“提供在该声明或公布之时,没有继任管理人将继续提供该基准(或其组成部分)的任何可用基调;(2)对于该基准的管理人(或在计算该基准时使用的公布的组成部分)的监管监督者的公开声明或信息发布,联邦储备委员会、NYFRB、CME Term Sofr管理人、适用于该基准的商定货币的中央银行、对该基准(或该组成部分)的管理人具有管辖权的破产官员、对该基准(或该组成部分)的管理人具有管辖权的解决机构、或对该基准(或该组成部分)的管理人具有类似破产或解决权限的法院或实体,在每一种情况下,声明该基准(或其组成部分)的管理人已经停止或将永久或无限期地停止提供该基准(或其组成部分)的所有可用基调;提供
贷款人的地位。(I)对于根据本协议或任何其他贷款文件支付的款项,有权获得免征或减免预扣税的任何贷款人(英国条约贷款人除外,关于英国借款人对英国借款人所作付款的任何英国税收减免,见下文第(J)段)应在借款人或行政代理人合理要求的一个或多个时间向借款人和行政代理人交付借款人或行政代理人合理要求的正确填写和签署的文件,以允许在不扣缴或降低预扣费率的情况下进行此类付款。此外,任何贷款人如应借款人或行政代理的合理要求,应提供适用法律规定或借款人或行政代理合理要求的其他文件,以使借款人或行政代理能够确定该贷款人是否受到备用扣留或信息报告要求的约束。尽管前两句中有任何相反的规定,但填写、签署和提交此类文件(除第2.20(H)(Ii)(B)条和第2.20(H)(Ii)(D)条如果贷款人合理判断,完成、签立或提交将使贷款人承担任何重大的未偿还成本或支出,或将对贷款人的法律或商业地位造成重大损害,则无需要求完成、签立或提交。(2)在不限制前述一般性的情况下,(A)任何身为美国人的贷款人应在该贷款人根据本协议成为贷款人之日或之前(此后应美国借款人或行政代理的合理要求不时)向美国借款人和行政代理交付美国国税局表格W-9的签署副本,证明该贷款人免征美国联邦备用预扣税;(B)任何外国贷款人应在其合法有权这样做的范围内,在该外国贷款人成为本协议项下的贷款人之日或之前(并应美国借款人或行政代理人的合理要求不时提出),将下列两项中适用的一项交付给美国借款人和行政代理(副本数量应由接收方要求):根据该税收条约的“营业利润”或“其他收入”条款缴纳的美国联邦预扣税;(2)已签署的国税表W-8ECI或W-8EXP;(3)在外国贷款人根据守则第881(C)条申索证券组合利息豁免的利益的情况下,(X)获得实质上以以下形式的证明书附件D-1该外国贷款人并非守则第881(C)(3)(A)条所指的“银行”、守则第871(H)(3)(B)条所指的美国借款人的“10%股东”或守则第881(C)(3)(C)条所述的“受控外国公司”。美国税务合规证“)及(Y)已签立的国税表W-8BEN或W-8BEN-E副本;或(4)在外国贷款人不是受益所有人的情况下,签署IRS Form W-8IMY的副本,并附上IRS Form W-8ECI、IRS Form W-8BEN或W-8BEN-E,实质上是以下形式的美国纳税符合证书附件D-2
第3节担保和抵押品协议。即使有任何相反规定,(I)除(A)由美国借款人或国内子公司担保人拥有的任何外国子公司的股权和(B)Goderich Minor Mortgage,不需要任何受任何非美国司法管辖区法律管辖的担保协议或质押协议;(Ii)除Goderich MineMortgage以外,加拿大借款人、英国借款人或任何外国子公司担保人不得为担保当事人的利益向行政代理授予担保权益或质押,或为担保其债务而授予行政代理;(Iii)在任何情况下,第5.12(B)条
(ii) 执行和交付,或促使执行和交付所有该等抵押、文件、文书、协议和证书,包括与附表5.18中所述内容类似的抵押、文件、文书、协议和证书,这些抵押、文件、文书、协议和证书应由行政代理人合理地要求为担保当事人的利益而为该等重大不动产设定有效的优先担保权益(须受允许的优先留置权的约束),并应向行政代理人交付勘测、所有权保险、意见、洪水证书,洪水保险(如果需要)和其他类似于附表5.18中所述的关于此类物质不动产的项目,以及(2)使用商业上合理的努力来获得惯常的房东或地主的留置权豁免,在每一种情况下,行政代理都合理地接受。为免生疑问,(X)本第5.12(B)条不适用于位于联邦紧急事务管理署确定为具有特殊洪水危险的地区的任何建筑物、结构或改善工程(且美国借款人和国内附属担保人不应被要求给予留置权);提供美国借款人已向行政代理和贷款人书面证明,该建筑物、构筑物或改善设施的公平市场价值小于或等于100,000美元(除非所需的贷款人已确定该建筑物、构筑物或改善设施在其他方面对贷款方的整体业务具有重大意义)。尽管本协议或任何其他贷款文件中有任何相反规定,行政代理应在收到书面通知后,尽快在实际可行的情况下,(A)对影响任何抵押财产的洪泛区地图进行任何修改,或(B)从美国借款人处收到根据本协议对任何不动产抵押品的任何拟议增加。第5.12(C)条对于(A)和(B)条款中的每一项,应向贷款人提供有关通知(该通知可张贴在平台上),并应给予每个贷款人足够的时间,以进行其认为必要的洪水保险尽职调查和洪水保险合规,以遵守(如附表5.18所定义的)洪水计划;提供除非法律另有要求,否则行政代理没有义务独立监测影响任何此类抵押品的洪泛区地图。第5.12(C)条直接因行政代理遵守这一判决而产生的不应构成违约或违约事件。第5.13节:第一节。进一步保证; 。应行政代理或任何贷款人通过行政代理提出的请求,(A)纠正在任何贷款文件中或在执行、确认、存档或记录过程中可能发现的任何重大缺陷或错误,以及(B)执行、执行、确认、交付、记录、重新记录、存档、重新归档、登记和重新登记行政代理或任何贷款人通过行政代理可能不时合理要求的任何和所有其他行为、契据、证书、保证和其他文书,以便(I)更有效地实现贷款文件的目的,(Ii)在适用法律允许的最大范围内,将任何借款方的财产、资产、权利或权益置于现在或以后拟由任何担保文件涵盖的留置权;(Iii)完善并保持任何担保文件和根据该文件设立的任何留置权的有效性、有效性和优先权;及(Iv)保证、转易、授予、转让、保全、保护并更有效地向担保当事人确认已授予的权利,或现在或今后打算根据任何贷款文件或与任何贷款方或其任何子公司是或将成为当事人的任何贷款文件签署的任何其他文书授予担保当事人的权利。第5.14节:第一节。非限制性附属公司名称。美国借款人可在《2023年修正案和重述生效日》当日或之后的任何时间将任何受限子公司(借款人除外)指定为非受限子公司,或将任何非受限子公司指定为受限子公司;
关于任何受支持的QFC的确认。(A)在贷款文件通过担保或其他方式为互换合同或任何其他协议或文书提供支持的范围内(这种支持称为“QFC信贷支持”,每个此类QFC为“受支持的QFC”),双方承认并同意联邦存款保险公司根据《联邦存款保险法》和《多德-弗兰克华尔街改革和消费者保护法》第二章(连同其下颁布的条例)拥有的清算权,并同意如下美国特别决议制度“)对于此类受支持的QFC和QFC信用支持(尽管贷款文件和任何受支持的QFC实际上可能被声明为受纽约州和/或美国或美国任何其他州的法律管辖,但以下规定仍适用)。 may be consummated;
(f) the US Borrower and any Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary may consummate a Permitted Acquisition;
(g) so long as no Default or Event of Default exists or would result therefrom, the US Borrower may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with any other Person; provided that (i) the US Borrower shall be the continuing or surviving Person or (ii) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger, amalgamation or consolidation is not the US Borrower (any such Person, the “Successor Company”), (A) the Successor Company shall be an entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, (B) the Successor Company shall expressly assume all the obligations of the US Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which the US Borrower is a party pursuant to a supplement hereto or thereto reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (C) each Domestic Subsidiary Guarantor, unless it is the Successor Company, shall have confirmed that its guarantee under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement shall apply to the Successor Company’s obligations under the Loan Documents, (D) each Domestic Subsidiary Guarantor, unless it is the Successor Company, shall have, by a supplement to the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and other applicable Security Documents, confirmed that its obligations thereunder shall apply to its guarantee of the Successor Company’s obligations under the Loan Documents and (E) the US Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that such merger, amalgamation or consolidation and such supplement to this Agreement or any Security Document preserves the enforceability of this Agreement, the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the other applicable Security Documents and the perfection of the Liens under such Security Documents; provided, further, that if the foregoing conditions are satisfied, the Successor Company will succeed to, and be substituted for, the US Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; and
(h) any Restricted Subsidiary (other than a Borrower) may liquidate or dissolve (i) if the US Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interest of the US Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders and (ii) if such Restricted Subsidiary is a Loan Party, if any assets or business of such Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise disposed of or transferred in accordance with this Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 or, in the case of any such business, discontinued, shall be transferred to, or otherwise owned or conducted by, (A) in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that is Domestic Subsidiary Guarantor, a Domestic Loan Party, (B) in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary that is a Foreign Subsidiary Guarantor, a Loan Party, (C) in the case of a Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, the US Borrower or any other Domestic Restricted Subsidiary and (D) in
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the case of a Foreign Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, in each case after giving effect to such liquidation or dissolution.
Section 6.04 Limitation on Dispositions. Dispose of any of its Property (including receivables and leasehold interests), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or, in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary, issue or sell any Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares) to any Person, except:
(a) Dispositions of surplus, obsolete or worn out Property and Property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(b) the lapse, abandonment, cancellation or non-exclusive license of any immaterial Intellectual Property in the ordinary course of business;
(c) Dispositions of inventory or goods held for sale in the ordinary course of business;
(d) Dispositions permitted by Section 6.03 (excluding Section 6.03(e) and Section 6.03(h));
(e) any sale or issuance of (i) the Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary to any Domestic Loan Party; (ii) the Equity Interests of any Foreign Restricted Subsidiary to any Foreign Loan Party; (iii) the Equity Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party; and (iv) the Equity Interests of any Foreign Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any other Foreign Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;
