may
acquire and be the holder of any bond issued by any Borrower or any Subsidiary
in connection with this Agreement (i.e., the fondé de pouvoir
may acquire and hold the first bond issued under any deed of hypothec by any
Borrower or any Subsidiary).
The Collateral Agent is hereby authorized to
execute and deliver any documents necessary or appropriate to create and perfect
the rights of pledge for the benefit of the Holders of Secured Obligations
including a right of pledge with respect to the entitlements to profits, the
balance left after winding up and the voting rights of the Company as ultimate
parent of any subsidiary of the Company which is organized under the laws of the
Netherlands and the Equity Interests of which are pledged in connection herewith
(a “Dutch Pledge”). Without prejudice to the provisions of
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the parties hereto acknowledge and
agree with the creation of parallel debt obligations of the Company or any
relevant Subsidiary as will be described in any Dutch Pledge (the “Parallel Debt”), including that any payment received by the
Collateral Agent in respect of the Parallel Debt will - conditionally upon such
payment not subsequently being avoided or reduced by virtue of any provisions or
enactments relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, preference, liquidation or
similar laws of general application - be deemed a satisfaction of a pro rata
portion of the corresponding amounts of the Secured Obligations, and any payment
to the Holders of Secured Obligations in satisfaction of the Secured Obligations
shall - conditionally upon such payment not subsequently being avoided or
reduced by virtue of any provisions or enactments relating to bankruptcy,
insolvency, preference, liquidation or similar laws of general application - be
deemed as satisfaction of the corresponding amount of the Parallel Debt. The
parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of a Dutch Pledge, any
resignation by the Collateral Agent is not effective until its rights under the
Parallel Debt are assigned to the successor Collateral Agent.
The parties hereto acknowledge and agree for
the purposes of taking and ensuring the continuing validity of German law
governed pledges (Pfandrechte) with the creation of parallel debt
obligations of the Borrowers as will be further described in a separate German
law governed parallel debt undertaking. The Collateral Agent shall (i) hold such
parallel debt undertaking as fiduciary agent (Treuhaender) and
(ii) administer and hold as fiduciary agent (Treuhaender) any
pledge created under a German law governed Collateral Document which is created
in favor of any Holder of the Secured Obligations or transferred to any Holder
of the Secured Obligations due to its accessory nature (Akzessorietaet), in
each case in its own name and for the account of the Holders of the Secured
Obligations. Each Lender, on its own behalf and on behalf of its affiliated
Holders of Secured Obligations, hereby authorizes the Collateral Agent to enter
as its agent in its name and on its behalf into any German law governed
Collateral Document, to accept as its agent in its name and on its behalf any
pledge under such Collateral Document and to agree to and execute as agent its
in its name and on its behalf any amendments, supplements and other alterations
to any such Collateral Document and to release any such Collateral Document and
any pledge created under any such Collateral Document in accordance with the
provisions herein and/or the provisions in any such Collateral
Document.
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ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
SECTION 9.01. Notices. (a) Except in the case of notices and other
communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and subject to
paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein
shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service,
mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(i) if to any Borrower, to it c/o Photronics, Inc., 15 Secor Road,
Brookfield, Connecticut 06804, Attention of Sean T. Smith (Telecopy No. (203)
775-5601; Telephone No. (203) 740-5671), with a copy (in the case of notices of
Default) to Attention of Richelle Burr, Esq. (Telecopy No. (203) 775-5601;
Telephone No. (203) 740-5285);
(ii) if to the
Administrative Agent or Collateral Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
10 South Dearborn Street, 7th Floor, Chicago,
Illinois 60603, Attention of Latanya Driver (Telecopy No. (312) 385-7096), with
a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 277 Park Avenue, New York, New York,
Attention of Anne Biancardi (Telecopy No. (646) 534-3078), or, in the case of
Borrowings in euro or Pounds Sterling by the Company or by a Foreign Borrower
organized in Europe, to JP Morgan Europe Limited, 125 London Wall, London EC2Y
5AJ, Attention of James Beard (Telecopy No. +44 (0) 207 777 2360), or, in the
case of Borrowings in other Foreign Currencies or by a Foreign Borrower not
organized in Europe, at such other office of the Administrative Agent as is
specified from time to time;
(iii) if to an Issuing Bank, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10 South
Dearborn Street, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Attention of Carolyn
Edwards or Susan Moy (Telecopy No. (312) 385-7096), or in the case of any other
Issuing Bank, to it at the address and telecopy number specified from time to
time by such Issuing Bank to the Borrower and the Administrative
Agent;
(iv) if to the Swingline Lender, to it at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 10
South Dearborn Street, 7th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60603, Attention of Anthony
Catron (Telecopy No. (312) 385-7096));and
(v) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set
forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(b) Notices and other communications to the
Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications
pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the
foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II unless otherwise
agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative
Agent or the Company 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.
