UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Effective as of December 17, 2021, Hurco Companies, Inc. (the “Company”), Bank of America, N.A. (the “Bank”), and certain wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company (the “Loan Party Subsidiaries” and, together with the Company, the “Loan Parties”) entered into a Third Amendment to Credit Agreement (the “Third Amendment”). The Third Amendment amends the Credit Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2018, among the Company, the Bank, and the Loan Party Subsidiaries, as amended by that First Amendment dated as of March 13, 2020, and that Second Amendment dated as of December 23, 2020 (as so amended, the “Credit Agreement”), and other documents and/or transactions contemplated thereby, as follows:
● | extended the scheduled maturity date under the Credit Agreement from December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2023; |
● | replaced the London Interbank Offered Rate with (i) the secured overnight financing rate (“SOFR”) with respect to term rate loans denominated in U.S. dollars, (2) the Sterling Overnight Index Average Reference Rate (“SONIA”) with respect to daily rate loans denominated in British pounds sterling (“Sterling”) and (iii) the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (“EURIBOR”) with respect to term rate loans denominated in Euros; |
● | set the interest rate premium at 1.00% for SOFR term loans, letter of credit fees, and term rate and daily rate loans denominated in Euros, Sterling or any other currency (other than U.S. dollars) approved in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement; |
● | eliminated the springing liquidity covenant; |
● | increased the minimum tangible net worth requirement in the Credit Agreement from $170.0 million to approximately $176.5 million; |
● | created procedures and guidelines for establishing successor benchmark rates and related adjustments to interest rates accruing under the Credit Agreement if SOFR, SONIA, EURIBOR or other underlying applicable benchmark rates are no longer available; and |
● | reaffirmed the Loan Parties’ obligations under the Credit Agreement and related loan documents, including the Loan Party Subsidiaries’ guaranty of the Company’s obligations thereunder. |
The foregoing summary of the Third Amendment is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete terms and provisions of the Third Amendment to Credit Agreement, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 2.03Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of Registrant.
The disclosure required by this Item is included in Item 1.01 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibit Index
10.1 |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
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.
Dated: December 23, 2021 | ||
|
|
|
HURCO COMPANIES, INC. | ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Sonja K. McClelland | |
|
| Sonja K. McClelland, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |
EXECUTION VERSION
THIRD AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) dated as of December 17, 2021 to the Credit Agreement referenced below is by and among HURCO COMPANIES, INC., an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), HURCO B.V., a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands, with its seat (zetel) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with its registered office at Basisweg 10, 1043 AP, Amsterdam, the Netherlands and registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) under number 34114350 (the “Netherlands Borrower” and, together with the Company, the “Borrowers” and each a “Borrower”), the Guarantors party hereto and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (the “Lender”).
W I T N E S E T H
WHEREAS, credit facilities have been extended to the Borrowers pursuant to the Credit Agreement (as amended, modified, supplemented and extended from time to time, the “Existing Credit Agreement”) dated as of December 31, 2018 among the Company, the Netherlands Borrower, the Guarantors from time to time party thereto and the Lender; and
WHEREAS, the Borrowers have requested certain modifications to the Existing Credit Agreement, and the Lender has agreed to the requested modifications on the terms set forth herein (the Existing Credit Agreement, as so amended by this Amendment, the “Credit Agreement”).
NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1.Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings provided to such terms in the Existing Credit Agreement.
2.Amendments to the Credit Agreement. Effective upon the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 3 below:
(a)The Existing Credit Agreement (but not the schedules and exhibits thereto) is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in Annex A attached hereto; and
(b)Schedules 5.12, 7.01 and 7.02 to the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby amended and restated in their entireties as set forth on Schedules 5.12, 7.01 and 7.02 attached hereto.
(c)Exhibits A, C and D to the Existing Credit Agreement are hereby amended and restated in their entireties as set forth on Exhibits A, C, and D attached hereto.