(f) any Disposition of other assets (excluding (x) Equity Interests in any Domestic Restricted Subsidiary or any Canadian Restricted Subsidiary unless, in each case, all Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares) are sold; provided that no Disposition of the Equity Interests in the Canadian Borrower or, except as expressly permitted under clause (iv) of the proviso to this clause (f), the UK Borrower shall be permitted under this clause (f), (y) Equity Interests in any Foreign Subsidiary in excess of 49% of the Equity Interests in such Foreign Subsidiary, unless all Equity Interests in such Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares) are sold and (z) the Goderich Mine) for fair market value; provided that (i) no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom, (ii) with respect to any Disposition pursuant to this Section 6.04(f), at least 75% of the total consideration for any such Disposition (or, solely in the case of any Disposition of any Non-Core Assets, at least 50% of the total consideration for any such Disposition) shall be received by the US Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the form of cash and Cash Equivalents (in each case, free and clear of all Liens at the time received, other than Liens permitted by Section 6.02); provided, however, that for the purposes of this clause (ii), the following shall be deemed to be cash: (A) any liabilities (as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the US Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries provided hereunder or in the footnotes thereto) of the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, other than liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the payment in cash of the Obligations, that are assumed by the transferee with respect to the applicable Disposition and for which the US
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Borrower and all of its Restricted Subsidiaries shall have been validly released by all applicable creditors in writing, (B) any securities received by the US Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the US Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents (to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received) within 30 days following the closing of the applicable Disposition and (C) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received by the US Borrower or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary in respect of such Disposition having an aggregate fair market value taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received pursuant to this clause (C) that is at that time outstanding, not in excess of $25,000,000 at the time of the receipt of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration, with the fair market value of each item of Designated Non-Cash Consideration being measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value, shall be deemed to be cash consideration, (iii) the requirements of Section 2.11(a), to the extent applicable, are complied with in connection therewith; provided, however, that this clause (iii) shall not apply to (x) any Disposition of assets of the UK Business or (y) the Disposition of the Equity Interests of Compass Minerals S.A. and its subsidiaries, in each case, if, after giving pro forma effect to such Disposition, the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio determined on a pro forma basis as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period would be less than or equal to 3.25:1.00, or, if the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as so determined, would be greater than 3.25:1.00, the Net Cash Proceeds thereof are applied to prepay, first, the Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.10(a) and, second, once the Term Loans have been prepaid in full, to make a voluntary prepayment of the outstanding Revolving Loans, if any, in accordance with Section 2.10(a), until the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio determined on a pro forma basis as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period would be less than or equal to 3.25:1.00 (the amount of such Net Cash Proceeds that would be required to be so applied to prepay Term Loans and Revolving Loans, the “Specified Proceeds Amount”); provided, however, that so long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing the US Borrower shall have the option, directly or through one or more of its Restricted Subsidiaries, to invest such Net Cash Proceeds within 180 days of receipt thereof (or 360 days of receipt thereof if the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries enters into a legally binding commitment to invest such Net Cash Proceeds within 180 days of receipt thereof) in assets of the type used in the business of the US Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as permitted by Section 6.12) (and, in the event that such Net Cash Proceeds are not reinvested by the US Borrower prior to the last day of such 180 day or 360 day period, as the case may be, the US Borrower shall prepay the Term Loans (and, once the Term Loans have been prepaid in full, any outstanding Revolving Loans) in an amount equal to the Specified Proceeds Amount as set forth in Section 2.12(b) no later than two Business Days after the expiration of such period), (iv) in the case of the Disposition of the Equity Interests in the UK Borrower (the “UK Borrower Disposition”), (A) the US Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Responsible Officer certifying (and the Administrative Agent shall be satisfied) that no Loans made to the UK Borrower are outstanding as of the date of the UK Borrower Disposition and all interest, fees and any other amounts payable by the UK Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and accrued as of the date of the UK Borrower Disposition have been paid in full in cash and (B) immediately after the consummation of the UK Borrower Disposition, the UK Borrower shall cease to be a Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and shall cease to have any right to have any Loans or other Credit Extensions made to it hereunder or under any other Loan Document and (v) in connection with the sale of less than all the Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary permitted
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under this clause (f), the Net Cash Proceeds thereof shall be applied to prepay the Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.11(a) (without giving effect to the reinvestment rights set forth in such Section 2.11(a)) and, to the extent of any such Net Cash Proceeds remaining, to make a voluntary prepayment of the Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.10(a);
(g) transfers of condemned Property as a result of the exercise of “eminent domain” or other similar policies to the respective Governmental Authority or agency that has condemned the same (whether by deed in lieu of condemnation or otherwise), and transfers of properties that have been subject to a casualty to the respective insurer of such Property as part of an insurance settlement;
(h) 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 joint venture agreements and similar binding agreements; provided that the requirements of Section 2.11(a), to the extent applicable, are complied with in connection therewith;
(i) the sale or discount, in each case without recourse and in the ordinary course of business, of overdue accounts receivable arising in the ordinary course of business, but only in connection with the compromise or collection thereof consistent with customary industry practice (and not as part of any bulk sale or financing of receivables);
