Attached files

file filename
EX-3.2 - EX-3.2 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex32.htm
EX-21.1 - EX-21.1 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex211.htm
EX-10.10 - EX-10.10 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex1010.htm
EX-4.2 - EX-4.2 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex42.htm
EX-4.1 - EX-4.1 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex41.htm
EX-3.1 - EX-3.1 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex31.htm
EX-1.1 - EX-1.1 - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617dex11.htm
S-1/A - S-1/A - Nine Energy Service, Inc.d337617ds1a.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

 

 

LOGO

CREDIT AGREEMENT

dated as of

June [    ], 2017

among

NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC.

and certain of its subsidiaries,

as U.S. Borrowers

NINE ENERGY CANADA INC.

as Canadian Borrower

The Lenders Party Hereto

and

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent

 

 

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,

as Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger

 

 

 

ASSET BASED LENDING


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I      DEFINITIONS

     1  

SECTION 1.01

  

Defined Terms

     1  

SECTION 1.02

  

Classification of Loans and Borrowings

     45  

SECTION 1.03

  

Terms Generally

     45  

SECTION 1.04

  

Accounting Terms; GAAP

     45  

SECTION 1.05

  

Limited Conditionality Acquisitions

     46  

SECTION 1.06

  

Status of Obligations

     47  

SECTION 1.07

  

Currency Matters

     47  

ARTICLE II     THE CREDITS

     47  

SECTION 2.01

  

Commitments

     47  

SECTION 2.02

  

Loans and Borrowings

     48  

SECTION 2.03

  

Requests for Borrowings

     48  

SECTION 2.04

  

Protective Advances

     49  

SECTION 2.05

  

Swingline Loans

     50  

SECTION 2.06

  

Letters of Credit

     52  

SECTION 2.07

  

Funding of Borrowings

     57  

SECTION 2.08

  

Interest Elections

     57  

SECTION 2.09

  

Termination and Reduction of Commitments; Increase in Revolving Commitments

     58  

SECTION 2.10

  

Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt

     60  

SECTION 2.11

  

Prepayment of Loans

     61  

SECTION 2.12

  

Fees

     63  

SECTION 2.13

  

Interest

     64  

SECTION 2.14

  

Alternate Rate of Interest; Illegality

     65  

SECTION 2.15

  

Increased Costs

     66  

SECTION 2.16

  

Break Funding Payments

     67  

SECTION 2.17

  

Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up

     67  

SECTION 2.18

  

Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs

     71  

SECTION 2.19

  

Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders

     74  

SECTION 2.20

  

Defaulting Lenders

     75  

SECTION 2.21

  

Returned Payments

     76  

SECTION 2.22

  

Banking Services and Swap Agreements

     77  

SECTION 2.23

  

Excess Resulting From Exchange Rate Change

     77  

ARTICLE III     REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     77  

SECTION 3.01

  

Organization; Powers

     77  

SECTION 3.02

  

Authorization; Enforceability

     77  

SECTION 3.03

  

Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts

     77  

SECTION 3.04

  

Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change

     78  

SECTION 3.05

  

Properties

     78  

SECTION 3.06

  

Litigation and Environmental Matters

     78  

SECTION 3.07

  

Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default

     79  

SECTION 3.08

  

Investment Company Status

     79  

SECTION 3.09

  

Taxes

     79  

SECTION 3.10

  

ERISA: Canadian Pension Plans

     79  

SECTION 3.11

  

Disclosure

     80  

 

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page  

SECTION 3.12

  

Material Agreements

     80  

SECTION 3.13

  

Solvency

     80  

SECTION 3.14

  

Insurance

     80  

SECTION 3.15

  

Capitalization and Subsidiaries

     81  

SECTION 3.16

  

Security Interest in Collateral

     81  

SECTION 3.17

  

Employment Matters

     81  

SECTION 3.18

  

Federal Reserve Regulations

     81  

SECTION 3.19

  

Use of Proceeds

     81  

SECTION 3.20

  

No Burdensome Restrictions

     81  

SECTION 3.21

  

Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions

     82  

SECTION 3.22

  

Affiliate Transactions

     82  

SECTION 3.23

  

Common Enterprise

     82  

SECTION 3.24

  

EEA Financial Institutions

     82  

ARTICLE IV     CONDITIONS

     82  

SECTION 4.01

  

Effective Date

     82  

SECTION 4.02

  

Each Credit Event

     85  

ARTICLE V     AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

     86  

SECTION 5.01

  

Financial Statements; Borrowing Base and Other Information

     86  

SECTION 5.02

  

Notices of Material Events

     89  

SECTION 5.03

  

Existence; Conduct of Business

     90  

SECTION 5.04

  

Payment of Obligations

     90  

SECTION 5.05

  

Maintenance of Properties

     91  

SECTION 5.06

  

Books and Records; Inspection Rights

     91  

SECTION 5.07

  

Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations

     91  

SECTION 5.08

  

Use of Proceeds

     91  

SECTION 5.09

  

Accuracy of Information

     92  

SECTION 5.10

  

Insurance

     92  

SECTION 5.11

  

Casualty and Condemnation

     92  

SECTION 5.12

  

Appraisals

     92  

SECTION 5.13

  

Depository Banks; Collection and Application of Collateral Proceeds

     93  

SECTION 5.14

  

Additional Collateral; Further Assurances

     94  

SECTION 5.15

  

Designation of Subsidiaries

     95  

SECTION 5.16

  

Post-Closing Conditions

     95  

ARTICLE VI     NEGATIVE COVENANTS

     96  

SECTION 6.01

  

Indebtedness

     96  

SECTION 6.02

  

Liens

     98  

SECTION 6.03

  

Fundamental Changes

     100  

SECTION 6.04

  

Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions

     101  

SECTION 6.05

  

Asset Sales

     103  

SECTION 6.06

  

Sale and Leaseback Transactions

     104  

SECTION 6.07

  

Swap Agreements

     104  

SECTION 6.08

  

Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness

     104  

SECTION 6.09

  

Transactions with Affiliates

     105  

SECTION 6.10

  

Restrictive Agreements

     105  

SECTION 6.11

  

Amendment of Material Documents

     106  

 

-ii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page  

SECTION 6.12

  

Financial Covenants

     106  

SECTION 6.13

  

Establishment of Canadian Defined Benefit Plan

     106  

ARTICLE VII     EVENTS OF DEFAULT

     106  

ARTICLE VIII   THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

     109  

SECTION 8.01

  

Appointment

     109  

SECTION 8.02

  

Rights as a Lender

     110  

SECTION 8.03

  

Duties and Obligations

     110  

SECTION 8.04

  

Reliance

     110  

SECTION 8.05

  

Actions through Sub-Agents

     111  

SECTION 8.06

  

Resignation

     111  

SECTION 8.07

  

Non-Reliance

     112  

SECTION 8.08

  

Other Agency Titles

     112  

SECTION 8.09

  

Not Partners or Co-Venturers; Administrative Agent as Representative of the Secured Parties

     112  

SECTION 8.10

  

Flood Laws

     113  

ARTICLE IX     MISCELLANEOUS

     113  

SECTION 9.01

  

Notices

     113  

SECTION 9.02

  

Waivers; Amendments

     115  

SECTION 9.03

  

Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver

     117  

SECTION 9.04

  

Successors and Assigns

     119  

SECTION 9.05

  

Survival

     124  

SECTION 9.06

  

Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution

     124  

SECTION 9.07

  

Severability

     125  

SECTION 9.08

  

Right of Setoff

     125  

SECTION 9.09

  

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process

     125  

SECTION 9.10

  

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

     126  

SECTION 9.11

  

Headings

     126  

SECTION 9.12

  

Confidentiality

     126  

SECTION 9.13

  

Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law

     127  

SECTION 9.14

  

USA PATRIOT Act

     127  

SECTION 9.15

  

Disclosure

     127  

SECTION 9.16

  

Appointment for Perfection

     127  

SECTION 9.17

  

Interest Rate Limitation

     128  

SECTION 9.18

  

Marketing Consent

     128  

SECTION 9.19

  

No Fiduciary Duty

     128  

SECTION 9.20

  

Judgment Currency Conversion

     129  

SECTION 9.21

  

Canadian Anti-Money Laundering Legislation

     129  

SECTION 9.22

  

Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions

     130  

SECTION 9.23

  

Limitation on Liability of Certain Subsidiaries

     130  

ARTICLE X     LOAN GUARANTY

     130  

SECTION 10.01

  

Guaranty

     130  

SECTION 10.02

  

Guaranty of Payment

     131  

SECTION 10.03

  

No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty

     131  

 

-iii-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page  

SECTION 10.04

  

Defenses Waived

     132  

SECTION 10.05

  

Rights of Subrogation

     132  

SECTION 10.06

  

Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration

     132  

SECTION 10.07

  

Information

     132  

SECTION 10.08

  

Termination

     132  

SECTION 10.09

  

Taxes

     133  

SECTION 10.10

  

Maximum Liability

     133  

SECTION 10.11

  

Contribution

     133  

SECTION 10.12

  

Liability Cumulative

     134  

SECTION 10.13

  

Keepwell

     134  

ARTICLE XI     THE BORROWER REPRESENTATIVE

     134  

SECTION 11.01

  

Appointment; Nature of Relationship

     134  

SECTION 11.02

  

Powers

     135  

SECTION 11.03

  

Employment of Agents

     135  

SECTION 11.04

  

Notices

     135  

SECTION 11.05

  

Successor Borrower Representative

     135  

SECTION 11.06

  

Execution of Loan Documents; Borrowing Base Certificate

     135  

SCHEDULES:

Commitment Schedule

Schedule 3.05 — Properties

Schedule 3.06 — Disclosed Matters

Schedule 3.12 — Material Agreements

Schedule 3.14 — Insurance

Schedule 3.15 — Capitalization and Subsidiaries

Schedule 3.22 — Affiliate Transactions

Schedule 6.01 — Existing Indebtedness

Schedule 6.02 — Existing Liens

Schedule 6.04 — Existing Investments

Schedule 6.10 — Existing Restrictions

EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A — Form of Assignment and Assumption

Exhibit B — Form of Borrowing Base Certificate

Exhibit C — Form of Compliance Certificate

Exhibit D — Joinder Agreement

Exhibit E-1 — U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Lenders that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit E-2 — U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Participants that are not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit E-3 — U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign Participants that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Exhibit E-4 — U.S. Tax Certificate (For Foreign that are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

-iv-


CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of June [    ], 2017 (as it may be amended or modified from time to time, this “Agreement”) among NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC., a Delaware corporation, certain of its Subsidiaries party hereto from time to time, as U.S. Borrowers (collectively, the “U.S. Borrowers”, and each individually, a “U.S. Borrower”), and NINE ENERGY CANADA INC., a corporation organized under the laws of Alberta, Canada, as “Canadian Borrower”, the Lenders party hereto, and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

The parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Definitions

SECTION 1.01    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 whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Alternate Base Rate.

Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

Account Debtor” means any Person obligated on an Account.

Acquisition” means any transaction, or any series of related transactions, consummated on or after the Effective Date, by which any Loan Party (a) acquires any going business or all or substantially all of the assets of any Person, whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise or (b) directly or indirectly acquires (in one transaction or as the most recent transaction in a series of transactions) at least a majority (in number of votes) of the Equity Interests of a Person which has ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other similar management personnel of a Person (other than Equity Interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) or a majority of the outstanding Equity Interests of a Person.

Adjusted LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period or for any ABR Borrowing, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Rate.

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.

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 specified Person.

Aggregate Availability” means, at any time, the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the sum of U.S. Availability plus Canadian Availability.

 

1


Aggregate Borrowing Base” means, at any time, the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the sum of the U.S. Borrowing Base plus the Canadian Borrowing Base.

Aggregate Canadian Exposure” means, at any time, the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the aggregate Canadian Revolving Exposure of all Lenders at such time.

Aggregate Credit Exposure” means, at any time, the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the aggregate Credit Exposure of all the Lenders at such time.

Aggregate Revolving Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate of the U.S Revolving Commitments and the Canadian Revolving Commitments, in each case, as increased or reduced from time to time pursuant to the terms and conditions hereof, it being understood that the Canadian Revolving Commitments are a sub-line of the overall U.S. Revolving Commitments. As of the Effective Date, the Aggregate Revolving Commitment is $200,000,000.00.

Aggregate Revolving Exposure” means, at any time, the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the aggregate Revolving Exposure of all the Lenders at such time.

Aggregate U.S. Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate U.S. Revolving Exposure of all Lenders at such time.

Allocated U.S. Borrowing Base Amount” means any portion of the U.S. Availability (which shall be calculated without reference to the U.S. Revolving Commitments in effect at such time) designated by the Borrower Representative to be allocated to the Canadian Borrowing Base in accordance with Section 5.01(f).

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 NYFRB Rate in effect on such day plus  12 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 1%, provided that, for the purpose of this definition, the Adjusted LIBO Rate for any day shall be based on the LIBO Screen Rate (or if the LIBO Screen Rate is not available for such one month Interest Period, the Interpolated Rate) at approximately 11:00 a.m. London time on such day, subject to the interest rate floors set forth therein. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the NYFRB Rate or the Adjusted LIBO Rate, respectively. If the Alternate Base Rate is being used as an alternate rate of interest pursuant to Section 2.14 hereof, then the Alternate Base Rate shall be the greater of clause (a) and (b) above and shall be determined without reference to clause (c) above.

AML Legislation” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.21.

Anti-Corruption Laws” means all laws, rules, and regulations of any jurisdiction applicable to any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from time to time concerning or relating to bribery or corruption.

Applicable Borrowers” means U.S. Borrowers and/or Canadian Borrower, as the context requires.

Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender, (a) with respect to Revolving Loans, LC Exposure, or Swingline Loans, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and the denominator of which is the Aggregate Revolving Commitment (provided that, if the Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages

 

2


shall be determined based upon such Lender’s share of the Aggregate Revolving Exposure at that time), (b) with respect to U.S. Revolving Loans, U.S. Swingline Loans or U.S. LC Exposure , a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s U.S. Revolving Commitment and the denominator of which is the aggregate U.S. Revolving Commitments (provided that, if the U.S. Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon such Lender’s share of the U.S. Revolving Exposure at that time), (c) with respect to Canadian Revolving Loans, Canadian Swingline Loans or Canadian LC Exposure, a percentage equal to a fraction the numerator of which is such Lender’s Canadian Revolving Commitment and the denominator of which is the aggregate Canadian Revolving Commitments (provided that, if the Canadian Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, the Applicable Percentages shall be determined based upon such Lender’s share of the Canadian Revolving Exposure at that time), (d) with respect to U.S. Protective Advances, a percentage based upon its share of the unused U.S. Revolving Commitments, (e) with respect to Canadian Protective Advances, a percentage based upon its share of the unused Canadian Revolving Commitments and (f) with respect to the Aggregate Credit Exposure, a percentage based upon its share of the Aggregate Credit Exposure and the unused Commitments; provided that, in accordance with Section 2.20, so long as any Lender shall be a Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment shall be disregarded in the calculations under clauses (a) through (f) above.

Applicable Rate” means, for any day, with respect to any 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 “Revolver Eurodollar Spread and Revolver CDOR Rate Spread” or “Revolver ABR Spread, Revolver Canadian Base Rate Spread and Revolver Canadian Prime Rate Spread”, as the case may be, based upon the Leverage Ratio as of the most recent determination date, provided that until the delivery to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to Section 5.01, of the Company’s consolidated financial information for the Company’s first fiscal quarter ending after the Effective Date, the “Applicable Rate” shall be the applicable rates per annum set forth below in Category 1:

 

Leverage Ratio

   Revolver
Eurodollar
Spread and
Revolver CDOR
Rate Spread
    Revolver ABR
Spread,
Revolver
Canadian Base
Rate Spread and
Revolver
Canadian Prime
Rate Spread
 

Category 1

< 1.0 to 1.0

     2.00     1.00

Category 2

>1.0 to 1.0 but

< 2.0 to 1.0

     2.25     1.25

Category 3

> 2.0 to 1.0 but

< 3.0 to 1.0

     2.50     1.50

Category 4

> 3.0 to 1.0

     2.75     1.75

For purposes of the foregoing, (a) the Applicable Rate shall be determined as of the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company based upon the Company’s annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 and (b) each change in the Applicable Rate resulting from a

 

3


change in the Leverage Ratio shall be effective during the period commencing on and including the date of delivery to the Administrative Agent of such consolidated financial statements indicating such change and ending on the date immediately preceding the effective date of the next such change, provided that the Leverage Ratio shall be deemed to be in Category 4 at the option of the Administrative Agent or at the request of the Required Lenders if the Borrowers fail to deliver the annual or quarterly consolidated financial statements required to be delivered by it pursuant to Section 5.01, during the period from the expiration of the time for delivery thereof until such consolidated financial statements are delivered.

Applicable Revolving Lenders” means (a) with respect to the U.S. Revolving Loans, U.S. Letters of Credit, U.S. Swingline Loans or U.S. Protective Advances, the U.S. Revolving Lenders and (b) with respect to the Canadian Revolving Loans, Canadian Letters of Credit, the Canadian Swingline Loans or Canadian Protective Advances, the Canadian Revolving Lenders.

Approved Fund” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04.

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.

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 Canadian Revolving Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate Canadian Revolving Commitments minus the Aggregate Canadian Exposure (calculated, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, as if such Defaulting Lender had funded its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Borrowings).

Available Revolving Commitment” means, collectively, the Available U.S. Revolving Commitment plus the Available Canadian Revolving Commitment.

Available U.S. Revolving Commitment” means, at any time, the aggregate U.S. Revolving Commitments minus the Aggregate U.S. Exposure and the Aggregate Canadian Exposure (calculated, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, as if such Defaulting Lender had funded its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Borrowings).

Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

Banking Services” means each and any of the following bank services provided to any Loan Party by Chase U.S. or any of its Affiliates: (a) credit cards for commercial customers (including, without limitation, “commercial credit cards” and purchasing cards), (b) stored value cards, (c) merchant processing services, and (d) treasury management services (including, without limitation, controlled disbursement, automated clearinghouse transactions, return items, overdrafts and interstate depository network services).

 

4


Banking Services Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties, 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.

Banking Services Reserves” means all Reserves which the Administrative Agent from time to time establishes in its Permitted Discretion for Banking Services then provided or outstanding.

Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, when such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or proposal proceeding under the Canadian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act or has had a receiver, interim receiver, receiver and manager, monitor, sequestrator, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business, appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, unless such ownership interest results in or provides such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or Canada or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permits such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality), to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

Base Rate Borrowing” means a Borrowing of the Type calculated at ABR, CBR or CPR, as the context requires.

Base Rate Loan” means (a) with respect to U.S. Revolving Loans (and calculations of interest with respect to U.S. LC Exposure and U.S. Protective Advances), ABR Loans, (b) with respect to Canadian Revolving Loans (and calculations of interest with respect to Canadian LC Exposure and Canadian Protective Advances), to the extent denominated in Canadian Dollars, CPR Loans, and (c) with respect to Canadian Revolving Loans (and calculations of interest with respect to Canadian LC Exposure and Canadian Protective Advances) to the extent denominated in U.S. Dollars, CBR Loans.

Beneficial Owner” means, with respect to any U.S. Federal withholding Tax, the beneficial owner, for U.S. Federal income tax purposes, to whom such Tax relates.

Board” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the U.S.

Borrower” means, individually, any of the U.S. Borrowers or the Canadian Borrower, and “Borrowers” means, collectively, all of the U.S. Borrowers and the Canadian Borrowers.

Borrower Group Commitment” means, with respect to the Commitment of (a) a Canadian Revolving Lender, its Canadian Revolving Commitment and (b) a U.S. Revolving Lender, its U.S. Revolving Commitment. The term “Borrower Group Commitments” means (i) the Borrower Group Commitment of all Canadian Revolving Lenders or (ii) the Borrower Group Commitment of all U.S. Revolving Lenders, as the context requires. To the extent any Lender has more than one Borrower Group Commitment, each such Commitment shall be considered as a separate Commitment for purposes of this definition

Borrower Representative” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.01.

 

5


Borrowing” means (a) Revolving Loans of the same Type, made, converted or continued on the same date and, in the case of Non-Base Rate Loans, as to which a single Interest Period is in effect, (b) a Swingline Loan, and (c) a Protective Advance.

Borrowing Base” means, the U.S. Borrowing Base and/or the Canadian Borrowing Base as the context requires.

Borrowing Base Certificate” means a certificate, signed and certified as accurate and complete by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative, in substantially the form of Exhibit B or another form which is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

Borrowing Request” means a request by the Borrower Representative for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.03.

Burdensome Restrictions” means any consensual encumbrance or restriction of the type described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.10.

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or Calgary, Alberta, Canada are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for general business in London and when used in connection with a CPR Loan or a CDOR Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which banks are not open for general business in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Business Optimization Costs and Savings” means (a) those certain costs and expenses paid or payable by the Loan Parties in connection with the transition, restructuring, integration and business optimization of the assets of the Loan Parties and other costs related to replacing services to be performed for the Loan Parties’ business, including in the case of each of the foregoing all one-time costs and charges in connection with the following: (i) restructuring, business optimization, set-up, recertification and integration, (ii) retention and severance, (iii) systems and information technology procurement, establishment and optimization, (iv) rebranding, (v) contract termination, (vi) the start-up, closure, relocation or reconfiguration, consolidation, or opening of facilities and future lease commitments, (vii) recruiting, retention, relocation, signing bonuses, severance and salary for interim employees, (viii) consulting fees and expenses not payable to any Affiliate of the Loan Parties, (ix) interim salary and bonus, and (x) and any other costs incurred in connection with any of the foregoing, (b) unrealized pro forma cost synergies and expenses comprised of headcount reductions, facility consolidations, and administrative expenses, such as insurance, audit & tax filings, IT investments and facility costs and (c) run rate costs and savings in connection with any Acquisition.

CAD” or “Canadian Dollars” or “Cdn$” means the lawful currency of Canada.

Canadian Availability” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) the lesser of (i) the aggregate Canadian Revolving Commitments and (ii) the Canadian Borrowing Base, minus (b) the Aggregate Canadian Exposure relating to the Canadian Borrower (calculated, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, as if such Defaulting Lender had funded its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding Canadian Revolving Borrowings).

Canadian Benefit Plans” means any plan, fund, program, or policy, whether oral or written, formal or informal, funded or unfunded, insured or uninsured, providing employee benefits, including medical, hospital care, dental, sickness, accident, disability, life insurance, pension, supplemental pension, bonus, profit sharing, severance, deferred compensation, stock compensation, retirement or savings benefits, under which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any Loan Party has any liability with respect to any Canadian employee or former Canadian employee, but excluding any Canadian Pension Plans.

 

6


Canadian Base Rate” means, for any period, the rate per annum determined by the Administrative Agent to be the greater of (i) the rate of interest per annum most recently announced or established by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch as its reference rate in effect on such day for determining interest rates for U.S. Dollar denominated commercial loans in Canada and commonly known as “base rate” (or its equivalent or analogous such rate), such rate not being intended to be the lowest rate of interest charged by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch, (b) the federal funds effective rate from time to time plus 1/2 of 1% and (c) the Adjusted LIBO Rate (subject to the interest rate floors set forth therein) for a one month interest period on such day plus 1%.

Canadian Borrower” means Nine Energy Canada Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Alberta, Canada.

Canadian Borrowing Base” means the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the sum of (a) 85% of the Canadian Borrower’s Eligible Accounts at such time, plus (b) the product of 85% multiplied by the net orderly liquidation value percentage identified for such product segment in the most recent inventory appraisal ordered by the Administrative Agent multiplied by the Canadian Borrower’s Eligible Inventory for such product segment (valued at the lower of cost (FIFO) or market), plus (c) the Eligible Equipment Amount attributable to the Canadian Borrower, in the event the Canadian Borrower elects to add Eligible Equipment to the Canadian Borrowing Base pursuant to the definition of Eligible Equipment Amount attributable to the Canadian Borrower; provided that, the Canadian Borrowing Base shall automatically exclude that portion of the Eligible Equipment Amount attributable to the Canadian Borrower from and after the date on which a Prepayment Event described in clause (c) of the definition thereof occurs as a result of the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(l) which is secured in whole or in part by any Eligible Equipment of the Canadian Borrower, plus (d) 100% of Eligible Cash of Canadian Loan Parties, plus (e) at the Borrower Representative’s discretion, the Allocated U.S. Borrowing Base Amount, minus (f) Reserves applicable to the Canadian Borrower established by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion.

Canadian Collateral Deposit Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(c).

Canadian Collection Accounthas the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(d).

Canadian Defined Benefit Plan” has the meaning assigned to such Section 3.10(c).

Canadian Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in Canada.

Canadian Issuing Bank” means Chase Canada, in its capacity as the issuer of Canadian Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). The Canadian Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Canadian Letters of Credit to be issued by its Affiliates, in which case the term “Canadian Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to Canadian Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate (it being agreed that such Canadian Issuing Bank shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, comply with the requirements of Section 2.06 with respect to such Canadian Letters of Credit).

Canadian LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amounts of all outstanding Canadian Letters of Credit plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements relating to Canadian Letters of Credit that have not been reimbursed by or on behalf of an Applicable Borrower. The Canadian LC Exposure of any Canadian Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate Canadian LC Exposure.

 

7


Canadian Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement for the account of the Canadian Borrower, and the term “Canadian Letter of Credit” means any one of them or each of them singularly, as the context may require.

Canadian Loan Parties” means (a) the Canadian Borrower and (b) each Subsidiary thereof that has guaranteed the Canadian Secured Obligations pursuant to Section 5.14, and their successors and assigns.

Canadian Loans” means, individually and collectively as the context may require, the Canadian Revolving Loans, the Canadian Swingline Loans and the Canadian Protective Advances.

Canadian Lock Box Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(c).

Canadian Lock Boxes” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(c).

Canadian Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Canadian Loans, all Canadian LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and indebtedness (including interest and fees 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 Canadian Loan Parties to any of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the 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, in each case, arising or incurred under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents in respect of any of the Canadian Loans or any of the Canadian Letters of Credit or other instruments at any time evidencing any thereof.

Canadian Pension Event” means (a) the whole or partial withdrawal of a Loan Party from a Canadian Pension Plan during a plan year; or (b) the filing of a notice of interest to terminate in whole or in part a Canadian Pension Plan or the treatment of a Canadian Pension Plan amendment as a termination or partial termination; or (c) the institution of proceedings by any Governmental Authority to terminate in whole or in part or have a trustee appointed to administer a Canadian Pension Plan; or (d) any other event or condition which might constitute grounds for the termination of, winding up or partial termination of winding up or the appointment of trustee to administer, any Canadian Pension Plan.

Canadian Pension Plans” means each pension plan required to be registered under Canadian federal, provincial or territorial law that is maintained or contributed to by a Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any Loan Party for its Canadian employees or former Canadian employees, but does not include the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan as maintained by the Government of Canada or the Province of Quebec, respectively.

Canadian Prime Rate” means, on any day, the rate determined by the Administrative Agent to be the higher of (i) the rate equal to the PRIMCAN Index rate that appears on the Bloomberg screen at 10:15 a.m. Toronto time on such day (or, in the event that the PRIMCAN Index is not published by Bloomberg, any other information services that publishes such index from time to time, as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) and (ii) the average rate for 30 day Canadian Dollar bankers’ acceptances that appears on the Reuters Screen CDOR Page (or, in the event such rate does not appear on such page or screen, on any successor or substitute page or screen that displays such rate, or on

 

8


the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time, as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) at 10:15 a.m. Toronto time on such day, plus 1% per annum; provided, that if any the above rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement. Any change in the Canadian Prime Rate due to a change in the PRIMCAN Index or the CDOR Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the PRIMCAN Index or CDOR Rate, respectively.

Canadian Protective Advances” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04(a).

Canadian Qualified Lender” means Alberta Treasury Branches or a financial institution that is listed on Schedule I, II, or III of the Bank Act (Canada), has received an approval to have a financial establishment in Canada pursuant to Section 522.21 of the Bank Act (Canada) or is not a foreign bank for purposes of the Bank Act (Canada), and if such financial institution is not deemed to be resident of Canada for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada), that financial institution deals at arm’s length with the Canadian Borrower for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

Canadian Revolving Borrowing” means a Borrowing of Canadian Revolving Loans.

Canadian Revolving Commitment” means, with respect to each Canadian Revolving Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make Canadian Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in Canadian Letters of Credit and Canadian Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate amount of such Lender’s Canadian Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (a) Section 2.09 and (b) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Canadian Revolving Lender’s Canadian Revolving Commitment is set forth on the Commitment Schedule, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Canadian Revolving Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the Canadian Lenders’ Canadian Revolving Commitments is $20,000,000.

Canadian Revolving Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s Canadian Revolving Loans, Canadian LC Exposure and Canadian Swingline Exposure at such time, plus (b) an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage, if any, of the aggregate principal amount of Canadian Protective Advances at such time.

Canadian Revolving Lender” means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with any Canadian Revolving Commitment or, if all the Canadian Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with Canadian Revolving Exposure.

Canadian Revolving Loan” means a Loan made to the Canadian Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

Canadian Secured Obligations” means all Canadian Obligations, together with all (i) Banking Services Obligations owing by Canadian Loan Parties to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates and (ii) Swap Agreement Obligations owing by Canadian Loan Parties to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates (including a Person that is a party to a Swap Agreement with the Canadian Loan Parties that entered into such Swap Agreement before or while such Person was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, whether or not such Person at any time ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, as the case may be); provided, however, that the definition of “Canadian Secured Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor.

 

9


Canadian Security Agreement” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements or joinders thereto), dated as of the date hereof, between the Canadian Borrower and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

Canadian Security Documents” means the Canadian Security Agreement and any other agreements, instruments and documents governed by the laws of Canada or any province or territory thereof that creates a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent to secure any of the Secured Obligations.

Canadian Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Canadian Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Canadian Swingline Exposure of any Canadian Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Canadian Swingline Exposure at such time.

Canadian Swingline Lender” means Chase Canada, in its capacity as lender of Canadian Swingline Loans hereunder. Any consent required of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to be required of the Canadian Swingline Lender and any consent given by Chase in its capacity as Administrative Agent or Issuing Bank shall be deemed given by Chase in its capacity as Canadian Swingline Lender.

Canadian Swingline Loan” means a Loan made by the Canadian Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.05(b).

Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditure or commitment to expend money 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 Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP.

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.

Cash Dominion Period” means any period beginning on any date that either (a) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders have elected to institute a “Cash Dominion Period” or (b) Aggregate Availability is less than the Cash Dominion Threshold Amount and continuing until the first day after such date that (i) with respect to a Cash Dominion Period under the foregoing clause (a), no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and (ii) with respect to a Cash Dominion Period under the foregoing clause (b) Aggregate Availability is greater than or equal to the Cash Dominion Threshold Amount for 30 consecutive days.

Cash Dominion Threshold Amount” means, at any time, the greater of (a) $10,000,000 and (b) 10% of the lesser of (i) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and (ii) the then effective Aggregate Borrowing Base.

CBR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Canadian Base Rate.

 

10


CDOR” when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the CDOR Rate.

CDOR Rate” means, for the relevant Interest Period, the Canadian deposit offered rate which, in turn means on any day the sum of (a) the annual rate of interest determined with reference to the arithmetic average of the discount rate quotations of all institutions listed in respect of the relevant interest period for Canadian Dollar-denominated bankers’ acceptances displayed and identified as such on the “Reuters Screen CDOR Page” as defined in the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc. definitions, as modified and amended from time to time (the “CDOR Screen Rate”), as of 10:00 a.m. Toronto local time on the first day of the applicable interest period and, if such day is not a business day, then on the immediately preceding business day (as adjusted by the Administrative Agent after 10:00 a.m. Toronto local time to reflect any error in the posted rate of interest or in the posted average annual rate of interest) plus (b) 0.10% per annum; provided that (x) if the CDOR Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero and (y) if the CDOR Screen Rate is not available on the Reuters Screen CDOR Page on any particular day, then the Canadian deposit offered rate component of such rate on that day shall be calculated as the cost of funds quoted by the Administrative Agent to raise CAD Dollars for the applicable interest period at or about 10:00 a.m. Toronto local time on such day for commercial loans or other extensions of credit to businesses of comparable credit risk; or if such day is not a business day, then as quoted by the Administrative Agent on the immediately preceding business day.