3.Conditions Precedent. This Amendment shall become effective as of the date hereof upon:
(a)receipt by the Lender of this Amendment properly executed by the Loan Parties and the Lender;
(b)receipt by the Lender of a certificate of a Responsible Officer dated the date hereof, certifying as to the Organization Documents of each Loan Party (which to the extent filed with a Governmental Authority, shall be certified as of a recent date by such Governmental Authority) and all necessary action to authorize this Amendment, including the resolutions of the governing body of each Loan Party, the good standing (to the extent applicable), existence or its equivalent of each Loan Party and of the incumbency (including specimen signatures) of the Responsible Officers of each Loan Party;
(c)receipt by the Lender of an opinion(s) of counsel for the Loan Parties, dated as of the date hereof and addressed to the Lender, in form and substance acceptable to the Lender;
(d)receipt by the Lender of all “know your customer” or Beneficial Ownership information relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries as it shall request; and
(f)payment of the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Lender.
4.Amendment is a “Loan Document”. This Amendment is a Loan Document and all references to a “Loan Document” in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including, without limitation, all such references in the representations and warranties in the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents) shall be deemed to include this Amendment.
5.Representations and Warranties; No Default. Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Lender that, on and as of the date hereof, immediately after giving effect to this Amendment, (a) each of the representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article V of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection therewith, are true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or material or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects), except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and (b) no Default exists.
6.Reaffirmation of Obligations. Each Loan Party (a) acknowledges and consents to all of the terms and conditions of this Amendment, (b) affirms all of its obligations under the Loan Documents and (c) agrees that this Amendment and all documents, agreements and instruments executed in connection with this Amendment do not operate to reduce or discharge such Loan Party’s obligations under the Loan Documents.
7.No Other Changes. Except as modified hereby, all of the terms and provisions of the Loan Documents shall remain in full force and effect.
8.Counterparts; Delivery. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Amendment by facsimile or other electronic imaging means shall be effective as an original.
9.Governing Law. This Amendment shall be deemed to be a contract made under, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
Each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
BORROWERS:HURCO COMPANIES, INC.
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Chief Financial Officer
HURCO B.V.
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Managing Director and Authorized Representative
GUARANTORS:HURCO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Secretary/Treasurer
MILLTRONICS USA, INC.
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Secretary/Treasurer
MACHINERY SALES CO. LLC
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Manager
HURCO MIDWEST LLC
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Secretary/Treasurer
PROCOBOTS LLC
By: /s/ Sonja K. McClelland
Name: Sonja K. McClelland
Title: Manager
as Lender
By: /s/ Matthew Doye
Name:Matthew Doye
Title: Senior Vice President
CREDIT AGREEMENT
Dated as of December 31, 2018
among
HURCO COMPANIES, INC.
and
HURCO B.V.,
as the Borrowers
CERTAIN SUBSIDIARIES PARTY HERETO,
as the Guarantors
and
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as the Lender
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
i
ii
iii
Schedule 1.01(a)Inactive Subsidiaries
Schedule 1.01(b)Certain Addresses for Notices
Schedule 5.19(a)Subsidiaries, Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Other Equity Investments
Schedule 5.19(b)Loan Parties
Schedule 7.01Existing Indebtedness
Schedule 7.02Existing Liens
Schedule 7.04Existing Investments
Schedule 7.07Restrictive Agreements
EXHIBITS
Exhibit AForm of Compliance Certificate
Exhibit BForm of Joinder Agreement
Exhibit CForm of Loan Notice
Exhibit DForm of Notice of Loan Prepayment
iv
CREDIT AGREEMENT
This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of December 31, 2018, among HURCO COMPANIES, INC., an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), the Guarantors (defined herein), HURCO B.V., a private company with limited liability (besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid) incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands, with its seat (zetel) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with its registered office at Basisweg 10, 1043 AP, Amsterdam, the Netherlands and registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) under number 34114350, (the “Netherlands Borrower” and, together with the Company, the “Borrowers” and each a “Borrower”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as the Lender.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENTS:
WHEREAS, the Loan Parties (as hereinafter defined) have requested that the Lender make loans and other financial accommodations to the Loan Parties.
WHEREAS, the Lender has agreed to make such loans and other financial accommodations to the Loan Parties on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness.
21
22
23
24
provided that if the Term SOFR determined in accordance with either of the foregoing provisions (a) or (b) of this definition would otherwise be less than zero, the Term SOFR shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.
25
With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
26
27
Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Loan Parties pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.