(j) transfers of Property (other than Equity Interests) to the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) any such transfer shall be made in compliance with Section 6.06 and Section 6.08 and (ii) the aggregate fair market value (as determined by the US Borrower in good faith) of all Property transferred under this clause (j) by (A) Domestic Loan Parties to Restricted Subsidiaries other than Domestic Loan Parties shall not exceed $30,000,000 and (B) Foreign Loan Parties to Foreign Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties shall not exceed $7,500,000;
(k) dispositions and/or terminations of leases, subleases, licenses and sublicenses in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(l) Dispositions of Cash Equivalents;
(m) Dispositions of Property (other than Equity Interests or all or substantially all of the assets of the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;
(n) the unwinding of any Swap Contract in accordance with its terms;
(o) to the extent constituting Dispositions, (i) Liens permitted by Section 6.02 and (ii) Restricted Payments permitted by Section 6.05 (excluding Section 6.05(f)); and
(p) any disposition of Permitted Receivables Facility Assets in connection with a Permitted Receivables Facility.
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To the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 6.04 to any Person that is not a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents, and the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effectuate the foregoing.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, in no event shall any Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary be permitted to transfer or dispose of any Material Intellectual Property (other than non-exclusive licenses of Material Intellectual Property) to any Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Section 6.05 Limitation on Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that:
(a) any Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that any Restricted Payment by a Domestic Loan Party shall be made either (i) directly to a Domestic Loan Party or (ii) to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Loan Party, so long as such Restricted Subsidiary distributes or otherwise transfers such payment (directly or through one or more Restricted Subsidiaries) to a Domestic Loan Party within three Business Days after receipt of such payment;
(b) the US Borrower may declare and make Restricted Payments on any class of Equity Interests of the US Borrower payable solely in the form of Qualified Equity Interests of the US Borrower;
(c) the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to, directly or indirectly, purchase the Equity Interests of the US Borrower from present or former officers, directors, consultants, agents or employees (or their estates, trusts, family members or former spouses) of the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary upon the death, disability, retirement or termination of the applicable officer, director, consultant, agent or employee; provided that the aggregate amount of payments under this Section 6.05(c) shall not exceed $20,000,000 in any calendar year (with unused amounts in any calendar year not to exceed $10,000,000 for such calendar year to be carried over to the next succeeding calendar year); provided, further, that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed the sum of:
(i) the net cash proceeds received from key man life insurance policies received by the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; plus
(ii) to the extent contributed to the US Borrower as common equity, the net cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of the US Borrower to directors, consultants, officers or employees of the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with permitted employee compensation and incentive arrangements, to the extent the net cash proceeds from the sale of such Equity Interests have not otherwise been applied for another purpose; provided that such amounts are excluded from the calculation of the Available Amount and not previously applied for a purpose other than use in the Available Amount; minus
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(iii) the aggregate amount of any Restricted Payments previously made with the net cash proceeds described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii);
(d) non-cash repurchases of Equity Interests of the US Borrower deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or the settlement or vesting of other equity awards if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants or similar equity incentive awards;
(e) the US Borrower may make cash payments in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Interests of any such Person;
(f) to the extent constituting Restricted Payments, the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into and consummate transactions expressly permitted by any provision of Section 6.03 and Section 6.04 (other than Section 6.04(o));
(g) any non-Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary may declare and pay cash dividends to its equity holders generally so long as the US Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiary which owns the Equity Interests in the Restricted Subsidiary paying such dividend receives at least its proportional share thereof (based upon its relative holding of the class of Equity Interests in the Restricted Subsidiary paying such dividends);
(h) so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, the US Borrower may make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed in any fiscal year of the US Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year of the US Borrower ending December 31, 2019), $75,000,000 (or, only during and until the termination of the Amendment Period, $30,000,000) (less the amount of prepayments of Indebtedness made in reliance on clause (iii) of Section 6.07(a) during such fiscal year); provided that the US Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.13, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period (it being understood that if no Test Period cited in Section 6.13 has passed, the covenants in Section 6.13 for the first Test Period cited in Section 6.13 shall be satisfied as of the last day of the most recently ended four-fiscal-quarter period ended on or prior to the making of such Restricted Payment), both before and after giving effect to such Restricted Payments; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the US Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary may make any Restricted Payment in reliance on this clause (h) on or after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date;
(i) so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, the US Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments so long as (i) the US Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.13, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period (it being understood that if no Test Period cited in Section 6.13 has passed, the covenants in Section 6.13 for the first Test Period cited in Section 6.13 shall be satisfied as of the last day of the most recently ended four-fiscal-quarter period ended on or prior to the making of such Restricted Payment), and (ii) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period does not exceed 3.50:1.00, in each case both before and after giving effect to such Restricted Payments; and
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(j) so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, the US Borrower may make additional Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25,000,000.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, during the Amendment Period, the Borrowers shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any Restricted Payment in reliance on clauses (i) or (j) of this Section 6.05.