Change in Control” means (a) any Person, entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act), other than the Permitted Holders, shall at any time have acquired direct or indirect beneficial ownership (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under the Securities Exchange Act) of voting power of the outstanding Equity Interests of the Company (i) having more than 33% of the ordinary voting power for the election of directors of the Company and (ii) such ordinary voting power shall be more than that held by the Permitted Holders; (b) occupation at any time of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors of the Company by Persons who were not (i) directors of the Company on the date of this Agreement, (ii) nominated or appointed for consideration by shareholders for election by the board of directors of the Company or (iii) approved for consideration by shareholders for election by the board of directors of the Company as director candidates prior to their election; (c) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Company by any Person or group other than Permitted Holders; or (d) the Company shall cease to own, directly or indirectly, free and clear of all Liens or other encumbrances, other than as a result of any transaction permitted by this Agreement, 100% of the outstanding voting Equity Interests of the other Borrowers on a fully diluted basis.

Change in Law” means the occurrence after the date of this Agreement (or, with respect to any Lender, such later date on which such Lender becomes a party to this Agreement) of any of the following: (a) the adoption of or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty; (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority; or (c) compliance by any Lender or the Issuing Bank (or, for purposes of Section 2.15(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline, requirement or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof, and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

 

11


Charges” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

Chase” means collectively, Chase U.S. and/or Chase Canada, as the context requires, each in their individual capacity, and their successors.

Chase Canada” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Toronto Branch, an authorized foreign bank branch under Schedule III of the Bank Act (Canada).

Chase U.S.” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a national banking association.

Class”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are Canadian Revolving Loans, U.S. Revolving Loans, Canadian Swingline Loans, U.S. Swingline Loans, Canadian Protective Advances or U.S. Protective Advances.

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

Collateral” means any and all personal and real property owned, leased or operated by a Person subject to a security interest or Lien under the Collateral Documents and any and all other personal and real property of any Loan Party, now existing or hereafter acquired, that may at any time be, become or be intended to be, subject to a security interest or Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Lenders and other Secured Parties, to secure the Secured Obligations or the Canadian Secured Obligations, as applicable; provided that the Collateral shall not include any Excluded Collateral.

Collateral Access Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

Collateral Deposit Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(c).

Collateral Documents” means, collectively, the U.S. Security Agreement, the Canadian Security Agreement, and any other agreements, instruments and documents executed in connection with this Agreement that are intended to create, perfect or evidence Liens to secure the Secured Obligations or the Canadian Secured Obligations, as applicable, including, without limitation, all other security agreements, pledge agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, loan agreements, notes, guarantees, subordination agreements, pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, financing statements and all other agreements or instruments that are intended to create, perfect or evidence Liens to secure Canadian Secured Obligations or the U.S. Secured Obligations, as applicable, whether theretofore, now or hereafter executed by any Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

Collection Account” means the U.S. Collection Account and/or the Canadian Collection Account, as the context requires.

Commitment” means, with respect to each Lender, the sum of such Lender’s U.S. Revolving Commitment and Canadian Revolving Commitment, together with the commitment of such Lender to acquire participations in Protective Advances hereunder. The initial amount of each Lender’s Commitment is set forth on the Commitment Schedule, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its Commitment, as applicable.

 

12


Commitment Fee Rate” means (a) 0.50% per annum if the average daily unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment for the most recently ended fiscal quarter is greater than 33% of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment or (ii) 0.375% per annum if the average daily unused portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment for the most recently ended fiscal quarter is equal to or less than 33% of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment.

Commitment Schedule” means the Schedule attached hereto identified as such.

Commodity Account Control Agreement” means an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, among any Loan Party, any financial institution, and the Administrative Agent with respect to control of any commodity or futures account maintained by such Loan Party with such financial institution.

Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.), as amended from time to time, and any successor statute.

Communications” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.01(d).

Company” means Nine Energy Service, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

Company IPO” means the issuance by the Company of its common Equity Interests pursuant to an effective registration statement filed with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act on or about the Effective Date.

Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(c).

Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

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.

Controlled Disbursement Accounts” means, collectively, any accounts of the Borrowers maintained with the Administrative Agent as a zero balance, cash management account pursuant to and under any agreement between a Borrower and the Administrative Agent, as modified and amended from time to time, and through which all disbursements of a Borrower, any other Loan Party and any designated Subsidiary of a Borrower are made and settled on a daily basis with no uninvested balance remaining overnight.

CPR”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bear interest at a rate determined by reference to the Canadian Prime Rate.

Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) such Lender’s U.S. Revolving Exposure at such time plus (b) such Lender’s Canadian Revolving Exposure.

Credit Party” means the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender.

 

13


Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States of America, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

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 that (a) has failed, within two Business Days of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans or (iii) pay over to any Credit Party any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless, in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular Default, if any) has not been satisfied; (b) has notified any Borrower or any Credit Party in writing, or has made a public statement, to the effect that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular Default, if any) to funding a Loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by a Credit Party, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Credit Party’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent, or (d) has become the subject of (i) a Bankruptcy Event or (ii) a Bail-In Action.

Deposit Account Control Agreement” means an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, among any Loan Party, a banking institution holding such Loan Party’s funds, and the Administrative Agent with respect to collection and control of all deposits and balances held in a deposit account maintained by such Loan Party with such banking institution.

Deposit Accounts” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

Disclosed Matters” means the actions, suits, proceedings and environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.

Disqualified Institution” means, on any date, (a) any Person designated by the Borrower Representative as a “Disqualified Institution” by written notice delivered to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date hereof and (b) any other Person that is a competitor of any Borrower, which Person has been designated by the Borrower Representative as a “Disqualified Institution” by written notice to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (including by posting such notice to the Platform) not less than 30 days prior to such date; provided that “Disqualified Institutions” shall exclude any Person that the Borrower Representative has designated as no longer being a “Disqualified Institution” by written notice delivered to the Administrative Agent from time to time.

Document” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

 

14


Dollar Equivalent Amount” means the Equivalent Amount of any applicable calculation where dollars are the “first currency” in such calculation.

dollars” or “$” refers to lawful money of the U.S.

Domestic Subsidiary” means (a) with respect to a U.S. Loan Party, any U.S. Domestic Subsidiary and (b) with respect to a Canadian Loan Party, any Canadian Domestic Subsidiary.

EBITDA” means, for any period, Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining Net Income for such period, the sum of (i) Interest Expense for such period, (ii) provisions for taxes based on income, profits or capital (including state, franchise, excise and similar taxes) net of tax refunds associated with such taxes, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization expense for such period, (iv) any extraordinary or non-recurring non-cash charges for such period, (v) any other non-cash charges or expenses for such period (but excluding any non-cash charge or expense in respect of an item that was included in Net Income in a prior period and any non-cash charge or expense that relates to the write-down or write-off of inventory), (vi) cash and non-cash charges associated with the Transactions, (vii) expenses reimbursed by a third party that is not a Loan Party, but only to the extent the Loan Parties actually receive payment in respect of such reimbursed expenses, (viii) to the extent reasonably documented and approved by the Administrative Agent, (A) fees, costs and expenses relating to any Permitted Acquisition (including cash-stay bonuses paid to employees, severance and reorganization costs and expenses in connection with any Permitted Acquisition), (B) fees, costs and expenses relating to any permitted issuance of Equity Interests, investment, debt incurrence (including a refinancing thereof, whether or not successful) or repayment, amortization or write-off (including discounts) of Indebtedness, recapitalization, or any sale, transfer or other disposition of assets, (C) fees, costs and expenses relating to other Acquisitions which would have (if consummated) satisfied the requirements of the defined term “Permitted Acquisitions” and fees, costs and expenses relating to investments which would have (if consummated) satisfied the requirements of Section 6.04, and (D) purchase accounting adjustments in connection with Permitted Acquisitions and investments permitted by Section 6.04, (ix) non-cash costs or expenses relating to any equity-based compensation or equity-based incentive plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, in each case of the Company or any Subsidiary for such period and funded with equity, (x) with the consent of the Administrative Agent, the amount of any fees, costs, expenses or charges incurred in connection with (A) Business Optimization Costs and Savings in an aggregate amount not to exceed ten percent (10%) of EBITDA for such period and (B) the closure, transfer or consolidation of facilities or other operations, (xi) any proceeds from business interruption insurance received by the Loan Parties during such period, to the extent the associated losses arising out of the event that resulted in the payment of such business interruption insurance proceeds were included in computing Net Income, and (xii) one-time litigation costs and expenses; minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in Net Income, (i) any cash payments made during such period in respect of non-cash charges described in clause (a)(v) taken in a prior period and (ii) any extraordinary gains and any non-cash items of income for such period, all calculated for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP. Further, EBITDA shall be subject to pro forma adjustments for Material Acquisitions (including annualization of EBITDA if the target of such Material Acquisition has less than four full quarters of operating results at the time of such acquisition) and Material Dispositions assuming that such transactions had occurred on the first day of the applicable determination period, which adjustments shall be made in accordance with the guidelines for pro forma presentations set forth by the SEC or in a manner otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent. As used in this definition, “Material Acquisition” means any Permitted Acquisition with consideration of $5,000,000 or more and “Material Disposition” means any disposition with consideration of $5,000,000 or more.

 

15


ECP” means an “eligible contract participant” as defined in Section 1(a)(18) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and the applicable rules issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or the SEC.

EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any institution established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

Effective Date” means the date on which the conditions specified in Section 4.01 are satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02).

Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or record.

Electronic System” means any electronic system, including e-mail, e-fax, web portal access for such Borrower, Intralinks®, ClearPar®, Debt Domain, Syndtrak and any other Internet or extranet-based site, whether such electronic system is owned, operated or hosted by the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank and any of its respective Related Parties or any other Person, providing for access to data protected by passcodes or other security system.

Eligible Accounts” means, at any time, the Accounts of a Borrower which the Administrative Agent determines in its Permitted Discretion are eligible as the basis for the extension of Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit. Without limiting the Administrative Agent’s discretion provided herein, Eligible Accounts shall not include any Account of a Borrower:

(a)    which is not subject to a first priority perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent;

(b)    which is subject to any Lien other than (i) a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent and (ii) a Permitted Encumbrance which does not have priority over the Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent;

(c)    (i) with respect to which the scheduled due date is more than 60 days after the date of the original invoice therefor, (ii) which is unpaid more than 90 days after the date of the original invoice therefor or more than 60 days after the original due date therefor or which have been written off the books of such Borrower as uncollectable;

(d)    which is owing by an Account Debtor for which more than 50% of the Accounts owing from such Account Debtor and its Affiliates are ineligible hereunder;

 

16


(e)    (i) which is owing by an Account Debtor (other than an Account Debtor described in clause (ii) below) to the extent the aggregate amount of Accounts owing from such Account Debtor and its Affiliates to such Borrower exceeds 20% of the aggregate amount of Eligible Accounts of all Borrowers or (ii) which is owing by an Account Debtor whose securities (or such Account Debtor’s parent company’s securities) are rated BBB or better by S&P or Baa3 or better by Moody’s to the extent the aggregate amount of Accounts owing from such Account Debtor and its Affiliates to such Borrower exceeds 30% of the aggregate amount of Eligible Accounts of all Borrowers, solely to the extent of such excess;

(f)    with respect to which any covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or in any Collateral Document has been breached or is not true;

(g)    which (i) does not arise from the sale of goods or performance of services in the ordinary course of business, (ii) is not evidenced by an invoice or other documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent which has been sent to the Account Debtor, (iii) represents a progress billing, (iv) is contingent upon such Borrower’s completion of any further performance, (v) represents a sale on a bill-and-hold, guaranteed sale, sale-and-return, sale on approval, consignment, cash-on-delivery or any other repurchase or return basis or (vi) relates to payments of interest;

(h)    for which the goods giving rise to such Account have not been shipped to the Account Debtor or for which the services giving rise to such Account have not been performed by such Borrower or if such Account was invoiced more than once (unless such additional invoices were provided for a purpose other than the failure of the account debtor to timely make payment, provided that in no event shall any such accounts be double-counted);

(i)    with respect to which any check or other instrument of payment has been returned uncollected for any reason;

(j)    which is owed by an Account Debtor which has (i) applied for, suffered, or consented to the appointment of any receiver, interim receiver, custodian, trustee, monitor, administrator, sequestrator or liquidator of its assets, (ii) had possession of all or a material part of its property taken by any receiver, custodian, trustee or liquidator, (iii) filed, or had filed against it, any request or petition for liquidation, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debts, adjudication as bankrupt, winding-up, or voluntary or involuntary case under any state, provincial, territorial or federal bankruptcy laws, (iv) admitted in writing its inability, or is generally unable to, pay its debts as they become due, (v) become insolvent, or (vi) ceased operation of its business;

(k)    which is owed by any Account Debtor which has sold all or substantially all of its assets;

(l)    which is owed by an Account Debtor which (i) does not maintain its chief executive office or principal place of business in the U.S. or Canada or (ii) is not organized under applicable law of the U.S., any state of the U.S., or the District of Columbia, Canada, or any province or territory of Canada unless, in any such case, such Account is backed by a Letter of Credit acceptable to the Administrative Agent which is in the possession of, and is directly drawable by, the Administrative Agent;

(m)    which is owed in any currency other than dollars or, with respect to Accounts of any Canadian Borrower, CAD or dollars;

(n)    which is owed by (i) any Governmental Authority of any country other than the U.S. or Canada unless such Account is backed by a letter of credit reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent which is in the possession of, and is directly drawable by, the Administrative Agent, or (ii) any

 

17


Governmental Authority of the U.S., unless the Federal Assignment of Claims Act of 1940, as amended (31 U.S.C. § 3727 et seq. and 41 U.S.C. § 15 et seq.), has been complied with to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction, or (iii) the federal government of Canada, unless the Financial Administration Act (Canada), as amended, has been complied with to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction, and any other steps necessary to perfect the Lien of the Administrative Agent in such Account have been complied with to the Administrative Agent’s satisfaction;

(o)    which is owed by any Affiliate of any Loan Party or any employee, officer, director, agent or stockholder of any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates;

(p)    which is owed by an Account Debtor or any Affiliate of such Account Debtor to which any Loan Party is indebted, but only to the extent of such indebtedness, or is subject to any security, deposit, progress payment, retainage or other similar advance made by or for the benefit of an Account Debtor, in each case to the extent thereof;

(q)    which is subject to any counterclaim, deduction, defense, setoff or dispute but only to the extent of the amount of any such counterclaim, deduction, defense, setoff or dispute;

(r)    which is evidenced by any promissory note, chattel paper or instrument;

(s)    which is owed by an Account Debtor (i) located in any jurisdiction which requires filing of a “Notice of Business Activities Report” or other similar report in order to permit such Borrower to seek judicial enforcement in such jurisdiction of payment of such Account, unless such Borrower has filed such report or qualified to do business in such jurisdiction or (ii) which is a Sanctioned Person;

(t)    with respect to which such Borrower has made any agreement with the Account Debtor for any reduction thereof, other than discounts and adjustments given in the ordinary course of business but only to the extent of any such reduction, or any Account which was partially paid and such Borrower created a new receivable for the unpaid portion of such Account;

(u)    which does not comply in all material respects with the requirements of all applicable laws and regulations, whether Federal, state, provincial, territorial or local, including without limitation the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act, the Federal Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z of the Board;

(v)    which is for goods that have been sold under a purchase order or pursuant to the terms of a contract or other agreement or understanding (written or oral) that indicates or purports that any Person other than such Borrower has or has had an ownership interest in such goods, or which indicates any party other than such Borrower as payee or remittance party;

(w)    which was created on cash on delivery terms; or

(x)    which the Administrative Agent determines may not be paid by reason of the Account Debtor’s inability to pay or which the Administrative Agent otherwise determines is unacceptable in its Permitted Discretion.

In the event that an Account of a Borrower which was previously an Eligible Account ceases to be an Eligible Account hereunder, such Borrower or the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof on and at the time of submission to the Administrative Agent of the next Borrowing Base Certificate. In determining the amount of an Eligible Account of a Borrower, the face amount of an Account may, in the Administrative Agent’s Permitted Discretion, be reduced by, without

 

18


duplication, to the extent not reflected in such face amount, (i) the amount of all accrued and actual discounts, claims, credits or credits pending, promotional program allowances, price adjustments, finance charges or other allowances (including any amount that such Borrower may be obligated to rebate to an Account Debtor pursuant to the terms of any agreement or understanding (written or oral)) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all cash received in respect of such Account but not yet applied by such Borrower to reduce the amount of such Account.

Eligible Cash” means cash of a Borrower (a) held in a blocked account maintained with the Administrative Agent pursuant to a Deposit Account Control Agreement providing for, inter alia, the sole dominion and control of the Administrative Agent of such blocked account, (b) in which the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, has a first priority perfected security interest or Lien and (c) is not subject to any other Liens.

Eligible Equipment” means any list of Equipment, in reasonable detail, provided to the Administrative Agent in connection with clause (p) of the definition of “Permitted Acquisitions”, which the Administrative Agent determines in its Permitted Discretion are eligible as the basis for the extension of Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit and meeting each of the following requirements:

(a)    such Borrower has good title to such Equipment;

(b)    such Borrower has the right to subject such Equipment to a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent; such Equipment is subject to a first priority perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent and is free and clear of all other Liens of any nature whatsoever (except for Permitted Encumbrances which do not have priority over the Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent);

(c)    the full purchase price for such Equipment has been paid by a Loan Party;

(d)    such Equipment is located at a Permitted Location;

(e)    such Equipment is in good working order and condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted), and is used or held for use by a Loan Party in the ordinary course of business of a Loan Party;

(f)    such Equipment (i) is not subject to any agreement which restricts the ability of a Loan Party to use, sell, transport or dispose of such Equipment or which restricts the Administrative Agent’s ability to take possession of, sell or otherwise dispose of such Equipment and (ii) has not been purchased from a Sanctioned Person; and

(g)    such Equipment does not constitute “fixtures” under the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such Equipment is located.

Eligible Equipment Amount” means, at any date of determination, the lesser of (a)(i) the product of 70% multiplied by the forced liquidation value of Eligible Equipment, minus (ii) the accumulated depreciation of Eligible Equipment based on a three-year straight line depreciation schedule since such Eligible Equipment was acquired and (b) 25,000,000.00.

Eligible Inventory” means, at any time, the Inventory of a Borrower which the Administrative Agent determines in its Permitted Discretion is eligible as the basis for the extension of Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans and the issuance of Letters of Credit. Without limiting the Administrative Agent’s discretion provided herein, Eligible Inventory of a Borrower shall not include any Inventory:

(a)    which is not subject to a first priority perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent;

 

19


(b)    which is subject to any Lien other than (i) a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent and (ii) a Permitted Encumbrance which does not have priority over the Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent;

(c)    which is, in such Borrower’s good faith judgment, slow moving, obsolete, unmerchantable, defective, unfit for sale or not salable at prices approximating at least the cost of such Inventory in the ordinary course of business;

(d)    with respect to which any covenant, representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or in any Collateral Document has been breached or is not true and which does not conform to all applicable standards imposed by any Governmental Authority;

(e)    in which any Person other than such Borrower shall (i) have any direct or indirect ownership, interest or title or (ii) be indicated on any purchase order or invoice with respect to such Inventory as having or purporting to have an interest therein;

(f)    which is not finished goods or which constitutes spare or replacement parts, subassemblies, packaging and shipping material, manufacturing supplies, samples, prototypes, displays or display items, bill-and-hold or ship-in-place goods, goods that are returned or marked for return, repossessed goods, defective or damaged goods, goods held on consignment, or goods which are not of a type held for sale in the ordinary course of business;

(g)    which is not located in the U.S. or Canada or is in transit with a common carrier from vendors and suppliers;

(h)    which is located in any location leased by such Borrower unless (i) the lessor has delivered to the Administrative Agent a Collateral Access Agreement or (ii) a Reserve for rent, charges and other amounts due or to become due with respect to such facility has been established by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, provided that such Reserve shall be for a rental period of no more than 90 days;

(i)    which is located in any third party warehouse or is in the possession of a bailee (other than a third party processor) and is not evidenced by a Document, unless (i) such warehouseman or bailee has delivered to the Administrative Agent a Collateral Access Agreement and such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may require or (ii) an appropriate Reserve has been established by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, provided that such Reserve shall be for a rental period of no more than 90 days;

(j)    which is being processed offsite at a third party location or outside processor, or is in-transit to or from such third party location or outside processor, it being understood that Inventory being used by a customer in the ordinary course of business is not being “processed”;

(k)    which is a discontinued product or component thereof;

(l)    which is the subject of a consignment by such Borrower as consignor;

(m)    which is perishable;

 

20


(n)    which contains or bears any intellectual property rights licensed to such Borrower unless the Administrative Agent is satisfied that it may sell or otherwise dispose of such Inventory without (i) infringing the rights of such licensor, (ii) violating any contract with such licensor, or (iii) incurring any liability with respect to payment of royalties other than royalties incurred pursuant to sale of such Inventory under the current licensing agreement;

(o)    for which reclamation rights have been asserted by the seller;

(p)    which has been acquired from a Sanctioned Person; or

(q)    which the Administrative Agent otherwise determines is unacceptable in its Permitted Discretion.

In the event that Inventory of a Borrower which was previously Eligible Inventory ceases to be Eligible Inventory hereunder, such Borrower or the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof on and at the time of submission to the Administrative Agent of the next Borrowing Base Certificate.

Enhanced Reporting Period” means the period (a) commencing on (i) the day that an Event of Default occurs or (ii) the third consecutive day that (A) Aggregate Availability falls below the greater of (x) $12,500,000 and (y) 15% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the then effective Borrowing Base, and (b) continuing until, (i) with respect to the foregoing clause (a)(i), no Default or Event of Default exists and (ii) with respect to the foregoing clause (a)(ii), Availability has been greater than or equal to the greater of (i) $12,500,000 and (ii) 15% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the then effective Aggregate Borrowing Base during each of the preceding 30 consecutive days.

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 any Borrower or Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) any violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) any 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.

Equipment” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

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 of the foregoing.

 

21


Equity Issuance” means any issuance of equity securities or any other Equity Interests (including any preferred equity securities) by the Company, including any such issuance upon the exercise of warrants to purchase equity by the holders thereof.

Equity Issuance Proceeds” means, with respect to any Equity Issuance, all cash and cash equivalent proceeds or investments received by the Company from any such Equity Issuance (other than from any other Loan Party) after payment of, or provisions for, all underwriter fees and expenses, SEC and blue sky fees, printing costs, fees and expenses of accountants, lawyers and other professional advisors, brokerage commissions and other out-of-pocket fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such Equity Issuance.

Equivalent Amount” means, on any date of determination, with respect to obligations or valuations denominated in one currency (the “first currency”), the amount of another currency (the “second currency”) which would result from the Administrative Agent converting the first currency into the second currency at the close of business on the day prior to such date of determination in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s customary practice for commercial loans being administered by it or at such other exchange rate as the Administrative Agent may determine in its reasonable discretion.

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 a Borrower, 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.

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 failure to satisfy the “minimum funding standard” (as defined in Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA), whether or not waived; (c) the filing pursuant to Section 412(c) of the Code or Section 302(c) of ERISA of an application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard with respect to any Plan; (d) the incurrence by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of any Plan; (e) the receipt by any Borrower 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 any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability with respect to the withdrawal or partial withdrawal of any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan; or (g) the receipt by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, or the receipt by any Multiemployer Plan from any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any notice, concerning the imposition upon any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent, in critical status or in reorganization, within the meaning of Title IV of ERISA.

EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.

Eurodollar”, when used in reference to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, bears interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.

Event of Default” has the meaning assigned to such term in Article VII.

 

22


Excluded Accounts” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

Excluded Collateral” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or and the Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

Excluded Subsidiary” means each of (a) First Call Well Service, LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company and (b) a Domestic Subsidiary of any Loan Party (i) that is owned directly or indirectly by a Foreign Subsidiary or (ii) that is a FSHCO.

Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an ECP at the time the Guarantee of such Guarantor or the grant of such security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

[“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to a Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient: (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its applicable lending office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes; (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrowers under Section 2.19(b)) or (ii) such Lender changes its lending office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 2.17, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender acquired the applicable interest in a Loan, Letter of Credit or Commitment or to such Lender immediately before it changed its lending office; (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 2.17(f); and (d) any U.S. Federal withholding Taxes imposed under FATCA.]1

Existing Credit Agreements” means (a) that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2014, by and among the Company, the Canadian Borrower, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other parties thereto, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified, and (b) that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of May 2, 2014, by and among Beckman Production Services, Inc., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other parties thereto, as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified.

FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement.

 

1  Borrower NTD: Subject to review by Canadian counsel

 

23


Federal Funds Effective Rate” means, for any day, the rate calculated by the NYFRB based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depositary institutions (as determined in such manner as the NYFRB shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as the federal funds effective rate, provided that, if the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Financial Officer” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of a Borrower.

Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of (a) EBITDA minus Unfinanced Capital Expenditures to (b) Fixed Charges, all calculated for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to such date for which financial statements are available); provided that, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for any period ending on or prior to June 30, 2018, (i) (A) EBITDA for the calculation period ending June 30, 2017 shall be EBITDA for the two fiscal quarter period ending on such date, (B) EBITDA for the calculation period ending September 30, 2017 shall be EBITDA for the three fiscal quarter period ending on such date and (C) EBITDA for the calculation period ending December 31, 2017 and each calculation period ending thereafter shall be EBITDA for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such dates, (ii) (A) Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the calculation period ending June 30, 2017 shall be Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for such fiscal quarter only, (B) Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the calculation period ending September 30, 2017 shall be Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the two fiscal quarter period ending on such date, (C) Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the calculation period ending December 31, 2017 shall be Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the three fiscal quarter period ending on such date and (D) Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the calculation period ending March 31, 2018 and each calculation period ending thereafter shall be Unfinanced Capital Expenditures for the four fiscal quarter period ending on such dates, and (iii) (A) Fixed Charges for the calculation period ending June 30, 2017 shall be Fixed Charges from the Effective Date to such date multiplied by 6, (B) Fixed Charges for the calculation period ending September 30, 2017 shall be Fixed Charges from the Effective Date to such date multiplied by 9/4, (C) Fixed Charges for the calculation period ending December 31, 2017 shall be Fixed Charges from the Effective Date to such date multiplied by 12/7, (D) Fixed Charges for the calculation period ending March 31, 2018 shall be Fixed Charges from the Effective Date to such date multiplied by 6/5 and (E) Fixed Charges for the calculation period ending June 30, 2018 and each calculation period ending thereafter shall be Fixed Charges for the four calculation period period ending on such dates; provided, further, that for purposes of determining compliance with Section 6.12(a), the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated as provided in such Section.

Fixed Charges” means, for any period, without duplication, cash Interest Expense, plus scheduled principal payments on Indebtedness actually made in cash, plus expenses for taxes paid in cash, plus Restricted Payments paid in cash (other than any such Restricted Payments made pursuant to Section 6.08(a)(i), (ii), (iv) and (v)), plus Capital Lease Obligation payments, all calculated for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Fixtures” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Flood Laws” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 8.10.

 

24


Foreign Lender” means (a) if a Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender, with respect to such Borrower, that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if a Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender, with respect to such Borrower, that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which such Borrower is resident for tax purposes.

Foreign Subsidiary” means (a) with respect to a U.S. Loan Party, any Subsidiary which is not a U.S. Domestic Subsidiary and (b) with respect to a Canadian Loan Party, any Subsidiary which is not a Canadian Domestic Subsidiary.

FSHCO” means a Domestic Subsidiary that owns (directly or through its Subsidiaries) no material assets other than the Equity Interests or Indebtedness of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries.

Funding Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.01(h).

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S.

Governmental Authority” means the government of the U.S., Canada and any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state, provincial, territorial, 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.

Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.01.

Guarantors” means all Loan Guarantors.

Hazardous Materials” means: (a) any substance, material, or waste that is included within the definitions of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous materials,” “hazardous waste,” “toxic substances,” “toxic materials,” “toxic waste,” or words of similar import in any Environmental Law; (b) those substances listed as hazardous substances by the United States Department of Transportation (or any successor agency) (49 C.F.R. 172.101 and amendments thereto) or by the Environmental Protection Agency (or any successor agency) (40 C.F.R. Part 302 and amendments thereto); and (c) any substance, material, or waste that is petroleum, petroleum-related, or a petroleum by-product, asbestos or asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, flammable, explosive, radioactive, freon gas, radon, or a pesticide, herbicide, or any other agricultural chemical.    

Impacted Interest Period” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “LIBO Rate”.

 

25


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 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, and (k) obligations under any liquidated earn-out (other than earn-outs payable solely in Equity Interests), (l) any other Off-Balance Sheet Liability and (m) obligations, whether absolute or contingent and howsoever and whensoever created, arising, evidenced or acquired (including all renewals, extensions and modifications thereof and substitutions therefor), under (i) any and all Swap Agreements, and (ii) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any Swap Agreement transaction. 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 (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by, or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in the foregoing clause (a) hereof, Other Taxes.

Indemnitee” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.03(b).

Ineligible Institution” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

Information” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.12.

Interest Election Request” means a request by the Borrower Representative to convert or continue a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.08.

Interest Expense” means, for any period, total interest expense (including that attributable to Capital Lease Obligations) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period with respect to all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances and net costs under Swap Agreements in respect of interest rates to the extent such net costs are allocable to such period in accordance with GAAP), calculated on a consolidated basis for the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period in accordance with GAAP.

Interest Payment Date” means (a) with respect to any Base Rate Loan (other than a Swingline Loan), the first day of each calendar quarter and the Maturity Date, and (b) with respect to any Non-Base Rate 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 Non-Base Rate Loan 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 the Maturity Date.

 

26


Interest Period” means, with respect to (a) any Eurodollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Eurodollar Borrowing and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, two, three or six months thereafter, and (b) any CDOR 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 thereafter, as the Borrower Representative 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, 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 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 Eurodollar Borrowing or a CDOR Borrowing, thereafter shall be the effective date of the most recent conversion or continuation of such Borrowing.

Interpolated Rate” means, at any time, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum (rounded to the same number of decimal places as the LIBO Screen Rate) determined by the Administrative Agent (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) to be equal to the rate that results from interpolating on a linear basis between: (a) the LIBO Screen Rate for the longest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that is shorter than the Impacted Interest Period and (b) the LIBO Screen Rate for the shortest period (for which the LIBO Screen Rate is available) that exceeds the Impacted Interest Period, in each case, at such time; provided, that if any Interpolated Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

Inventory” has the meaning assigned to such term in the U.S. Security Agreement or Canadian Security Agreement, as applicable.

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

Issuing Bank” the U.S. Issuing Bank and/or the Canadian Issuing Bank, as the context requires.

ITA” means the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the regulations thereunder, as amended.

Joinder Agreement” means a Joinder Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit D.

Judgment Currency” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.20(a).

Judgment Currency Conversion Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.20(a).

LC Collateral Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.06(j).

LC Disbursement” means any payment made by an Issuing Bank pursuant to a Letter of Credit.

LC Exposure” means, at any time, the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the U.S. LC Exposure and/or the Canadian LC Exposure, as the context requires.

Lenders” means the Persons listed on the Commitment Schedule and any other Person that shall have become a Lender hereunder pursuant to Section 2.09 or an Assignment and Assumption, other than any such Person that ceases to be a Lender hereunder pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption. Unless the context otherwise requires, the term “Lenders” includes the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank.

 

27


Letters of Credit” means U.S. Letters of Credit and/or Canadian Letters of Credit, as the context requires.

Leverage Ratio” means, at any date, the ratio of (a)(i) Total Indebtedness on such date minus (ii) the amount of the cash and cash equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens, other than Liens permitted by Section 6.02), included in the cash and cash equivalents accounts listed on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company; provided that, notwithstanding the cash and cash equivalents accounts listed on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company, for purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio as of any date, the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents under this clause (ii) shall not exceed $5,000,000 to (b) EBITDA for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ended on such date (or, if such date is not the last day of a fiscal quarter, ended on the last day of the fiscal quarter most recently ended prior to such date).