Terms defined in the UCC in effect on the Closing Date and not otherwise defined herein shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the meanings provided by those definitions. Subject to the foregoing, the term “UCC” refers, as of any date of determination, to the UCC then in effect.
28
29
In this Agreement, in the context of a Loan Party or assets located in the Netherlands, a reference in this Agreement to:
30
31
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Lender agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrowers, in Dollars or in one or more Alternative Currencies, from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Revolving Borrowing, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Revolving Commitment, (ii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans made to the Netherlands Borrower shall not exceed the Netherlands Borrower Sublimit, and (iii) the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies shall not exceed the Alternative Currency Sublimit. Within the limits of the Revolving Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrowers may borrow Revolving Loans, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans, Term SOFR Loans, Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans, as further provided herein; provided, however, any Revolving Borrowings made on the Closing Date or any of the three (3) Business Days following the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Company delivers a funding indemnity letter not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Revolving Borrowing.
32
33
34
35
36
The Company shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Company’s instructions or other irregularity, the Company will immediately notify the Lender. The Company shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the Lender and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
37
38
39
Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans, then to Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loans, then to Term SOFR Loans and lastly to Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities. All prepayments under this Section 2.05(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.
Each Borrower shall repay to the Lender on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans made to such Borrower that are outstanding on such date.
40
In addition to certain fees described in subsection (g) of Section 2.03:
The Company shall pay to the Lender, in Dollars, such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
41
All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to Term SOFR) and for Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed, or, in the case of interest in respect of Loans denominated in Alternative Currencies as to which market practice differs from the foregoing, in accordance with such market practice. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365 day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.11, bear interest for one (1) day. Each determination by the Lender of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
All payments to be made by the Borrowers shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and except with respect to principal of and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder shall be made to the Lender at the Lender’s Office in Dollars and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrowers hereunder with respect to principal and interest on Loans denominated in an Alternative Currency shall be made to the Lender at the Lender’s Office in such Alternative Currency and in Same Day Funds not later than the Applicable Time specified by the Lender on the dates specified herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Lender may require that any payments due under this Agreement be made in the United States. If, for any reason, any Borrower is prohibited by any Law from making any required payment hereunder in an Alternative Currency, such Borrower shall make such payment in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent of the Alternative Currency payment amount. All payments received by the Lender (i) after 2:00 p.m., in the case of payments in Dollars, or (ii) after the Applicable Time specified by the Lender, in the case of payments in an Alternative Currency, shall in each case be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. Subject to Section 2.07(a) and as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement, if any payment to be made by a Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
42
43
If any payments to the Lender under this Agreement are made from outside the United States, the applicable Borrower will not deduct any foreign taxes from any payments it makes to the Lender. If any such taxes are imposed on any payments made by a Borrower (including payments under this paragraph), such Borrower will pay the taxes and will also pay to the Lender, at the time interest is paid, any additional amount which the Lender specifies as necessary to preserve the after-tax yield the Lender would have received if such taxes had not been imposed. As soon as practicable after any payment of taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority, as provided in this Section 3.01, the Company will deliver to the Lender the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Lender.
The Company will confirm that the applicable Borrower has paid the taxes by giving the Lender official tax receipts (or notarized copies) within thirty (30) days after the due date.
44
Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lender to make or maintain Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Loans in the affected currencies, as applicable, or to convert Base
45
Rate Loans to Term SOFR Loans, shall be suspended in each case to the extent of the affected Loans, Interest Period(s) or determination date(s), as applicable, and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Term SOFR component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Term SOFR component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Lender revokes such notice.
Upon receipt of such notice, (i) the Borrowers may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, or conversion to or continuation of Term SOFR Loans, or Borrowing of, or continuation of Alternative Currency Loans, in each case to the extent of the affected Loans, Interest Period(s) or determination date(s), as applicable or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans denominated in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent of the amount specified therein and (ii) (A) any outstanding Term SOFR Loans shall be deemed to have been converted to Base Rate Loans at the end of their respective applicable Interest Period and (B) any outstanding affected Alternative Currency Loans, at the Company’s election, shall either (1) be converted to a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans denominated in Dollars in the Dollar Equivalent of the amount of such outstanding Alternative Currency Loan immediately, in the case of an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan or at the end of the applicable Interest Period, in the case of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan or (2) be prepaid in full immediately, in the case of an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan, or at the end of the applicable Interest Period, in the case of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan; provided that if no election is made by the Company (x) in the case of an Alternative Currency Daily Rate Loan, by the date that is three (3) Business Days after receipt by the Company of such notice or (y) in the case of an Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, by the last day of the current Interest Period for the applicable Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan, the Company shall be deemed to have elected clause (1) above.