Section 6.06 Limitation on Investments. Make or hold, directly or indirectly, any Investments, except:
(a) Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Investments by the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash and Cash Equivalents;
(c) Investments by the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that (x) any Investment made by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any Loan Party pursuant to this Section 6.06(c) shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Loans pursuant to the Subordinated Intercompany Note and (y) the aggregate amount of such Investments by Loan Parties in Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties shall not exceed $50,000,000;
(d) guarantees by the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of leases (other than Capital Leases) or of other obligations of the US Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(e) loans or advances to officers, directors, managers and employees of the US Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of the US Borrower (provided that the amount of such loans and advances shall be contributed to the US Borrower in cash as common equity) and (iii) for any other purpose not described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii); provided that the aggregate principal amount of all loans and advances outstanding at any time under clauses (ii) and (iii) of this Section 6.06(e) shall not exceed $5,000,000;
(f) Permitted Acquisitions; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the US Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary may make any Investment in reliance on this clause (f) on or after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date;
(g) Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made solely with Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of the US Borrower;
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(h) Investments by the US Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in (x) joint ventures or similar arrangements and (y) Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed $75,000,000; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the US Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary may make any Investment in reliance on this clause (h) on or after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date;
(i) Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in the ordinary course of business by the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of suppliers and customers and in settlement of delinquent obligations of, and other disputes with, suppliers and customers arising out of the ordinary course of business or upon the foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment;
(j) Investments by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any other Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;
(k) Investments (i) existing or contemplated on the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date and set forth on Schedule 6.06 and any modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof and (ii) existing on the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date by the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary in the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary and any modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof; provided that, in each case, the amount of the original Investment is not increased except by the terms of such original Investment as set forth on Schedule 6.06 or as otherwise permitted by this Section 6.06;
(l) Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 6.01(f);
(m) Investments of any Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) in existence at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than in Subsidiaries of any such Person); provided that such Investment was not made in connection with or in anticipation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary;
(n) Investments arising as a result of payments permitted by Section 6.07(a) and assignments of Term Loans to a Borrower pursuant to, and subject to the terms of, Section 9.06(g);
(o) Investments arising directly out of the receipt by the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary of non-cash consideration for any sale of assets permitted under Section 6.04;
(p) Investments consisting of the licensing or contribution of Intellectual Property pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other persons;
(q) Investments in the ordinary course of business consisting of UCC Article 3 endorsements for collection or deposit and UCC Article 4 customary trade arrangements with customers consistent with past practices;
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(r) to the extent constituting Investments, purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials and equipment or purchases of contract rights or licenses or leases of Intellectual Property, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(s) advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;
(t) additional Investments in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed (x) the greater of $100,000,000 and 6% of Consolidated Total Assets plus (y) an amount equal to the portion, if any, of the Available Amount on such date that the US Borrower elects to apply to this Section 6.06(t); provided that no Investment may be made pursuant to this Section 6.06(t) in any Subsidiary for the purpose of making a Restricted Payment prohibited pursuant to Section 6.05; and
(u) additional Investments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed $50,000,000; andprovided, however, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the US Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary may make any Restricted Payment in reliance on this clause (u) on or after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date; and
(v) customary Investments in connection with Permitted Receivables Facilities (including capital contributions of Permitted Receivables Facility Assets to a Receivables Entity).
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, during the Amendment Period, the Borrowers shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, make any Investment in reliance on clause (t) of this Section 6.06.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, in no event shall any Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary be permitted to transfer or dispose of (including by way of an Investment) any Material Intellectual Property (other than non-exclusive licenses of Material Intellectual Property) to any Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Section 6.07 Limitation on Prepayments; Modifications of Debt Instruments and Organizational Documents.
(a) Make or offer to make (or give any notice in respect thereof) any optional or voluntary payment, prepayment, repurchase or redemption of, or voluntarily or optionally defease, or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner, any Junior Indebtedness, or segregate funds for any such payment, prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance, except:
(i) any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof;
(ii) the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may convert any Junior Indebtedness to Qualified Equity Interests of the US Borrower;
(iii) so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary may prepay any
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Junior Indebtedness in an aggregate amount not to exceed in any fiscal year of the US Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year of the US Borrower ending December 31, 2019), the greater of $100,000,000 (or, only during and until the termination or expiration of the Amendment Period, $50,000,000) and 5% of Consolidated Total Assets (less the amount of Restricted Payments made in reliance on Section 6.05(h) during such fiscal year); provided that the US Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.13, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period (it being understood that if no Test Period cited in Section 6.13 has passed, the covenants in Section 6.13 for the first Test Period cited in Section 6.13 shall be satisfied as of the last day of the most recently ended four-fiscal-quarter period ended on or prior to the making of such Restricted Payment), both before and after giving effect to such prepayment; provided, however, that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the US Borrower nor any Restricted Subsidiary may make any payment, prepayment, repurchase or redemption of, or voluntarily or optionally defease, or otherwise satisfy prior to the scheduled maturity thereof in any manner, any Junior Indebtedness, or segregate funds for any such payment, prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance, in each case in reliance on this clause (iii) on or after the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date;
(iv) so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom, the US Borrower may prepay any Junior Indebtedness so long as (A) the US Borrower is in pro forma compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.13, recomputed as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period (it being understood that if no Test Period cited in Section 6.13 has passed, the covenants in Section 6.13 for the first Test Period cited in Section 6.13 shall be satisfied as of the last day of the most recently ended four-fiscal-quarter period ending on or prior to the making of such prepayment), and (B) the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period does not exceed 3.50:1.00, in each case both before and after giving effect to such prepayment;
(b) amend, modify, waive or otherwise change, or consent or agree to any amendment, modification, waiver or other change to, any of the terms of any Junior Indebtedness, if (i) after giving effect to such amendment, modification, waiver, change or consent, the obligors with respect to such Junior Indebtedness would not have been permitted to incur, guarantee or secure such Junior Indebtedness, pursuant to the terms hereof if such Junior Indebtedness, as amended, modified, waived or otherwise changed, was instead incurred, guaranteed or secured as Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect of such Junior Indebtedness or (ii) such amendment, modification, waiver, change or consent would be adverse in any material respect to the interests of the Lenders;
(c) amend, restate, supplement or otherwise modify any of its Organizational Documents or any agreement to which it is a party with respect to its Equity Interests (including any stockholders’ agreement), or enter into any new agreement with respect to its Equity Interests, other than any such amendments, modifications or changes or such new agreements which are not, and could not reasonably be expected to be, adverse in any material respect to the interests of the Lenders.
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Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, during the Amendment Period, the Borrowers shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, prepay any Junior Indebtedness in reliance on clause (a)(iv) of this Section 6.07.
Section 6.08 Limitation on Transactions with Affiliates.
Enter into, directly or indirectly, any transaction or series of related transactions with a value in excess of $5,000,000, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, with any Affiliate of the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, unless such transaction is both (i) not prohibited under this Agreement and (ii) upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the US Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than it would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person that is not an Affiliate, except that the following shall be permitted:
(a) (i) transactions by and among the Domestic Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate of the US Borrower; (ii) transactions by and among the Foreign Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate of the US Borrower; and (iii) transactions by and among Restricted Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate of the US Borrower;
(b) Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(b) and (p) (subject to Section 6.05(c));
(c) transactions permitted under Section 6.03;
(d) Dispositions permitted under Section 6.04 (a) and (e);
(e) Restricted Payments permitted under Section 6.05;
(f) Investments permitted under Section 6.06(e);
(g) employment and severance arrangements between the US Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and their respective current or former officers and employees in the ordinary course of business and transactions pursuant to stock option plans, stock incentive plans and employee benefit plans and arrangements in the ordinary course of business;
(h) payment of reasonable and customary director, officer and employee compensation (including bonuses) and other benefits (including retirement, health, stock option and other benefit plans) and indemnification arrangements, in each case approved by the board of directors of the US Borrower, as applicable;
(i) transactions pursuant to agreements, instruments or arrangements in existence on the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date and set forth in Schedule 6.08 or any amendment thereto to the extent such an amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect; and
(j) transactions effected as part of a Permitted Receivables Facility.