LIBO Rate” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any applicable Interest Period or for any ABR Borrowing, LIBO Screen Rate at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period; provided that, if the LIBO Screen Rate shall not be available at such time for such Interest Period (an “Impacted Interest Period”), then the LIBO Rate shall be the Interpolated Rate, subject to Section 2.14 in the event that the Administrative Agent shall conclude that it shall not be possible to determine such Interpolated Rate (which conclusion shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error). Notwithstanding the above, to the extent that “LIBO Rate” or “Adjusted LIBO Rate” is used in connection with an ABR Borrowing, such rate shall be determined as modified by the definition of Alternate Base Rate.

LIBO Screen Rate” means, for any day and time, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any applicable Interest Period or for any ABR Borrowing, the London interbank offered rate as administered by ICE Benchmark Administration (or any other Person that takes over the administration of such rate for dollars) for a period equal in length to such Interest Period as displayed on such day and time on pages LIBOR01 or LIBOR02 of the Reuters screen that displays such rate (or, in the event such rate does not appear on a Reuters page or screen, on any successor or substitute page on such screen that displays such rate, or on the appropriate page of such other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion); provided that if the LIBO Screen Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

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.

Limited Conditionality Acquisition” means any acquisition (including a Permitted Acquisition), including by way of merger, amalgamation or consolidation, by one or more of the Loan Parties of any assets, business or Person permitted by this Agreement the consummation of which is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party acquisition financing.

Liquidity” means Aggregate Availability plus, without duplication, unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of the Borrowers.

Loan Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, any promissory notes issued pursuant to this Agreement, any Letter of Credit applications, the Collateral Documents, the Loan Guaranty, and all

 

28


other agreements, instruments, documents and certificates identified in Section 4.01 executed and delivered to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any Lender and including all other pledges, powers of attorney, consents, assignments, contracts, notices, letter of credit agreements, letter of credit applications and any agreements between the Borrower Representative and the Issuing Bank or the respective rights and obligations between the Borrower and the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit, whether now or hereafter executed by or on behalf of any Loan Party, or any employee of any Loan Party, and delivered to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. Any reference in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to a Loan Document shall include all appendices, exhibits or schedules thereto, and all amendments, restatements, supplements or other modifications thereto, and shall refer to this Agreement or such Loan Document as the same may be in effect at any and all times such reference becomes operative.

Loan Guarantor” means each U.S. Loan Party or each Canadian Loan Party, as the context requires; provided that, for purposes of Article X of this Agreement, “Loan Guarantor” shall mean each U.S. Loan Party but not any Canadian Loan Party.

Loan Guaranty” means Article X of this Agreement and each separate Guarantee, in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, delivered by each Loan Guarantor that is a Foreign Subsidiary (which Guarantee shall be governed by the laws of the country in which such Foreign Subsidiary is located), as it may be amended or modified and in effect from time to time.

Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrowers, the Borrowers’ Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) that are Restricted Subsidiaries and any other Person who becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to a Joinder Agreement and their successors and assigns, and the term “Loan Party” shall mean any one of them or all of them individually, as the context may require.

Loans” means the loans and advances made by the Lenders pursuant to this Agreement, including Swingline Loans and Protective Advances.

Lock Box Agreements” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(b).

Lock Boxes” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13(b)

Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business, assets, operations or condition, financial or otherwise, of the Loan Parties taken as a whole, (b) the ability of any Loan Party to perform any of its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) the Collateral, or the Administrative Agent’s Liens (on behalf of itself and other Secured Parties) on the Collateral or the priority of such Liens, or (d) the rights of or benefits available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents.

Material Indebtedness” means 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 Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5,000,000. For purposes of determining Material Indebtedness, the “principal amount” of the obligations of any Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Swap Agreement at any time shall be the maximum aggregate amount (giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary would be required to pay if such Swap Agreement were terminated at such time.

Maturity Date” means June [    ], 2022 or any earlier date on which the Commitments are reduced to zero or otherwise terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

29


Maximum Rate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.17.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.

Net Income” means, for any period, the consolidated net income (or loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or deficit) of any Person accrued prior to the date it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, (b) the income (or deficit) of any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary) in which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has an ownership interest, except to the extent that any such income is actually received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in the form of dividends or similar distributions and (c) the undistributed earnings of any Subsidiary 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 Requirement of Law applicable to such Subsidiary.

Net Orderly Liquidation Value” means, with respect to Inventory of any Person, the orderly liquidation value thereof as determined in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent by an appraiser reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, net of all costs of liquidation thereof.

Net Proceeds” means, with respect to any event, (a) the cash proceeds received in respect of such event including (i) any cash received in respect of any non-cash proceeds (including any cash payments received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or purchase price adjustment receivable or otherwise, but excluding any interest payments), but only as and when received, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance proceeds and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, minus (b) the sum of (i) all reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid to third parties (other than Affiliates) in connection with such event, (ii) in the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction or a casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of all payments required to be made as a result of such event to repay Indebtedness (other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event and (iii) the amount of all taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable) and the amount of any reserves established to fund contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in each case during the year that such event occurred or the next succeeding year and that are directly attributable to such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative).

Non-Base Rate Loan” means (a) with respect to U.S. Revolving Loans (and calculations of interest with respect to U.S. LC Exposure), Eurodollar Loans, (b) with respect to Canadian Revolving Loans (and calculations of interest with respect to Canadian LC Exposure), to the extent denominated in U.S. Dollars, Eurodollar Loans, and (c) with respect to Canadian Revolving Loans (and calculations of interest with respect to Canadian LC Exposure), to the extent denominated in Canadian Dollars, CDOR Loans.

Non-Consenting Lender” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.02(d).

NYFRB” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

NYFRB Rate” means, for any day, the greater of (a) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Overnight Bank Funding Rate in effect on such day(or for any day that is not a

 

30


Banking Day, for the immediately preceding Banking Day); provided that if none of such rates are published for any day that is a Business Day, the term “NYFRB Rate” means the rate for a federal funds transaction quoted at 11:00 a.m. on such day received to the Administrative Agent from a Federal funds broker of recognized standing selected by it; provided, further, that if any of the aforesaid rates shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for purposes of this Agreement.

Obligated Party” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.02.

Obligation Currency” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.20(a).

Obligations” means the U.S Obligations plus the Canadian Obligations.

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

Off-Balance Sheet Liability” of a Person means (a) any repurchase obligation or liability of such Person with respect to accounts or notes receivable sold by such Person, (b) any indebtedness, liability or obligation under any so-called “synthetic lease” transaction entered into by such Person, or (c) any indebtedness, liability or obligation arising with respect to any other transaction which is the functional equivalent of or takes the place of borrowing but which does not constitute a liability on the balance sheet of such Person (other than operating leases).

Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes (other than a connection arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to, or enforced, any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or any Loan Document).

Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 2.19).

Overnight Bank Funding Rate” means, for any day, the rate comprised of both overnight federal funds and overnight Eurodollar borrowings by U.S.-managed banking offices of depository institutions (as such composite rate shall be determined by the NYFRB as set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the NYFRB as an overnight bank funding rate (from and after such date as the NYFRB shall commence to publish such composite rate).

Paid in Full” or “Payment in Full” means, (i) the payment in full in cash of all outstanding Loans and LC Disbursements, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, (ii) the termination, expiration, or cancellation of all outstanding Letters of Credit (or alternatively, with respect to each such Letter of Credit, the furnishing to the Administrative Agent of a cash deposit, or at the discretion of the Administrative Agent a back-up standby letter of credit satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, in an amount equal to 103% of the LC Exposure as of the date of such payment), (iii) the payment in full in cash of the accrued and unpaid fees, (iv) the payment in full in cash of all reimbursable expenses and other Secured Obligations (other than Unliquidated Obligations for which no claim has been made and other obligations expressly stated to survive such payment and termination of this Agreement), together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, and (v) the termination of the Swap Agreement Obligations and the Banking Services Obligations or entering into other arrangements satisfactory to the Secured Parties counterparties thereto.

 

31


Parent” means, with respect to any Lender, any Person as to which such Lender is, directly or indirectly, a subsidiary.

Participant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Participant Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(c).

Payment Conditions” shall be deemed to be satisfied with respect to an action or proposed action if:

 

  (A) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result immediately after giving effect to such action or proposed action;

 

  (B) immediately after giving effect to and at all times during the 30-day period (or if less, the number of days that have elapsed since the Effective Date) immediately prior to such action or proposed action, the Borrowers shall have (1) (x) Aggregate Availability calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such action or proposed action of not less than the greater of (A) 20% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base or (B) $20,000,000, and (y) a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such action or proposed action of not less than 1:10 to 1.00 or (2) Aggregate Availability calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such action or proposed action of not less than the greater of (A) 25% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base or (B) $25,000,000; and

 

  (C) the Borrower Representative shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent certifying as to the items described in (A) and (B) above and attaching calculations for item (B).

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 by any Loan Party in a transaction that satisfies each of the following requirements:

(a)    such Acquisition is not a hostile or contested acquisition;

(b)    the business acquired in connection with such Acquisition is(i) located in the U.S. or Canada, (ii) organized under applicable U.S. and state laws or Canadian laws, and (iii) not engaged, directly or indirectly, in any line of business other than the businesses in which the Loan Parties are engaged on the Effective Date and any business activities that are substantially similar, related, or incidental thereto;

(c)    both before and after giving effect to such Acquisition and the Loans (if any) requested to be made in connection therewith, each of the representations and warranties in the Loan Documents is true and correct (except (i) any such representation or warranty which relates to a specified prior date and (ii) to the extent the Lenders have been notified in writing by the Loan Parties that any representation or warranty is not correct and the Lenders have explicitly waived in writing compliance with such representation or warranty) and no Default exists, will exist, or would result therefrom;

 

32


(d)    as soon as available, but not less than ten (10) days prior to such Acquisition, the Borrower Representative has provided the Administrative Agent (i) notice of such Acquisition and (ii) with respect to any Material Acquisition, a copy of all business and financial information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent;

(e)    if the Accounts and Inventory acquired in connection with such Acquisition are proposed to be included in the determination of the Aggregate Borrowing Base, the Administrative Agent shall have conducted an audit and field examination of such Accounts and Inventory, the results of which shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided that, Accounts acquired in connection with one or more Acquisitions may be temporarily included in the determination of the U.S. Borrowing Base or the Canadian Borrowing Base prior to the conduct of such audit and field examination so long as (i) the Administrative Agent has received and is reasonably satisfied with due diligence materials and other information provided by the Applicable Borrowers in respect of such Accounts and (ii) the aggregate amount of all Accounts that are temporarily included for any such Acquisition does not exceed 10% of the Aggregate Borrowing Base then in effect;

(f)    [Reserved];

(g)    if such Acquisition is an acquisition of the Equity Interests of a Person, such Acquisition is structured so that the acquired Person shall become a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary, if applicable, of a Borrower and a Loan Party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement;

(h)    if such Acquisition is an acquisition of assets, such Acquisition is structured so that a Borrower or another Loan Party shall acquire such assets;

(i)    if such Acquisition is an acquisition of Equity Interests, such Acquisition will not result in any violation of Regulation U;

(j)    if such Acquisition involves a merger or a consolidation involving a Borrower or any other Loan Party, such Borrower or such Loan Party, as applicable, shall be the surviving entity;

(k)    no Loan Party shall, as a result of or in connection with any such Acquisition, assume or incur any direct or contingent liabilities not otherwise permitted by this Agreement (whether relating to environmental, tax, litigation, or other matters) that could have a Material Adverse Effect;

(l)    in connection with an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of any Person, all Liens (other than Liens permitted by Section 6.02(e)) on property of such Person shall be terminated unless the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in their sole discretion consent otherwise, and in connection with an Acquisition of the assets of any Person, all Liens (other than Liens permitted by Section 6.02(e)) on such assets shall be terminated;

(m)    the Borrower Representative shall certify to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (and provide the Administrative Agent and the Lenders with a pro forma calculation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) that, after giving effect to the completion of such Acquisition, on a pro forma basis and at all times during the 30-day period prior to the consummation of such Acquisition, the Borrowers shall have (i) (A) Aggregate Availability calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such Acquisition (including all consideration given in connection with such Acquisition, other than Equity Interests of the applicable Borrower delivered to the seller(s) in

 

33


such Acquisition, having been paid in cash at the time of making such Acquisition) of not less than the greater of (x) 15% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base or (y) $15,000,000, and (B) a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such Acquisition or proposed Acquisition of not less than 1:00 to 1.00 or (ii) Aggregate Availability calculated on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such Acquisition (including all consideration given in connection with such Acquisition, other than Equity Interests of the applicable Borrower delivered to the seller(s) in such Acquisition, having been paid in cash at the time of making such Acquisition) of not less than the greater of (A) 20% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base or (B) $20,000,000;

(n)    all actions required to be taken with respect to any newly acquired or formed Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of a Borrower or a Loan Party, as applicable, required under Section 5.14 shall have been taken;

(o)    the Borrower Representative shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent the final executed material documentation relating to such Acquisition within two (2) Business Days following the consummation thereof; and

(p)    with respect to any Acquisition for which the total consideration to be paid (including cash and non-cash consideration and assumption of liabilities) is equal to or greater than $50,000,000, the Borrower Representative may make a one-time election (on a per Acquisition basis) to include in the Borrowing Base Eligible Equipment acquired in such Acquisition or other Eligible Equipment so long as (i) the Administrative Agent has received from appraisers reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent an appraisal reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent prior to the inclusion of such Eligible Equipment in the Borrowing Base and (ii) at the time of the inclusion of the Eligible Equipment Amount in the Borrowing Base, the Leverage Ratio shall be less than or equal to 3.50 to 1.00 (calculated on a pro forma basis for the most recent four fiscal quarter period then ended).

Permitted Discretion” means the Administrative Agent’s reasonable credit judgment (from the perspective of a secured asset-based lender) in establishing reserves or eligibility criteria, exercised in good faith in accordance with customary business practices for similar asset-based lending facilities, based upon its consideration of any factor that it reasonably believes (i) could adversely affect the quantity, quality, mix or value of Collateral (including any applicable laws that may inhibit collection of a receivable), the enforceability or priority of the Administrative Agent’s liens thereon, the ability of the Administrative Agent to collect or take possession of any Collateral, or the amount that the Administrative Agent, the Lenders or the Issuing Bank would be likely to receive in liquidation of any Collateral; (ii) suggests that any collateral report or financial information delivered by the Loan Parties is incomplete, inaccurate or misleading in any material respect; or (iii) creates an Event of Default. In exercising such judgment, the Administrative Agent may consider any factors that could materially increase the credit risk of lending to the Borrowers on the security of the Collateral. The Administrative Agent may at any time and from time to time in the exercise of its Permitted Discretion establish and increase or decrease reserves or establish eligibility criteria as set forth below; provided that, as a condition to the establishment of any new category of reserves or eligibility criteria, or any increase in reserves resulting from a change in the manner of determination thereof, prior written notice shall have been delivered to the Borrower at least three Business Days in advance thereof. The amount of any reserve established by the Administrative Agent shall have a reasonable relationship to the event, condition or other matter that is the basis for the reserve. No reserves or changes therein shall be duplicative of other reserves or matters already accounted for through eligibility criteria.

 

34


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;

(b)    carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, builders’, 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 being contested in compliance with Section 5.04;

(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 any Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;

provided that the term “Permitted Encumbrances” shall not include any Lien securing Indebtedness, except with respect to clause(d) and (e) above.

Permitted Holders” means SCF VII, L.P. and its Affiliates and any successors thereof.

Permitted Investments” means:

(a)    direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the U.S. or Canada (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of such government), in each case maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof;

(b)    investments in commercial paper maturing within 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof and having, at such date of acquisition, the highest credit rating obtainable from S&P or from Moody’s;

(c)    investments in certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits maturing within 180 days 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 U.S. or any State thereof or Canada or any province 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; and

(e)    money market funds that (i) comply with the criteria set forth in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, (ii) are rated AAA by S&P and Aaa by Moody’s and (iii) have portfolio assets of at least $5,000,000,000.

 

35


Permitted Location” means (a) premises owned by a Loan Party that is not subject to a Lien to secure Indebtedness for borrowed money (unless the holder of such Indebtedness has delivered to the Administrative Agent a Collateral Access Agreement), (b) premises leased by a Loan Party where (i) the lessor has delivered to the Administrative Agent a Collateral Access Agreement or (ii) a Reserve for rent, charges, and other amounts due or to become due with respect to such facility has been established by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion (provided that such Reserve shall be for a rental period of no more than 90 days) or (c) any other location within the United States of America or Canada at which a customer of a Loan Party is conducting operations.

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

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 any Borrower 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.

Platform” means Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak or a substantially similar electronic transmission system.

PPSA” means the Personal Property Security Act (Alberta), including the regulations thereto and related Minister’s Orders, provided that if perfection or the effect of perfection or non-perfection or the priority of any Lien created hereunder or under any other Loan Document on the Collateral is governed by the personal property security legislation or other applicable legislation with respect to personal property security in effect in any applicable jurisdiction in Canada. “PPSA” means the Personal Property Security Act or such other applicable legislation (including, the Civil Code of Quebec) in effect from time to time in such other jurisdiction in Canada for purposes of the provisions hereof relating to such perfection, effect of perfection or non-perfection or priority.

Prepayment Event” means:

(a)    any sale, transfer or other disposition (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction) of any property or asset of any Loan Party, other than dispositions described in Section 6.05(a) and dispositions between or among Loan Parties, resulting in Net Proceeds in excess of $1,000,000; or

(b)    any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Loan Party resulting in Net Proceeds in excess of $1,000,000; or

(c)    the incurrence by any Loan Party of any Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01; provided that, incurrence by any Loan Party of any Indebtedness (i) permitted under Section 6.01(l) at any time the Eligible Equipment Amount is included in the Borrowing Base shall be a Prepayment Event and (ii) permitted under Section 6.01(k) or Section 6.01(l) at any time the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are in a Cash Dominion Period shall be a Prepayment Event.

Prime Rate” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by Chase U.S. as its prime rate in effect at its principal offices 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.

 

36


Priority Payable Reserve” means reserves in respect of Collateral included in the Canadian Borrowing Base for amounts secured by any Liens, choate or inchoate, which rank or are capable of ranking in priority to the Administrative Agent’s or any other Lender Parties’ Liens and/or for amounts which may represent costs relating to the enforcement of the Administrative Agent’s Liens including, without limitation, in the Permitted Discretion of the Administrative Agent, any such amounts due and not paid for wages, vacation pay, severance pay, amounts due and not paid under any legislation relating to workers’ compensation or to employment insurance, all amounts deducted or withheld and not paid and remitted when due under the ITA, amounts currently or past due and not paid for realty, municipal or similar taxes (to the extent impacting personal or movable property) and all unfunded wind-up or solvency deficiency amounts under, and all amounts currently or past due and not contributed, remitted or paid to or under, any Canadian Pension Plan or under the Canada Pension Plan, the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) or any similar legislation other than amounts included in the Wage Earner Protection Act Reserve, or any similar statutory or other claims that would have or would reasonably be expected to have priority over or rank pari passu with any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent now or in the future.

Proceeds of Crime Act” means the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (Canada), as amended from time to time, and including all regulations thereunder.

Projections” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(e).

Protective Advance” means a U.S. Protective Advance and/or a Canadian Protective Advance.

Public-Sider” means a Lender whose representatives may trade in securities of the Company or its controlling Person or any of its Subsidiaries while in possession of the financial statements provided by the Company under the terms of this Agreement.

Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligation, each Loan Party that has total assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Loan Guaranty or grant of the relevant security interest becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or such other person as constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

Recipient” means, as applicable, (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any Issuing Bank, or any combination thereof (as the context requires).

Refinance Indebtedness” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.01(f).

Register” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.04(b).

Related Parties” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, partners, members, trustees, employees, agents, administrators, managers, representatives and advisors of such Person and such Person’s Affiliates.

Release” means any releasing, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, migrating, disposing or dumping of any substance into the environment.

Report” means reports prepared by the Administrative Agent or another Person showing the results of appraisals, field examinations or audits pertaining to the assets of the Loan Parties from information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrowers, after the Administrative Agent has exercised its rights of inspection pursuant to this Agreement, which Reports may be distributed to the Lenders by the Administrative Agent.

 

37


Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) having Credit Exposures and unused Commitments representing more than 50% of the sum of the Aggregate Credit Exposure and unused Commitments at such time; provided that, as long as there are only two Lenders, Required Lenders shall mean both Lenders.

Requirement of Law” means, with respect to any Person, (a) the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person and (b) any statute, law (including common law), treaty, rule, regulation, code, ordinance, order, decree, writ, judgment, injunction or determination of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority (including Environmental Laws), in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such Person or any of its property is subject.

Reserves” means any and all reserves which the Administrative Agent deems necessary, in its Permitted Discretion, to maintain (including, without limitation, reserves for accrued and unpaid interest on the Secured Obligations, the Priority Payable Reserve, the Wage Earner Protection Act Reserve, Banking Services Reserves, volatility reserves, reserves for rent at locations leased by any Loan Party and for consignee’s, warehousemen’s and bailee’s charges, reserves for dilution of Accounts, reserves for Inventory shrinkage, reserves for customs charges and shipping charges related to any Inventory in transit, reserves for Swap Agreement Obligations, reserves for contingent liabilities of any Loan Party, reserves for uninsured losses of any Loan Party, reserves for uninsured, underinsured, un-indemnified or under-indemnified liabilities or potential liabilities with respect to any litigation and reserves for taxes, fees, assessments, and other governmental charges) with respect to the Collateral or any Loan Party.

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 Restricted 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.

Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary. For the avoidance of doubt, each Borrower is as of the date hereof and shall remain for all purposes of this Agreement a Restricted Subsidiary.

Revolving Borrowing” means a U.S. Revolving Borrowing and/or a Canadian Revolving Borrowing, as the context requires.

Revolving Commitment” means the U.S. Revolving Commitment and/or the Canadian Revolving Commitment, as the context requires. The initial aggregate amount of the Lenders’ Revolving Commitments is $200,000,000.

Revolving Exposure” means the Dollar Equivalent Amount of the U.S. Revolving Exposure and/or Canadian Revolving Exposure, as the context requires.

Revolving Lender” means a U.S. Revolving Lender and/or a Canadian Revolving Lender, as the context requires.

 

38


Revolving Loan” means a U.S. Revolving Loan and/or a Canadian Revolving Loan, as the context requires.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business.

Sale and Leaseback Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.06.

Sanctioned Country” means, at any time, a country, region or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

Sanctioned Person” means, at any time, (a) any Person listed in any Sanctions-related list of designated Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or the U.S. Department of State, the Government of Canada, the Government of any province or territory of Canada or by the United Nations Security Council, the European Union or any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom or other relevant sanctions authority, (b) any Person operating, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country or (c) any Person owned or controlled by any such Person or Persons described in the foregoing clauses (a) or (b).

Sanctions” means all economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State, (b) the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, Her Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or (c) the Government of Canada.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission of the U.S.

Secured Obligations” means the U.S. Secured Obligations and the Canadian Secured Obligations.

Secured Parties” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) the Lenders, (c) each Issuing Bank, (d) each provider of Banking Services, to the extent the Banking Services Obligations in respect thereof constitute Secured Obligations, (e) each counterparty to any Swap Agreement, to the extent the obligations thereunder constitute Secured Obligations, (f) the beneficiaries of each indemnification obligation undertaken by any Loan Party under any Loan Document, and (g) the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing.

Securities Account Control Agreement” means an agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, among any Loan Party, any financial institution or securities intermediary holding such Loan Party’s assets, including funds and securities, or an issuer of Securities, and the Administrative Agent with respect to collection and control of all deposits, securities and other balances held in a securities account maintained by such Loan Party with such financial institution or securities intermediary.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Security” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Security Agreement.

Settlement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(f)

 

39


Settlement Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(f).

Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations” means, with respect to any Limited Conditionality Acquisition, the representations made by the parties to the agreements governing such Limited Conditionality Acquisition, in each case that are material to the interests of the Lenders, but only to the extent that the Applicable Borrower has (and/or its applicable Affiliates have) the right to terminate its (and/or such Affiliate’s) obligations under such agreement or decline to consummate such acquisition (in each case pursuant to the terms thereof) as a result of the breach of one or more of such representations in such agreement.

Specified Representations” means the representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.01, Section 3.02, Section 3.08, Section 3.13, Section 3.16, Section 3.19 and Section 3.21.

Statements” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.18(g).

Statutory Reserve Rate” means 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 percentage (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D of the Board. Eurodollar Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D of the Board or any comparable regulation. The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

Subordinated Indebtedness” of a Person means any Indebtedness of such Person the payment of and Liens securing which are subordinated to payment of, and Liens securing, the Secured Obligations to the written satisfaction of the Administrative Agent.

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 direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company or any other Loan Party, as applicable.

Swap Agreement” means any agreement with respect to any swap, forward, spot, future, credit default 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 Borrowers or the Restricted Subsidiaries shall be a Swap Agreement.

 

40


Swap Agreement Obligations” means any and all obligations of the Loan Parties, 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 (including a Person that is a party to a Swap Agreement with the Borrowers or any of their Restricted Subsidiaries that entered into such Swap Agreement before or while such Person was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, whether or not such Person at any time ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, as the case may be), and (b) any and all cancellations, buy backs, reversals, terminations or assignments of any such Swap Agreement transaction.

Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.

Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The Swingline Exposure of any Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total Swingline Exposure at such time.

Swingline Lender” means, as the context requires, the U.S. Swingline Lender or the Canadian Swingline Lender.

Swingline Loans” means, as the context requires, the U.S. Swingline Loans or the Canadian Swingline Loans.

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

Total Indebtedness” means, at any date, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries at such date, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Transactions” means (a) the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrowers of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans and other credit extensions, the use of the proceeds thereof and the issuance of Letters of Credit hereunder, (b) the Company IPO and (c) the repayment in full on or prior to the Effective Date of the Indebtedness under the Existing Credit Agreements.

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, the Alternate Base Rate, the CDOR Rate or the Canadian Prime Rate.

UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time in the State of New York or in any other state the laws of which are required to be applied in connection with the issue of perfection of security interests.

Unfinanced Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, Capital Expenditures made during such period which are not financed (a) from the proceeds of any Indebtedness (other than the Revolving Loans; it being understood and agreed that, to the extent any Capital Expenditures are financed with Revolving Loans, such Capital Expenditures shall be deemed Unfinanced Capital Expenditures) (b) with

 

41


the proceeds of the sale of an asset, (c) with capital contributions to the Company or the proceeds from the issuance of Equity Interests by the Company, (d) with casualty insurance proceeds or condemnation awards, (e) through a trade-in of existing assets, (f) as a part of an investment permitted by Section 6.04 or a Permitted Acquisition, or (g) with any combination of the foregoing .

Unliquidated Obligations” means, at any time, any Secured Obligations (or portion thereof) that are contingent in nature or unliquidated at such time, including any Secured Obligation that is: (i) an obligation to reimburse a bank for drawings not yet made under a letter of credit issued by it; (ii) any other obligation (including any guarantee) that is contingent in nature at such time; or (iii) an obligation to provide collateral to secure any of the foregoing types of obligations.

Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary of the Company designated by the Borrower Representative as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 5.15 subsequent to the date hereof, until such Person ceases to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company in accordance with Section 5.15 and (b) each Subsidiary of any Person set forth in clause (a) above.

U.S.” means the United States of America.

U.S. Availability” means, at any time, an amount equal to (a) the lesser of (i) the aggregate U.S Revolving Commitments (less the Canadian Revolving Exposure) and (ii) the U.S Borrowing Base, minus (b) the Aggregate U.S Exposure relating to the U.S Borrowers (calculated, with respect to any Defaulting Lender, as if such Defaulting Lender had funded its Applicable Percentage of all outstanding U.S. Revolving Borrowings).

U.S. Borrowers” means the Company and any other parties that are U.S. Domestic Subsidiaries (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) that become a party hereto as a “U.S. Borrower.”

U.S. Borrowing Base” means the sum of (a) 85% of the U.S. Borrowers’ Eligible Accounts at such time, plus (b) the product of 85% multiplied by the net orderly liquidation value percentage identified for such product segment in the most recent inventory appraisal ordered by the Administrative Agent multiplied by the U.S. Borrowers’ Eligible Inventory for such product segment (valued at the lower of cost (FIFO) or market), plus (c) the Eligible Equipment Amount attributable to the U.S. Borrowers, in the event any U.S. Borrower elects to add Eligible Equipment to the U.S. Borrowing Base pursuant to the definition of Eligible Equipment Amount; provided that, the U.S. Borrowing Base shall automatically exclude that portion of the Eligible Equipment Amount attributable to the U.S. Borrowers from and after the date on which a Prepayment Event described in clause (c) of the definition thereof occurs as a result of the incurrence of Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(l) which is secured in whole or in part by any Eligible Equipment of the U.S. Borrowers, plus (d) 100% of Eligible Cash of U.S. Borrowers, minus (e) at the Borrower Representative’s discretion, the Allocated U.S. Borrowing Base Amount, minus (f) Reserves established by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion.

U.S. Collateral Deposit Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

U.S. Collection Account” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

U.S. Domestic Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the U.S.

U.S. Issuing Bank” means Chase U.S., in its capacity as the issuer of U.S. Letters of Credit hereunder, and its successors in such capacity as provided in Section 2.06(i). The U.S. Issuing Bank may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more U.S. Letters of Credit to be issued by its Affiliates, in which case

 

42


the term “U.S. Issuing Bank” shall include any such Affiliate with respect to U.S. Letters of Credit issued by such Affiliate (it being agreed that such U.S. Issuing Bank shall, or shall cause such Affiliate to, comply with the requirements of Section 2.06 with respect to such U.S. Letters of Credit).

U.S. LC Exposure” means, at any time, the sum of (a) the aggregate undrawn amounts of all outstanding U.S. Letters of Credit plus (b) the aggregate amount of all LC Disbursements relating to U.S. Letters of Credit that have not been reimbursed by or on behalf of an Applicable Borrower. The U.S. LC Exposure of any U.S. Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the aggregate U.S. LC Exposure.

U.S. Letters of Credit” means the letters of credit issued pursuant to this Agreement for the account of the U.S. Borrowers, and the term “U.S. Letter of Credit” means any one of them or each of them singularly, as the context may require.

U.S. Loan Parties” means (a) the U.S. Borrowers and (b) each U.S. Domestic Subsidiary that has guaranteed the U.S. Secured Obligations pursuant to Section 5.14, and their successors and assigns. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, neither an Excluded Subsidiary nor a Foreign Subsidiary will be deemed a U.S. Loan Party.

U.S. Loans” means the U.S. Revolving Loans, the U.S. Swingline Loans and the U.S. Protective Advances.

U.S. Lock Box Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

U.S. Lock Boxes” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.13.

U.S. Obligations” means all unpaid principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the U.S. Loans, all U.S. LC Exposure, all accrued and unpaid fees and all expenses, reimbursements, indemnities and other obligations and indebtedness (including interest and fees 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 U.S. Loan Parties to any of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the U.S. 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, in each case, arising by contract, operation of law or otherwise, arising or incurred under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents or in respect of any of the U.S. Loans or any of the U.S. Letters of Credit or other instruments at any time evidencing any thereof.

U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.

U.S. Protective Advances” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.04.

U.S. Revolving Borrowing” means a Borrowing of U.S. Revolving Loans.

U.S. Revolving Commitment” means, with respect to each U.S. Revolving Lender, the commitment, if any, of such Lender to make U.S. Revolving Loans and to acquire participations in U.S. Letters of Credit and U.S. Swingline Loans hereunder, expressed as an amount representing the maximum possible aggregate amount of such Lender’s U.S. Revolving Exposure hereunder, as such commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (a) Section 2.09 and (b) assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04. The initial amount of each Lender’s U.S. Revolving Commitment

 

43


is set forth on the Commitment Schedule, or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender shall have assumed its U.S. Revolving Commitment, as applicable. The initial aggregate amount of the U.S. Revolving Lenders’ U.S. Revolving Commitments is $200,000,000.

U.S. Revolving Exposure” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the sum of (a) the outstanding principal amount of such Lender’s U.S. Revolving Loans, U.S. LC Exposure and U.S. Swingline Exposure as such time plus (b) an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage, if any, of the aggregate principal amount of all U.S. Protective Advances at such time.

U.S. Revolving Lender” means, as of any date of determination, a Lender with any U.S. Revolving Commitment or, if all the U.S. Revolving Commitments have terminated or expired, a Lender with U.S. Revolving Exposure.