46
then, on a date and time determined by the Lender (any such date, the “Term SOFR Replacement Date”), which date shall be at the end of an Interest Period or on the relevant interest payment date, as applicable, for interest calculated and, solely with respect to clause (ii) above, no later than the Scheduled Term SOFR Unavailability Date, Term SOFR will be replaced hereunder and under any Loan Document with Daily Simple SOFR plus the SOFR Adjustment for any payment period for interest calculated that can be determined by the Lender, in each case, without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “Successor Term SOFR”).
If the Successor Term SOFR is Daily Simple SOFR plus the SOFR Adjustment, all interest payments will be payable on a quarterly basis.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) if the Lender determines that Daily Simple SOFR is not available on or prior to the Term SOFR Replacement Date, or (ii) if the events or circumstances of the type described in Section 3.03(b)(i) or (ii) have occurred with respect to the Successor Term SOFR then in effect, then in each case, the Lender and the Company may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing Term SOFR or any then current Successor Term SOFR in accordance with this Section 3.03 at the end of any Interest Period, relevant interest payment date or payment period for interest calculated, as applicable, with an alternative benchmark rate giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated bilateral credit facilities executed in the United States for such alternative benchmark. and, in each case, including any mathematical or other adjustments to such benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated bilateral credit facilities executed in the United States for such benchmark, which adjustment or method for calculating such adjustment shall be published on an information service as selected by the Lender from time to time in its reasonable discretion and may be periodically updated. For the avoidance of doubt, any such proposed rate and adjustments, shall constitute a Successor Term SOFR.
47
or if the events or circumstances of the type described in Section 3.03(c)(i), (ii) or (iii) have occurred with respect to the Successor Relevant Rate then in effect, then, the Lender and the Company may amend this Agreement solely for the purpose of replacing the Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency or any then current Successor Relevant Rate for an Alternative Currency in accordance with this Section 3.03 with an alternative benchmark rate giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar bilateral credit facilities executed in the United States and denominated in such Alternative Currency for such alternative benchmarks, and, in each case, including any mathematical or other adjustments to such benchmark giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar bilateral credit facilities executed in the United States and denominated in such Alternative Currency for such benchmarks, which adjustment or method for calculating such adjustment shall be published on an information service as selected by the Lender from time to time in its reasonable discretion and may be periodically updated (and any such proposed rate, including for the avoidance of doubt, any adjustment thereto, a “Successor Relevant Rate”), and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. on the fifth Business Day after the Lender shall have posted such proposed amendment to the Company.
The Lender will promptly (in one or more notices) notify the Company of the implementation of any Successor Rate.
Any Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, that, to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Lender, such Successor Rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Lender.
Notwithstanding anything else herein, if at any time any Successor Rate as so determined would otherwise be less than zero, the Successor Rate will be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
In connection with the implementation of a Successor Rate, the Lender will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendment implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement; provided, that, with respect to any such amendment effected, the Lender shall provide each such amendment implementing such Conforming Changes to the Company reasonably promptly after such amendment becomes effective.
48
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to the Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to the Lender of issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by the Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of the Lender, the applicable Borrower will pay to the Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate the Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
49
Upon demand of the Lender from time to time, each Borrower shall promptly compensate the Lender for and hold the Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
including any loss of anticipated profits, any foreign exchange losses and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained or from the performance of any foreign exchange contract. The applicable Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by the Lender in connection with the foregoing.
For purposes of calculating amounts payable by a Borrower to the Lender under this Section 3.05, the Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan made by it at the Alternative Currency Term Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the offshore interbank market for such currency for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Alternative Currency Term Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
All of the Borrowers’ obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.
The obligation of the Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
50
The obligation of the Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
51
Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Term SOFR Loans or Alternative Currency Term Rate Loans) submitted by a Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.