(c) Any party hereto may change its address or
telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the
other parties hereto. All notices and other communications given to any party
hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to
have been given on the date of receipt.
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SECTION 9.02. Waivers; Amendments. (a) No failure or delay by the
Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or
power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver
thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or
any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power,
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Banks and the Lenders hereunder and under the other Loan Documents are
cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would
otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement or consent to any
departure by any Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the
same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver
or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose
for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of
a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of
any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any
Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Except as provided in Section 2.20 with
respect to an Expansion Loan Amendment, neither this Agreement nor any provision
hereof may be waived, amended or modified except pursuant to an agreement or
agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Required Lenders or
by the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required
Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (i) increase the
Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender, (ii) reduce
the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of
interest thereon, or reduce any fees payable hereunder, without the written
consent of each Lender directly affected thereby, (iii) postpone the scheduled
date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any
interest thereon, or any fees payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive
or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any
Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender directly affected
thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (c) in a manner that would alter the pro
rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each
Lender, (v) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of
“Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or
percentage of Lenders required to waive, amend or modify any rights hereunder or
make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written
consent of each Lender (it being understood that, solely with the consent of the
parties prescribed by Section 2.20 to be parties to an Expansion Loan Amendment,
Expansion Foreign Loans (as defined in Section 2.20) may be included in the
determination of Required Lenders on substantially the same basis as the
Commitments and the Revolving Loans are included on the Effective Date) or (vi)
release the Company or all or substantially all of the Subsidiary Guarantors
from their obligations under Article X or the Subsidiary Guaranty or release all
or substantially all of the Collateral, as applicable, without the written
consent of each Lender; provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or
otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the
Collateral Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the
prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, such
Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended (or amended and restated)
with the written consent of the parties prescribed in Section 2.20 and each Loan
Party party to each relevant Loan Document (i) to add Expansion Foreign Loans to
share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents
with the Revolving Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof,
(ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such Expansion Foreign Loans
in any determination of the Required Lenders and Lenders and (iii) to give
effect to the risk participation by the Lenders in the Expansion Foreign Loans.
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(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Company only,
amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to
cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.
SECTION 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage
Waiver. (a) The Company
shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Agents and
their Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of
counsel for each Agent, in connection with the syndication of the credit
facilities provided for herein, the preparation 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), (ii) all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Issuing Bank in connection with the
issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand
for payment thereunder and (iii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred
by the Agents, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and
disbursements of any counsel for either Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender,
in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection
with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in
connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including
all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or
negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) The Company shall indemnify the Agents,
each Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the
foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless
from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses,
including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee,
incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection
with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or
any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by
the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or the consummation
of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan
or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal
by any Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if
the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply
with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence
or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related
in any way to the Company 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 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 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 from the breach of such
Indemnitee’s obligations under the Loan Documents.
(c) To the extent that the Company fails to
pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Agents, any Issuing Bank or the
Swingline Lender under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender
severally agrees to pay to the relevant Agent, any Issuing Bank or the Swingline
Lender, as the case may be, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage (determined as
of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is
sought) of such unpaid amount (it being understood that the Borrower’s failure
to pay any such amount shall not relieve the Borrower of any default in the
payment thereof); 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 relevant Agent, any Issuing Bank or the
Swingline Lender in its capacity as such.
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(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law,
no Borrower shall assert, and each Borrower hereby waives, any claim against any
Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or
punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in
connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or
any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions,
any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall
be payable not later than fifteen (15) days after written demand therefor.
SECTION 9.04. Successors and Assigns. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall
be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of
the relevant Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) no
Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations
hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted
assignment or transfer by any Borrower without such consent shall be null and
void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or
obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this
Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person
(other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns
permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the relevant Issuing Bank that
issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph
(c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the
Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the
Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of
this Agreement.