U.S. Revolving Loan” means a Loan made to U.S. Borrowers pursuant to Section 2.01(a).

U.S. Secured Obligations” means all U.S. Obligations, together with all (i) Banking Services Obligations owing by U.S. Loan Parties to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates and (ii) Swap Agreement Obligations owing by U.S. Loan Parties owing to one or more Lenders or their respective Affiliates (including a Person that is a party to a Swap Agreement with the U.S. Loan Parties that entered into such Swap Agreement before or while such Person was a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, whether or not such Person at any time ceases to be a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, as the case may be); provided, however, that the definition of “U.S. Secured Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Guarantor.

U.S. Security Agreement” means that certain Pledge and Security Agreement (including any and all supplements or joinders thereto), dated as of the date hereof, among the U.S. Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

U.S. Swingline Exposure” means, at any time, the aggregate principal amount of all U.S Swingline Loans outstanding at such time. The U.S. Swingline Exposure of any U.S Revolving Lender at any time shall be its Applicable Percentage of the total U.S. Swingline Exposure at such time.

U.S. Swingline Lender” means Chase U.S., in its capacity as lender of U.S. Swingline Loans hereunder. Any consent required of the Administrative Agent or the Issuing Bank shall be deemed to be required of the U.S. Swingline Lender and any consent given by Chase in its capacity as Administrative Agent or Issuing Bank shall be deemed given by Chase in its capacity as U.S. Swingline Lender.

U.S. Swingline Loan” means a Loan made by the U.S. Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.05.

U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(B)(3).

USA PATRIOT Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.

Wage Earner Protection Act Reserve” means, on any date of determination, a reserve in respect of Collateral included in the Canadian Borrowing Base established from time to time by the

 

44


Administrative Agent in such amount as the Administrative Agent determines reflects the amounts that may become due under the Wage Earner Protection Program Act (Canada) with respect to the employees of any Loan Party employed in Canada which would give rise to a Lien with priority under applicable law over the Lien of Administrative Agent.

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.

Withholding Agent” means a Borrower, any Loan Guarantor and the Administrative Agent.

Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

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 “Eurodollar Loan”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Revolving Loan”). Borrowings also may be classified and referred to by Class (e.g., a “Revolving Borrowing”) or by Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar Borrowing”) or by Class and Type (e.g., a “Eurodollar 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 “law” shall be construed as referring to all statutes, rules, regulations, codes and other laws (including official rulings and interpretations thereunder having the force of law or with which affected Persons customarily comply) and all judgments, orders and decrees of all Governmental Authorities. 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 definition of or reference to any statute, rule or regulation shall be construed as referring thereto as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (including by succession of comparable successor laws), (c) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns (subject to any restrictions on assignments set forth herein) and, in the case of any Governmental Authority, any other Governmental Authority that shall have succeeded to any or all functions thereof, (d) 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, (e) with respect to the determination of any time period, the word “from” as used in this Agreement means “from and including” and the word “to” means “to and including”, (f) 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, (g) any reference in any definition to the phrase “at any time” or “for any period” shall refer to the same time or period for all calculations or determinations within such definition, and (h) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

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

 

45


time to time; provided that, if after the date hereof there occurs any change in GAAP or in the application thereof on the operation of any provision hereof and the Borrower Representative notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrowers request an amendment to any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of such change in GAAP or in the application thereof (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower Representative 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 (a) 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 and (b) (i) no such change shall modify or affect the manner in which compliance with the covenants contained herein is computed such that all such computations shall be conducted utilizing financial information presented consistently with prior periods and (ii) the accounting for operating leases and capital leases under GAAP as in effect on the Effective Date (including, without limitation, Accounting Standards Codification 840) shall apply for the purposes of determining compliance with the provisions of this Agreement with respect to operating leases and Capital Lease (it being understood, for avoidance of doubt, that no operating leases, or obligations in respect of operating leases, shall be treated as Capital Leases hereunder). 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 (i) without giving effect to any election under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 825-10-25 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or 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 and (ii) without giving effect to any treatment of Indebtedness in respect of convertible debt instruments under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 470-20 (or any other Accounting Standards Codification or Financial Accounting Standard having a similar result or effect) to value any such Indebtedness in a reduced or bifurcated manner as described therein, and such Indebtedness shall at all times be valued at the full stated principal amount thereof.

SECTION 1.05    Limited Conditionality Acquisitions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein (including in connection with any calculation made on a pro forma basis), to the extent that the terms of this Agreement require (i) compliance with any financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 6.12 hereof), (ii) the absence of a Default or Event of Default (or any type of Default or Event of Default), and/or (iii) the making of any representation or warranty, in each case, as a condition to (A) increasing the U.S. Revolving Commitments and/or the Canadian Revolving Commitments in order to use Revolving Loans to fund a Limited Conditionality Acquisition, (B) making a Borrowing in order to fund a Limited Conditionality Acquisition and/or (C) making a Permitted Acquisition that is a Limited Conditionality Acquisition, then (1) with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above, the determination of whether the relevant condition is satisfied may be made, at the election of the Borrower Representative (the Borrower Representative’s election to exercise such option in connection with any Limited Conditionality Acquisition, an “LCA Election”), at the time of (or on the basis of the financial statements for the most recently ended test period at the time of) either (x) the execution of the definitive agreement or irrevocable notice with respect to such Limited Conditionality Acquisition or (y) the consummation of such Limited Conditionality Acquisition, in each case, after giving effect to the relevant Limited Conditionality Acquisition (and any transaction relating thereto) on a pro forma basis and (2) with respect to clause (iii) above, the only representations and warranties that shall be required to be true and correct in order for such condition to be deemed satisfied are the Specified Representations and the applicable Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations; provided that (1) any Indebtedness to be incurred in connection with a Limited Conditionality Acquisition in reliance on a test determined pursuant to clause (i) above shall be deemed outstanding for all purposes hereunder at all times from the date of execution of the definitive agreement with respect to the applicable Limited Conditionality Acquisition through the consummation or abandonment of such Limited Conditionality Acquisition notwithstanding that such Indebtedness has not in fact been incurred, (2) in any such Limited

 

46


Conditionality Acquisition, there shall be no Event of Default of the type described in Section VII(a), Section VII(b), Section VII(h), Section VII(i) or Section VII(j) at the consummation of such Limited Conditionality Acquisition , (3) the consummation of any such Limited Conditionality Acquisition shall occur not more than, in the case of any acquisition, 90 days after the execution of the definitive agreement with respect thereto and (4) to the extent the proceeds of any Loans will be used to fund (or any Letter of Credit will be issued in connection with) a Limited Conditionality Acquisition, then on the occasion of any Borrowing of such Loans or the issuance of such Letters of Credit with respect thereto, the conditions set forth in Section 4.02(b)(ii) and 4.02(c) shall have been satisfied.

SECTION 1.06    Status of Obligations. In the event that any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall at any time issue or have outstanding any Subordinated Indebtedness, such Borrower 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 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.

SECTION 1.07    Currency Matters. Principal, interest, reimbursement obligations, fees, and all other amounts payable under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be payable in the currency in which such Obligations are denominated. Unless stated otherwise, all calculations, valuations, comparisons, measurements or determinations under this Agreement shall be made in dollars. For the purpose of such calculations, valuations, comparisons, measurements or determinations, amounts or proceeds denominated in other currencies shall be converted to the Dollar Equivalent Amount on the date of calculation, comparison, measurement or determination. Unless expressly provided otherwise, where a reference is made to a dollar amount, the amount is to be considered as the amount in dollars and, therefore, each other currency shall be converted into the Dollar Equivalent Amount.

ARTICLE II

The Credits

SECTION 2.01    Commitments. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each U.S. Revolving Lender severally (and not jointly) agrees to make U.S. Revolving Loans in dollars to the U.S. Borrowers, and each Canadian Revolving Lender severally (and not jointly) agrees to make Canadian Revolving Loans in either CAD or dollars to the Canadian Borrower from time to time during the Availability Period in an aggregate principal amount that will not result in (A) such Applicable Lender’s Revolving Exposure exceeding such Applicable Lender’s U.S. Revolving Commitment and/or Canadian Revolving Commitment, as applicable, (B) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeding the lesser of (x) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and (y) the Aggregate Borrowing Base, (C) the U.S. Revolving Exposure exceeding the lesser of (x) the U.S. Revolving Commitment and (y) the U.S. Borrowing Base, (D) the Canadian Revolving Exposure exceeding the lesser of (x) the Canadian Revolving Commitment and (y) the Canadian Borrowing Base, or (E) the U.S. Availability, the Canadian Availability or the Aggregate Availability to be less than zero, in each case, subject to the Administrative Agent’s authority, in its sole discretion, to make Protective Advances and Swingline Loans pursuant to the terms of Sections 2.04

 

47


and 2.05. Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrowers may borrow, prepay and reborrow Revolving Loans. For the avoidance of doubt, no U.S. Revolving Lender (including the Administrative Agent) shall make any U.S. Loan to the Canadian Borrower.

SECTION 2.02    Loans and Borrowings.

(a)    Each Loan (other than a Swingline Loan) shall be made as part of a Borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Class and Type made by the Lenders ratably in accordance with their respective Commitments of the applicable Class. 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. Any Protective Advance and any Swingline Loan shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Sections 2.04 and 2.05.

(b)    Subject to Section 2.14, each Borrowing shall be comprised entirely of Base Rate Loans or Non-Base Rate Loans as the Borrower Representative may request in accordance herewith, provided that all Borrowings made on the Effective Date must be made as Base Rate Borrowings but may be converted into Non-Base Rate Borrowings in accordance with Section 2.08. Each Swingline Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan. Each Lender at its option may make any Loan by causing any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of such Lender to make such Loan (and in the case of an Affiliate, the provisions of Sections 2.14, 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 shall apply to such Affiliate to the same extent as to such Lender); provided that any exercise of such option shall not affect the obligation of the Applicable Borrowers to repay such Loan in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Each Canadian Loan shall be made in Canadian Dollars (as CPR Loans or CDOR Rate Loans) or dollars (as CBR Loans or Eurodollar Loans) only. Each U.S. Loan shall be made in dollars (as ABR Loans or Eurodollar Loans) only.

(c)    At the commencement of each Interest Period for any Non-Base Rate Borrowing, such Borrowing shall be in an aggregate amount that is an integral multiple of $500,000 (or Cdn $100,000 in the case of CDOR Rate Loans) and not less than $1,000,000 (or Cdn$1,000,000 in the case of CDOR Rate Loans). Base Rate Borrowings may be in any amount. 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) Non-Base Rate Borrowings outstanding.

(d)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Borrower Representative shall not 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 Borrowings. To request a Borrowing, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such request either in writing (delivered by hand or facsimile) in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower Representative or by telephone or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent, not later than (a) in the case of a Non-Base Rate Borrowing, 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, three (3) Business Days before the date of the proposed Borrowing or (b) in the case of a Base Rate Borrowing, (x) of a U.S. Loan, noon, Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing and (y) of a Canadian Loan, 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of the proposed Borrowing; provided that any such notice of a Base Rate Borrowing to finance the reimbursement of an LC Disbursement as contemplated by Section 2.06(e) may be given not later than 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date of such proposed Borrowing. Each such telephonic Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall be confirmed promptly by hand delivery, facsimile or a communication through Electronic System to the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower Representative. Each such telephonic and written Borrowing Request shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i)    the name of the applicable Borrower(s);

 

48


(ii)    the aggregate amount of the requested Borrowing and a breakdown of the separate wires comprising such Borrowing;

(iii)    the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Business Day;

(iv)    whether such Borrowing is to be an ABR Borrowing, Eurodollar Borrowing, CBR Borrowing, CPR Borrowing or a CDOR Borrowing; and

(v)    in the case of a Non-Base Rate Borrowing, the initial Interest Period to be applicable thereto, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period.”

If no election as to the Type of Borrowing is specified, then the requested Borrowing shall be a Base Rate Borrowing. If no Interest Period is specified with respect to any requested Non-Base Rate Borrowing, then the applicable Borrower(s) 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    Protective Advances.

(a)    Subject to the limitations set forth below, the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrowers and the Lenders, from time to time in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion (but shall have absolutely no obligation to), to make Loans to the Applicable Borrower(s), on behalf of all Applicable Revolving Lenders, which the Administrative Agent, in its Permitted Discretion, deems necessary or desirable (i) to preserve or protect the Collateral, or any portion thereof, (ii) to enhance the likelihood of, or maximize the amount of, repayment of the Loans and other Obligations, or (iii) to pay any other amount chargeable to or required to be paid by the Applicable Borrowers pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including payments of reimbursable expenses (including costs, fees, and expenses as described in Section 9.03) and other sums payable under the Loan Documents (any of such Loans with respect to U.S. Borrowers, are herein referred to as “U.S. Protective Advances”    and any such Loans with respect to Canadian Borrower, the “Canadian Protective Advances”); provided that, the aggregate amount of Protective Advances outstanding at any time shall not at any time exceed $10,000,000; and provided further that, upon making such Protective Advance (A) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure after giving effect to the Protective Advances being made shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitment, (B) the U.S. Revolving Exposure after giving effect to the U.S. Protective Advances shall not exceed the U.S. Revolving Commitments, and (C) the Canadian Revolving Exposure after giving effect to the Canadian Protective Advances shall not exceed the Canadian Revolving Commitments. Protective Advances may be made even if the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 have not been satisfied. The Protective Advances shall be secured by the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent in and to the Collateral and shall constitute Secured Obligations or Canadian Secured Obligations, as applicable. All Protective Advances shall be Base Rate Borrowings. The making of a Protective Advance on any one occasion shall not obligate the Administrative Agent to make any Protective Advance on any other occasion. The Administrative Agent’s authorization to make Protective Advances may be revoked at any time by 100% of the Lenders (other than any Defaulting Lender). Any such revocation must be in writing and shall become effective prospectively upon the Administrative Agent’s receipt thereof. At any time that there is

 

49


sufficient Aggregate Availability, U.S. Availability and/or Canadian Availability, as applicable, and the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 have been satisfied, the Administrative Agent may request the Applicable Revolving Lenders to make an applicable Revolving Loan to repay a Protective Advance. At any other time the Administrative Agent may require the Applicable Revolving Lenders to fund their risk participations described in Section 2.04(b).

(b)    Upon the making of a Protective Advance by the Administrative Agent (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default), each Applicable Revolving Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the Administrative Agent, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Protective Advance in proportion to its Applicable Percentage. From and after the date, if any, on which any Applicable Revolving Lender is required to fund its participation in any Protective Advance purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such Lender, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Protective Advance.

SECTION 2.05    Swingline Loans.

(a)    The Administrative Agent, the U.S. Swingline Lender and the U.S. Revolving Lenders agree that in order to facilitate the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, promptly after the Borrower Representative requests an ABR Borrowing on behalf of any U.S. Borrower, the U.S. Swingline Lender may in its discretion (but shall not be obligated to) elect to have the terms of this Section 2.05(a) apply to such Borrowing Request by advancing, on behalf of the U.S. Revolving Lenders and in the amount requested, same day funds to the U.S. Borrowers, on the applicable Borrowing date to the Funding Account(s) of U.S. Borrowers (each such Loan made solely by the U.S. Swingline Lender pursuant to this Section 2.05(a) is referred to in this Agreement as a “U.S. Swingline Loan”), with settlement among them as to the U.S. Swingline Loans to take place on a periodic basis as set forth in Section 2.05(f). Each U.S. Swingline Loan shall be subject to all the terms and conditions applicable to other ABR Loans funded by the U.S. Revolving Lenders, except that all payments thereon shall be payable to the U.S. Swingline Lender solely for its own account. The aggregate amount of U.S. Swingline Loans outstanding at any time shall not exceed $25,000,000. The U.S. Swingline Lender shall not make any U.S. Swingline Loan if the requested U.S. Swingline Loan would cause (x) U.S. Availability to be less than zero or (y) Aggregate Availability to be less than zero. All U.S. Swingline Loans shall be ABR Borrowings.

(b)    The Administrative Agent, the Canadian Swingline Lender and the Canadian Revolving Lenders agree that in order to facilitate the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, promptly after the Borrower Representative requests a CBR Borrowing or a CPR Borrowing on behalf of the Canadian Borrower, the Canadian Swingline Lender may in its discretion (but shall not be obligated to) elect to have the terms of this Section 2.05(b) apply to such Borrowing Request by advancing, on behalf of the Canadian Revolving Lenders and in the amount requested, same day funds to the Canadian Borrower, on the applicable Borrowing date to the Funding Account(s) of Canadian Borrower (each such Loan made solely by the Canadian Swingline Lender pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) is referred to in this Agreement as a “Canadian Swingline Loan”), with settlement among them as to the Canadian Swingline Loans to take place on a periodic basis as set forth in Section 2.05(f). Each Canadian Swingline Loan shall be subject to all the terms and conditions applicable to other CBR Loans or CPR Loans, as applicable, funded by the Canadian Revolving Lenders, except that all payments thereon shall be payable to the Canadian Swingline Lender solely for its own account. The aggregate amount of Canadian Swingline Loans which shall be part of the maximum amount of U.S. Swingline Loan and not in addition to outstanding at any time shall not exceed $5,000,000. The Canadian Swingline Lender shall not make any Canadian Swingline Loan if the requested Canadian Swingline Loan would cause (x) Canadian Availability to be less than zero or (y) Aggregate Availability to be less than zero. All Canadian Swingline Loans shall be CBR Borrowings or CPR Borrowings.

 

50


(c)    Each Borrowing of Swingline Loans may be made upon the Borrower Representative’s irrevocable request to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by telephone. Each such request must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum of $250,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day. Each such telephonic request must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent of a written Borrowing Request. Promptly after receipt by the Swingline Lender of any telephonic Borrowing Request, the Swingline Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Borrowing Request and, if not, the Swingline Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender will, not later than 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the borrowing date specified in such Borrowing Request, make the amount of its Swingline Loan available to the Borrowers.

(d)    Upon the making of a U.S. Swingline Loan (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default and regardless of whether a Settlement has been requested with respect to such U.S. Swingline Loan), each U.S. Revolving Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the U.S. Swingline Lender, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such U.S. Swingline Loan in proportion to its Applicable Percentage of the U.S. Revolving Commitment. The U.S. Swingline Lender or the Administrative Agent may, at any time, require the U.S. Revolving Lenders to fund their participations. From and after the date, if any, on which any U.S. Revolving Lender is required to fund its participation in any U.S. Swingline Loan purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such U.S. Revolving Lender, such U.S. Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such U.S. Swingline Loan.

(e)    Upon the making of a Canadian Swingline Loan (whether before or after the occurrence of a Default and regardless of whether a Settlement has been requested with respect to such Canadian Swingline Loan), each Canadian Revolving Lender shall be deemed, without further action by any party hereto, to have unconditionally and irrevocably purchased from the Canadian Swingline Lender, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation in such Canadian Swingline Loan in proportion to its Applicable Percentage of the Canadian Revolving Commitment. The Canadian Swingline Lender or the Administrative Agent may, at any time, require the Canadian Revolving Lenders to fund their participations. From and after the date, if any, on which any Canadian Revolving Lender is required to fund its participation in any Canadian Swingline Loan purchased hereunder, the Administrative Agent shall promptly distribute to such Canadian Revolving Lender, such Canadian Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of all payments of principal and interest and all proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent in respect of such Canadian Swingline Loan.

(f)    The Administrative Agent, on behalf of the U.S. Swingline Lender or the Canadian Swingline Lender, as applicable, shall request settlement (a “Settlement”) with the U.S. Revolving Lenders or Canadian Revolving Lenders, as applicable, on at least a weekly basis or on any more frequent date that the Administrative Agent, elects, by notifying the applicable Revolving Lenders of such requested Settlement by facsimile, telephone, or e-mail no later than 12:00 Noon Chicago time on the date of such requested Settlement (the “Settlement Date”). With respect to Settlements involving U.S. Loans, each U.S. Lender (other than the U.S. Swingline Lender, in the case of the U.S. Swingline Loans) shall

 

51


transfer in U.S. Dollars the amount of such U.S. Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding principal amount of the applicable Loan with respect to which Settlement is requested to the Administrative Agent, to an account of the Administrative Agent as the Administrative Agent may designate, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on such Settlement Date. With respect to Settlements involving Canadian Loans, each Canadian Revolving Lender (other than the Canadian Swingline Lender, in the case of the Canadian Swingline Loans) shall transfer, in the currency in which the applicable Loan was denominated, the amount of such Canadian Revolving Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding principal amount of the applicable Loan with respect to which Settlement is requested to the Administrative Agent, to an account of the Administrative Agent as the Administrative Agent may designate, not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on such Settlement Date. Settlements may occur during the existence of a Default and whether or not the applicable conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 have then been satisfied. Such amounts transferred to the Administrative Agent shall be applied against the amounts of the Swingline Lender’s Swingline Loans and, together with Swingline Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such Swingline Loan, shall constitute Revolving Loans of such Revolving Lenders, respectively. If any such amount is not transferred to the Administrative Agent by any Revolving Lender on such Settlement Date, the applicable Swingline Lender shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Lender together with interest thereon as specified in Section 2.07.

SECTION 2.06    Letters of Credit.

(a)    General. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower Representative may request the issuance of Letters of Credit for its own account or for the account of an Applicable Borrower denominated in dollars (or with respect to Canadian Borrower, dollars or CAD) as the applicant thereof for the support of its or the other Loan Parties’ obligations, in a form reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the 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 Borrowers to, or entered into by the Borrowers with, the Issuing Bank relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. Each Applicable Borrower unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that, in connection with any Letter of Credit issued for the support of any Loan Party’s obligations as provided in the first sentence of this paragraph, such Applicable Borrower will be fully responsible for the reimbursement of LC Disbursements in accordance with the terms hereof, the payment of interest thereon and the payment of fees due under Section 2.12(b) to the same extent as if it were the sole account party in respect of such Letter of Credit (such Applicable Borrower hereby irrevocably waiving any defenses that might otherwise be available to it as a guarantor or surety of the obligations of such Restricted Subsidiary that is an account party in respect of any such Letter of Credit). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Issuing Bank shall have no obligation hereunder to issue, and shall not issue, any Letter of Credit (i) the proceeds of which would be made available to any Person (A) to fund any activity or business of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of any Sanctions or (B) in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by any party to this Agreement, (ii) if any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the Issuing Bank from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Requirement of Law relating to the Issuing Bank or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the Issuing Bank shall prohibit, or request that the Issuing Bank refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the Issuing Bank is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Effective Date, or shall impose upon the Issuing Bank any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Effective Date and which the Issuing Bank in good faith deems material to it, or (iii) if the issuance of

 

52


such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the Issuing Bank applicable to letters of credit generally; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith or in the implementation thereof, and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed not to be in effect on the Effective Date for purposes of clause (ii) above, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, issued or implemented.

(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 Borrower Representative shall deliver by hand or facsimile (or transmit through Electronic Systems, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Issuing Bank) to the Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent prior to 9:00 am, Chicago time, at least three (3) Business Days prior to 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, whether such Letter of Credit is to be issued for the account of the Canadian Borrower or a U.S. Borrower, the currency of such Letter of Credit, 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 the Issuing Bank, the applicable Borrower also shall submit a letter of credit application on the 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 Borrowers shall be deemed to represent and warrant that), after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (i) the aggregate LC Exposure shall not exceed $50,000,000, (ii) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure shall exceed the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base, (iii) the U.S. Revolving Exposure shall not exceed the lesser of the U.S. Revolving Commitments and the U.S. Borrowing Base, and (iv) Canadian Revolving Exposure shall not exceed the lesser of Canadian Revolving commitments and the Canadian Borrowing Base.

(c)    Expiration Date. Each Letter of Credit shall expire (or be subject to termination or non-renewal by notice from the Issuing Bank to the beneficiary thereof) 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, including, without limitation, any automatic renewal provision, one year after such renewal or extension) and (ii) the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date; provided, that any Letter of Credit with a one-year term may provide for the renewal thereof for additional one-year periods (which shall in no event extend beyond the date referred to in clause (ii) above) and provided, further, that the Issuing Bank may consent to an expiration date of a Letter of Credit which is on or after the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date if such Letter of Credit has been cash collateralized on terms acceptable to such Issuing Bank at least five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date. If any such Letter of Credit has not been cash collateralized on terms acceptable to such Issuing Bank at least five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date, then the Borrowers shall, on the date that is five Business Days prior to the Maturity Date, notwithstanding any conditions to Borrowing set forth herein, be deemed to have requested, and the Borrowers do hereby request under such circumstances, an ABR Borrowing in an amount equal to the LC Exposure of such Letter of Credit and such ABR Loans shall be provided to replace such LC Exposure.

 

53


(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 the Issuing Bank or the Revolving Lenders, the Issuing Bank hereby grants to each Applicable Revolving Lender, and each Applicable Revolving Lender hereby acquires from the Issuing Bank, a participation in such Letter of Credit equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the aggregate amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. In consideration and in furtherance of the foregoing, each Applicable Revolving Lender hereby absolutely and unconditionally agrees to pay in the currency of the LC Disbursement to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the Issuing Bank, such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of each LC Disbursement made by the Issuing Bank and not reimbursed by the Applicable Borrowers on the date due as provided in paragraph (e) of this Section, or of any reimbursement payment required to be refunded to the Applicable Borrowers for any reason. Each Revolving 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.

(e)    Reimbursement. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement in respect of a Letter of Credit, the Applicable Borrowers shall reimburse such LC Disbursement by paying in the currency of such LC Disbursement to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to such LC Disbursement (i) not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the date that such LC Disbursement is made, if the Borrower Representative shall have received notice of such LC Disbursement prior to 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on such date, or, (ii) if such notice has not been received by the Borrower Representative prior to such time on such date, then not later than 11:00 a.m., Chicago time, on (A) the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives such notice, if such notice is received prior to 9:00 a.m., Chicago time, on the day of receipt, or (B) the Business Day immediately following the day that the Borrower Representative receives such notice, if such notice is not received prior to such time on the day of receipt; provided that the Applicable Borrowers 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 a Base Rate Borrowing or Swingline Loan in an equivalent amount and, to the extent so financed, the Applicable Borrowers’ obligation to make such payment shall be discharged and replaced by the resulting Base Rate Borrowing or Swingline Loan. If any Applicable Borrower fails to make such payment when due, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Applicable Revolving Lender of the applicable LC Disbursement, the payment then due from the Applicable Borrowers in respect thereof and such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. Promptly following receipt of such notice, each Applicable Revolving Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent its Applicable Percentage of the payment then due from the Applicable Borrowers, 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 Applicable Revolving Lenders), and the Administrative Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuing Bank the amounts so received by it from the Applicable Revolving Lenders. Promptly following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any payment from the Applicable Borrowers pursuant to this paragraph, the Administrative Agent shall distribute such payment to the Issuing Bank or, to the extent that Applicable Revolving Lenders have made payments pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank, then to such Lenders and the Issuing Bank as their interests may appear. Any payment made by a Revolving Lender pursuant to this paragraph to reimburse the Issuing Bank for any LC Disbursement (other than the funding of Base Rate Loans or a Swingline Loan as contemplated above) shall not constitute a Loan and shall not relieve the Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse such LC Disbursement.

(f)    Obligations Absolute. The Applicable Borrowers’ joint and several 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

 

54


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 or herein, (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) any payment by the 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 Applicable Borrowers’ obligations hereunder. None of the Administrative Agent, the Revolving Lenders, the Issuing Bank or 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 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 Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not be construed to excuse the Issuing Bank from liability to the Applicable Borrowers to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages, claims in respect of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable law) suffered by any Applicable Borrower that are caused by the 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 the Issuing Bank (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction), the 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, the 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. The Issuing Bank shall, promptly following its receipt thereof, examine all documents purporting to represent a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit. The Issuing Bank shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent and the Applicable Borrowers by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) of such demand for payment and whether the 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 Applicable Borrowers of their obligation to reimburse the Issuing Bank and the Revolving Lenders with respect to any such LC Disbursement.

(h)    Interim Interest. If the Issuing Bank shall make any LC Disbursement, then, unless the Applicable Borrowers 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 Applicable Borrowers reimburse such LC Disbursement, at the rate per annum then applicable to Base Rate Loans and such interest shall be payable on the date when such reimbursement is due; provided that, if the Applicable Borrowers fail to reimburse such LC Disbursement when due pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section, then Section 2.13(d) shall apply. Interest accrued pursuant to this paragraph shall be for the account of the Issuing Bank, except that interest accrued on and after the date of payment by any Applicable Revolving Lender pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Section to reimburse the Issuing Bank shall be for the account of such Lender to the extent of such payment.

 

55


(i)    Replacement of the Issuing Bank. (i) The Issuing Bank may be replaced at any time by written agreement among the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent, the replaced Issuing Bank and the successor Issuing Bank. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Revolving Lenders of any such replacement of the Issuing Bank. At the time any such replacement shall become effective, the Applicable Borrowers 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 the 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 then outstanding and issued by it prior to such replacement, but shall not be required to issue additional Letters of Credit.

(ii)    Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Issuing Bank, the Issuing Bank may resign as an Issuing Bank at any time upon thirty days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative and the Lenders, in which case, such Issuing Bank shall be replaced in accordance with Section 2.06(i) above.

(j)    Cash Collateralization. If any Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, on the Business Day that the Borrower Representative receives notice from the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders (or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated, Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure) demanding the deposit of cash collateral pursuant to this paragraph, the Applicable Borrowers shall deposit in an account with the Administrative Agent, in the name of the Administrative Agent and for the benefit of the Applicable Revolving Lenders (the “LC Collateral Account”), an amount in cash equal to 103% of the amount of the LC Exposure as of such date plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon; provided that 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 any Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) of Article VII. Such deposit with respect to U.S. LC Exposure shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the U.S. Secured Obligations. Such deposit with respect to Canadian LC Exposure shall be held by the Administrative Agent as collateral for the payment and performance of the Canadian Secured Obligations. The Administrative Agent shall have exclusive dominion and control, including the exclusive right of withdrawal, over the LC Collateral Account and the Applicable Borrowers hereby grant the Administrative Agent a security interest in the LC Collateral Account and all money or other assets on deposit therein or credited thereto. 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 Applicable Borrowers’ risk and expense, such deposits shall not bear interest. Interest or profits, if any, on such investments shall accumulate in the LC Collateral Account. Moneys in the LC Collateral Account shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reimburse the 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 Applicable Borrowers for the LC Exposure at such time or, if the maturity of the Loans has been accelerated (but subject to the consent of Revolving Lenders with LC Exposure representing greater than 50% of the aggregate LC Exposure), be applied to satisfy other Secured Obligations. If the Applicable Borrowers are required to provide an amount of cash collateral hereunder as a result of the occurrence of such an Event of Default, such amount (to the extent not applied as aforesaid) shall be returned to the Applicable Borrowers within three (3) Business Days after all such Events of Default have been cured or waived as confirmed in writing by the Administrative Agent.

 

56


(k)    LC Exposure Determination. For all purposes of this Agreement, the amount of a Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof shall be deemed to be 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 the time of determination.

SECTION 2.07    Funding of Borrowings.

(a)    Each Lender shall make each Loan to be made by such Lender hereunder on the proposed date thereof solely by wire transfer of immediately available funds by 1:00 p.m., Chicago time, to the account of the Administrative Agent most recently designated by it for such purpose by notice to the Lenders in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage. Swingline Loans shall be made as provided in Section 2.05. The Administrative Agent will make such Loans available to the Borrower Representative by promptly crediting the funds so received in the aforesaid account of the Administrative Agent to the Funding Account; provided that Base Rate Loans made to finance the reimbursement of (i) an LC Disbursement as provided in Section 2.06(e) shall be remitted by the Administrative Agent to the Issuing Bank and (ii) a Protective Advance shall be retained by the Administrative Agent.

(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 applicable Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Applicable Borrowers severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Applicable Borrowers 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 (in the case of dollar denominated amounts) or the Administrative Agent’s cost of funds (in the case of CAD denominated amounts) and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Applicable Borrowers, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, then such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.

SECTION 2.08    Interest Elections. (a) Each Borrowing initially shall be of the Type specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and, in the case of a Non-Base Rate Borrowing, shall have an initial Interest Period as specified in such Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower Representative may elect to convert such Borrowing to a different Type or to continue such Borrowing and, in the case of a Non-Base Rate Borrowing, may elect Interest Periods therefor, all as provided in this Section. The Borrower Representative 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, provided that a Borrowing in one currency may only be converted to another type of Borrowing denominated in the same currency as the Borrowing to be so converted. This Section shall not apply to Swingline Borrowings, or Protective Advances, which may not be converted or continued.