The Company represents and warrants to the Lender, as of the date made or deemed made, that:
Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and (to the extent such concept is applicable) in good standing 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 in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s organization powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational and, if required, equity holder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Loan Parties, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable Debtor Relief Laws and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
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, (b) will not violate any applicable law or regulation or the Organization Documents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any order of any Governmental Authority, (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, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
52
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. No Default has occurred and is continuing. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to any agreement or instrument or subject to any charter or other corporate restriction which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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.
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
53
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.
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. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $1,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan, and the present value of all accumulated benefit obligations of all underfunded Plans (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed by more than $1,000,000 the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans. As of the Closing Date the Borrowers are not and will not be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments.
The Company has disclosed to the Lender 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. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the 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 Company represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time. As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification, if applicable, is true and correct in all respects.
Schedule 5.12 contains an accurate list of all Subsidiaries of the Company as of the Third Amendment Effective Date, setting forth their respective jurisdictions of organization and the percentage of their respective Equity Interests owned by the Company or other Subsidiaries. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such Subsidiaries have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. Each Subsidiary of the Company has and will have all requisite organizational power to own or lease the properties used in its business and to carry on its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted.
54
Margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of the FRB) constitutes less than 25% of the value of those assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries which are subject to any limitation on sale, pledge, or other restriction hereunder.
No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.
55
Each of the Loan Parties hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter until the Facility Termination Date, the Company covenants and agrees with the Lender that:
The Company will furnish to the Lender:
56
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.02(e) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (a) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Company’s website on the Internet, as listed on Schedule 1.01(b); or (b) on which such documents are posted on the Company’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which the Lender has access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Lender); provided that: (i) the Company shall deliver paper copies of such documents to
57
the Lender upon its request to the Company to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Lender (by fax transmission or e-mail transmission) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Lender by e-mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.
The Company will furnish to the Lender prompt written notice of the following:
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible 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.
The Borrower 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 7.03. The Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted.
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, and (b) the Company or such Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP.
58
The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (a) keep and maintain all material property necessary to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and (b) maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in such amounts and against such risks as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries 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 Lender, upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as reasonably requested. The Lender shall use commercially reasonable efforts to conduct such activities in a manner designed to minimize disruptions to the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ ongoing business operations.
The Company will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to 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.
The proceeds of the Loans will be used for general corporate purposes. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the FRB, including Regulations T, U and X. Letters of Credit will be issued for the Company’s general corporate purposes.
The Company will promptly, but not more than 10 days after such event, cause each Domestic Subsidiary which is acquired or created or which ceases to be an Inactive Subsidiary after the Closing Date to execute and deliver to the Lender a Joinder Agreement. In connection with the foregoing, the Company shall deliver to the Lender, with respect to each new Guarantor to the extent applicable, substantially the same documentation required pursuant to Sections 4.01 and such other documents or agreements as the Lender may reasonably request. The Company shall notify the Lender, within 10 days after the occurrence thereof, of any Person becoming a Subsidiary.
The Company will, and will cause each other Loan Party to, execute and deliver within 30 days after request therefor by the Lender, all further instruments and documents and take all further action that may be necessary or desirable, or that the Lender may reasonably request, in order to give effect to, and to
59
aid in the exercise and enforcement of the rights and remedies of the Lender under, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. In addition, the Company agrees to deliver to the Lender within 30 days after the acquisition or creation of any Subsidiary not listed in Schedule 5.12 hereto, supplements to Schedule 5.12 such that such Schedule, together with such supplements, shall at all times accurately reflect the information provided for thereon.
The Company will use, and cause its Domestic Subsidiaries to use, and, to the extent reasonably practical and not cost prohibitive for its Foreign Subsidiaries, cause such Foreign Subsidiaries to use, the Lender as its primary bank of account, cash management and related account services, in each case, subject to restrictions under applicable laws.