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Section 6.09 Limitation on Sale and Leasebacks.
Enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, with any Person whereby it shall Dispose of any Property used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such Property or other Property which it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the Property being sold or transferred (any such transaction, a “Sale and Leaseback”), unless (i) the Disposition of such Property is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair market value of such Property, (ii) the Disposition of such Property is permitted by Section 6.04 and is consummated within 10 Business Days after the date on which such Property is sold or transferred, (iii) any Liens arising in connection therewith are permitted under Section 6.02(h) and (iv) the Attributable Indebtedness arising from such Sale and Leaseback is permitted under Section 6.01(c).
Section 6.10 Limitation on Changes in Fiscal Periods. Permit the fiscal year of the US Borrower to end on a day other than September 30 or change the US Borrower’s method of determining fiscal quarters.
Section 6.11 Limitation on Burdensome Agreements. Enter into or suffer to exist or become effective any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of any Loan Party to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its properties or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, to secure the Obligations or (b) the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to (i) make Restricted Payments in respect of any Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary held by, or pay any Indebtedness owed to, the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) make loans or advances to, or other Investments in, the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary or (iii) transfer any of its properties to the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary, except for any such restrictions that:
(a) exist under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents;
(b) (x) exist on the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date and (to the extent not otherwise permitted by this Section 6.11) are listed on Schedule 6.11 hereto and (y) to the extent restrictions permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any Permitted Refinancing Debt in respect thereof, so long as such restrictions are not (taken as a whole) materially less favorable to the Lenders than those in the original Indebtedness;
(c) are binding on a Foreign Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party pursuant to Indebtedness of a Foreign Subsidiary which is permitted by Section 6.01;
(d) are binding on a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) at the time such Person first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such restrictions (i) do not apply to the US Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary or the Property of any of the foregoing and (ii) were not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary;
(e) are customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to any Disposition permitted by Section 6.04 pending the consummation of such
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Disposition; provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the property that is the subject of such Disposition and not to the proceeds to be received by the Group Members in connection with such Disposition;
(f) are customary provisions in joint venture agreements and other similar agreements applicable to joint ventures permitted under Section 6.06 and applicable solely to such joint venture;
(g) are restrictions on Liens in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c) (solely to the extent such restriction relates to assets the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement, lease or improvement of which was financed by such Indebtedness), Section 6.01(l) (solely to the extent such restriction relates to assets acquired in connection with the Permitted Acquisition in connection with which such Indebtedness referred to in Section 6.01(l) was acquired) or Section 6.01(m) (solely to the extent such restriction relates to assets acquired in connection with the Permitted Acquisition financed by such Indebtedness);
(h) are customary restrictions in leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions relate solely to the assets subject thereto;
(i) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest of the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(j) are customary provisions restricting assignment or transfer of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business; and
(k) are amendments, modifications, restatements, refinancings or renewals of the agreements, contracts or instruments referred to in Section 6.11(a) through Section 6.11(j) above; provided that such amendments, modifications, restatements, refinancings or renewals, taken as a whole, are not materially more restrictive with respect to such encumbrances and restrictions than those contained in such predecessor agreements, contracts or instruments.
Section 6.12 Limitation on Lines of Business. Enter into any line of business, except for (i) those lines of business in which the US Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date, (ii) the specialty chemicals business, (iii) the industrial minerals business, or in the case of each of sub-clauses (i),(ii) and (iii), any other business that are reasonably related or ancillary thereto or are reasonable extensions thereof.
Section 6.13 Financial Covenants.
(a) Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio. Commencing with the first fiscal quarter ending after the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date, permit the Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio on the last day of (i) for any fiscal quarter ending during the Amendment Period, the fiscal quarter set forth in the table below to be greater than the ratio set forth opposite such date and (ii) for any fiscal quarter ending on or after the Amendment Period Termination Date, any fiscal quarter to be greater than 4.75(A) for fiscal quarters ending prior to December 31, 2026, 4.75:1.00 or (B) for fiscal quarters ending on or after December 31, 2026,
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4.50:1.00 (it being understood and agreed that, for purposes of determining pro forma compliance with the covenant set forth in this Section 6.13(a) on and after the Amendment Period Termination Date, the applicable Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio shall be 4.75(A) for fiscal quarters ending prior to December 31, 2026, 4.75:1.00 or (B) for fiscal quarters ending on or after December 31, 2026, 4.50:1.00).
Fiscal Quarter End
Consolidated Total Net Leverage Ratio
December 31, 2019
4.75:1.00
March 31, 2020
4.75:1.00
June 30, 2020
4.75:1.00
September 30, 2020
4.75:1.00
December 31, 2020
4.75:1.00
March 31, 2021
4.50:1.00
June 30, 2021
4.50:1.00
September 30, 2021
4.50:1.00
December 31, 2021
4.50:1.00
March 31, 2022
4.50:1.00
June 30, 2022
5.50:1.00
September 30, 2022
5.50:1.00
December 31, 2022
5.00:1.00
March 31, 2023
5.00:1.00
June 30, 2023
5.00:1.00
September 30, 2023
5.00:1.00
December 31, 2023
5.00:1.00
March 31, 2024
6.00:1.00
June 30, 2024
6.50:1.00
September 30, 2024
6.50:1.00
December 31, 2024
6.50:1.00
March 31, 2025
5.756.50:1.00
June 30, 2025
5.506.50:1.00
September 30, 2025
5.506.50:1.00
December 31, 2025
5.255.75:1.00
March 31, 2026 and the last day of each fiscal quarter ending thereafter
4.75:1.00
(b) Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio. Commencing with the first fiscal quarter ending after the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date, permit the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio on the last day of (i) for any fiscal quarter ending during the Amendment Period, the fiscal quarter set forth in the table below to be less than the ratio set forth
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opposite such date and (ii) for any fiscal quarter ending on or after the Amendment Period Termination Date, any fiscal quarter to be less than 2.25:1.00 (it being understood and agreed that, for purposes of determining pro forma compliance with the covenant set forth in this Section 6.13(b) on and after the Amendment Period Termination Date, the applicable Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio shall be 2.25:1.00).