(b)    To make an election pursuant to this Section, the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of such election by telephone or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent, by the time that a Borrowing Request would be required under Section 2.03 if the Applicable Borrowers were requesting a Borrowing of the Type

 

57


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, Electronic System or facsimile to the Administrative Agent of a written Interest Election Request in a form approved by the Administrative Agent and signed by the Borrower Representative.

(c)    Each telephonic and written Interest Election Request (including requests submitted through Electronic System) shall specify the following information in compliance with Section 2.02:

(i)    the name of the applicable Borrower and 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 a Base Rate Borrowing or a Non-Base Rate Borrowing; and

(iv)    if the resulting Borrowing is a Non-Base Rate Borrowing, the Interest Period to be applicable thereto after giving effect to such election, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of the term “Interest Period”.

If any such Interest Election Request requests a Non-Base Rate Borrowing but does not specify an Interest Period, then the Borrowers shall be deemed to have selected an Interest Period of one month’s duration.

(d)    Promptly following receipt of an Interest Election Request, the Administrative Agent shall advise each Applicable Lender of the details thereof and of such Lender’s portion of each resulting Borrowing.

(e)    If the Borrower Representative fails to deliver a timely Interest Election Request with respect to a Non-Base Rate 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 such Borrowing shall be converted to a Base Rate Borrowing. Notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, if a Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent, at the request of the Required Lenders, so notifies the Borrower Representative, then, so long as a Default is continuing (i) no outstanding Borrowing may be converted to or continued as a Non-Base Rate Borrowing and (ii) unless repaid, each Non-Base Rate Borrowing shall be converted to a Base Rate Borrowing at the end of the Interest Period applicable thereto.

SECTION 2.09    Termination and Reduction of Commitments; Increase in Revolving Commitments.

(a)    Unless previously terminated, the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.

(b)    The Borrowers may at any time terminate the Revolving Commitments upon Payment in Full of the Secured Obligations.

 

58


(c)    The Borrowers may from time to time reduce the U.S. Revolving Commitments and/or Canadian Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) each reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 in the case of the U.S. Revolving Commitments or $2,000,000 in the case of the Canadian Revolving Commitments and (ii) the Borrowers shall not terminate or reduce such Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.11, the Aggregate Revolving Exposure would exceed the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base, (B) the U.S. Revolving Exposure would exceed the lesser of the aggregate U.S. Revolving Commitments and the U.S. Borrowing Base, (C) the Canadian Revolving Exposure would exceed the lesser of the aggregate Canadian Revolving Commitments and the Canadian Borrowing Base or (D) the U.S. Revolving Commitments are terminated in their entirety without the corresponding termination of the Canadian Revolving Commitments in their entirety.

(d)    The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section at least three (3) 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 Borrower Representative pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower Representative may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower Representative (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.

(e)    The Borrowers shall have the right to increase the U.S. Revolving Commitments and/or the Canadian Revolving Commitments by obtaining additional U.S. Revolving Commitments and/or Canadian Revolving Commitments, either from one or more of the Lenders or another lending institution provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $5,000,000 in the case of the U.S. Revolving Commitments or $2,000,000 in the case of the Canadian Revolving Commitments, (ii) after giving effect thereto, the sum of the total of the additional Commitments does not exceed $100,000,000, (iv) the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank have approved the identity of any such new Lender, such approvals not to be unreasonably withheld, (v) any such new Lender assumes all of the rights and obligations of a “Lender” hereunder, and (vi) the procedure described in Section 2.09(f) has been satisfied. Nothing contained in this Section 2.09 shall constitute, or otherwise be deemed to be, a commitment on the part of any Lender to increase its Commitment hereunder at any time.

(f)    Any amendment hereto for such an increase or addition shall be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall only require the written signatures of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative and each Lender being added or increasing its Commitment, subject only to the approval of all Lenders if any such increase or addition would cause the Revolving Commitments to exceed $300,000,000. As a condition precedent to such an increase or addition, the Borrowers shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (i) a certificate of each U.S. Loan Party or Canadian Loan Party, as applicable, signed by an authorized officer of such Loan Party (A) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (B) in the case of the Applicable Borrowers, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase or addition, (1) the representations and warranties contained in Article III and the other Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made on and as of the date of such increase or addition (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier

 

59


shall be required to be true and correct in all respects), (2) no Default exists and (3) the Borrowers are in compliance (on a pro forma basis after giving effect to any additional Borrowings to be made on the effective date of such increase or addition) with any then operative covenant contained in Section 6.12 and (ii) legal opinions and documents consistent with those delivered on the Effective Date, to the extent reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

(g)    On the effective date of any such increase or addition, (i) any Lender increasing (or, in the case of any newly added Lender, extending) its U.S. Revolving Commitment or Canadian Revolving Commitment 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 or addition and the use of such amounts to make payments to such other Lenders, each Lender’s portion of the outstanding U.S. Revolving Loans or Canadian Revolving Loans, as applicable, of all the Applicable Revolving Lenders to equal its revised Applicable Percentage of such outstanding U.S. Revolving Loans or Canadian Revolving Loans, as applicable, and the Administrative Agent shall make such other adjustments among the Lenders with respect to the U.S. Revolving Loans or Canadian Revolving Loans, as applicable, then outstanding and amounts of principal, interest, commitment fees and other amounts paid or payable with respect thereto as shall be necessary, in the opinion of the Administrative Agent, in order to effect such reallocation and (ii) to the extent necessary to implement the matters set forth in clause (i) above, the Borrowers shall be deemed to have repaid and reborrowed all outstanding Revolving Loans as of the date of any increase (or addition) in the Revolving 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 Borrower Representative, 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 Non- Base Rate 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. Within a reasonable time after the effective date of any increase or addition, the Administrative Agent shall, and is hereby authorized and directed to, revise the Commitment Schedule to reflect such increase or addition and shall distribute such revised Commitment Schedule to each of the Lenders and the Borrower Representative, whereupon such revised Commitment Schedule shall replace the old Commitment Schedule and become part of this Agreement.

SECTION 2.10    Repayment and Amortization of Loans; Evidence of Debt.

(a)    The Applicable Borrowers hereby unconditionally promise to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Applicable Revolving Lender the then unpaid principal amount of each Canadian Revolving Loan or U.S. Revolving Loan, as applicable, on the Maturity Date, and (ii) to the Administrative Agent the then unpaid amount of each Protective Advance on the earlier of the Maturity Date and demand by the Administrative Agent.

(b)    At all times during a Cash Dominion Period, on each Business Day, the Administrative Agent shall apply all funds credited to the U.S. Collection Account on such Business Day or the immediately preceding Business Day (at the discretion of the Administrative Agent, whether or not immediately available) first to prepay any U.S. Protective Advances that may be outstanding and any other U.S. Obligations that are then due and payable, pro rata, second to prepay the U.S. Revolving Loans (including U.S. Swingline Loans), third if an Event of Default exists and is continuing, to cash collateralize outstanding U.S. LC Exposure, fourth to prepay any Canadian Protective Advances that may be outstanding and any other Canadian Obligations that are then due and payable, fifth to prepay the Canadian Revolving Loans and sixth, if an Event of Default exists and is continuing, to cash collateralize outstanding Canadian LC Exposure. At all times during a Cash Dominion Period, on each Business Day,

 

60


the Administrative Agent shall apply all funds credited to the Canadian Collection Account on such Business Day or the immediately preceding Business Day (at the discretion of the Administrative Agent, whether or not immediately available) first to prepay any Canadian Protective Advances that may be outstanding and any other Canadian Obligations that are then due and payable, pro rata, second to prepay the Canadian Revolving Loans (including Canadian Swingline Loans), and third to cash collateralize outstanding Canadian LC Exposure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any funds credited to the Collection Account constitute Net Proceeds, the application of such Net Proceeds shall be subject to Section 2.11(c).

(c)    Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the Indebtedness of the Borrowers 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.

(d)    The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder, the Class 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 the Borrowers 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.

(e)    The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to paragraph (c) or (d) 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 the Borrowers to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

(f)    Any Lender may request that Loans made by it be evidenced by a promissory note. In such event, the Applicable Borrowers shall prepare, execute and deliver to such Lender a promissory note payable to 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.

SECTION 2.11    Prepayment of Loans.

(a)    The Borrowers 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 paragraph (e) of this Section and, if applicable, payment of any break funding expenses under Section 2.16.

(b)    In the event and on such occasion that (i) the Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeds the lesser of (A) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and (B) the Aggregate Borrowing Base, (ii) the U.S. Revolving Exposure exceeds the lesser of (A) the U.S. Revolving Commitments and (B) the U.S. Borrowing Base, or (iii) the Canadian Revolving Exposure exceeds the lesser of (A) the Canadian Revolving Commitments and (B) the Canadian Borrowing Base, the Applicable Borrowers shall prepay the applicable Revolving Loans, LC Exposure and/or Swingline Loans or cash collateralize LC Exposure in an account with the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.06(j), as applicable, in an aggregate amount equal to such excess.

(c)    In the event and on each occasion that any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of any Prepayment Event, the Applicable Borrowers shall, immediately after such Net Proceeds are received by any Loan Party or any Restricted

 

61


Subsidiary, prepay the applicable Obligations and, if any Event of Default exists and is continuing, cash collateralize the LC Exposure as set forth in Section 2.11(d) below in an aggregate amount equal to (x) in the case of a Prepayment Event described in clause (d) of the definition of “Prepayment Event” at any time Eligible Equipment is included in the Borrowing Base and no Cash Dominion Period is in effect, the Eligible Equipment Amount and (y) in the case of all other Prepayment Events, 100% of such Net Proceeds; provided that, in the case of any event described in clause (a) or (b) of the definition of the term “Prepayment Event”, and no Cash Dominion Period is in effect, if the Borrower Representative shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that the Loan Parties intend to apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof specified in such certificate), within 270 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds, to acquire (or replace or rebuild) real property, equipment or other tangible assets (excluding inventory) to be used in the business of the applicable Loan Parties, and certifying that no Default has occurred and is continuing, then either (i) so long as full cash dominion is not in effect, no prepayment shall be required pursuant to this paragraph in respect of the Net Proceeds specified in such certificate or (ii) if full cash dominion is in effect, then, if the Net Proceeds specified in such certificate are to be applied to acquire, replace or rebuild such assets by (A) any U.S. Borrower, such Net Proceeds of a U.S. Borrower shall be applied by the Administrative Agent (1) first to reduce the outstanding principal balance of the U.S. Revolving Loans until paid in full and second to reduce the outstanding principal balance of the Canadian Revolving Loans if the applicable property or asset is owned by a U.S. Loan Party or (2) to reduce the outstanding principal balance of the Canadian Revolving Loans (in each case without a permanent reduction of the applicable Revolving Commitment) and upon such application, the Administrative Agent may in its Permitted Discretion, establish a Reserve against the Aggregate Borrowing Base, the U.S. Borrowing Base, and/or the Canadian Borrowing Base, as applicable, in an amount not to exceed the amount of such proceeds so applied, (B) the Canadian Borrower, such Net Proceeds of the Canadian Borrower shall be applied by the Administrative Agent to reduce the outstanding balance of the Canadian Revolving Loans, and (C) any Loan Party that is not a Borrower, such Net Proceeds shall be deposited in a cash collateral account for the U.S Loan Parties or the Canadian Loan Parties, and in the case of either (A) or (B), thereafter, such funds shall be made available to the applicable Loan Parties as follows:

(1)    the Borrower Representative shall request a Borrowing (specifying that the request is to use Net Proceeds pursuant to this Section) or the applicable Loan Party shall request a release from the cash collateral account be made in the amount needed;

(2)    so long as the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 have been met, the Applicable Revolving Lenders shall make such Borrowing or the Administrative Agent shall release funds from the cash collateral account; and

(3)    in the case of Net Proceeds applied against any Borrowing, the Reserve established with respect to such insurance proceeds shall be reduced by the amount of such Borrowing;

provided that to the extent of any such Net Proceeds therefrom that have not been so applied by the end of such 270 day period, a prepayment shall be required at such time in an amount equal to such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will U.S. Obligations be repaid pursuant to this Section 2.11(c) if such Net Proceeds are received by any Restricted Subsidiary that is an Excluded Subsidiary or a Foreign Subsidiary.

(d)    All such amounts pursuant to Section 2.11(c) (as to any insurance or condemnation proceeds, to the extent they arise from casualties or losses to Equipment, Fixtures Inventory and real property) shall be applied, first to prepay any Protective Advances that may be outstanding, pro rata, and second to prepay the Revolving Loans (including Swingline Loans) without a corresponding reduction in

 

62


the Revolving Commitments and, if an Event of Default exists and is continuing to cash collateralize outstanding LC Exposure. If the precise amount of insurance or condemnation proceeds allocable to Inventory as compared to Equipment, Fixtures and real property is not otherwise determined, the allocation and application of those proceeds shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, in its Permitted Discretion.

(e)    The Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent (and, in the case of prepayment of a Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender) by telephone (confirmed by facsimile) or through Electronic System, if arrangements for doing so have been approved by the Administrative Agent, of any prepayment hereunder not later than (i) 10:00 a.m., Chicago time, (A) in the case of prepayment of a Non-Base Rate Borrowing, three (3) Business Days before the date of prepayment, or (B) in the case of prepayment of a Base Rate Borrowing, one (1) Business Day before 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 Revolving 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 Borrowing, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each partial prepayment of any Borrowing shall be in an amount that would be permitted in the case of an advance of a Borrowing of the same Type as provided in Section 2.02. Each prepayment of a Borrowing shall be applied first to Base Rate Borrowings and second to Non-Base Rate Borrowings and otherwise ratably to the Revolving 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, if any, pursuant to Section 2.16.

SECTION 2.12    Fees.

(a)    The Applicable Borrowers agree 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 the Revolving Commitments terminate. Accrued commitment fees shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the first day of each calendar quarter and on the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate, commencing on the first such date to occur after the date hereof. 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 Applicable Borrowers agree to pay (i) to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Applicable Revolving 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 Non-Base Rate Loans on the average daily amount of such Lender’s applicable 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 Revolving Commitment terminates and the date on which such Lender ceases to have any applicable LC Exposure, and (ii) to the Issuing Bank a fronting fee, which shall accrue at the rate of 0.125% per annum on the average daily amount of the LC Exposure (excluding any portion thereof attributable to unreimbursed LC Disbursements) attributable to applicable Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank during the period from and including the Effective Date to but excluding the later of the date of termination of the Revolving Commitments and the date on which there ceases to be any applicable LC Exposure, as well as the Issuing Bank’s standard fees and commissions with respect to the issuance, amendment, cancellation, negotiation, transfer, presentment, renewal or extension of any applicable Letter of Credit or processing of drawings thereunder. Participation fees and fronting fees accrued through and including the last day of

 

63


each calendar quarter shall be payable on the first day of each calendar quarter 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 Revolving Commitments terminate and any such fees accruing after the date on which the Revolving Commitments terminate shall be payable on demand. Any other fees payable to the 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).

(c)    The Applicable Borrowers agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon between the Applicable Borrowers and the Administrative Agent.

(d)    All fees payable hereunder shall be paid on the dates due, in immediately available funds, to the Administrative Agent (or to the 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 (i) each ABR Borrowing (including each U.S. Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate, (ii) each CBR Borrowing (including each Canadian Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Canadian Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate, (iii) each CPR Borrowing (including each Canadian Swingline Loan) shall bear interest at the Canadian Prime Rate plus the Applicable Rate.

(b)    The Loans comprising each Eurodollar Borrowing shall bear interest at the Adjusted LIBO Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate and Loans comprising each CDOR Borrowing shall bear interest at the CDOR Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such Borrowing plus the Applicable Rate.

(c)    Each U.S. Protective Advance shall bear interest at the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for U.S. Revolving Loans plus, at the option of the Required Lenders, 2% and each Canadian Protective Advance shall bear interest at the Canadian Prime Rate (if denominated in CAD) or at the Canadian Base Rate (if denominated in dollars) plus the Applicable Rate for Canadian Revolving Loans plus, at the option of the Required Lenders, 2% per annum.

(d)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the occurrence and continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may, at their option, by notice to the Borrower Representative (which notice may be revoked at the option of the Required Lenders notwithstanding any provision of Section 9.02 requiring the consent of “each Lender affected thereby” for reductions in interest rates), declare that (i) all Loans (other than U.S. Protective Advances and Canadian Protective Advances) shall bear interest at 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to such Loans as provided in the preceding paragraphs of this Section or (ii) in the case of any other amount outstanding hereunder (other than U.S. Protective Advances and Canadian Protective Advances), such amount shall accrue at 2% plus the rate applicable to such fee or other obligation as provided hereunder.

(e)    Accrued interest on each Loan (for Base Rate Loans, accrued through the last day of the prior calendar quarter) shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan and upon termination of the Commitments; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to paragraph (d) 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 a Base Rate Loan prior to the end of the Availability Period), accrued interest on the

 

64


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 Non-Base Rate 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.

(f)    All interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that interest computed by reference to the Alternate Base Rate, the Canadian Base Rate, the Canadian Prime Rate or CDOR Rate shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), 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, Canadian Base Rate, Canadian Prime Rate, CDOR Rate, Adjusted LIBO Rate or LIBO Rate shall be determined by the Administrative Agent, and such determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(g)    For purposes of disclosure pursuant to the Interest Act (Canada), the annual rates of interest or fees to which the rates of interest or fees provided in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (and stated herein or therein, as applicable, to be computed on the basis of 360 days or any other period of time less than a calendar year) are equivalent are the rates so determined multiplied by the actual number of days in the applicable calendar year and divided by 360 or such other period of time, respectively.

SECTION 2.14    Alternate Rate of Interest; Illegality.

(a)     If prior to the commencement of any Interest Period for a Non-Base Rate Borrowing:

(i)    the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining, (including, without limitation, by means of an Interpolated Rate) the Adjusted LIBO Rate, the LIBO Rate or the CDOR Rate, as applicable, for such Interest Period; or

(ii)    the Administrative Agent is advised by the Required Lenders that the Adjusted LIBO Rate, the LIBO Rate or the CDOR Rate, as applicable, for the applicable Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders (or Lender) of making or maintaining their Loans included in such Borrowing for such Interest Period;

then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower Representative and the Lenders through Electronic System as provided in Section 9.01 as promptly as practicable thereafter and, until the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower Representative 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 Borrowing to, or continuation of any Borrowing as, a Eurodollar Borrowing or CDOR Borrowing, as the case may be, shall be ineffective and any such Eurodollar Borrowing or CDOR Borrowing, as the case may be, shall be repaid or converted into a Base Rate Borrowing on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable thereto, and (ii) if any Borrowing Request requests a Eurodollar Borrowing or CDOR Borrowing, as the case may be, such Borrowing shall be made as a Base Rate Borrowing.

(b)    If any Lender determines that any Requirement of Law has made it unlawful, or if any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable lending office to make, maintain, fund or continue any Type of Non-Base Rate Borrowing, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower Representative through the Administrative Agent, any obligations of such Lender to make, maintain, fund or continue such Type of Non-Base Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Borrowings to Eurodollar Borrowings will be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower

 

65


Representative that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrowers will upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), either convert all of such Type of Non-Base Rate Borrowings of such Lender to Base Rate Borrowings, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Type of Non-Base Rate Borrowings to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrowers will also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

SECTION 2.15    Increased Costs.

(a)    If any Change in Law shall:

(i)    impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, liquidity or similar requirement (including any compulsory loan requirement, insurance charge or other assessment) 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 the Issuing Bank;

(ii)    impose on any Lender or the Issuing Bank or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (in each case, other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein; or

(iii)    subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting into or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Applicable Borrowers will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

(b)    If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of, or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Applicable Borrowers will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

66


(c)    A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the 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 Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Applicable Borrowers shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

(d)    Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the Issuing Bank’s right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the 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 the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower Representative of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the 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 Non-Base Rate 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 Non-Base Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the failure to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Non-Base Rate Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto (regardless of whether such notice may be revoked under Section 2.09(d) and is revoked in accordance therewith), or (d) the assignment of any Non-Base Rate Loan other than on the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.19 or 9.02(d), then, in any such event, the Applicable Borrowers shall compensate each Lender for the loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Non-Base Rate Loan, 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 Non-Base Rate Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate or the CDOR Rate that would have been applicable to such Non-Base Rate 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 Non-Base Rate 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 dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other banks in the eurodollar market, or for the CAD deposits of a comparable amount and period to such CDOR Rate Loan from other banks in the Canadian bankers acceptance 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 Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Applicable Borrowers shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.

SECTION 2.17    Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up.

(a)    Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant

 

67


Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding of Indemnified Taxes has been made (including such deductions and withholdings applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.17) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.

(b)    Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrowers. The applicable Loan Party shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for, Other Taxes.

(c)    Evidence of Payment. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, such Loan Party 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.

(d)    Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally (but subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.23) indemnify each Recipient, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Loan Party by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

(e)    Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).

(f)    Status of Lenders. (i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent to

 

68


determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

(ii)    Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any Borrower is a U.S. Person,

(A)    any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), an executed IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. Federal backup withholding tax;

(B)    any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be reasonably requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

(1)    in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, an executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. Federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

(2)    in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, an executed IRS Form W-8ECI;

(3)    in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of a Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) an executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable; or

(4)    to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the Beneficial Owner, an executed IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2 or Exhibit E-3, an executed

 

69


IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each Beneficial Owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

(C)    any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be reasonably requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. Federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

(D)    if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. Federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

(iii)    On or before the date on which JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (and any successor or replacement Administrative Agent) becomes the Administrative Agent hereunder, it shall deliver to the Borrower Representative executed originals of either (i) IRS Form W-9, or (ii) IRS Form W-8ECI (with respect to any payments to be received on its own behalf) and IRS Form W-8IMY (for all other payments), establishing that each Borrower can make payments to the Administrative Agent without deduction or withholding of any Taxes imposed by the United States, including Taxes imposed under FATCA.

Each Recipient agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

(g)    Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section 2.17 (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section 2.17), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section 2.17 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket

 

70


expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts giving rise to such refund had never been paid. This paragraph (g) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.

(h)    Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 2.17 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.

(i)    Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term “Lender” includes any Issuing Bank and the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.

SECTION 2.18    Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Set-offs.

(a)    The Borrowers shall make each payment required to be made by them 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 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, 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 to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 10 South Dearborn Street, Floor L2, Chicago, Illinois, except payments to be made directly to the 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 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. All payments hereunder shall be made in the currency in which the applicable Obligations are denominated, and, if not otherwise specified, in dollars.

(b)    Any proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent (i) not constituting either (A) a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents (which shall be applied as specified by the Borrowers), (B) a mandatory prepayment (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.11) or (C) amounts to be applied from the Collection Account when full cash dominion is in effect (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.10(b)) or (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct, shall:

(1) with respect to Collateral of U.S. Loan Parties, be applied ratably first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements owing by the U.S. Loan Parties including amounts then due to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank from the

 

71


Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), second, to pay any fees, indemnities or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the U.S. Loan Parties (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), third, to pay interest due in respect of the U.S. Protective Advances, fourth, to pay the principal of the U.S. Protective Advances, fifth, to pay interest then due and payable on the U.S. Loans (other than the U.S. Protective Advances) ratably, sixth, to prepay principal on the U.S. Loans (other than the U.S. Protective Advances) and unreimbursed LC Disbursements owing by the U.S. Loan Parties, seventh, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to one hundred three percent (103%) of the aggregate U.S. LC Exposure, to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations, eighth, to pay any amounts owing from U.S. Loan Parties with respect to Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations up to and including the amount most recently provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.22, ninth, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party by the U.S. Loan Parties, and tenth, to make payments set forth in clause (2) below. Notwithstanding the foregoing amounts received from any Loan Party shall not be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Loan Party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, unless so directed by the Borrower Representative, or unless a Default is in existence, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall apply any payment which it receives to any Non-Base Rate Loan of a Class, except (a) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable thereto or (b) in the event, and only to the extent, that there are no outstanding Base Rate Loans of the same Class and, in any such event, the Borrowers shall pay the break funding payment required in accordance with Section 2.16. 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.

(2) with respect to Collateral of Canadian Loan Parties, be applied ratably: first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements owing by the Canadian Loan Parties including amounts then due to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank from the Canadian Borrower (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), second, to pay any fees, indemnification or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the Canadian Loan Parties (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), third, to pay interest due in respect of the Canadian Protective Advances, fourth, to pay the principal of the Canadian Protective Advances, fifth, to pay interest then due and payable on the Canadian Loans (other than the Canadian Protective Advances) ratably, sixth, to prepay principal on the Canadian Loans (other than the Canadian Protective Advances) and unreimbursed Canadian LC Disbursements owing by Canadian Loan Parties, seventh, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to one hundred three percent (103%) of the aggregate Canadian LC Exposure, to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations, eighth, to pay any amounts owing with respect to Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations of the Canadian Loan Parties up to and including the amount most recently provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.22, and ninth, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Canadian Loan Parties.

(c)    At the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees, costs and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan

 

72


Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder whether made following a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.03 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.23. The Applicable Borrowers hereby irrevocably authorize (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agrees that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans (including Swingline Loans, but such a Borrowing may only constitute a Protective Advance if it is to reimburse costs, fees and expenses as described in Section 9.03) and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Section 2.03, 2.04 or 2.05, as applicable, and (ii) the Administrative Agent to charge any deposit account of any Applicable Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due from the Applicable Borrowers hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.

(d)    If, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, 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 Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other similarly situated Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the applicable 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 all such Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective 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 the Borrowers 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 or Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrowers 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. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, a Lender may not exercise any right of set-off or counterclaim against, or otherwise apply, Collateral of a Canadian Loan Party to, or with respect to, any of the U.S. Obligations.

(e)    Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower Representative prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank hereunder that the Applicable Borrowers will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Applicable Borrowers have made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Applicable Borrowers have not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or 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.

 

73


(f)    If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it hereunder, then the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), (i) apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations hereunder until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid and/or (ii) hold any such amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender hereunder. Application of amounts pursuant to (i) and (ii) above shall be made in any order determined by the Administrative Agent in its discretion.

(g)    The Administrative Agent may from time to time provide the Borrowers with account statements or invoices with respect to any of the Secured Obligations (the “Statements”). The Administrative Agent is under no duty or obligation to provide Statements, which, if provided, will be solely for the Borrowers’ convenience. Statements may contain estimates of the amounts owed during the relevant billing period, whether of principal, interest, fees or other Secured Obligations. If the Applicable Borrowers pay the full amount indicated on a Statement on or before the due date indicated on such Statement, the Applicable Borrowers shall not be in default of payment with respect to the billing period indicated on such Statement; provided, that acceptance by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, of any payment that is less than the total amount actually due at that time (including but not limited to any past due amounts) shall not constitute a waiver of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ right to receive payment in full at another time.

SECTION 2.19    Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

(a)    If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Applicable Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts 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 Applicable Borrowers hereby agree 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 of the Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts 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 Borrowers may, at their 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 (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement and other 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 Borrowers shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and in circumstances where its consent would be required under Section 9.04, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender), 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 Borrowers (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 Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

74


SECTION 2.20    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 Revolving Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);

(b)    such Defaulting Lender shall not have the right to vote on any issue on which voting is required (other than to the extent expressly provided in Section 9.02(b)) and the Commitment and Revolving Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02) or under any other Loan Document; provided, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, this clause (b) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender directly affected thereby;

(c)    if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time a Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

(i)    all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that (w) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower Representative shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrowers shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), (x) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Exposures plus such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Commitments, (y) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ U.S. Revolving Exposure plus such Defaulting Lender’s U.S. LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ U.S. Revolving Commitment and (z) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Canadian Revolving Exposure plus such Defaulting Lender’s Canadian LC Exposure does not exceed the total of all Non-Defaulting Lenders’ Canadian Revolving Commitment;

(ii)    if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Applicable Borrowers shall within one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank, the Applicable Borrowers’ obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s applicable LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;

(iii)    if the Applicable Borrowers cash collateralize any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrowers shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s applicable LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender’s applicable LC Exposure is cash collateralized;

 

75


(iv)    if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.12(a) and 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Applicable Percentages; and

(v)    if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

(d)    so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend, renew, extend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that the related exposure and such Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrowers in accordance with Section 2.20(c), and Swingline Exposure related to any such newly made Swingline Loan or LC Exposure related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to the Parent of any Lender shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Swingline Lender shall not be required to fund any Swingline Loan and the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrowers or such Lender, satisfactory to the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.

In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers, the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment and on the date of such readjustment such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

SECTION 2.21    Returned Payments. If after receipt of any payment which is applied to the payment of all or any part of the Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff), the Administrative Agent or any Lender is for any reason compelled to surrender such payment or proceeds to any Person because such payment or application of proceeds is invalidated, declared fraudulent, set aside, determined to be void or voidable as a preference, impermissible setoff, or a diversion of trust funds, or for any other reason (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion), then the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued and this Agreement shall continue in full force as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent or such Lender. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall be and remain effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may have been taken by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in reliance upon such payment or application of proceeds. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

76


SECTION 2.22    Banking Services and Swap Agreements. Each Lender or Affiliate thereof providing Banking Services for, or having Swap Agreements with, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, promptly after entering into such Banking Services or Swap Agreements, written notice setting forth the aggregate amount of all Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations of such Loan Party or Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof to such Lender or Affiliate (whether matured or unmatured, absolute or contingent). In addition, each such Lender or Affiliate thereof shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, from time to time after a significant change therein or upon a request therefor, a summary of the amounts due or to become due in respect of such Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations. The most recent information provided to the Administrative Agent shall be used in determining the amounts to be applied in respect of such Banking Services Obligations and/or Swap Agreement Obligations pursuant to Section 2.18(b) and which tier of the waterfall, contained in Section 2.18(b), such Banking Services Obligations and/or Swap Agreement Obligations will be placed.

SECTION 2.23    Excess Resulting From Exchange Rate Change. With respect to the Revolving Commitments, if at any time following one or more fluctuations in the exchange rate of the CAD against the dollar, (i) Aggregate Revolving Exposure exceeds the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base or (ii) the Canadian Revolving Exposure exceeds the lesser of Canadian Revolving Commitments and the Canadian Borrowing Base, the Borrowers shall, within two Business Days of notice from the Administrative Agent (x) make the necessary payments or repayments to reduce such Revolving Exposure to an amount necessary to eliminate such excess or (y) maintain or cause to be maintained with the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Secured Parties) deposits as continuing collateral security for the Obligations in an amount equal to or greater than the amount of such excess, such deposits to be maintained in such form and upon such terms as are acceptable to the Administrative Agent. Without limiting the foregoing provisions, the Administrative Agent shall, weekly or more frequently in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent, make the necessary exchange rate calculations to determine whether any such excess exists on such date and advise the Borrower Representative such excess exists.

ARTICLE III

Representations and Warranties

Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Lenders that:

SECTION 3.01    Organization; Powers. Each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary is duly organized, validly existing and 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 to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business, and is in good standing, in every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.

SECTION 3.02    Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Loan Party’s organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary organizational actions and, if required, actions by equity holders. Each Loan Document to which each Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its 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

 

77


Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents or which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law applicable to any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture or other material agreement or instrument binding upon any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary or the assets of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any asset of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, except Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents.

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 (i) as of and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, reported on by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, certified by its Financial Officer. 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 Restricted Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments (all of which, when taken as a whole, would not be materially adverse) and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.

(b)    No event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, since March 31, 2017.

SECTION 3.05    Properties.

(a)    As of the date of this Agreement, Schedule 3.05 sets forth the address of each parcel of real property that is owned or leased by any Loan Party. Each of such leases and subleases is valid and enforceable in accordance with its terms and is in full force and effect, and no material default by any party to any such lease or sublease exists. Each of the Loan Parties and each of its Restricted Subsidiaries has good and indefeasible title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its real and personal property, free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02.

(b)    Each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to its business as currently conducted, and the use thereof by each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary does not infringe in any material respect upon the rights of any other Person.

SECTION 3.06    Litigation and Environmental Matters.