(b)(i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below,
any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights
and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its
Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent
(such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A) the Company, provided that no consent of the Company shall be
required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved
Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, any other
assignee; and
(B) the Administrative
Agent.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a
Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of
the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the
Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment
(determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such
assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than
$5,000,000 unless each of the Company and the Administrative Agent otherwise
consent, provided that no such
consent of the Company shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing;
(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a
proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under
this Agreement, provided that this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the
assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and
obligations in respect of one Class of Commitments or Loans;
71
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing
and recordation fee of $3,500; and
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the
Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the
term “Approved Fund” has the following meaning:
“Approved Fund” means any Person (other than a natural
person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank
loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business
and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a
Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages
a Lender.
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording
thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the
effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption the assignee
thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned
by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender
under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent
of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its
obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and
Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under
this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue
to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any
assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement
that does not comply with this Section 9.04 shall be treated for purposes of
this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and
obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this
purpose as an agent of each Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices a
copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the
recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of,
and principal amount of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender
pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be
conclusive, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and
the Lenders may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register
pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this
Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be
available for inspection by the Company, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any
reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(v) Upon its receipt of a duly completed
Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the
assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall
already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to
in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment
required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept
such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in
the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the
assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it
pursuant to Section 2.05(c), 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(c), the
Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and
Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until
such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest
thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless
it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
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(c) (i) Any Lender may, without the consent of
the Company, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks or the Swingline
Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a
“Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights
and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its
Commitment and the Loans owing to it); provided that (A) such Lender’s
obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (B) such Lender shall
remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of
such obligations and (C) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing
Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such
Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this
Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a
participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to
enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of
any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide
that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any
amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section
9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to paragraph (c)(ii) of this
Section, each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the
benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 to the same extent as if it were a
Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of
this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be
entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided
such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(c) as though it were a
Lender.
(ii) A Participant shall not be entitled to
receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17 than the applicable
Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation
sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such
Participant is made with the Company’s prior written consent. A Participant that
would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the
benefits of Section 2.17 unless the Company is notified of the participation
sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the
Company, to comply with Section 2.17(e) as though it were a Lender.
(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or
assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this
Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any
pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this
Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest;
provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release
a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or
assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 9.05. Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations
and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the
certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to
this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been
relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and
delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any
Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party
or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing
Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect
representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and
shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any
accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this
Agreement or any other Loan Document is outstanding and unpaid or any Letter of
Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or
terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article
VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the
Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the
Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or
any provision hereof or thereof.
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SECTION 9.06. Counterparts; Integration;
Effectiveness. This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on
different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of
which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement,
the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees
payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the
parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous
agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter
hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become
effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when
the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when
taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and
thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart
of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy shall be effective as delivery
of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
SECTION 9.07. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such
jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of
the remaining provisions hereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in
a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other
jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08. Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred
and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized
at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to
set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand,
provisional or final and in whatever currency denominated) at any time held and
other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the
credit or the account of any Borrower against any of and all the obligations of
such Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement held by such
Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand
under this Agreement and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights
of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies
(including other rights of setoff) which such Lender may have.
SECTION 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to
Service of Process. (a)
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of
the State of New York.
(b) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York
County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New
York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or for recognition or enforcement
of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or
proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent
permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that
a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be
enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner
provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall
affect any right that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender
may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement
against any Borrower or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(c) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do
so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of
any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or
any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (b) of this
Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance
of such action or proceeding in any such court.