Fiscal Quarter End
Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio
December 31, 2019
2.25:1.00
March 31, 2020
2.25:1.00
June 30, 2020
2.25:1.00
September 30, 2020
2.25:1.00
December 31, 2020
2.25:1.00
March 31, 2021
2.25:1.00
June 30, 2021
2.25:1.00
September 30, 2021
2.25:1.00
December 31, 2021
2.25:1.00
March 31, 2022
2.25:1.00
June 30, 2022
2.25:1.00
September 30, 2022
2.25:1.00
December 31, 2022
2.25:1.00
March 31, 2023
2.25:1.00
June 30, 2023
2.25:1.00
September 30, 2023
2.25:1.00
December 31, 2023
2.25:1.00
March 31, 2024
2.25:1.00
June 30, 2024
2.00:1.00
September 30, 2024
2.00:1.00
December 31, 2024
2.00:1.00
March 31, 2025
2.00:1.00
June 30, 2025
2.00:1.00
September 30, 2025
2.00:1.00
December 31, 2025
2.00:1.00
March 31, 2025 and the last day of each fiscal quarter ending thereafter2026
2.25:1.00
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ARTICLE VII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
Section 7.01 Events of Default. Each of the following events shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) the US Borrower or any other Loan Party shall fail to pay (i) any principal of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation when due in accordance with the terms hereof, whether at the due date thereof or at a fixed date for payment thereof or by acceleration thereof or otherwise (or, solely in the case of any principal on any Term Loan due pursuant to Section 2.03 (other than on the applicable Maturity Date for such Term Loan), within one Business Day of the due date thereof) or (ii) any interest on any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation or any fee or other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (i)) payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document within three Business Days after any such interest or other amount becomes due in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof; or
(b) any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of the US Borrower or any other Loan Party herein or in any other Loan Document or in any statement or certificate delivered pursuant hereto or thereto shall be incorrect or misleading in any material respect when made or deemed made; or
(c) (i) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.01(a), Section 5.01(b), Section 5.03(a) or Section 5.05(a) (with respect to the US Borrower only), Section 5.11, Section 5.18 or Article VI; or
(d) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant, condition or agreement contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document (other than as provided in Section 7.01(a), Section 7.01(b) or Section 7.01(c)), and such failure continues unremedied or unwaived for a period of 30 days after the earlier of (i) the date an officer of such Loan Party becomes aware of such default and (ii) receipt by the US Borrower of notice of such default from the Administrative Agent or any Lender; or
(e) any Group Member shall (i) fail to pay any principal or interest, regardless of amount, due in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable beyond any applicable grace period in respect thereof; or (ii) fail to observe or perform any other term, covenant, agreement or condition relating to any Material Indebtedness or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event shall occur or condition exist, the effect of which default or other event or condition is to cause, or to permit the holders or beneficiaries of such Material Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holders or beneficiaries) to cause, with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both, such Material Indebtedness to become due or to terminate prior to its stated maturity or become subject to a mandatory offer to purchase by the obligor; or any event shall occur or condition shall exist the effect of which is to cause, or permit any participant or participants in any Permitted Receivables Facility (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such participant or participants) to cause (determined without regard to whether any notice is required) the purchase of Permitted Receivables Facility Assets under such Permitted Receivables Facility to terminate prior to the stated maturity thereof; or
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(f) (i) a court of competent jurisdiction shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of any Group Member (other than any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) in an involuntary case under any Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect, which decree or order is not stayed; or any other similar relief shall be granted under any applicable federal or state law; or (ii) an involuntary case shall be commenced against any Group Member (other than any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) under any Debtor Relief Laws now or hereafter in effect; or a decree or order of a court having jurisdiction in the premises for the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, sequestrator, trustee, custodian or other officer having similar powers over any Group Member (other than any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary), or over all or a substantial part of its property, shall have been entered; or there shall have occurred the involuntary appointment of an interim receiver, trustee or other custodian of any Group Member (other than any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) for all or a substantial part of its property; or a warrant of attachment, execution or similar process shall have been issued against any substantial part of the property of any Group Member (other than any Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary), and any such event described in this clause (ii) shall continue for 60 days without having been dismissed, bonded or discharged; or
(g) (i) any Group Member (other than an Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) shall have an order for relief entered with respect to it or shall commence a voluntary case under any Debtor Relief Law now or hereafter in effect, or shall consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case, or to the conversion of an involuntary case to a voluntary case, under any such law, or shall consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, trustee or other custodian for all or a substantial part of its property; or any Group Member (other than an Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) shall make any assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (ii) any Group Member (other than an Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) shall be unable, or shall fail generally, or shall admit in writing its inability, to pay its debts as such debts become due; or the board of directors (or similar governing body) of any Group Member (other than an Immaterial Restricted Subsidiary) (or any committee thereof) shall adopt any resolution or otherwise authorize any action to approve any of the actions referred to herein or in Section 7.01(f); or
(h) (i) there exists any fact or circumstance that reasonably could be expected to result in the imposition of a Lien or security interest on any property or any Group Member pursuant to Section 430(k) of the Code or Section 303(k) of ERISA or a violation of Section 436 of the Code or similar non-US law; (ii) there occurs an ERISA Event described in clause (b) of the definition thereof; or (iii) there occurs one or more other ERISA Events or Foreign Benefit Events which has resulted or could reasonably be expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or
(i) one or more judgments shall be rendered against any Group Member and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of 60 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to levy upon assets or properties of any Group Member to enforce any such judgment and, in each case, such judgment or judgments either (i) are for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $50,000,000 (to the extent not adequately covered by insurance) or (ii) are for injunctive relief and could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or
(j) at any time after the execution and delivery thereof, (i) the guarantee contained in Section 2 of the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, in the Foreign Guarantee
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Agreement or in the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement for any reason other than Payment in Full shall cease to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with its terms) or shall be declared to be null and void or any Guarantor shall repudiate its obligations thereunder, (ii) this Agreement or any Security Document ceases to be in full force and effect (other than by reason of a release of Collateral in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof or Payment in Full) or shall be declared null and void, or the Administrative Agent shall not have or shall cease to have a valid and perfected Lien in any material portion of the Collateral purported to be covered by the Security Documents with the priority required by the relevant Security Document, or (in any event) the Goderich Mine shall cease to secure the Obligations of the Canadian Borrower and the UK Borrower, in each case, for any reason other than (x) except in the case of the Goderich Mine, as a result of the sale or other disposition of the applicable Collateral in a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents or (y) as a result of the Administrative Agent’s failure to maintain possession of any stock certificates or other instruments delivered to it under the Security Documents, or (iii) any Loan Party shall contest the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document in writing or deny in writing that it has any further liability, including with respect to future advances by Lenders, under any Loan Document to which it is a party or shall contest the validity or perfection of any Lien on any Collateral (other than, solely with respect to perfection, any Excluded Perfection Assets) purported to be covered by the Security Documents; or
(k) any Change of Control shall occur.
Section 7.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders take any or all of the following actions:
(a) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of any Issuing Bank to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers;
(c) require that each relevant Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to 105% of the L/C Obligations); and
(d) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks under the Loan Documents or at law or in equity;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Section 7.01(f) or Section 7.01(g), the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of any Issuing Bank to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the relevant Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C
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Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank.