(a)    There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing against or affecting any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (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 (other than the Disclosed Matters) or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.

(b)    Except for the Disclosed Matters (i) no Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or knows of any basis for any

 

78


Environmental Liability that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) and 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, no Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary (A) 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, (B) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (C) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (D) knows of any basis for any Environmental Liability.

(c)    Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.07    Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default. Except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary is in compliance with (i) all Requirements of Law applicable to it or its property and (ii) all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property. No Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 3.08    Investment Company Status. No Loan Party is required to register as an “investment company” as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.

SECTION 3.09    Taxes. Each Loan Party and each Restricted Subsidiary has timely filed or caused to be filed all material Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all material Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except to the extent constituting Permitted Encumbrances, no tax liens have been filed and no claims are being asserted with respect to any such material taxes.

SECTION 3.10    ERISA: Canadian Pension Plans.

(a)    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 the fair market value of the assets of such Plan by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, 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 or subsequent recodification thereof, as applicable) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of all such underfunded Plans by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(b)    Each Canadian Loan Party and its Subsidiaries is in compliance with the requirements of the Pension Benefits Act (Ontario) and other federal or provincial laws with respect to each Canadian Pension Plan or Canadian Benefit Plan, except where the failure to so comply would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No fact or situation that may reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect exists in connection with any Canadian Pension Plan or Canadian Benefit Plan. Neither any Canadian Loan Party nor any of its Subsidiaries has any material withdrawal

 

79


liability in connection with a Canadian Pension Plan or Canadian Benefit Plan. No Pension Event has occurred. No Lien has arisen, choate or inchoate, in respect of any Canadian Loan Party or its Subsidiaries or their property in connection with any Canadian Pension Plan (save for contribution amounts not yet due) or Canadian Benefit Plan.

(c)    No Loan Party contributes to, sponsors or maintains a Canadian Pension Plan which contains a “defined benefit provision” as defined in subsection 147.1(i) of the ITA (“a Canadian Defined Benefit Plan”).

SECTION 3.11    Disclosure. The Loan Parties have disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary 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 any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (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 Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date.

SECTION 3.12    Material Agreements. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.12, no Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary is in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the material obligations, covenants or conditions contained in (i) any material agreement to which it is a party or (ii) any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing Material Indebtedness.

SECTION 3.13    Solvency.

(a)    Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Loan Parties on a consolidated basis, at a fair valuation, will exceed their consolidated debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Loan Parties on a consolidated basis will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of their consolidated debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) each Loan Party will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; (iv) no Loan Party will have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date; and (v) each Canadian Loan Party shall not be an “insolvent person” as such term is defined in the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada).

(b)    No Loan Party intends to, nor will permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, and no Loan Party believes that it or any Restricted Subsidiary will, incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by it or any such Restricted Subsidiary and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its Indebtedness or the Indebtedness of any such Restricted Subsidiary.

SECTION 3.14    Insurance. Schedule 3.14 sets forth a description of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties as of the Effective Date. As of the Effective Date, all premiums in respect of such insurance have been paid. Each Borrower maintains, and has caused each Restricted Subsidiary to maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance on all their

 

80


real and personal property in such amounts, subject to such deductibles and self-insurance retentions and covering such properties and risks as are adequate and customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.

SECTION 3.15    Capitalization and Subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date, Schedule 3.15 sets forth (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Company of each and all of the Company’s Subsidiaries, (b) a true and complete listing of each class of each Borrower’s authorized Equity Interests, all of which issued Equity Interests are validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and owned beneficially and of record, as of the Effective Date, by the Persons identified on Schedule 3.15, and (c) the type of entity of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party 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. There are no outstanding commitments or other obligations of any Loan Party 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 any Loan Party other than the Company.

SECTION 3.16    Security Interest in Collateral. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on all of the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party and all third parties, 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 Administrative Agent pursuant to any applicable law or agreement and (b) Liens perfected only by possession (including possession of any certificate of title) to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain possession of such Collateral.

SECTION 3.17    Employment Matters. As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing. The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties and their Restricted Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Employee Standards Act (Ontario), An Act Respecting Labour Standards (Québec) or any other applicable Federal, state, provincial, territorial or local or foreign law dealing with such matters, except to the extent any such violation could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. All payments due from any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, on account of wages, vacation pay and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, including with respect to the Canadian Pension Plans or the Canadian Benefit Plans, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with GAAP, except to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 3.18    Federal Reserve Regulations. No part of the proceeds of any Loan or Letter of Credit has 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 3.19    Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans have been used and will be used, whether directly or indirectly as set forth in Section 5.08.

SECTION 3.20    No Burdensome Restrictions. No Loan Party is subject to any Burdensome Restrictions except Burdensome Restrictions permitted under Section 6.10.

 

81


SECTION 3.21    Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Subject to Section 5.16(c), each Loan Party has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors and, to the knowledge of such Loan Party, its employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects and are not knowingly engaged in any activity that would reasonably be expected to result in any Loan Party being designated as a Sanctioned Person. None of (a) any Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or employees, or (b) to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary, any agent of such Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds, Transaction or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.

SECTION 3.22    Affiliate Transactions. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.22, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no existing or proposed agreements, arrangements, understandings or transactions between any Loan Party and any of the officers, members, managers, directors, key stockholders, parents, holders of other Equity Interests, employees or Affiliates (other than Restricted Subsidiaries) of any Loan Party or any members of their respective immediate families (but excluding compensation or option agreements with employees, officers, members, managers or directors), in each case, with a monetary value in excess of $5,000,000.

SECTION 3.23    Common Enterprise. The successful operation and condition of each of the Loan Parties is dependent on the continued successful performance of the functions of the group of the Loan Parties as a whole and the successful operation of each of the Loan Parties is dependent on the successful performance and operation of each other Loan Party. Each Loan Party expects to derive benefit (and its board of directors or other governing body has determined that it may reasonably be expected to derive benefit), directly and indirectly, from (i) successful operations of each of the other Loan Parties and (ii) the credit extended by the Lenders to the Borrowers hereunder, both in their separate capacities and as members of the group of companies. Each Loan Party has determined that execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and any other Loan Documents to be executed by such Loan Party is within its purpose, in furtherance of its direct and/or indirect business interests, will be of direct and/or indirect benefit to such Loan Party, and is in its best interest.

SECTION 3.24    EEA Financial Institutions. No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

ARTICLE IV

Conditions

SECTION 4.01    Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank 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)    Credit Agreement and Other Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto either (A) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page of this Agreement) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement, (ii) either (A) a counterpart of each other Loan Document signed on behalf of each party thereto or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile or other electronic transmission of a signed signature

 

82


page thereof) that each such party has signed a counterpart of such Loan Document and (iii) such other certificates, documents, instruments and agreements as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including any promissory notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.10(f) payable to each such requesting Lender and a written opinion of the Loan Parties’ counsel, addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.

(b)    Financial Statements and Projections. The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for the, 2015 and 2016 fiscal years, (ii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as reflected in the audited, consolidated financial statements described in clause (i) of this paragraph and (iii) satisfactory projections through 2021.

(c)    Closing Certificates; Certified Certificate of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date and executed by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, which shall (A) certify the resolutions of its Board of Directors, members or other body authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (B) identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of the Borrower Representative, its Financial Officers, and (C) contain appropriate attachments, including the certificate or articles of incorporation or organization of each Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party and a true and correct copy of its by-laws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, and (ii) a good standing certificate for each Loan Party from its jurisdiction of organization or the substantive equivalent available in the jurisdiction of organization for each Loan Party from the appropriate governmental officer in such jurisdiction.

(d)    No Default Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by a Financial Officer of each Borrower and each other Loan Party, dated as of the Effective Date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct as of such date, and (iii) certifying as to any other factual matters as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.

(e)    Fees. The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel), on or before the Effective Date.

(f)    Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search in each jurisdiction where the Loan Parties are organized and where the assets of the Loan Parties are located, and such search shall reveal no Liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a pay-off letter or other documentation satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(g)    Pay-Off Letters; No Indebtedness. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory pay-off letters for all existing Indebtedness to be repaid from the proceeds of the initial Borrowing or otherwise to be repaid on or prior to the Effective Date, confirming that (i) all Liens upon

 

83


any of the property of the Loan Parties constituting Collateral will be terminated concurrently with such payment and all letters of credit issued or guaranteed as part of such Indebtedness shall have been cash collateralized or supported by a Letter of Credit and (ii) except for cash collateralized letters of credit described in clause (i) above, after giving effect to the initial Borrowing hereunder on the Effective Date, the Loan Parties shall have no other Indebtedness for borrowed money outstanding.

(h)    Funding Accounts. The Administrative Agent shall have received a notice setting forth the deposit accounts of the U.S. Borrowers and the Canadian Borrower (the “Funding Accounts”) to which the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrowers to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.

(i)    Customer List. The Administrative Agent shall have received a true and complete customer list for the Company and its Subsidiaries, which list shall state the customer’s name, mailing address and phone number and shall be certified as true and correct by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative.

(j)    Solvency. The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate signed by a Financial Officer dated the Effective Date.

(k)    Borrowing Base Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Base Certificate which calculates the Canadian Borrowing Base and the U.S. Borrowing Base as of April 30, 2017.

(l)    Closing Liquidity. After giving effect to all Borrowings to be made on the Effective Date, the issuance of any Letters of Credit on the Effective Date and the payment of all fees and expenses due hereunder, and with all of the Loan Parties’ indebtedness, liabilities, and obligations current, the Company’s Liquidity shall not be less than $50,000,000.

(m)    [Pledged Equity Interests; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing the Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any) pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Collateral Documents endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof.]2

(n)    Filings, Registrations and Recordings. Each document (including any UCC or PPSA financing statement) required by the Collateral Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of itself, the Lenders and the other Secured Parties, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.

(o)    Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of insurance coverage in form, scope, and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and otherwise in compliance with the terms of Section 5.10 hereof and Section 4.12 of each of the U.S. Security Agreement and the Canadian Security Agreement.

 

 

2  Contingent upon cooperation of agents under existing credit facilities.

 

84


(p)    Letter of Credit Application. If a Letter of Credit is requested to be issued on the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed letter of credit application (whether standalone or pursuant to a master agreement, as applicable).

(q)    Tax Withholding. The Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed and signed IRS Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable, for each Loan Party.

(r)    Corporate Structure. The corporate structure, capital structure and other material debt instruments, material accounts and governing documents of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

(s)    Field Examination. The Administrative Agent or its designee shall have conducted a field examination of the Loan Parties’ Accounts, Inventory and related working capital matters and of the Borrowers’ related data processing and other systems, the results of which shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(t)    Legal Due Diligence. The Administrative Agent and its counsel shall have completed all legal due diligence, the results of which shall be reasonably satisfactory to Administrative Agent.

(u)    Appraisal(s). The Administrative Agent shall have received an appraisal of the Loan Parties’ Inventory from one or more firms satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, which appraisal shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

(v)    USA PATRIOT Act, Etc. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have received all documentation and other information required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act, for each Loan Party.

(w)    Initial Public Offering. The Company IPO shall have occurred in accordance with its terms.

(x)    Other Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or their respective counsel may have reasonably requested.

The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, on [            ] [    ], 2017 (and, in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments shall terminate at such time).

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 Bank 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 Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made 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 (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects).

 

85


(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, (i) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) no Protective Advance shall be outstanding; provided that a Protective Advance may be outstanding at the time of such Borrowing to the extent that such Protective Advance is being repaid or refinanced simultaneously with such Borrowing.

(c)    After giving effect to any Borrowing or the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit, (i) Aggregate Availability and (ii) as applicable, U.S. Availability or Canadian Availability shall not be less than zero.

(d)    Except as disclosed in writing to the Administrative Agent prior to the Effective Date, no event shall have occurred and no condition shall exist which has or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

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), (b), (c) and (d) of this Section.

Notwithstanding the failure to satisfy the conditions precedent set forth in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, but shall have no obligation to, continue to make Loans and an Issuing Bank may, but shall have no obligation to, issue, amend, renew or extend, or cause to be issued, amended, renewed or extended, any Letter of Credit for the ratable account and risk of Lenders from time to time if the Administrative Agent believes that making such Loans or issuing, amending, renewing or extending, or causing the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of, any such Letter of Credit is in the best interests of the Lenders.

ARTICLE V

Affirmative Covenants

Until all of the Secured Obligations have been Paid in Full, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lenders that:

SECTION 5.01    Financial Statements; Borrowing Base and Other Information. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent each Lender:

(a)    within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, the audited consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, all reported on by PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP or other independent public accountants of recognized national standing without a “going concern” or like qualification, commentary or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit (other than a qualification with respect to refinancing of Indebtedness) 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 Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, accompanied by any management letter prepared by said accountants;

 

86


(b)    within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, the consolidated balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of such 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, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2018, all certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Restricted 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), a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative in substantially the form of Exhibit C (a “Compliance Certificate”) (i) certifying, in the case of the financial statements delivered under clause (b), as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) 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, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating the calculation of the Leverage Ratio and, if applicable, compliance with Section 6.12(a) and Section 6.12(b) and (iv) 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)    concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above beginning with the fiscal year of the Company ending December 31, 2017, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether they obtained knowledge during the course of their examination of such financial statements of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines);

(e)    as soon as available but in any event no later than sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) of the Company for each fiscal quarter of the upcoming fiscal year (the “Projections”) in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

(f)    as soon as available but in any event within twenty (20) days of the end of each calendar month, and at such other times as may be necessary to re-determine Aggregate Availability or as may be requested by the Administrative Agent, as of the period then ended, a Borrowing Base Certificate and supporting information in connection therewith including, without limitation, a designation by the Borrower Representative of the Allocated U.S. Borrowing Base Amount, if any, that shall be allocated to the Canadian Borrowing Base under clause (e) of the definition thereof until the next delivery of the Borrowing Base Certificate pursuant to this clause (f), together with any additional reports with respect to the U.S. Borrowing Base and the Canadian Borrowing Base as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request; provided that during an Enhanced Reporting Period, in addition to the foregoing, on the third (3) Business Day of each week, Borrower Representative shall deliver a Borrowing Base Certificate, with respect to the prior week;

 

87


(g)    as soon as available but in any event within twenty (20) days of the end of each calendar month (and weekly during an Enhanced Reporting Period, on the third (3rd) Business Day of each week) and at such other times as may be requested by the Administrative Agent, as of the period then ended, all delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(i)    a detailed aging of the Borrowers’ Accounts, including all invoices aged by invoice date and due date (with an explanation of the terms offered), prepared in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, together with a summary specifying the name, address, and balance due for each Account Debtor;

(ii)    a schedule detailing the Borrowers’ Inventory, in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, by location (showing Inventory in transit, any Inventory located with a third party under any consignment, bailee arrangement, or warehouse agreement), by product type, and by volume on hand, which Inventory shall be valued at the lower of cost (determined on a first-in, first-out basis) or market and adjusted for Reserves as the Administrative Agent has previously indicated to the Borrower Representative are deemed by the Administrative Agent to be appropriate;

(iii)    a worksheet of calculations prepared by the Borrowers to determine Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory, such worksheets detailing the Accounts and Inventory excluded from Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory and the reason for such exclusion;

(h)    as soon as available but in any event within twenty (20) days of the end of each calendar month and at such other times as may be requested by the Administrative Agent, as of the month then ended, a schedule and aging of the Borrowers’ accounts payable, delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

(i)    concurrently with the annual field examination and at any time promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request, an updated customer list for each Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, which list shall state the customer’s name, mailing address and phone number, delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Administrative Agent and certified as true and correct by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative;

(j)    promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request:

(i)    copies of invoices issued by the Borrowers in connection with any Accounts, credit memos, shipping and delivery documents, and other information related thereto;

(ii)    copies of purchase orders, invoices, and shipping and delivery documents in connection with any Inventory purchased by any Loan Party; and

(iii)    a schedule detailing the balance of all intercompany accounts of the Loan Parties;

(k)    promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request, as of the period then ended, the Borrowers’ sales journal, cash receipts journal (identifying trade and non-trade cash receipts) and debit memo/credit memo journal;

(l)    concurrently with the annual field examination and at any time promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request, a certificate of good standing or the substantive equivalent available in the jurisdiction of incorporation, formation or organization for each Loan Party from the appropriate governmental officer in such jurisdiction;

 

88


(m)    [reserved];

(n)    promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other reports, proxy statements and other materials filed by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by any Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;

(o)    promptly after any request therefor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k)(1) of ERISA that any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l)(1) of ERISA that any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if a Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the applicable Borrower or the applicable ERISA Affiliate shall promptly make a request for such documents and notices from such administrator or sponsor and shall provide copies of such documents and notices promptly after receipt thereof; and

(p)    promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, material changes in ownership of Equity Interests, business affairs and financial condition of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request.

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a) or (b) (to the extent 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 earliest of such date (i) on which such documents are delivered by e-mail to the Administrative Agent, (ii) on which the Company posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Company’s website on the Internet or (iii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrowers’ behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (A) the Borrower Representative shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent upon its reasonable request to the Borrower Representative to deliver such paper copies and (B) the Borrower Representative shall arrange for the notification of the Administrative Agent (by telecopier or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) (unless posted by the Administrative Agent). The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery or to maintain copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower Representative with any such request for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

SECTION 5.02    Notices of Material Events. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt (but in any event within any time period that may be specified below) written notice of the following:

(a)    the occurrence of any Default;

(b)    receipt of any notice of any investigation by a Governmental Authority or any litigation or proceeding commenced or threatened in writing against any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary that (i) seeks damages in excess of $5,000,000, (ii) seeks injunctive relief, (iii) is asserted or instituted against any Plan, its fiduciaries or its assets and asserts liability on the part of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary in excess of $5,000,000, (iv) alleges criminal misconduct by any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary, (v) alleges the violation of, or seeks to impose remedies under, any Environmental Law or related Requirement of Law, or seeks to impose Environmental Liability in excess of $5,000,000,

 

89


(vi) asserts liability on the part of any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary in excess of $5,000,000 in respect of any tax, fee, assessment, or other governmental charge, or (vii) involves any material product recall;

(c)    any Lien (other than Permitted Encumbrances) or material claim made or asserted against any of the Collateral;

(d)    any loss, damage, or destruction to the Collateral in the amount of $5,000,000 or more, whether or not covered by insurance;

(e)    within two (2) Business Days of receipt thereof, any and all default notices received under or with respect to any leased location or public warehouse where Collateral included in the U.S. Borrowing Base or Canadian Borrowing Base is located;

(f)    all material amendments to any material agreement evidencing or related to Material Indebtedness to which any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party, together with a copy of each such amendment;

(g)    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 liability of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount exceeding $5,000,000; and

(h)    any other development that results, 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 Borrower Representative 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. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, (a) do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect (A) its legal existence and (B) except to the extent the failure to do so could not be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits material to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted except to the extent the failure to do so could not be reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, amalgamation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03, and (b) carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted and fields of business reasonably incidental thereto.

SECTION 5.04    Payment of Obligations. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3.12, each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, pay or discharge all Material Indebtedness and all other material liabilities and obligations, including material Taxes, 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) such Loan Party 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; provided, however, that each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, remit withholding taxes and other payroll taxes to appropriate Governmental Authorities as and when claimed to be due, notwithstanding the foregoing exceptions.

 

90


SECTION 5.05    Maintenance of Properties. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

SECTION 5.06    Books and Records; Inspection Rights. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, (a) 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 and (b) permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender (including employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any consultants, accountants, lawyers, agents and appraisers retained by the Administrative Agent), upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to conduct at such Loan Party’s premises field examinations of such Loan Party’s assets, liabilities, books and records, including examining and making extracts from its books and records, 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. Each Loan Party acknowledges that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain Reports pertaining to such Loan Party’s assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. The Applicable Borrowers shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of one (1) field examination during any 12-month period; provided that and one (1) additional field examination (for the total of two (2) such field examinations during any 12-month period) conducted at any time when Aggregate Availability falls below the greater of (i) $15,000,000 and (ii) 15% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and Aggregate Borrowing Base. Additionally, there shall be no limitation on the number or frequency of field examinations if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and the Applicable Borrowers shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of any field examinations conducted while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

SECTION 5.07    Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, (i) comply with each Requirement of Law 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, except, in each case, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Party will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

SECTION 5.08    Use of Proceeds.

(a)    The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will be used only for working capital and for general corporate purposes of the Loan Parties in the ordinary course of business. No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit 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. Letters of Credit will be issued only to support the Loan Parties.

(b)    No Borrower will request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and no Borrower shall use, and each Borrower shall ensure that its Subsidiaries and its and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (a) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (b) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, to the extent that such activities, businesses or transaction would be prohibited by Sanctions if conducted by a corporation incorporated in the United States or the European Union, or (c) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.

 

91


SECTION 5.09    Accuracy of Information. The Loan Parties will ensure that any information, including financial statements or other documents, furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder contains no 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, and the furnishing of such information shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in this Section 5.09; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date.

SECTION 5.10    Insurance. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers having a financial strength rating of at least A- by A.M. Best Company (a) insurance in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks (including, without limitation: 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 (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent upon its request, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.

SECTION 5.11    Casualty and Condemnation. The Borrowers will (a) furnish to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders 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 and (b) ensure that the Net Proceeds of any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds, condemnation awards or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.

SECTION 5.12    Appraisals. At any time that the Administrative Agent requests, each Borrower will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, provide the Administrative Agent with appraisals or updates thereof of its Inventory and, if the Eligible Equipment Amount is then in effect, Equipment, and prepared on a basis satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, such appraisals and updates to include, without limitation, information required by any applicable Requirement of Law. The Applicable Borrowers shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of (i) one Inventory appraisal during any period of twelve consecutive calendar months and (ii) one additional inventory appraisal in the event Aggregate Availability falls below the greater of (a) $15,000,000 and (b) 15% of the lesser of (i) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and (ii) the Aggregate Borrowing Base. Additionally, there shall be no limitation on the number or frequency of appraisals if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and the Applicable Borrowers shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of any such appraisals conducted while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. In addition, a one-time appraisal of the Eligible Equipment will be conducted in the event that the Acquisition contemplated in accordance with clause (p) of Permitted Acquisitions is consummated.

 

92


SECTION 5.13    Depository Banks; Collection and Application of Collateral Proceeds.

(a)    Within ninety (90) days following the Effective Date (or such later date as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent), each Loan Party will maintain Chase as its principal depository and disbursement bank, including for the maintenance of operating, administrative, cash management, collection and other deposit accounts for the conduct of its business.

(b)    Within ninety (90) days following the Effective Date, or, with respect to any Subsidiary that becomes a U.S. Loan Party after the Effective Date, within thirty (30) days following the date on which such Person becomes a U.S. Loan Party (in each case, or such later date as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) each U.S. Loan Party shall (a) execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent Deposit Account Control Agreements for each Deposit Account (other than Excluded Accounts) maintained by such Loan Party, and (b) establish lock box service (the “U.S. Lock Boxes”) with the relevant bank(s) which Lock Boxes shall be subject to the relevant Deposit Account Control Agreement or otherwise subject to irrevocable lockbox agreements reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (each, a “U.S. Lock Box Agreement”).

(c)    Within ninety (90) days following the Effective Date, or, with respect to any Subsidiary that becomes a Canadian Loan Party after the Effective Date, within thirty (30) days following the date on which such Person becomes a Canadian Loan Party (in each case, or such later date as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent) each Canadian Loan Party shall (a) execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent Deposit Account Control Agreements for each Deposit Account (other than Excluded Accounts) maintained by such Loan Party (each, a “Canadian Collateral Deposit Account” and collectively with each U.S. Collateral Deposit Account, the “Collateral Deposit Accounts”), and (b) establish lock box service (the “Canadian Lock Boxes” and collectively with the U.S. Lock Boxes, the “Lock Boxes”) with the relevant bank(s) which Lock Boxes shall be subject to the relevant Deposit Account Control Agreement or otherwise subject to irrevocable lockbox agreements reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (each, a “Canadian Lock Box Agreement” and collectively with the U.S. Lock Box Agreements, the “Lock Box Agreements”).

(d)    Subject to the grace periods set forth above, each Loan Party shall direct all of its Account Debtors to forward payments directly to Collateral Deposit Accounts or Lock Boxes subject to Deposit Account Control Agreements or Lock Box Agreements, as applicable. During a Cash Dominion Period the Administrative Agent shall have sole access to the Collateral Deposit Accounts and Lock Boxes and each Loan Party shall take all actions necessary to grant the Administrative Agent such access. At no time during a Cash Dominion Period shall any Loan Party remove any item from a Lock Box or a Collateral Deposit Account without the Administrative Agent’s prior written consent. If any Loan Party should refuse or neglect to notify any Account Debtor to forward payments directly to a Collateral Deposit Account or Lock Box subject to a Deposit Account Control Agreement or Lock Box Agreement, as applicable, after notice from the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to make such notification directly to such Account Debtor. If notwithstanding the foregoing instructions, any Loan Party receives any proceeds of any Collateral, such Loan Party shall receive such payments as the Administrative Agent’s trustee, and shall promptly deposit all cash, checks or other similar payments related to or constituting payments made in respect of Collateral received by it to a Collateral Deposit Account. During a Cash Dominion Period, all funds deposited into any Lock Box or Collateral Deposit Account subject to a Lock Box Agreement or a Collateral Deposit Account, as applicable, will be swept on a daily basis into a U.S. collection account maintained by such Loan Party with the Administrative Agent (the “U.S. Collection Account”) or a Canadian collection account maintained by such Loan Party with the Administrative Agent (the “Canadian Collection Account” and collectively with the U.S. Collection Account, the “Collection Accounts” and each a “Collection Account”). The Administrative Agent shall hold and apply funds received into the Collection Account as provided by the terms of Section 2.10(b).

 

93


(e)    (i) Within ninety (90) days following the Effective Date with respect to any Deposit Account (other than an Excluded Account), Securities Account or Commodity Account maintained as of the Effective Date, each Loan Party shall cause each bank or financial institution to enter into a Deposit Account Control Agreement, Securities Account Control Agreement or Commodity Account Control Agreement, as applicable, with the Administrative Agent in order to give the Administrative Agent Control of such Deposit Account, Securities Account or Commodity Account, as applicable, and (ii) after the Effective Date, before opening or replacing any Collateral Deposit Account or other Deposit Account (other than an Excluded Account), Securities Account, Commodity Account, or establishing a new Lock Box, each Loan Party shall cause each bank or financial institution in which it seeks to open (A) a Deposit Account, Securities Account or Commodity Account to enter into a Deposit Account Control Agreement, Securities Account Control Agreement or Commodity Account Control Agreement, as applicable, with the Administrative Agent in order to give the Administrative Agent Control of such Deposit Account, Securities Account or Commodity Account and, with respect to any such Deposit Account, provide for a daily sweep into the Collection Account during a Cash Dominion Period, or (B) a Lock Box, to enter into a Lock Box Agreement with the Administrative Agent in order to give the Administrative Agent Control of the Lock Box and provide for a daily sweep into the Collection Account during a Cash Dominion Period. In the case of Deposit Accounts or Lock Boxes maintained with Lenders, the terms of such letter shall be subject to the provisions hereof regarding setoffs.

SECTION 5.14    Additional Collateral; Further Assurances. (a) Subject to any applicable Requirement of Law, each U.S. Loan Party will cause each of its U.S. Domestic Subsidiaries that is a Restricted Subsidiary, other than an Excluded Subsidiary, formed or acquired after the date of this Agreement to become a U.S. Loan Party by executing a Joinder Agreement. Upon execution and delivery thereof, each such U.S. Domestic Subsidiary (i) shall automatically become a Loan Guarantor hereunder and thereupon shall have all of the rights, benefits, duties and obligations in such capacity under the Loan Documents and (ii) will grant Liens to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, in any property of such Loan Party which constitutes Collateral. Subject to any applicable Requirement of Law, the Canadian Borrower will cause each of its Subsidiaries, other than an Excluded Subsidiary, formed or acquired after the date of this Agreement to become a Canadian Loan Party by executing a guaranty of the Canadian Obligations.

(b)    Each Loan Party will cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each of its Domestic Subsidiaries, other than an Excluded Subsidiary, and (ii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2) in each Foreign Subsidiary or Excluded Subsidiary directly owned by such Borrower in each case, so long as the ability of the Lenders and the other Secured Parties to be paid in full will not be impaired, to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents or other security documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request.

(c)    Without limiting the foregoing, each (i) U.S. Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary of such U.S. Loan Party (other than Excluded Subsidiaries), and (ii) Canadian Loan Party will, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary of such Canadian Loan Party (other than Excluded Subsidiaries) to, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative 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, and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by any Requirement of Law or which the Administrative 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

 

94


perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and all at the expense of the Applicable Borrowers (subject to the limitations of Section 9.23).

(d)    If any material assets (other than material assets of a type that would constitute Excluded Collateral) are acquired by any Loan Party after the Effective Date (other than assets constituting Collateral under the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement that become subject to the Lien under the Security Agreement upon acquisition thereof), the Borrower Representative will (i) notify the Administrative Agent thereof and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations or Canadian Secured Obligations, as the case may be, and (ii) take, and cause each applicable Loan Party to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (c) of this Section, all at the expense of the Applicable Borrowers.

SECTION 5.15    Designation of Subsidiaries.

(a)    The Company may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Borrower) as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary by written notice to the Administrative Agent; provided, that (i) immediately before and after such designation, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (ii) no Restricted Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if after such designation it would be a “restricted subsidiary” for the purpose of any other Material Indebtedness, and (iii) no Restricted Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if it was previously designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and then redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary.

(b)    The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an investment by the Company therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Company’s investment therein as determined in good faith by the Borrower Representative and the investment resulting from such designation must otherwise be in compliance with Section 6.04 (as determined at the time of such designation). The designation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary shall constitute the incurrence at the time of designation of any Indebtedness or Liens of such Subsidiary existing at such time and a return on any investment by the Company in such Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided, that (i) solely for the purpose of calculating the outstanding amounts of investments under Section 6.04 made in respect of any Unrestricted Subsidiary being redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary, upon such redesignation the Company shall be deemed to continue to have an outstanding investment in such Subsidiary in an amount (if positive) equal to (a) the Company’s investment in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation less (b) the fair market value of the net assets of such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation attributable to the Company’s ownership of such Subsidiary and (ii) solely for purposes of Section 5.14(a), any Unrestricted Subsidiary designated as a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been acquired on the date of such designation. Any property transferred to or from an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be valued at its fair market value at the time of such transfer, in each case as determined in good faith by the Borrower Representative.

SECTION 5.16    Post-Closing Conditions.

(a)    For a period of sixty (60) days after the Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree), the Applicable Borrowers shall exert commercially reasonable efforts to obtain each Collateral Access Agreement to be provided pursuant to Section 4.13 of the Security Agreement.

 

95


(b)    Within forty-five (45) days after the Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree), the Borrowers shall have delivered evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that First Call Well Service, LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company, has been dissolved or merged into a Loan Party.

(c)    Within ninety (90) days after the Effective Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree), the Borrowers shall have delivered evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that each Loan Party has implemented policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.