The Company will, and will cause each Subsidiary to conduct its business in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
The Company hereby covenants and agrees that on the Closing Date and thereafter until the Facility Termination Date that:
The Company will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Indebtedness, except:
60
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:
61
62
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 Equity Interests, 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 assets of any other Person constituting a business unit, except:
63
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, declare, pay or make, or agree to declare, pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except (a) the Company may declare and pay dividends with respect to its Equity Interests (i) payable solely in additional shares of its common stock and (ii) payable in cash so long as (A) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, and (B) immediately before and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the sum of the unused amount of the Commitment plus the Company’s cash on hand as demonstrated to the Lender to its reasonable satisfaction shall be not less than $10,000,000, (b) Subsidiaries may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (c) the Company may make Restricted Payments pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for
64
management or employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and (d) the Company may repurchase its Equity Interests; provided that (i) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the aggregate amount of payments made by the Company for all such repurchases shall not exceed $10,000,000 for any fiscal year.
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 and (c) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 7.05.
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) with respect to any material agreement, including any agreement governing Material Indebtedness, the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares 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 or other agreements evidencing Indebtedness on Schedule 7.01, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 7.07 (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 that 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 and (v) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment thereof.
The Company will not permit its Working Capital as of the end of any fiscal quarter to be less than $125,000,000.
The Company will not permit its Tangible Net Worth at any time to be less than $176,461,500.
65
The Company will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into or suffer to exist any Sale and Leaseback Transaction if the sum of the aggregate amount of obligations of the Company and its Subsidiaries under the resulting leases under all such Sale and Leaseback Transactions plus the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness secured by Liens permitted under Section 7.02(e) does not exceed $10,000,000 at any time.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person of Sanctions.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.
Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
66
67
If a Default shall have occurred under the Loan Documents, then such Default will continue to exist until it either is cured (to the extent specifically permitted) in accordance with the Loan Documents or is otherwise expressly waived by Lender as determined in accordance with Section 10.01; and once an Event of Default occurs under the Loan Documents, then such Event of Default will continue to exist until it is expressly waived by the Lender, as required hereunder in Section 10.01.
If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Lender may take any or all of the following actions:
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Company under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of the Lender to make Loans and L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Company to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Lender.
After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02) or if at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Lender to pay fully all Obligations, any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Section 2.12, be applied by the Lender in its sole discretion. Excluded
68
Swap Obligations with respect to any Loan Party shall not be paid with amounts received from such Loan Party or its assets.
Each Guarantor hereby absolutely and unconditionally, jointly and severally guarantees to each holder of the Obligations, as primary obligor and as a guaranty of payment and performance and not merely as a guaranty of collection, prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, by required prepayment, upon acceleration, demand or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of any and all of the Obligations, whether for principal, interest, premiums, fees, indemnities, damages, costs, expenses or otherwise, arising hereunder or under any other Loan Document, any Cash Management Agreement or any Swap Contract (including all renewals, extensions, amendments, refinancings and other modifications thereof and all costs, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the holders of the Obligations in connection with the collection or enforcement thereof) (for each Guarantor, subject to the proviso in this sentence, its “Guaranteed Obligations”); provided that (a) the Guaranteed Obligations of a Guarantor shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Guarantor and (b) the liability of each Guarantor individually with respect to this Guaranty shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render its obligations hereunder subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law. The Lender’s books and records showing the amount of the Obligations shall be admissible in evidence in any action or proceeding, and shall be binding upon each Guarantor, and conclusive for the purpose of establishing the amount of the Obligations. This Guaranty shall not be affected by the genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the Obligations or any instrument or agreement evidencing any Obligations, or by the existence, validity, enforceability, perfection, non-perfection or extent of any collateral therefor, or by any fact or circumstance relating to the Obligations which might otherwise constitute a defense to the obligations of the Guarantors, or any of them, under this Guaranty, and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any defenses it may now have or hereafter acquire in any way relating to any or all of the foregoing.
Each Guarantor consents and agrees that the holders of the Obligations may, at any time and from time to time, without notice or demand, and without affecting the enforceability or continuing effectiveness hereof: (a) amend, extend, renew, compromise, discharge, accelerate or otherwise change the time for payment or the terms of the Obligations or any part thereof; (b) take, hold, exchange, enforce, waive, release, fail to perfect, sell, or otherwise dispose of any security for the payment of this Guaranty or any Obligations; (c) apply such security and direct the order or manner of sale thereof as the Lender in its sole discretion may determine; and (d) release or substitute one or more of any endorsers or other guarantors of any of the Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Guarantor consents to the taking of, or failure to take, any action which might in any manner or to any extent vary the risks of such Guarantor under this Guaranty or which, but for this provision, might operate as a discharge of such Guarantor.