Section 7.03 Application of Funds. Subject to the Intercreditor Agreements, after the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 7.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 7.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations of a Borrower shall, subject to the provisions of Section 2.23 and Section 2.24, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
first, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent) payable by such Borrower to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable by such Borrower to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the Issuing Banks) arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations of such Borrower arising under the Loan Documents, ratably among the Lenders and the Issuing Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;
fourth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Issuing Banks, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit with respect to such Borrower to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the relevant Borrower pursuant to Section 7.02(c);
fifth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations of such Borrower constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, L/C Borrowings and Obligations then owing under Secured Hedge Agreements (other than Excluded Swap Obligations) and Secured Cash Management Agreements, ratably among the Lenders, the Issuing Banks, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fifth payable by them; and
last, the balance, if any, after Payment in Full, to the US Borrower or as otherwise required by law.
Amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the Administrative Agent has not received written notice thereof, together with such
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supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.
ARTICLE VIII THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Section 8.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereby irrevocably appoints JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (together with any of its Affiliates, as described in the definition of “Administrative Agent”) to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article VIII (other than as expressly provided herein) are solely for the benefit of the Agents, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and neither the US Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall have any rights as a third-party beneficiary of any such provisions (other than as expressly provided herein). It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent or any other Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Requirements of Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
Section 8.02 Rights as a Lender and an Issuing Bank. Any Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender or an Issuing Bank as any other Lender or Issuing Bank and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and the term “Lender”, “Lenders”, “Issuing Bank” or “Issuing Banks” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include any Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its capacity as a Lender or an Issuing Bank, as applicable. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for, and generally engage in any kind of business with, the US Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Issuing Banks.
Section 8.03 Exculpatory Provisions.
(a) The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(i) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
(ii) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to
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exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents); provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Requirements of Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(iii) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the US Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by any Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided herein or under the other Loan Documents), or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and nonappealable judgment). The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default (stating that it is a “notice of default”) is given to the Administrative Agent in writing by the US Borrower, a Lender or an Issuing Bank.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein or in any other Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be liable for, or be responsible for any loss, cost or expense suffered by the US Borrower, any Subsidiary, any Lender or any Issuing Bank as a result of, any determination of the Revolving Exposure, the Canadian Revolving Exposure, the UK Revolving Exposure or the All-In Yield.
(d) 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.
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Section 8.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the signatory, sender or authenticator thereof). The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof), shall not incur any liability for relying thereon, and may act upon any such statement prior to receipt of written confirmation thereof. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Bank sufficiently in advance to the making of such Loan or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the US Borrower or any of its Affiliates), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
Section 8.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article VIII 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 as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment.
Section 8.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may resign as Administrative Agent upon 10 days’ notice to the Lenders and the US Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the US Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a financial institution with an office in the State of New York, or an Affiliate of any such financial institution with an office in the State of New York. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to), on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the
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qualifications set forth above; provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender or a Disqualified Institution. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the Issuing Banks under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed; provided that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any further action under any Loan Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any security interest) and (ii) except for any indemnity or other payments owed to the retiring Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and each Issuing Bank directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity or other payments owed to the retiring Administrative Agent ), and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents. The fees payable by any Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between such Borrower and such successor. After the retiring Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article VIII and Section 9.05 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 the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
(c) Any resignation by the then-existing Administrative Agent in accordance with this Section 8.06 shall, unless such Administrative Agent gives notice to the US Borrower otherwise, also constitute its resignation as Issuing Bank and Swing Line Lender, as applicable, and such resignation as Issuing Bank and Swing Line Lender shall become effective simultaneously with the discharge of the Administrative Agent from its duties and obligations as set forth in this Section 8.06 (except as to already outstanding Letters of Credit and L/C Obligations and Swing Line Loans, as to which the Person serving as the resigning Administrative Agent, in its capacities as Issuing Bank and Swing Line Lender, shall continue in such capacities until the exposure relating thereto shall be reduced to zero and such Swing Line Loans shall have been repaid, as applicable, or until the successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to the roles of Issuing Bank and Swing Line Lender in accordance with the next sentence and perform the actions required by the next sentence). Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, unless the resigning Administrative Agent otherwise agrees, (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Issuing Bank and Swing Line Lender and (ii) the successor Issuing Bank shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to the retiring Issuing Bank to effectively
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assume the obligations of the retiring Issuing Bank with respect to such Letters of Credit. At the time any such resignation of the then Administrative Agent shall become effective, each relevant Borrower shall pay all unpaid fees accrued for the account of the retiring Issuing Bank, if applicable.
Section 8.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of 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. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their respective Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
Section 8.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the Arrangers or the Agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an Issuing Bank hereunder or thereunder.
Section 8.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on any Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent under Section 2.09 and Section 9.05) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each other Secured Party to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the other Secured Parties, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent
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and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Section 2.09 and Section 9.05.
Section 8.10 Collateral and Guarantee Matters.
(a) Each of the Lenders irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent to:
(i) release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (x) upon Payment in Full, (y) that is sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other Disposition permitted under the Loan Documents or (z) subject to Section 9.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders or such other number or percentage of Lenders required hereby;
(ii) release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Foreign Guarantee Agreement or the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement (x) upon Payment in Full or (y) if such Guarantor (other than the Canadian Borrower and, except pursuant to a Disposition made in accordance with clause (iv) of the proviso to Section 6.04(f), the UK Borrower) ceases to be a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under and in accordance with the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the prior written consent of the Required Lenders (or, if the effect of such release would be to release all or substantially all of the Collateral or release all or substantially all of the value of the Guarantee Obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the other Loan Documents, without the prior written consent of all Lenders), no Subsidiary Guarantor shall be released from its obligations under the Loan Documents if such Subsidiary Guarantor either (a) ceases to be a Subsidiary Guarantor as a result of a transaction undertaken by the US Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary resulting in such Subsidiary Guarantor ceasing to be a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary or (b) ceases to be a Subsidiary but the US Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary, or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing, retains any direct or indirect Equity Interest in, or otherwise Controls, such Person, unless the transaction pursuant to which such Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary or ceases to be a Subsidiary is entered into for legitimate bona fide business purposes (other than for purposes of releasing Guarantee Obligations or Collateral hereunder) in good faith with an unaffiliated third party (or with a joint venture entity pursuant to a joint venture entered into for legitimate bona fide business purposes with an unaffiliated third party).
Any such release of guarantee obligations or security interests shall be deemed subject to the provision that such guarantee obligations shall be reinstated if after such release any portion of any payment in respect of the Obligations shall be rescinded or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of any Borrower or any Guarantor, or upon or as a result of the appointment of a receiver, intervenor or conservator of, or trustee or similar officer for, any Borrower or any Guarantor or any substantial part of its property, or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.
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Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Foreign Guarantee Agreement and/or the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement, as applicable, pursuant to this Section 8.10.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders or any other Secured Party for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.