ARTICLE VI

Negative Covenants

Until all of the Secured Obligations have been Paid in Full, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lenders that:

SECTION 6.01    Indebtedness. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

(a)    the Secured Obligations;

(b)    Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and extensions, renewals, refinancings and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) hereof;

(c)    Indebtedness of any Borrower to any other Loan Party or any Subsidiary thereof and of any other Loan Party to any Borrower or any other Loan Party or Subsidiary thereof, provided that (i) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04, (ii) Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (iii) Indebtedness owing by any Loan Party to any other Loan Party shall be restricted to (A) Indebtedness between and among U.S. Loan Parties, (B) Indebtedness between and among Canadian Loan Parties, and (C) Indebtedness owing by the Canadian Borrower to the U.S. Borrowers (together with outstanding Guarantees permitted under Section 6.01(d)(iv)(C)) up to a maximum aggregate amount at any time outstanding of $25,000,000;

(d)    Guarantees by any Borrower of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of any Borrower or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01, (ii) Guarantees by any Borrower or any other Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be subject to Section 6.04 (iii) Guarantees permitted under this clause (d) shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on the same terms as the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is subordinated to the Secured Obligations and (iv) Guarantees by any Loan Party of any Indebtedness of any other Loan Party shall be restricted to (A) Guarantees between and among U.S. Loan Parties, (B) Guarantees between and among Canadian Loan Parties, and (C) Guarantees by the U.S. Borrowers of Indebtedness of the Canadian Borrower (together with outstanding Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c)(iii)(C)) up to a maximum aggregate amount at any time outstanding of $25,000,000 (exclusive of the Loan Guaranty);

 

96


(e)    Indebtedness of any Loan Party incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets (whether or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), 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 in accordance with clause (f) below; 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) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) below, shall not exceed $50,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(f)    Indebtedness which represents extensions, renewals, refinancing or replacements (such Indebtedness being so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced being referred to herein as the “Refinance Indebtedness”) of any of the Indebtedness described in clauses (b), (e), (i), (j) and (k) hereof (such Indebtedness being referred to herein as the “Original Indebtedness”); provided that (i) such Refinance Indebtedness does not increase the principal amount or interest rate of the Original Indebtedness, (ii) any Liens securing such Refinance Indebtedness are not extended to any additional property of any Loan Party, (iii) no Loan Party that is not originally obligated with respect to repayment of such Original Indebtedness is required to become obligated with respect to such Refinance Indebtedness, (iv) such Refinance Indebtedness does not result in a shortening of the average weighted maturity of such Original Indebtedness, (v) the terms of such Refinance Indebtedness are not less favorable in any material respect to the obligor thereunder than the original terms of such Original Indebtedness and (vi) if such Original Indebtedness was subordinated in right of payment to the Secured Obligations, then the terms and conditions of such Refinance Indebtedness must include subordination terms and conditions that are at least as favorable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as those that were applicable to such Original Indebtedness;

(g)    Indebtedness owed to any Person providing workers’ compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(h)    Indebtedness of any Loan Party in respect of performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations, in each case provided in the ordinary course of business;

(i)    Subordinated Indebtedness;

(j)    Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under any revolving credit facility) of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is incurred as part of a Permitted Acquisition (including seller paper) in connection with such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (j), together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) above, shall not exceed $25,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(k)    other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $200,000,000 at any time outstanding;

(l)    other secured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (i) $50,000,000 or (ii) two (2) times EBITDA for the most recent consecutive four fiscal quarters then ended before the incurrence of such Indebtedness for which financial statements have been provided to the Lenders, and guarantee obligations of any Loan Party in respect thereof; provided that, such Indebtedness and any guarantees in respect thereof (x) that are secured by any Collateral shall be subject

 

97


to an intercreditor agreement or in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders or (y) are secured by Liens that do not encumber any assets of any Loan Party except for fixed or capital assets (including Equipment and real property), it being understood that, upon the Borrower Representatives request, the Administrative Agent shall release its Lien in fixed or capital assets (including Equipment) to be secured by such Indebtedness;

(m)    Indebtedness in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

(n)    Indebtedness arising from the endorsement of instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;

(o)    Indebtedness owed to any Person providing (or any Person who provides financing for) property, casualty, liability, or other insurance to any Loan Party, so long as the amount of such Indebtedness is not in excess of the amount of the unpaid cost of, and shall be incurred only to defer the cost of, such insurance;

(p)    Indebtedness incurred under a Sale and Leaseback Transaction permitted by Section 6.06, to the extent such transaction does not constitute an operating lease;

(q)    contingent liabilities in respect of any indemnification obligation, adjustment of purchase price, non-compete, earn-out, or similar obligation of any Loan Party incurred with respect to Permitted Acquisitions or any other investments permitted by this Agreement;

(r)    Indebtedness representing deferred compensation to employees of the Company or any Loan Party incurred in the ordinary course of business;

(s)    Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding consisting of obligations under deferred compensation or similar arrangements incurred in connection with the Transactions, Permitted Acquisitions or any other investments permitted by this Agreement;

(t)    Indebtedness in respect of (i) overdraft and related liabilities arising from treasury, depository and cash management services, any automated clearing house transfers of funds or any corporate purchasing and travel and entertainment card services or (ii) netting services, overdraft protections and similar arrangements, in each case in connection with deposit accounts in the ordinary course of business; and

(u)    Indebtedness consisting of letters of credit in existence as of the Effective Date and set forth in Schedule 6.01.

For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 6.01, in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Indebtedness described in the clauses set forth above, the Borrowers shall, in their sole discretion, be permitted to classify and reclassify or later divide, classify or reclassify such item of Indebtedness (or any portion thereof) in one or more of the applicable categories of Indebtedness as they deem appropriate.

SECTION 6.02    Liens. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted 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) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:

(a)    Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

98


(b)    Permitted Encumbrances;

(c)    any Lien on any property or asset of any Loan Party 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 such Loan Party or any other Loan Party 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;

(d)    Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by any Loan Party; provided that (i) such Liens secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 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 plus reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith and (iv) such Liens shall not apply to any other property or assets of such Loan Party or any other Loan Party;

(e)    any Lien existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) prior to the acquisition thereof by any Loan Party or existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) of any Person that becomes a Loan Party after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party 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 Loan Party, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;

(f)    Liens of a collecting bank arising in the ordinary course of business under Section 4-208 of the UCC in effect in the relevant jurisdiction covering only the items being collected upon;

(g)    Liens arising out of Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

(h)    Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statements regarding leases entered into by the Loan Parties in the ordinary course of business;

(i)    Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(i); provided that, such Liens are subordinated to the Liens securing the Secured Obligations to the written satisfaction of the Administrative Agent;

(j)    Liens to the extent constituting interests of a licensee, sub-licensee, lessee or sub-lessee in Property owned by a Loan Party and licensed, sub-licensed, leased or subleased to such Persons in the ordinary course of business;

(k)    Liens encumbering Equity Interests issued by a joint venture that is not a Restricted Subsidiary and arising under rights of first offer, rights of first refusal, tag-along rights, drag-along rights, and other customary restrictions on the transfer of such Equity Interests contained in organizational documents governing the terms of such joint venture to which a Loan Party is a party or by which such Person is bound;

 

99


(l)    Liens of landlords and mortgagees of landlords (i) arising by statute or under any lease or related contractual obligation entered into in the ordinary course of business, (ii) on fixtures and movable tangible property located on the real property leased or subleased from such landlord, and (iii) for amounts not yet due or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves or other appropriate provisions are maintained on the books of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

(m)    Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by any Loan Party in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement with respect to a Permitted Acquisition or any other investment permitted by this Agreement;

(n)    Liens on the applicable insurance policies, the premiums for which are financed by the Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(o) and Liens on any proceeds thereof or premiums with respect thereto, in each case, securing the Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.1(o);

(o)    any interest or title of a lessor under any lease entered into by any Loan Party in the ordinary course of business and covering only the assets so leased;

(p)    Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

(q)    Liens on cash advances in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in a Permitted Acquisition or other investment permitted by this Agreement or to be applied against the purchase price for such Permitted Acquisition or other investment, solely to the extent such investment or purchase, as the case may be, would have been permitted on the date of the creation of such Lien;

(r)    Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(l); provided that, such Liens (i) to the extent secured by any Collateral, are subject to an intercreditor agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders or (ii) do not encumber any assets of any Loan Party except for fixed or capital assets (including Equipment and real property), in each case, that do not constitute Collateral; and

(s)    Liens securing Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(u).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section 6.02 may at any time attach to any Loan Party’s (1) Accounts, other than those permitted under clause (a) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances and clause (a) above or (2) Inventory, other than those permitted under clauses (a) and (b) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances and clause (a) above.

SECTION 6.03    Fundamental Changes.

(a)    No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any U.S. Loan Party may merge into another U.S. Loan Party so long as if a U.S. Borrower is involved in such transaction, such U.S. Borrower is the surviving entity, (ii) any Canadian Loan Party may merge or amalgamate into or with another Canadian Loan Party so long as if the Canadian Borrower is involved in such transaction, the resulting entity will be the Canadian Borrower and (iii) any Unrestricted Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower which owns such Subsidiary determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of such Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; and (iv) any merger or

 

100


consolidation in connection with a Permitted Acquisition or an investment permitted by Section 6.04 may occur, provided that following any such merger or consolidation (1) involving a Borrower, a Borrower is the surviving or resulting entity and (2) involving a Restricted Subsidiary, the surviving or resulting entity shall be a Loan Party.

(b)    No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, engage in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrowers and their Restricted Subsidiaries on the date hereof and businesses reasonably related thereto.

(c)    No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, change its fiscal year from the basis in effect on the Effective Date.

(d)    No Loan Party will change the accounting basis upon which its financial statements are prepared.

SECTION 6.04    Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, form any subsidiary after the Effective Date, or purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger or amalgamation with any Person that was not a Loan Party and a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any evidences of Indebtedness or Equity Interests 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 (whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise), except:

(a)    Permitted Investments, subject to control agreements in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties or otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties;

(b)    investments in existence on the date hereof and described in Schedule 6.04;

(c)    investments by the Borrowers and the Restricted Subsidiaries in Equity Interests in their respective Subsidiaries, provided that (A) any such Equity Interests held by a Loan Party shall be pledged pursuant to the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as the case may be (subject to the limitations applicable to Equity Interests of an Excluded Subsidiary and a Foreign Subsidiary referred to in Section 5.14 and limitations set forth in Section 9.23) and (B) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in Unrestricted Subsidiaries (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs but net of any return on capital);

(d)    loans or advances made by any Loan Party to any Subsidiary and made by any Subsidiary to a Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (A) any such loans and advances made by a Loan Party to a non Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note pledged pursuant to the U.S. Security Agreement or the Canadian Security Agreement, as the case may be, (B) the amount of such loans and advances made by Loan Parties to Unrestricted Subsidiaries (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs but net of any return on capital) and (C) loans and advances made or owing by any Loan Party to or from any other Loan Party shall be restricted to (1) loans and advances between and among U.S. Loan Parties, (2) loans and advances between and among Canadian Loan Parties and (3) loans and advances by the U.S. Borrowers to the Canadian Borrower subject to the terms of Section 6.01(c)(iii)(C);

 

101


(e)    Guarantees constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01, provided that (i) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of Unrestricted Subsidiaries that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs but net of any return on capital) and (ii) Guarantees by any Loan Party of any Indebtedness of any other Loan Party shall be restricted to (A) Guarantees between and among U.S. Loan Parties, (B) Guarantees between and among Canadian Loan Parties, and (C) Guarantees by the U.S. Borrowers of Indebtedness of the Canadian Borrower subject to the terms of Section 6.01(d)(iv)(C);

(f)    advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business and loans or advances made by a Loan Party to its officers, directors and employees on an arms-length basis in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices for travel and entertainment expenses, relocation costs and similar purposes up to a maximum of $2,500,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;

(g)    notes payable, or stock or other securities issued by Account Debtors to a Loan Party pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to settlement of such Account Debtor’s Accounts in the ordinary course of business or received by a Loan Party upon foreclosure with respect to any secured investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured investment, in each case, consistent with past practices;

(h)    investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;

(i)    investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or consolidates or merges with a Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition) so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or of such merger;

(j)    investments received in connection with the disposition of assets permitted by Section 6.05;

(k)    investments constituting deposits described in clauses (c) and (d) of the definition of the term “Permitted Encumbrances” and as expressly permitted in Section 6.02;

(l)    any Permitted Acquisitions;

(m)    any other investments, so long as such investments do not constitute Acquisitions, as to which the Borrower Representative shall certify to the Administrative Agent that at the time of such investment and after giving effect thereto, (i) no Default or Event of Default exists and is continuing, (A) (1) pro forma Aggregate Availability of the Borrowers is not less than the greater of (x) $15,000,000 and (y) 15% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base and (B) (1) the pro forma Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is at least 1.00 to 1.00 after giving effect to such investment, or (ii) pro forma Aggregate Availability of the Borrowers is not less than the greater of (x) $20,000,000 and (y) 20% of the lesser of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and the Aggregate Borrowing Base;

(n)    investments to the extent funded exclusively with Equity Issuance Proceeds; and

 

102


(o)    other investments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,500,000 at any time during the term of this Agreement.

SECTION 6.05    Asset Sales. No Loan Party will sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will any Loan Party permit any Subsidiary directly owned by such Loan Party to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to another Loan Party in compliance with Section 6.04), except:

(a)    sales, transfers and dispositions of (i) Inventory in the ordinary course of business, (ii) used, obsolete or worn out Equipment, or (iii) Equipment and other property in the ordinary course of business;

(b)    sales, transfers and dispositions of assets to any Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions involving Unrestricted Subsidiaries shall be made in compliance with Section 6.09 and transfers among Loan Parties are permitted only so long as the transferee Loan Party is in the same country as the transferor Loan Party or such transfers are to a Loan Party organized in the U.S.;

(c)    sales, transfers and dispositions of Accounts, and discounts granted with respect to Accounts, in each case in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof and in the ordinary course of business;

(d)    sales, transfers and dispositions of Permitted Investments and other investments permitted by clauses (i) and (k) of Section 6.04;

(e)    Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;

(f)    dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Loan Party;

(g)    leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including the provision of software under an open source license), in each case in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of the Loan Parties;

(h)    investments permitted by Section 6.04, Restricted Payments permitted by Section 6.08, and Liens permitted by Section 6.02;

(i)    dispositions of Property not constituting Collateral;

(j)    dispositions of investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between, the joint venture parties set forth in the joint venture arrangements and similar binding agreements; and

(k)    sales, transfers and other dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other clause of this Section, provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in reliance upon this paragraph (l) shall not exceed $10,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Company;

provided that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted hereby shall be made for fair value (other than those permitted by paragraphs (b), (f), (h), and (i) above) and, with respect to such sales,

 

103


transfers, leases and other dispositions resulting in Net Proceeds of at least $1,000,000, for at least 75% cash consideration (other than those permitted by paragraphs (a)(ii) (solely with respect to Equipment and property not included in the Borrowing Base), (b), (c) (to the extent such disposition is permitted under Section 6.04(g)), (h), (i) and (k)).

SECTION 6.06    Sale and Leaseback Transactions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred (a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”), except for (a) any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by any Loan Party that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after such Loan Party acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset and (b) other Sale and Leaseback Transactions with respect to real property not constituting Collateral of the Loan Parties to the extent that (i) the aggregate amount of cash consideration received by the Loan Parties as a result of such transactions pursuant to this clause (b) does not exceed $10,000,000 and (ii) such transactions are for fair value of such real property.

SECTION 6.07    Swap Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which any Loan Party has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of any Loan Party), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from floating to fixed rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of any Loan Party.

SECTION 6.08    Restricted Payments; Certain Payments of Indebtedness.

(a)    No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) each of the Borrowers may declare and pay dividends with respect to its common stock payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, and, with respect to its preferred stock, payable solely in additional shares of such preferred stock or in shares of its common stock, (ii) Restricted Subsidiaries (including Borrowers other than the Company) may declare and pay dividends ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) the Borrowers may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $5,000,000 (except as provided below) during any fiscal year of the Company, pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans or other benefit plans for management, directors or employees of the Borrowers; provided that if the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments made by the Borrowers pursuant to this clause (iii) is less than $5,000,000 during any fiscal year of the Company, the amount of Restricted Payments that the Borrowers shall be permitted to make pursuant to this clause (iii) for the next succeeding fiscal year of the Company shall be increased by an amount equal to 50% of such difference, (iv) the Company may make Restricted Payments to purchase, redeem, retire, or otherwise acquire its Equity Interests, to the extent such Restricted Payments are made from the substantially concurrent receipt by the Company of capital contributions or the substantially concurrent issuance of new Equity Interests of the Company, (v) the Company may make repurchases, redemptions or exchanges of Equity Interests of the Company deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or exchange of exchangeable shares if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options and may make repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions or retirements for value of Equity Interests of the Company made in lieu of withholding Taxes in connection with any exercise or exchange of stock options, warrants or other similar rights, (vi) the Company may make Restricted Payments so long as the Payment Conditions are satisfied.

 

104


(b)    No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted 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 permitted under Section 6.01, other than payments in respect of the Subordinated Indebtedness prohibited by the subordination provisions thereof;

(iii)    refinancings of Indebtedness to the extent permitted by Section 6.01;

(iv)    subject to the satisfaction of the Payment Conditions, other payments on Indebtedness; and

(v)    payment of secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by the terms of Section 6.05.

SECTION 6.09    Transactions with Affiliates. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary 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) transactions that (i) are in the ordinary course of business and (ii) are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to such Loan Party or such Restricted Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among any Loan Parties that are not otherwise prohibited or restricted by this Agreement, (c) any investment permitted by Sections 6.04(c), 6.04(d) or 6.04(e), (d) any Indebtedness permitted under Sections 6.01(d), 6.01(q), 6.01(r), or 6.01(s), (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08, (f) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04, (g) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of any Loan Party who are not employees of such Loan Party, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Loan Parties in the ordinary course of business and (h) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by a Borrower’s board of directors (or equivalent governing body).

SECTION 6.10    Restrictive Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary 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 such Loan Party to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets in favor of the Administrative Agent, or (b) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any of its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to any Loan Party or to Guarantee Indebtedness of any Loan Party; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by any Requirement of Law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (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 or an asset pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary or such asset that is to be sold and such sale

 

105


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, licenses and agreements restricting the assignment thereof, and (vi) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures entered into in the ordinary course of business.

SECTION 6.11    Amendment of Material Documents. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness or (b) its charter, articles or certificate of incorporation or organization, by-laws, operating, management or partnership agreement or other organizational or governing documents, to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be adverse to the Lenders.

SECTION 6.12    Financial Covenants.

(a)    Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrowers will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, as of the end of any fiscal quarter, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending immediately preceding the date on which Aggregate Availability is less than the greater of (i) $10,000,000, and (ii) 10% of the lesser of (x) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and (y) the then effective Aggregate Borrowing Base, to be less than 1.00 to 1.00. Once such covenant is in effect, compliance with the covenant will be discontinued, so long as no Default shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) on the day immediately succeeding the 30th consecutive day on which the Borrowers’ Availability remains in excess of the greater of (i) $10,000,000, and (ii) 10% of the lesser of (x) the Aggregate Revolving Commitment and (y) the then effective Aggregate Borrowing Base.

(b)     Leverage Ratio. At all times on or after the Eligible Equipment has been included in the Borrowing Base, the Borrowers will not permit the Leverage Ratio, as of the end of any fiscal quarter, to be greater than 3.50 to 1.00.

SECTION 6.13    Establishment of Canadian Defined Benefit Plan. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, no Loan Party or Subsidiary will (i) establish or contribute to any Canadian Defined Benefit Plan, or (ii) acquire an interest in any Person if such Person sponsors, administers, maintains or contributes to, or has any liability in respect of any Canadian Defined Benefit Plan.

ARTICLE VII

Events of Default

If any of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall occur:

(a)    the Borrowers 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)    the Borrowers 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 or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;

 

106


(c)    any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party in, or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or 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 hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;

(d)    any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to a Loan Party’s existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI;

(e)    any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement (other than those which constitute a default under another Section of this Article), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of (i) five (5) Business Days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of Section 5.01 (clauses (a) through (h) and (k) only), 5.02 (other than Section 5.02(a)), 5.03 (other than with respect to a Loan Party’s existence) through 5.06, 5.07, 5.10, 5.11 or 5.13 of this Agreement or (ii) thirty (30) days after the earlier of any Loan Party’s knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of any other Section of this Agreement and any other Loan Document;

(f)    any Loan Party 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 (and after giving effect to any applicable grace periods);

(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 to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by Section 6.05;

(h)    an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of a Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state, provincial or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, interim receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, monitor, administrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) consecutive days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;

(i)    any Loan Party or Restricted 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 such Loan Party or Restricted 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;

 

107


(j)    any Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary shall become unable, admit in writing its inability, or publicly declare its intention not to, or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;

(k)    (i) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 (to the extent not covered by insurance) shall be rendered against any Loan Party, any Restricted Subsidiary or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged or unsatisfied for a period of thirty (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 any Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary to enforce any such judgment; or (ii) any Loan Party or Restricted Subsidiary shall fail within thirty (30) days to discharge one or more non-monetary judgments or orders which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, which judgments or orders, in any such case, are not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith by proper proceedings diligently pursued;

(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; or (ii) a Canadian Pension Event shall occur which, in the Administrative Agent’s determination, constitutes grounds for the termination under any applicable law, of any Canadian Pension Plan or for the appointment by the appropriate Governmental Authority of a trustee for any Canadian Pension Plan, or if any Canadian Pension Plan shall be terminated or any such trustee shall be requested or appointed, or if a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is in default with respect to payments to a Canadian Pension Plan resulting from their complete or partial withdrawal from such Canadian Pension Plan and any such event may reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or any Canadian Loan Party is in default of or with respect to any required contributions to a Canadian Pension Plan or any Lien arises (except for contribution amounts not yet due) in connection with any Canadian Pension Plan;

(m)    a Change in Control shall occur;

(n)    the occurrence of any “default”, as defined in any Loan Document (other than this Agreement) or the breach of any of the terms or provisions of any Loan Document (other than this Agreement), which default or breach continues beyond any period of grace therein provided;

(o)    the Loan Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect in accordance with its terms or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Loan Guaranty, or any Loan Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the Loan Guaranty to which it is a party beyond any grace period therein provided, or any Loan Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under the Loan Guaranty to which it is a party beyond any grace period therein provided, or shall give notice to such effect, including, but not limited to notice of termination delivered pursuant to Section 10.08;

(p)    except as permitted by the terms of any Collateral Document or due to the action or inaction of the Administrative Agent, (i) any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid security interest in any material portion of Collateral purported to be covered thereby, or (ii) any Lien securing any Secured Obligation shall cease to be a perfected, first priority Lien (subject only to Liens permitted by Section 6.02);

(q)    any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document; or

 

108


(r)    any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or any Loan Party shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction that evidences its assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms);

then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrowers 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 Borrower Representative, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments whereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, but ratably as among the Classes of Loans and the Loans of each Class at the time outstanding, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), whereupon 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, shall become due and payable immediately, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers; and (iii) require cash collateral for the LC Exposure in accordance with Section 2.06(j) hereof; and in the case of any event with respect to the Borrowers 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, cash collateral for the LC Exposure in accordance with Section 2.06(j) hereof and all fees and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, increase the rate of interest applicable to the Loans and other Obligations as set forth in this Agreement and exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC and the PPSA.

ARTICLE VIII

The Administrative Agent

SECTION 8.01    Appointment. Each of the Lenders, on behalf of itself and any of its Affiliates that are Secured Parties and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent as its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf, including execution of the other Loan Documents, and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms of the Loan Documents, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. In addition, to the extent required under the laws of any jurisdiction other than the U.S., each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby grants to the Administrative Agent any required powers of attorney to execute any Collateral Document governed by the laws of such jurisdiction on such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s behalf. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (including the Swingline Lender and the Issuing Bank), and the Loan Parties shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” as used herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law. Instead, such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.

 

109


All services rendered in Canada under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to be performed by the Administrative Agent will be performed by a Canadian Qualified Lender.

SECTION 8.02    Rights as a Lender. 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 any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or any Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.

SECTION 8.03    Duties and Obligations. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in the Loan Documents. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated by the Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02), and, (c) except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it 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 as determined by a final nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower Representative or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or in connection with any Loan Document, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral or the existence of the Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into, monitor or enforce, compliance with the provisions hereof relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not (x) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (y) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution.

SECTION 8.04    Reliance. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrowers), 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.

 

110


SECTION 8.05    Actions through Sub-Agents. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers 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 Administrative Agent 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 the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 8.06    Resignation. Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower Representative. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrowers, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative 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 Administrative Agent hereunder by its successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by the Borrowers to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrowers and such successor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty (30) days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrowers, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (a) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Collateral Document for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this paragraph (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duly or obligation to take any further action under any Collateral Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any such security interest), and (b) the Required Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, provided that (i) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (ii) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall also directly be given or made to each Lender and the Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent’s resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article VIII, Section 2.17(d) and Section 9.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while it was acting as Administrative Agent and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (a) above.

 

111


SECTION 8.07    Non-Reliance.

(a)    Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and letters of credit and not investments in a business enterprise or securities. Each Lender further represents that it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans in the ordinary course of its business and has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any arranger of this credit facility or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder. Each Lender shall, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrowers and their Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document, any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder and in deciding whether or to the extent to which it will continue as a Lender or assign or otherwise transfer its rights, interests and obligations hereunder.

(b)    Each Lender hereby agrees that (i) it has requested a copy of each Report prepared by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent; (ii) the Administrative Agent (A) makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the completeness or accuracy of any Report or any of the information contained therein or any inaccuracy or omission contained in or relating to a Report and (B) shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report; (iii) the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, and that any Person performing any field examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and will rely significantly upon the Loan Parties’ books and records, as well as on representations of the Loan Parties’ personnel and that the Administrative Agent undertakes no obligation to update, correct or supplement the Reports; (iv) it will keep all Reports confidential and strictly for its internal use, not share the Report with any Loan Party or any other Person except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this Agreement; and (v) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, (A) it will hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from any action the indemnifying Lender may take or conclusion the indemnifying Lender may reach or draw from any Report in connection with any extension of credit that the indemnifying Lender has made or may make to the Borrowers, or the indemnifying Lender’s participation in, or the indemnifying Lender’s purchase of, a Loan or Loans; and (B) it will pay and protect, and indemnify, defend, and hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Administrative Agent or any such other Person as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.

SECTION 8.08    Other Agency Titles. Any arranger, any syndication agent and any documentation agent shall not 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 an arranger, a syndication agent or a documentation agent, as applicable, as it makes with respect to the Administrative Agent in the preceding paragraph.

SECTION 8.09    Not Partners or Co-Venturers; Administrative Agent as Representative of the Secured Parties. (a) The Lenders are not partners or co-venturers, and no Lender shall be liable for the acts or omissions of, or (except as otherwise set forth herein in case of the Administrative Agent) authorized to act for, any other Lender. The Administrative Agent shall have the exclusive right on behalf of the Lenders to enforce the payment of the principal of and interest on any Loan after the date such principal or interest has become due and payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

112


(b)    In its capacity, the Administrative Agent is a “representative” of the Secured Parties within the meaning of the term “secured party” as defined in the New York Uniform Commercial Code. Each Lender authorizes the Administrative 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 Secured Party (other than the Administrative 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 Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties 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 Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and deliver on behalf of the Secured Parties any Loan Documents necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties.

SECTION 8.10    Flood Laws. Chase U.S. has adopted internal policies and procedures that address requirements placed on federally regulated lenders under the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and related legislation (the “Flood Laws”). Chase U.S., as administrative agent or collateral agent on a syndicated facility, will post on the applicable electronic platform (or otherwise distribute to each Lender in the syndicate) documents that it receives in connection with the Flood Laws. However, Chase U.S. reminds each Lender and Participant in the facility that, pursuant to the Flood Laws, each federally regulated Lender (whether acting as a Lender or Participant in the facility) is responsible for assuring its own compliance with the flood insurance requirements.

ARTICLE IX

Miscellaneous

SECTION 9.01    Notices.

(a)    Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone or Electronic Systems (and subject in each case 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 facsimile, as follows:

 

  (i) if to any Loan Party, to the Borrower Representative at:

Nine Energy Service, Inc.

16945 Northchase Drive, Suite 1600

Houston, Texas 77060

Attention: Ann Fox, Chief Executive Officer

Facsimile No:                                                      

 

  (ii) if to the Administrative Agent, Chase U.S. in its capacity as an Issuing Bank or

the Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at:

2200 Ross Avenue, 9th Floor

Dallas, Texas 75201

Attention: Tim Whitefoot

Facsimile No: (214) 965 2594

 

113


  (iii) if to any other Lender or Issuing Bank, to it at its address or facsimile number set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.

All such notices and other communications (i) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received, (ii) sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient, or (iii) delivered through Electronic Systems to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.

(b)    Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by Electronic Systems pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II or to compliance and no Default certificates delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c) unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (on behalf of the Loan Parties) may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by Electronic Systems pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise proscribes, all such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, e-mail or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient.

(c)    Any party hereto may change its address, facsimile number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.

(d)    Electronic Systems.

(i)    Each Loan Party agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make Communications (as defined below) available to the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders by posting the Communications on Debt Domain, Intralinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar Electronic System.

(ii)    Any Electronic System used by the Administrative Agent is provided “as is” and “as available.” The Agent Parties (as defined below) do not warrant the adequacy of such Electronic Systems and expressly disclaim liability for errors or omissions in the Communications. No warranty of any kind, express, implied or statutory, including any warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement of third-party rights or freedom from viruses or other code defects, is made by any Agent Party in connection with the Communications or any Electronic System. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Loan Parties, any Lender, the Issuing Bank or any other Person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission

 

114


of communications through an Electronic System. “Communications” means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Electronic System.

SECTION 9.02    Waivers; Amendments.

(a)    No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the 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 Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party 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 the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.

(b)    Except as provided in the first sentence of Section 2.09(f) (with respect to any commitment increase), neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (x) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Required Lenders or (y) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto, 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 (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender), (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 or the waiver of any Default, mandatory prepayment or mandatory reduction of the Commitments shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender), (ii) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (A) to waive any obligation of the Applicable Borrowers to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate and (B) to change the manner of computation of any financial ratio (including any change in the applicable defined term used in determining the Applicable Rate that would result in a reduction of any interest rate on any Loan or any fee payable hereunder), (iii) postpone any scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest, fees or other Obligations 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 (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (iv) change Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the manner in which payments are shared, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) adversely affected thereby, (v) increase the advance rates set forth in the definition of Canadian Borrowing Base or U.S. Borrowing Base or add new categories of eligible assets (other than Eligible Equipment), without the written consent of each Revolving Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (vi) change any of the provisions of this Section 9.02(b) or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any

 

115


other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (vii) change Section 2.20, without the consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (viii) release any Loan Guarantor from its obligation under its Loan Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents), without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), or (ix) except as provided in clause (c) of this Section 9.02 or in any Collateral Document, release all or substantially all of the Collateral, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be (it being understood that any amendment to Section 2.20 shall require the consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend or modify the provisions of Section 2.06 or any letter of credit application and any bilateral agreement between the Borrower Representative and the Issuing Bank regarding the respective rights and obligations between the Borrowers and the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance of Letters of Credit without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank, respectively. The Administrative Agent may also amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.04. Any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the Lenders of one or more Classes (but not the Lenders of any other Class), may be effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the requisite number or percentage in interest of each affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time. Further, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section, if the Administrative Agent and Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error, manifest ambiguity, mistake or inconsistency or any error or omission of a technical or immaterial nature (including to make any other Loan Document consistent with this Agreement), then the Administrative Agent and Borrower Representative shall be permitted to amend, supplement or modify such provision and such amendment, modification or supplement shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document if the same is not objected to in writing by the Required Lenders within five Business Days following receipt of notice thereof.

(c)    The Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to release any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral (i) upon the Payment in Full of all Secured Obligations, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if the Loan Party disposing of such property certifies to the Administrative Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), and to the extent that the property being sold or disposed of constitutes 100% of the Equity Interests of a Subsidiary, the Administrative Agent is authorized to release any Loan Guaranty provided by such Subsidiary, (iii) constituting property leased to a Loan Party under a lease which has expired or been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, (iv) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of such Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article VII or (v) consisting of any fixed or capital assets and Equipment (whether or not constituting Eligible Equipment), either (A) from and after the date that the Eligible Equipment Amount is automatically excluded from the U.S. Borrowing Base and the Canadian Borrowing Base in accordance with the definitions thereof and upon the receipt by the Administrative Agent of Net Proceeds from a Prepayment Event described under clause (c) of the definition thereof in accordance with Section 2.11(c) or (B) in connection with any of the Loan Parties incurring secured Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(l). Except as provided in the preceding sentence, the

 

116


Administrative Agent will not release any Liens on Collateral without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders. Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly being released) upon (or obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral. Any execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent of documents in connection with any such release shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.

(d)    If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of “each Lender” or “each Lender affected thereby,” the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but has not been obtained being referred to herein as a “Non-Consenting Lender”), then the Borrowers may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non-Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrowers shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non-Consenting Lender by the Borrowers hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender.