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(d) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably
consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section
9.01. Each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower irrevocably designates and appoints the
Company, as its authorized agent, to accept and acknowledge on its behalf,
service of any and all process which may be served in any suit, action or
proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 9.09(b) in any federal or New
York State court sitting in New York City. The Company hereby represents,
warrants and confirms that the Company has agreed to accept such appointment
(and any similar appointment by a Subsidiary Guarantor which is a Foreign
Subsidiary). Said designation and appointment shall be irrevocable by each such
Foreign Subsidiary Borrower until all Loans, all reimbursement obligations,
interest thereon and all other amounts payable by such Foreign Subsidiary
Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents shall have been paid in
full in accordance with the provisions hereof and thereof and such Foreign
Subsidiary Borrower shall have been terminated as a Borrower hereunder pursuant
to Section 2.23. Each Foreign Subsidiary Borrower hereby consents to process
being served in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in
Section 9.09(b) in any federal or New York State court sitting in New York City
by service of process upon the Company as provided in this Section 9.09(d);
provided that, to the extent lawful and possible,
notice of said service upon such agent shall be mailed by registered or
certified air mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Company
and (if applicable to) such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower at its address set forth
in the Borrowing Subsidiary Agreement to which it is a party or to any other
address of which such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower shall have given written
notice to the Administrative Agent (with a copy thereof to the Company). Each
Foreign Subsidiary Borrower irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, all claim of error by reason of any such service in such manner and
agrees that such service shall be deemed in every respect effective service of
process upon such Foreign Subsidiary Borrower in any such suit, action or
proceeding and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be taken and held
to be valid and personal service upon and personal delivery to such Foreign
Subsidiary Borrower. To the extent any Foreign Subsidiary Borrower has or
hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any
legal process (whether from service or notice, attachment prior to judgment,
attachment in aid of execution of a judgment, execution or otherwise), each
Foreign Subsidiary Borrower hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect
of its obligations under the Loan Documents. Nothing in this Agreement or any
other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to
serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE
FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY
JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING
TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH
PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY
OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD
NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B)
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER
INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND
CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11. Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table
of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of
this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into
consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
75
SECTION 9.12. Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the
Issuing Banks and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the
Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to
its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including
accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the
Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential
nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information
confidential), (b) to the extent 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 or (ii) any actual or
prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction
relating to any Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the
Company or (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, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on a nonconfidential
basis from a source other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. For the
purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the
Company relating to the Company or its business, other than any such information
that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender on
a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Company; provided that, in the case of information received
from the Company after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified
at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the
confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered
to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the
same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such
Person would accord to its own confidential information.
SECTION 9.13. USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the
requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into
law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”) hereby notifies each Borrower that pursuant
to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record
information that identifies such Borrower, which information includes the name
and address of such Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender
to identify such Borrower in accordance with the Act.
SECTION 9.14. Appointment for Perfection. Each Lender hereby appoints each other
Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the
Collateral Agent and the Holders of Secured Obligations, in assets which, in
accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable law can be
perfected only by possession. Should any Lender (other than the Collateral
Agent) obtain possession of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the
Collateral Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Collateral Agent’s request
therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Collateral Agent or otherwise deal
with such Collateral in accordance with the Collateral Agent’s instructions.
ARTICLE X
Company Guarantee
In order to induce the Lenders to extend
credit to the other Borrowers hereunder, the Company hereby irrevocably and
unconditionally guarantees, as a primary obligor and not merely as a surety, the
payment when and as due of the Secured Obligations of such other Borrowers. The
Company further agrees that the due and punctual payment of such Secured
Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice to
or further assent from it, and that it will remain bound upon its guarantee
hereunder notwithstanding any such extension or renewal of any such Secured
Obligation.
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The Company waives presentment to, demand of
payment from and protest to any Borrower of any of the Secured Obligations, and
also waives notice of acceptance of its obligations and notice of protest for
nonpayment. The obligations of the Company hereunder shall not be affected by
(a) the failure of either Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to assert any
claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against any Borrower under the
provisions of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or otherwise; (b) any
extension or renewal of any of the Secured Obligations; (c) any rescission,
waiver, amendment or modification of, or release from, any of the terms or
provisions of this Agreement, or any other Loan Document or agreement; (d) any
default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of any of
the Secured Obligations; (e) the failure of either Agent to take any steps to
perfect and maintain any security interest in, or to preserve any rights to, any
security or collateral for the Secured Obligations, if any; (f) any change in
the corporate, partnership or other existence, structure or ownership of any
Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Secured Obligations; (g) the
enforceability or validity of the Secured Obligations or any part thereof or the
genuineness, enforceability or validity of any agreement relating thereto or
with respect to any collateral securing the Secured Obligations or any part
thereof, or any other invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against any
Borrower or any other guarantor of any of the Secured Obligations, for any
reason related to this Agreement, any Swap Agreement, any other Loan Document,
or any provision of applicable law, decree, order or regulation of any
jurisdiction purporting to prohibit the payment by such Borrower or any other
guarantor of the Secured Obligations, of any of the Secured Obligations or
otherwise affecting any term of any of the Secured Obligations; or (h) any other
act, omission or delay to do any other act which may or might in any manner or
to any extent vary the risk of such Borrower or otherwise operate as a discharge
of a guarantor as a matter of law or equity or which would impair or eliminate
any right of such Borrower to subrogation.