69
Each Guarantor waives (a) any defense arising by reason of any disability or other defense of the Borrowers or any other guarantor, or the cessation from any cause whatsoever (including any act or omission of any holder of the Obligations) of the liability of any Borrower or any other Loan Party; (b) any defense based on any claim that such Guarantor’s obligations exceed or are more burdensome than those of any Borrower or any other Loan Party; (c) the benefit of any statute of limitations affecting any Guarantor’s liability hereunder; (d) any right to proceed against any Borrower or any other Loan Party, proceed against or exhaust any security for the Obligations, or pursue any other remedy in the power of any holder of the Obligations whatsoever; (e) any benefit of and any right to participate in any security now or hereafter held by any holder of the Obligations; and (f) to the fullest extent permitted by law, any and all other defenses or benefits that may be derived from or afforded by applicable Law limiting the liability of or exonerating guarantors or sureties. Each Guarantor expressly waives all setoffs and counterclaims and all presentments, demands for payment or performance, notices of nonpayment or nonperformance, protests, notices of protest, notices of dishonor and all other notices or demands of any kind or nature whatsoever with respect to the Obligations, and all notices of acceptance of this Guaranty or of the existence, creation or incurrence of new or additional Obligations.
The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are those of primary obligor, and not merely as surety, and are independent of the Obligations and the obligations of any other guarantor, and a separate action may be brought against each Guarantor to enforce this Guaranty whether or not any Borrower or any other person or entity is joined as a party.
No Guarantor shall exercise any right of subrogation, contribution, indemnity, reimbursement or similar rights with respect to any payments it makes under this Guaranty until all of the Obligations and any amounts payable under this Guaranty have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full and the Commitments are terminated. If any amounts are paid to a Guarantor in violation of the foregoing limitation, then such amounts shall be held in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Obligations and shall forthwith be paid to the holders of the Obligations to reduce the amount of the Obligations, whether matured or unmatured.
This Guaranty is a continuing and irrevocable guaranty of all Obligations now or hereafter existing and shall remain in full force and effect until the Facility Termination Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guaranty shall continue in full force and effect or be revived, as the case may be, if any payment by or on behalf of any Borrower or a Guarantor is made, or any of the holders of the Obligations exercises its right of setoff, in respect of the Obligations and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by any of the holders of the Obligations in their discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws or otherwise, all as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred and whether or not the holders of the Obligations are in possession of or have released this Guaranty and regardless of any prior revocation, rescission, termination or reduction. The obligations of each Guarantor under this paragraph shall survive termination of this Guaranty.
70
If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Obligations is stayed, in connection with any case commenced by or against a Guarantor or any Borrower under any Debtor Relief Laws, or otherwise, all such amounts shall nonetheless be payable by each Guarantor, jointly and severally, immediately upon demand by the holders of the Obligations.
Each Guarantor acknowledges and agrees that it has the sole responsibility for, and has adequate means of, obtaining from the Borrowers and any other guarantor such information concerning the financial condition, business and operations of the Borrowers and any such other guarantor as such Guarantor requires, and that none of the holders of the Obligations has any duty, and such Guarantor is not relying on the holders of the Obligations at any time, to disclose to it any information relating to the business, operations or financial condition of the Borrowers or any other guarantor (each Guarantor waiving any duty on the part of the holders of the Obligations to disclose such information and any defense relating to the failure to provide the same).
Each of the Loan Parties hereby appoints the Company to act as its agent for all purposes of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and all other documents and electronic platforms entered into in connection herewith and agrees that (a) the Company may execute such documents and provided such authorizations on behalf of such Loan Parties as the Company deems appropriate in its sole discretion and each Loan Party shall be obligated by all of the terms of any such document and/or authorization executed on its behalf, (b) any notice or communication delivered by the Lender to the Company shall be deemed delivered to each Loan Party and (c) the Lender may accept, and be permitted to rely on, any document, authorization, instrument or agreement executed by the Company on behalf of each of the Loan Parties.
The Guarantors agree among themselves that, in connection with payments made hereunder, each Guarantor shall have contribution rights against the other Guarantors as permitted under applicable Law.
Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty or the grant of any Lien under the Loan Documents, in each case, by any Specified Loan Party becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Article IX voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the Secured Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a guarantee of the obligations of, and a “keepwell,
71
support, or other agreement” for the benefit of, each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.
No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Lender and the Loan Parties, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by fax transmission shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
Unless the Lender otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices and other communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received by the intended recipient upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement by the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return email address or other written acknowledgement) indicating that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business
72
hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.
No failure by the Lender to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
73
To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of a Borrower is made to the Lender, or the Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then to the extent of
74
such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred.
This Agreement is binding on each Loan Party’s and the Lender’s successors and assignees. Each Loan Party agrees that it may not assign this Agreement without the Lender’s prior consent. The Lender may sell participations in or assign this loan, and may exchange information about the Loan Parties (including, without limitation, any information regarding any hazardous substances) with actual or potential participants or assignees, provided with respect to a loan to the Netherlands Borrower that such participant or assignee is a Non-Public Lender. If a participation is sold or the loan is assigned, the purchaser will have the right of set-off against the Borrowers.
75
If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by the Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Company or any other Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of the Company or such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the Lender or its Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not the Lender or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Company or such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured, secured or unsecured, or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of the Lender different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of the Lender and its Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that the Lender or its Affiliates may have. The Lender agrees to notify the Company promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the applicable Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Lender, 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 Lender and when the Lender shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
76
All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Lender or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding and until the Facility Termination Date.
If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
77
PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (a) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (b) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
78
In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a) (i) the services regarding this Agreement provided by the Lender and any Affiliate thereof are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Lender and its Affiliates, on the other hand, (ii) each of the Company and the other Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (iii) the Company and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (b) (i) the Lender and its Affiliates each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary, for Company, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (ii) neither the Lender nor any of its Affiliates has any obligation to the Company, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (c) the Lender and its Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, the other Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Lender nor any of its Affiliates has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Company, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Company and each other Loan Party hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Lender or any of its Affiliates with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transactions contemplated hereby.
This Agreement, any Loan Document and any other Communication, including Communications required to be in writing, may be in the form of an Electronic Record and may be executed using Electronic Signatures. Each of the Loan Parties and the Lender agrees that any Electronic Signature on or associated with any Communication shall be valid and binding on such Person to the same extent as a manual, original signature, and that any Communication entered into by Electronic Signature, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of such Person enforceable against such Person in accordance with the terms thereof to the same extent as if a manually executed original signature was delivered. Any Communication may be executed in as many counterparts as necessary or convenient, including both paper and electronic counterparts, but all such counterparts are one and the same Communication. For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this paragraph may include, without limitation, use or acceptance of a manually signed paper Communication which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed Communication converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention. The Lender may, at its option, create one or more copies of any Communication in the form of an imaged Electronic Record (“Electronic Copy”), which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document. All Communications in the form of an Electronic Record, including an Electronic Copy, shall be considered an original for all purposes, and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Lender is not under any obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by such Person pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (a) to the extent the Lender has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature, the Lender shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party without further verification and regardless
79
of the appearance or form of such Electronic Signature, and (b) upon the request of the Lender, Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart.
The Lender shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Lender’s reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by telecopy, emailed .pdf or any other electronic means). The Lender shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any Communication (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution or signed using an Electronic Signature) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).
Each of the Loan Parties hereby waives (i) any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document, and (ii) waives any claim against the Lender and each Related Party for any liabilities arising solely from the Lender’s reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures, including any liabilities arising as a result of the failure of the Loan Parties to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.
The Lender hereby notifies the Company and the other Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of each Loan Party and other information that will allow the Lender to identify each Loan Party in accordance with the Act. The Company and the Loan Parties agree to, promptly following a request by the Lender, provide all such other documentation and information that the Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Lender could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of each Borrower in respect of any such sum due from it to the Lender hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than that in which such sum is denominated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Lender of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Lender may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Lender from any Borrower in the Agreement Currency, such Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Lender against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Lender in such currency,
80
the Lender agrees to return the amount of any excess to such Borrower (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under applicable law).
“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.
[SIGNATURE PAGES INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.]
81