(e)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower Representative 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 Applicable Borrowers shall, jointly and severally, pay all (i) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of one outside counsel and one local counsel in each applicable jurisdiction, in connection with the syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through an Electronic System) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of the Loan Documents (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, in connection with the enforcement, collection 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. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth above and any limitations on expense reimbursement expressly set forth in this Agreement, expenses being reimbursed by the Loan Parties under this Section include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with:

(i)    appraisals and insurance reviews;

 

117


(ii)    field examinations and the preparation of Reports based on the fees charged by a third party retained by the Administrative Agent or the internally allocated fees for each Person employed by the Administrative Agent with respect to each field examination;

(iii)    background checks regarding senior management and/or key investors, as deemed necessary or appropriate in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent;

(iv)    Other Taxes, fees and other charges for (A) lien searches and (B) recording any mortgages, filing financing statements and continuations, and other actions to perfect, protect, and continue the Administrative Agent’s Liens;

(v)    sums paid or incurred to take any action required of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents that such Loan Party fails to pay or take; and

(vi)    forwarding loan proceeds, collecting checks and other items of payment, and establishing and maintaining the accounts and lock boxes, and costs and expenses of preserving and protecting the Collateral.

All of the foregoing fees, costs and expenses may be charged to the Borrowers as Revolving Loans or to another deposit account, all as described in Section 2.18(c).

(b)    The Applicable Borrowers shall, jointly and severally, indemnify the Administrative Agent, the 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, penalties, liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any outside 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 thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder 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 the 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 a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and 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, penalties, liabilities or related expenses (A) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or a breach of a material obligation of such Indemnitee or any of its Affiliates under the Loan Documents or (B) arise in connection with a dispute among or between Indemnitees (other than the Administrative Agent) and not involving any act or omission of any Loan Party. WITHOUT LIMITATION OF THE FOREGOING, IT IS THE INTENTION OF EACH LOAN PARTY AND EACH LOAN PARTY AGREES THAT THE FOREGOING INDEMNITIES SHALL APPLY TO EACH INDEMNITEE WITH RESPECT TO LOSSES, CLAIMS, DAMAGES, PENALTIES, LIABILITIES AND RELATED EXPENSES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL EXPENSES OF LITIGATION OR PREPARATION THEREFOR), WHICH IN

 

118


WHOLE OR IN PART ARE CAUSED BY OR ARISE OUT OF THE NEGLIGENCE OF SUCH (AND/OR ANY OTHER) INDEMNITEE. This Section 9.03(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.

(c)    To the extent that any Loan Party fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank (or any Related Party of any of the foregoing) under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank (or any Related Party of any of the foregoing), 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 such Loan Party’s failure to pay any such amount shall not relieve any Loan Party of any default in the payment thereof); provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, penalty, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender or the Issuing Bank in its capacity as such.

(d)    To the extent permitted by applicable law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee for any damages arising from the use by others of information or other materials obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet) other than as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee.

(e)    To the extent permitted by applicable law, each party hereto hereby waives any claim 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; provided that, nothing in this paragraph (e) shall relieve any Loan Party of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee against special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.

(f)    All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than 10 Business 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 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 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 Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

119


(b)    (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, participations in Letters of Credit and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:

(A)    the Borrower Representative, provided that no consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default under any of clauses (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII has occurred and is continuing, any other assignee;

(B)    the Administrative Agent;

(C)    the Issuing Bank; and

(D)    the Swingline Lender.

(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 Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required if an Event of Default under any of clauses (a), (b), (h) or (i) of Article VII 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;

(C)    the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, 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 in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Company, the other Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws; and

(E)    any assignments of all or a portion of a Lender’s Canadian Revolving Commitment or other rights and obligations under this Agreement relating to the Canadian Borrower shall be made to a Canadian Qualified Lender.

 

120


For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms “Approved Fund” and “Ineligible Institution” have the following meanings:

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.

Ineligible Institution” means a (a) natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Parent, (c) holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, such holding company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business, or (d) a Loan Party or a Subsidiary or other Affiliate of a Loan Party.

(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 a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, 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 Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

(v)    Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to a Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, 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, 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

 

121


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.

(c)    Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (a “Participant”) other than an Ineligible Institution 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 Bank 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. The Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) and (g) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender and the information and documentation required under Section 2.17(g) will be delivered to the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.

Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Applicable Borrowers’ request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant. 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. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Applicable Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

(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

 

122


such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

(e)    Disqualified Institutions.

(i)    No assignment or participation shall be made to any Person that was a Disqualified Institution as of the date (the “Trade Date”) on which the assigning Lender entered into a binding agreement to sell and assign all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to such Person (unless the Borrower Representative has consented to such assignment in writing in its sole and absolute discretion, in which case such Person will not be considered a Disqualified Institution for the purpose of such assignment or participation). For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to any assignee that becomes a Disqualified Institution after the applicable Trade Date (including as a result of the delivery of a notice pursuant to, and/or the expiration of the notice period referred to in, the definition of “Disqualified Institution”), (A) such assignee shall not retroactively be disqualified from becoming a Lender and (B) the execution by the Borrower Representative of an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignee will not by itself result in such assignee no longer being considered a Disqualified Institution. Any assignment in violation of this clause (e)(i) shall not be void, but the other provisions of this clause (e) shall apply.

(ii)    If any assignment or participation is made to any Disqualified Institution without the Borrower Representative’s prior written consent in violation of clause (i) above, or if any Person becomes a Disqualified Institution after the applicable Trade Date, the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to the applicable Disqualified Institution and the Administrative Agent, (A) terminate any Revolving Commitment of such Disqualified Institution and repay all obligations of the Applicable Borrower owing to such Disqualified Institution in connection with such Revolving Commitment, and/or (B) require such Disqualified Institution to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in this Section 9.04), all of its interest, rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) at the lesser of (X) the principal amount thereof and (Y) the amount that such Disqualified Institution paid to acquire such interests, rights and obligations, in each case plus accrued interest, accrued fees and all other amounts (other than principal amounts) payable to it hereunder.

(iii)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Disqualified Institutions (A) will not (x) have the right to receive information, reports or other materials provided to Lenders by the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, (y) attend or participate in meetings attended by the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, or (z) access any electronic site established for the Lenders or confidential communications from counsel to or financial advisors of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders and (B) (x) for purposes of any consent to any amendment, waiver or modification of, or any action under, and for the purpose of any direction to the Administrative Agent or any Lender to undertake any action (or refrain from taking any action) under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, each Disqualified Institution will be deemed to have consented in the same proportion as the Lenders that are not Disqualified Institutions consented to such matter, and (y) for purposes of voting on any plan of reorganization or plan of liquidation pursuant to any Debtor Relief Laws (a “Debtor Relief Plan”), each Disqualified Institution party hereto hereby agrees (1) not to vote on such Debtor Relief Plan, (2) if such Disqualified Institution does vote on such Debtor Relief Plan notwithstanding the restriction in the foregoing clause (1), such vote will be deemed not to be in good faith and shall be “designated” pursuant to Section 1126(e) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any

 

123


similar provision in any other Debtor Relief Laws), and such vote shall not be counted in determining whether the applicable class has accepted or rejected such Debtor Relief Plan in accordance with Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code (or any similar provision in any other Debtor Relief Laws) and (3) not to contest any request by any party for a determination by the Bankruptcy Court (or other applicable court of competent jurisdiction) effectuating the foregoing clause (2).

(iv)    The Administrative Agent shall have the right, and each Borrower hereby expressly authorizes the Administrative Agent, to (A) post the list of Disqualified Institutions provided by the Borrower Representative and any updates thereto from time to time (collectively, the “DQ List”) on the Platform, including that portion of the Platform that is designated for “public side” Lenders and/or (B) provide the DQ List to each Lender requesting the same.

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, the 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 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.

SECTION 9.06    Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.

(a)    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.

(b)    Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy, emailed pdf, or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of the actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global

 

124


and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept electronic signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent. THIS WRITTEN AGREEMENT REPRESENTS THE FINAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.

SECTION 9.07    Severability. Any provision of any Loan Document 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 thereof; 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) 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 Loan Party against any of and all the Secured Obligations held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be unmatured. The applicable Lender shall notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent of such set-off or application, provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such set-off or application under this Section. 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) The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.

(b)    Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any U.S. Federal or New York State court sitting in New York, New York in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Documents, 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; provided that claims with respect to Canadian Loan Documents may, as provided therein, also be tried in the courts of Ontario (or such other Canadian jurisdiction in regard to the validity, perfection or effect of perfection of any Lien or in regard to procedural matters that would govern under applicable law). 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, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.

(c)    Each party hereto 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.

 

125


(d)    Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. 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, OTHER AGENT (INCLUDING ANY 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.

SECTION 9.12    Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank 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 Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by any Requirement of Law 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 under this Agreement or any other Loan Document 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 the Loan Parties and their obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower Representative, (h) to holders of Equity Interests in any Borrower, (i) to any Person providing a Guarantee of all or any portion of the Secured Obligations, or (j) 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, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers. For the purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrowers relating to the Borrowers or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrowers and other than information pertaining to this Agreement provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrowers 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.

 

126


EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN SECTION 9.12 FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COMPANY, AND ITS AFFILIATES, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWERS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

SECTION 9.13    Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law. The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of the Board) for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein. Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrowers in violation of any Requirement of Law.

SECTION 9.14    USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.

SECTION 9.15    Disclosure. Each Loan Party, each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with any of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.

SECTION 9.16    Appointment for Perfection. Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC, the PPSA, or any other applicable law can be perfected only by possession or control. Should any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) obtain possession or control of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent’s request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s instructions.

 

127


SECTION 9.17    Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the “Charges”), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the “Maximum Rate”) which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the Federal Funds Effective Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.

SECTION 9.18    Marketing Consent. The Borrowers hereby authorize Chase U.S. and its affiliates (collectively, the “Chase U.S. Parties”), at their respective sole expense, but without any prior approval by the Borrower Representative, to publish such tombstones and give such other publicity to this Agreement as each may from time to time determine in its sole discretion. The foregoing authorization shall remain in effect unless and until the Borrower Representative notifies Chase U.S. in writing that such authorization is revoked.

SECTION 9.19    No Fiduciary Duty. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its subsidiaries’ understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to each Borrower with respect to the Loan Documents and the transaction contemplated therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, any Borrower or any other person. Each Borrower agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Credit Party is advising any Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. Each Borrower shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to any Borrower with respect thereto. Each Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its affiliates, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, any Borrower and other companies with which any Borrower may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion. In addition, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its subsidiaries’ understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which a Borrower may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from any Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with such Borrower in connection with the performance

 

128


by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. Each Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to any Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies.

SECTION 9.20    Judgment Currency Conversion.

(a)    The obligations of the Loan Parties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents to make payments in dollars or in CAD, as the case may be (the “Obligation Currency”), shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender or recovery pursuant to any judgment expressed in or converted into any currency other than the Obligation Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery results in the effective receipt by the applicable Loan Party of the full amount of the Obligation Currency expressed to be payable to the applicable Loan Party under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If, for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against any Loan Party in any court or in any jurisdiction, it becomes necessary to convert into or from any currency other than the Obligation Currency (such other currency being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Currency”) an amount due in the Obligation Currency, the conversion shall be made, at the Administrative Agent’s quoted rate of exchange prevailing, in each case, as of the date immediately preceding the day on which the judgment is given (such Business Day being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Currency Conversion Date”).

(b)    If there is a change in the rate of exchange prevailing between the Judgment Currency Conversion Date and the date of actual payment of the amount due, the applicable Loan Parties covenant and agree to pay, or cause to be paid, such additional amounts, if any (but in any event not a lesser amount), as may be necessary to ensure that the amount paid in the Judgment Currency, when converted at the rate of exchange prevailing on the date of payment, will produce the amount of the Obligation Currency which could have been purchased with the amount of Judgment Currency stipulated in the judgment or judicial award at the rate of exchange prevailing on the Judgment Currency Conversion Date. Any amount due from a Loan Party under this Section 9.21 shall be due as a separate debt and shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other amounts due under or in respect of any of the Loan Documents.

(c)    For purposes of determining the prevailing rate of exchange, such amounts shall include any premium and costs payable in connection with the purchase of the Obligation Currency.

SECTION 9.21    Canadian Anti-Money Laundering Legislation.

(a)    Each Loan Party acknowledges that, pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act and other applicable anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing, government sanction and “know your client” laws (collectively, including any guidelines or orders thereunder, “AML Legislation”), the Secured Parties may be required to obtain, verify and record information regarding the Loan Parties and their respective directors, authorized signing officers, direct or indirect shareholders or other Persons in control of the Loan Parties, and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each Loan Party shall promptly provide all such information, including supporting documentation and other evidence, as may be reasonably requested by any Secured Party or any prospective assignee or participant of a Secured Party, any Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, in order to comply with any applicable AML Legislation, whether now or hereafter in existence.

 

129


(b)    If the Administrative Agent has ascertained the identity of any Loan Party or any authorized signatories of any Loan Party for the purposes of applicable AML Legislation, then the Administrative Agent:

(i)    shall be deemed to have done so as an agent for each Secured Party, and this Agreement shall constitute a “written agreement” in such regard between each Secured Party and the Administrative Agent within the meaning of the applicable AML Legislation; and

(ii)    shall provide to each Secured Party copies of all information obtained in such regard without any representation or warranty as to its accuracy or completeness.

(c)    Notwithstanding the preceding sentence and except as may otherwise be agreed in writing, each of the Secured Parties agrees that the Administrative Agent has no obligation to ascertain the identity of the Loan Parties or any authorized signatories of the Loan Parties on behalf of any Secured Party, or to confirm the completeness or accuracy of any information it obtains from any Loan Party or any such authorized signatory in doing so.

SECTION 9.22    Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

(a)    the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

(i)    a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

(ii)    a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

(iii)    the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

SECTION 9.23    Limitation on Liability of Certain Subsidiaries. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary (including, without limitation, Article X), (i) no Foreign Subsidiary of a U.S. Loan Party, any U.S. Domestic Subsidiary owned directly or indirectly by the Foreign Subsidiary or any FSHCO shall be the primary obligor or guarantor (pursuant to Section 10.01 or otherwise) or pledger of any assets or otherwise responsible for, in each case, any U.S. Secured Obligations and (ii) no Foreign Subsidiary of a U.S. Loan Party or any U.S. Domestic Subsidiary owned directly or indirectly by such Foreign Subsidiary shall be liable hereunder for any of the Loans made to, or any other U.S. Secured Obligations.

ARTICLE X

Loan Guaranty.

SECTION 10.01    Guaranty. Each Loan Guarantor (other than those that have delivered a separate Guaranty) hereby agrees that it is jointly and severally liable for, and, as a primary obligor and not merely as surety, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to the Secured Parties, the

 

130


prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of the Secured Obligations and all costs and expenses, including, without limitation, all court costs and attorneys’ and paralegals’ fees (including allocated costs of in-house counsel and paralegals) and expenses paid or incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders in endeavoring to collect all or any part of the Secured Obligations from, or in prosecuting any action against, any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other guarantor of all or any part of the Secured Obligations (such costs and expenses, together with the Secured Obligations, collectively the “Guaranteed Obligations”; provided, however, that the definition of “Guaranteed Obligations” shall not create any guarantee by any Loan Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Loan Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Loan Guarantor). Each Loan Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed in whole or in part without notice to or further assent from it, and that it remains bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any such extension or renewal. All terms of this Loan Guaranty apply to and may be enforced by or on behalf of any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of any Lender that extended any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations.

SECTION 10.02    Guaranty of Payment. This Loan Guaranty is a guaranty of payment and not of collection. Each Loan Guarantor waives any right to require the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to sue any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor, any other guarantor of, or any other Person obligated for, all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations (each, an “Obligated Party”), or otherwise to enforce its payment against any collateral securing all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations.

SECTION 10.03    No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty. (a) Except as otherwise provided for herein, the obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than Payment in Full), including: (i) any claim of waiver, release, extension, renewal, settlement, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, by operation of law or otherwise; (ii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Borrower or any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting any Obligated Party or their assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any Obligated Party; or (iv) the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which any Loan Guarantor may have at any time against any Obligated Party, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection herewith or in any unrelated transactions.

(b)    The obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are not subject to any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit payment by any Obligated Party, of the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof.

(c)    Further, the obligations of any Loan Guarantor hereunder are not discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by: (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any remedy with respect to all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; (ii) any waiver or modification of or supplement to any provision of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any release, non-perfection or invalidity of any indirect or direct security for the obligations of any Borrower for all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or any obligations of any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) any action or failure to act by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender with respect to any collateral securing any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; or (v) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the payment or performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any other circumstance, act,

 

131


omission or delay that might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of such Loan Guarantor or that would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Loan Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations).

SECTION 10.04    Defenses Waived. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor hereby waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any Borrower or any Loan Guarantor or the unenforceability of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other Obligated Party, other than Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Loan Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against any Obligated Party or any other Person. Each Loan Guarantor confirms that it is not a surety under any state law and shall not raise any such law as a defense to its obligations hereunder. The Administrative Agent may, at its election, foreclose on any Collateral held by it by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such Collateral in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise act or fail to act with respect to any collateral securing all or a part of the Guaranteed Obligations, compromise or adjust any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, make any other accommodation with any Obligated Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to it against any Obligated Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of such Loan Guarantor under this Loan Guaranty except to the extent the Guaranteed Obligations have been Paid in Full. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though that election may operate, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of any Loan Guarantor against any Obligated Party or any security.

SECTION 10.05    Rights of Subrogation. No Loan Guarantor will assert any right, claim or cause of action, including, without limitation, a claim of subrogation, contribution or indemnification, that it has against any Obligated Party or any collateral, until the Loan Parties and the Loan Guarantors have fully performed all their obligations to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders.

SECTION 10.06    Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration. If at any time any payment of any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff) is rescinded, or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower or otherwise (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by a Secured Party in its discretion), each Loan Guarantor’s obligations under this Loan Guaranty with respect to that payment shall be reinstated at such time as though the payment had not been made and whether or not the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders are in possession of this Loan Guaranty. If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations shall nonetheless be payable by the Loan Guarantors forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent.

SECTION 10.07    Information. Each Loan Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrowers’ financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each Loan Guarantor assumes and incurs under this Loan Guaranty, and agrees that none of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender shall have any duty to advise any Loan Guarantor of information known to it regarding those circumstances or risks.

SECTION 10.08    Termination. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank may continue to make loans or extend credit to the Borrowers based on this Loan Guaranty until five (5) days after it receives

 

132


written notice of termination from any Loan Guarantor. Notwithstanding receipt of any such notice, each Loan Guarantor will continue to be liable to the Lenders for any Guaranteed Obligations created, assumed or committed to prior to the fifth day after receipt of the notice, and all subsequent renewals, extensions, modifications and amendments with respect to, or substitutions for, all or any part of such Guaranteed Obligations. Nothing in this Section 10.08 shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of, or eliminate, limit, reduce or otherwise impair any rights or remedies the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have in respect of, any Default or Event of Default that shall exist under clause (o) of Article VII hereof as a result of any such notice of termination.

SECTION 10.09    Taxes. Each payment of the Guaranteed Obligations will be made by each Loan Guarantor without withholding for any Taxes, unless such withholding is required by law. If any Loan Guarantor determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it is so required to withhold Taxes, then such Loan Guarantor may so withhold and shall timely pay the full amount of withheld Taxes to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law. If such Taxes are Indemnified Taxes, then the amount payable by such Loan Guarantor shall be increased as necessary so that, net of such withholding (including such withholding of Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional amounts payable under this Section), the Administrative Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank (as the case may be) receives the amount it would have received had no such withholding been made.

SECTION 10.10    Maximum Liability. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Loan Guaranty, the amount guaranteed by each Loan Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the extent, if any, required so that its obligations hereunder shall not be subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or under any applicable state Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, Uniform Voidable Transaction Act or similar statute or common law. In determining the limitations, if any, on the amount of any Loan Guarantor’s obligations hereunder pursuant to the preceding sentence, it is the intention of the parties hereto that any rights of subrogation, indemnification or contribution which such Loan Guarantor may have under this Loan Guaranty, any other agreement or applicable law shall be taken into account.

SECTION 10.11    Contribution.

(a)    To the extent that any Loan Guarantor shall make a payment under this Loan Guaranty (a “Guarantor Payment”) which, taking into account all other Guarantor Payments then previously or concurrently made by any other Loan Guarantor, exceeds the amount which otherwise would have been paid by or attributable to such Loan Guarantor if each Loan Guarantor had paid the aggregate Guaranteed Obligations satisfied by such Guarantor Payment in the same proportion as such Loan Guarantor’s “Allocable Amount” (as defined below) (as determined immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment) bore to the aggregate Allocable Amounts of each of the Loan Guarantors as determined immediately prior to the making of such Guarantor Payment, then, following indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guarantor Payment and the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of this Agreement, such Loan Guarantor shall be entitled to receive contribution and indemnification payments from, and be reimbursed by, each other Loan Guarantor for the amount of such excess, pro rata based upon their respective Allocable Amounts in effect immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment.

(b)    As of any date of determination, the “Allocable Amount” of any Loan Guarantor shall be equal to the excess of the fair saleable value of the property of such Loan Guarantor over the total liabilities of such Loan Guarantor (including the maximum amount reasonably expected to become due in respect of contingent liabilities, calculated, without duplication, assuming each other Loan Guarantor that is also liable for such contingent liability pays its ratable share thereof), giving effect to all payments made by other Loan Guarantors as of such date in a manner to maximize the amount of such contributions.

 

133


(c)    This Section 10.11 is intended only to define the relative rights of the Loan Guarantors, and nothing set forth in this Section 10.11 is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Loan Guarantors, jointly and severally, to pay any amounts as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Loan Guaranty.

(d)    The parties hereto acknowledge that the rights of contribution and indemnification hereunder shall constitute assets of the Loan Guarantor or Loan Guarantors to which such contribution and indemnification is owing.

(e)    The rights of the indemnifying Loan Guarantors against other Loan Guarantors under this Section 10.11 shall be exercisable upon the Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

SECTION 10.12    Liability Cumulative. The liability of each Loan Party as a Loan Guarantor under this Article X is in addition to and shall be cumulative with all liabilities of each Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or in respect of any obligations or liabilities of the other Loan Parties, without any limitation as to amount, unless the instrument or agreement evidencing or creating such other liability specifically provides to the contrary.

SECTION 10.13    Keepwell. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other Loan Party to honor all of its obligations under this Guarantee in respect of a Swap Obligation (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 10.13 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 10.13 or otherwise under this Loan Guaranty voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). Except as otherwise provided herein, the obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 10.13 shall remain in full force and effect until the termination of all Swap Obligations. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 10.13 constitute, and this Section 10.13 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

ARTICLE XI

The Borrower Representative

SECTION 11.01    Appointment; Nature of Relationship. The Company is hereby appointed by each of the Borrowers as its contractual representative (herein referred to as the “Borrower Representative”) hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of the Borrowers irrevocably authorizes the Borrower Representative to act as the contractual representative of such Borrower with the rights and duties expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. The Borrower Representative agrees to act as such contractual representative upon the express conditions contained in this Article XI. Additionally, the Borrowers hereby appoint the Borrower Representative as their agent to receive all of the proceeds of the Loans in the Funding Account(s), at which time the Borrower Representative shall promptly disburse such Loans to the appropriate Borrower(s), provided that, in the case of a Revolving Loan, such amount shall not exceed the Aggregate Availability, U.S. Availability or Canadian Availability, as applicable. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their respective officers, directors, agents or employees, shall not be liable to the Borrower Representative or any Borrower for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 11.01.

 

134


SECTION 11.02    Powers. The Borrower Representative shall have and may exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to the Borrower Representative by the terms of each thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Borrower Representative shall have no implied duties to the Borrowers, or any obligation to the Lenders to take any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan Documents to be taken by the Borrower Representative.

SECTION 11.03    Employment of Agents. The Borrower Representative may execute any of its duties as the Borrower Representative hereunder and under any other Loan Document by or through authorized officers.

SECTION 11.04    Notices. Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Borrower Representative of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder referring to this Agreement describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a “notice of default.” In the event that the Borrower Representative receives such a notice, the Borrower Representative shall give prompt notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Any notice provided to the Borrower Representative hereunder shall constitute notice to each Borrower on the date received by the Borrower Representative.

SECTION 11.05    Successor Borrower Representative. Upon the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative may resign at any time, such resignation to be effective upon the appointment of a successor Borrower Representative. The Administrative Agent shall give prompt written notice of such resignation to the Lenders.

SECTION 11.06    Execution of Loan Documents; Borrowing Base Certificate. The Borrowers hereby empower and authorize the Borrower Representative, on behalf of the Borrowers, to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the Loan Documents and all related agreements, certificates, documents, or instruments as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the Borrowing Base Certificates and the Compliance Certificates. Each Borrower agrees that any action taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, and the exercise by the Borrower Representative of its powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Borrowers.

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

135


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.

 

U.S. BORROWERS:
NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC.
NINE ENERGY SERVICE, LLC
CDK PERFORATING HOLDINGS, INC.
CDK INTERMEDIATE, LLC
CDK PERFORATING, LLC
NORTHERN STATES COMPLETIONS, INC.
PEAK PRESSURE CONTROL, LLC
DAK-TANA WIRELINE, LLC
CREST PUMPING TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
NINE DOWNHOLE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Each By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
BECKMAN PRODUCTION SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
BECKMAN PRODUCTION SERVICES, INC., a Michigan corporation
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


U.S. BORROWERS (CONTINUED):

R&S WELL SERVICE, INC.

SJL WELL SERVICE, LLC

J&R WELL SERVICE, LLC

NORTHERN PRODUCTION COMPANY, LLC

REDZONE HOLDCO, LLC

REDZONE COIL TUBING, LLC

BIG LAKE SERVICES HOLDCO, LLC

BIG LAKE SERVICES, LLC

Each By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 
CANADIAN BORROWER:

NINE ENERGY CANADA INC.

By:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender
By  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


[LENDER]

By

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


[LENDER]

By

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


[LENDER]
By  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


COMMITMENT SCHEDULE

 

Lender

   Revolving
Commitment
     U.S. Revolving
Commitment
     Canadian
Revolving
Commitment
     Applicable
Percentage of
Aggregate
Revolving
Commitment
 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

   $      $      $       
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 200,000,000.00      $ 200,000,000.00      $ 20,000,000        100
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The Canadian Revolving Commitment is a sub-facility of the Revolving Commitment and not in addition to it.

 

Nine Energy Service, Inc. – Credit Agreement   Signature Page


EXHIBIT A

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

This Assignment and Assumption (the “Assignment and Assumption”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below, (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit, guarantees and swingline loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and other rights of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

1.    Assignor:   
2.    Assignee:   
      [and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1]
3.    Borrowers:    Nine Energy Service, Inc., certain of its Subsidiaries and Nine Energy Canada Inc.
4.    Administrative Agent:    JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement
5.    Credit Agreement:    The Credit Agreement dated as of [            ] [    ], 2017 among Nine Energy Service, Inc., certain of its Subsidiaries and Nine Energy Canada Inc., as Borrowers, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto.

 

1  Select as applicable.

 

EXHIBIT A


6. Assigned Interest:

 

Facility Assigned2

   Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans for
all Lenders
     Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned
     Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans3
 
   $      $       
   $      $       
   $      $       

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

The Assignee agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Company, the other Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.

After giving effect to the assignment and assumption set forth herein, the Assignee agrees to be bound by that certain Allocation and Exchange Mechanism dated June [    ], 2017 among the Administrative Agent, the Assignor and the other parties thereto, as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance therewith.

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

 

ASSIGNOR

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]

By:

 

 

Title:

 

ASSIGNEE

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]

By:

 

 

Title:

 

 

2  Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. “Revolving Commitment,” etc.)
3  Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

EXHIBIT A


[Consented to and]4 Accepted:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as

[Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender]

By  

 

Title:  
[Consented to:]5
[NAME OF RELEVANT PARTY]
By  

 

Title:  

 

4  To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and/or Swingline Lender, as applicable, is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
5  To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties (e.g. Swingline Lender, Issuing Bank) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

EXHIBIT A


ANNEX 1

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

Credit Agreement dated as of [            ], 2017 among Nine Energy Service, Inc., a Delaware corporation, certain of its Subsidiaries party thereto from time to time, as U.S. Borrowers, Nine Energy Canada Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Alberta, Canada, as the Canadian Borrower, the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

1.    Representations and Warranties.

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

1.2.    Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section      thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, any arranger or any other Lender and their respective Related Parties, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, any arranger, the Assignor or any other Lender or their respective Related Parties, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

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

 

EXHIBIT A


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

 

EXHIBIT A


EXHIBIT B

EXHIBIT B

BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE

See attached.

 

EXHIBIT B


EXHIBIT C

COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

See attached.

 

EXHIBIT C


EXHIBIT D

JOINDER AGREEMENT

THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of             ,     , 20    , is entered into between                     , a                      (the “New Subsidiary”) and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent (the “Administrative Agent”) under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of [            ], [    ], 2017 (as the same may be amended, modified, extended or restated from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC., a Delaware corporation, certain of its Subsidiaries party thereto from time to time, as “U.S. Borrowers”, and NINE ENERGY CANADA INC., a corporation organized under the laws of Alberta, Canada (the “Canadian Borrower” and collectively with the U.S. Borrowers, the “Borrowers”), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent for the Lenders. All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement.

The New Subsidiary and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, hereby agree as follows:

1.    The New Subsidiary hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, the New Subsidiary will be deemed to be a U.S. Loan Party under the Credit Agreement and a “Loan Guarantor” for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and shall have all of the obligations of a Loan Party and a Loan Guarantor thereunder as if it had executed the Credit Agreement. The New Subsidiary hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions contained in the Credit Agreement, including without limitation (a) all of the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in Article III of the Credit Agreement, *[and]* (b) all of the covenants set forth in Articles V and VI of the Credit Agreement *[and (c) all of the guaranty obligations set forth in Article X of the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms of this paragraph 1, the New Subsidiary, subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 10.10 and 10.13 of the Credit Agreement, hereby guarantees, jointly and severally with the other Loan Guarantors, to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, as provided in Article X of the Credit Agreement, the prompt payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof and agrees that if any of the Guaranteed Obligations are not paid or performed in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise), the New Subsidiary will, jointly and severally together with the other Loan Guarantors, promptly pay and perform the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.]* *[The New Subsidiary has delivered to the Administrative Agent an executed Loan Guaranty.]*

2.    If required, the New Subsidiary is, simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, executing and delivering such Collateral Documents (and such other documents and instruments) as requested by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the Credit Agreement.

3.    The address of the New Subsidiary for purposes of Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement is as follows:

 

                                                             

                                                             

                                                             

                                                             

 

EXHIBIT D


4.    The New Subsidiary hereby waives acceptance by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of the guaranty by the New Subsidiary upon the execution of this Agreement by the New Subsidiary.

5.    This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument.

6.    THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Subsidiary has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by its authorized officer, and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has caused the same to be accepted by its authorized officer, as of the day and year first above written.

 

[NEW SUBSIDIARY]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Acknowledged and accepted:
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

EXHIBIT D


EXHIBIT E-1

[FORM OF]

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of [            ] [    ], 2017 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Nine Energy Service Inc., certain of its Subsidiaries and Nine Energy Canada Inc. (the “Borrowers”), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate prior to the first payment to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Date:               ,     , 20[    ]

 

EXHIBIT E-1


EXHIBIT E-2

[FORM OF]

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of [            ] [    ], 2017 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Nine Energy Service Inc., certain of its Subsidiaries and Nine Energy Canada Inc. (the “Borrowers”), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate prior to the first payment to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Date:               ,     , 20[    ]

 

EXHIBIT E-2


EXHIBIT E-3

[FORM OF]

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of [            ] [    ], 2017 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Nine Energy Service Inc., certain of its Subsidiaries and Nine Energy Canada Inc. (the “Borrowers”), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by a withholding statement together with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate prior to the first payment to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Date:               ,     , 20[    ]

 

EXHIBIT E-3


EXHIBIT E-4

[FORM OF]

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of [            ] [    ], 2017 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Nine Energy Service Inc., certain of its Subsidiaries and Nine Energy Canada Inc. (the “Borrowers”), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by a withholding statement together with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate prior to the first payment to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
Date:               ,     , 20[    ]

 

EXHIBIT E-4