The Company further agrees that its agreement
hereunder constitutes a guarantee of payment when due (whether or not any
bankruptcy or similar proceeding shall have stayed the accrual or collection of
any of the Secured Obligations or operated as a discharge thereof) and not
merely of collection, and waives any right to require that any resort be had by
either Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender to any balance of any deposit
account or credit on the books of either Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender
in favor of any Borrower or any other Person.
The obligations of the Company hereunder shall
not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any
reason, and shall not be subject to any defense or set-off, counterclaim,
recoupment or termination whatsoever, by reason of the invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability of any of the Secured Obligations, any impossibility in the
performance of any of the Secured Obligations or otherwise, except for the prior
indefeasible payment in full in cash of all the Secured Obligations. Nothing
contained in this Article X is intended to, or shall limit, restrict or preclude
the Company from pursuing and maintaining a separate legal action based on the
acts or omissions of the either Agent or any Lender in connection with any such
Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
The Company further agrees that its
obligations hereunder shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the
case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of any Secured
Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by either Agent, any
Issuing Bank or any Lender upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower
or otherwise.
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In furtherance of the foregoing and not in
limitation of any other right which either Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender
may have at law or in equity against any Borrower by virtue hereof, upon the
failure of any other Borrower to pay any Secured Obligation when and as the same
shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, after notice of
prepayment or otherwise, the Company hereby promises to and will, upon receipt
of written demand by either Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, to
the relevant Agent, the relevant Issuing Bank or any Lender in cash an amount
equal to the unpaid principal amount of such Secured Obligations then due,
together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon. The Company further agrees
that if payment in respect of any Secured Obligation shall be due in a currency
other than Dollars and/or at a place of payment other than New York or any other
Eurocurrency Payment Office and if, by reason of any Change in Law, disruption
of currency or foreign exchange markets, war or civil disturbance or other
event, payment of such Secured Obligation in such currency or at such place of
payment shall be impossible or, in the reasonable judgment of either Agent, any
Issuing Bank or any Lender, disadvantageous to the relevant Agent, the relevant
Issuing Bank or any Lender in any material respect, then, at the election of the
relevant Agent, the Company shall make payment of such Secured Obligation in
Dollars (based upon the applicable Equivalent Amount in effect on the date of
payment) and/or in New York or such other Eurocurrency Payment Office as is
designated by the Administrative Agent and, as a separate and independent
obligation, shall indemnify the Agents, any Issuing Bank and any Lender against
any losses or reasonable out-of-pocket expenses that it shall sustain as a
result of such alternative payment.
Upon payment by the Company of any sums as
provided above, all rights of the Company against any Borrower arising as a
result thereof by way of right of subrogation or otherwise shall in all respects
be subordinated and junior in right of payment to the prior indefeasible payment
in full in cash of all the Secured Obligations owed by such Borrower to the
Agents, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders.
Nothing shall discharge or satisfy the
liability of the Company hereunder except the full performance and payment in
cash of the Secured Obligations.
[Signature Pages
Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have
caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized
officers as of the day and year first above written.
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PHOTRONICS, INC., as the
Company |
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By |
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Name: |
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Title: |
Signature Page to
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
Photronics, Inc.
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
individually as a Lender, as Swingline Lender, as an Issuing Bank
and as Administrative Agent |
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By |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Collateral Agent |
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By |
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Name: |
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Title: |
Signature Page to
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
Photronics, Inc.
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RBS CITIZENS, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, individually as a Lender, as an Issuing Bank and as
Syndication Agent |
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By |
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Name: |
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Title: |
Signature Page to
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
Photronics, Inc.
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The undersigned Departing
Lender hereby acknowledges
and agrees that, from and after the Effective Date, it is no longer a
party to any of the Existing Agreements and will not be a party to this
Agreement. [DEPARTING LENDER], as a Departing
Lender
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By |
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Name: |
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Title: |
Signature Page to
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement
Photronics, Inc.
SCHEDULE
2.01
COMMITMENTS
LENDER |
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COMMITMENT |
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JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. |
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$25,000,000 |
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RBS CITIZENS, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION |
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$25,000,000 |
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AGGREGATE COMMITMENT |
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$50,000,000 |
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