(c) Anything contained in any of the Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, each Borrower, the Administrative Agent, each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby agree that (i) no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, any other Security Document, the Foreign Guarantee Agreement or the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under any of the Security Documents, the Foreign Guarantee Agreement and the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof, and (ii) in the event of a foreclosure or similar enforcement action by the Administrative Agent on any of the Collateral pursuant to a public or private sale or other Disposition (including pursuant to Section 363(k), Section 1129(b)(2)(a)(ii) or otherwise of the Bankruptcy Code), the Administrative Agent (or any Lender, except with respect to a “credit bid” pursuant to Section 363(k), Section 1129(b)(2)(a)(ii) or otherwise of the Bankruptcy Code,) may be the purchaser or licensor of any or all of such Collateral at any such sale or other Disposition and the Administrative Agent, as agent for and representative of the Secured Parties (but not any Lender or Lenders in its or their respective individual capacities) shall be entitled, upon instructions from the Required Lenders, for the purpose of bidding and making settlement or payment of the purchase price for all or any portion of the Collateral sold at any such sale or Disposition, to use and apply any of the Obligations as a credit on account of the purchase price for any collateral payable by the Administrative Agent at such sale or other Disposition.
Section 8.11 Additional Secured Parties. The benefit of the provisions of the Loan Documents directly relating to the Collateral or any Lien granted thereunder shall extend to and be available to any Secured Party that is not an Agent, Lender or Issuing Bank as long as, by accepting such benefits, such Secured Party agrees, as among the Administrative Agent and all other Secured Parties, that such Secured Party is bound by (and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, shall confirm such agreement in a writing in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) this Article VIII and Section 9.05(c) as if references to Lenders therein were references to all Secured Parties and the decisions and actions of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders (or, where expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, a greater proportion of the Lenders or other parties hereto as required herein) to the same extent a Lender is bound; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) such Secured Party shall be bound by Section 9.05(c) only to the extent of liabilities, costs and expenses with respect to or
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otherwise relating to the Collateral, (b) each of the Administrative Agent and Lenders shall be entitled to act without regard to the interest of such Secured Party, regardless of whether any Obligation to such Secured Party thereafter remains outstanding, is deprived of the benefit of the Collateral, becomes unsecured or is otherwise affected or put in jeopardy thereby, and without any duty or liability to such Secured Party or any such Obligation and (c) except as otherwise set forth herein, such Secured Party shall not have any right to be notified of, consent to, direct, require or be heard with respect to, any action taken or omitted in respect of the Collateral or under any Loan Document.
Section 8.12 Certain ERISA Matters.
(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrowers or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i) such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement,
(ii) the prohibited transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable so as to exempt from the prohibitions of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,
(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or
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(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
(b) In addition, unless either (1) sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or (2) a Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant in accordance with sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrowers or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent or the Arrangers or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).
Section 8.13 Acknowledgments of Lenders and Issuing Banks. (a) Each Lender (which term, for purposes of this Section 8.13, shall be deemed to include Issuing Banks) hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a “Payment”) were erroneously transmitted to such Lender (whether or not known to such Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on “discharge for value” or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender under this Section 8.13 shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(b) Each Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a “Payment Notice”) or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one Business Day thereafter,
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return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.
(c) Each Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by any Borrower or any other Loan Party (provided that this Section 8.13 shall not be interpreted to increase (or accelerate the due date for), or have the effect of increasing (or accelerating the due date for), the principal of the Loans or the interest thereon relative to the amount (and/or timing for payment) of such principal and interest that would have been payable had such Payment not been made by the Administrative Agent; provided, further, that for the avoidance of doubt, the immediately preceding clauses (x) and (y) shall not apply to the extent any such Payment is, and solely with respect to the amount of such Payment that is, comprised of funds received by the Administrative Agent from any Borrower for the purpose of making such Payment).
(d) Each party’s obligations under this Section 8.13 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.
ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.01 Amendments and Waivers. (a) None of the terms or provisions of this Agreement or any other Loan Document may be waived, supplemented or otherwise modified except in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9.01. The Required Lenders and each Loan Party party to the relevant Loan Document may, or (with the written consent of the Required Lenders) the Administrative Agent and each Loan Party party to the relevant Loan Document may, from time to time, (x) enter into written amendments, supplements or modifications hereto and to the other Loan Documents (including amendments and restatements hereof or thereof) for the purpose of adding any provisions to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or changing in any manner the rights of the Lenders or of the Loan Parties hereunder or thereunder or (y) waive, on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the instrument of waiver, any of the requirements of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or any Default or Event of Default and its consequences; provided, however, that, in addition to such Required Lender consent (except as otherwise set forth below), no such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification shall:
(i) forgive or otherwise reduce the principal amount or extend the final scheduled date of maturity of any Loan or Reimbursement Obligation; postpone, extend or delay any scheduled date of any amortization payment, or reduce or waive any amortization payment, in respect of any Term Loan; postpone, extend or delay any date fixed for, or
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reduce or waive the stated rate of, any interest, premium, fee or other amounts (other than principal) due to the Lenders or any Issuing Bank and payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document (except that, for the avoidance of doubt, mandatory prepayments pursuant to Section 2.12 may be postponed, extended, delayed, reduced, waived or modified with the consent of the Required Lenders); or increase the amount or postpone, extend or delay the expiration date of any Commitment of any Lender, in each case without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(ii) amend, modify or waive any provision of this Section 9.01 or reduce any percentage specified in the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or otherwise modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, consent to the assignment or transfer by any Borrower of any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, release all or substantially all of the Collateral (other than in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Documents) or release all or substantially all of the value of the Guarantee Obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Guarantee and Collateral Agreement and the other Loan Documents (other than in accordance with the provisions of the Loan Documents), in each case without the consent of all Lenders (or all Lenders of such Class, as the case may be);
(iii) amend, modify or waive any condition precedent to any Credit Extension under any Revolving Facility set forth in Section 4.02 (including the waiver of an existing Default or Event of Default required to be waived in order for such Credit Extension to be made) without the consent of the Required Class Lenders in respect of such Revolving Facility (but without the necessity of obtaining the prior written consent of the Required Lenders);
(iv) reduce the percentage specified in the definition of “Required Class Lenders” with respect to any Credit Facility without the written consent of all Lenders under such Credit Facility (but without the necessity of obtaining the prior written consent of the Required Lenders);
(v) amend, modify or waive any provision of Article VIII or any other provision affecting the rights, duties and obligations of the Administrative Agent without the consent of the Administrative Agent;
(vi) amend (including any amendment of this Section 9.01), modify or waive any provision affecting the rights, duties and obligations of any Swing Line Lender under this Agreement without the written consent of such Swing Line Lender;
(vii) amend (including any amendment of this Section 9.01), modify or waive any provision affecting the rights, duties and obligations of any Issuing Bank under this Agreement or under any Letter of Credit Application without the consent of such Issuing Bank;
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(viii) amend, modify or waive the pro rata sharing provisions of Section 2.18, Section 2.22 or Section 9.07(a), or the payment waterfall provisions contained in any Loan Document (including Section 7.03), without the consent of each Lender;
(ix) impose modifications or restrictions on assignments and participations that are more restrictive than, or additional to, those set forth in Section 9.06 without the consent of each Lender;
(x) change any provision of any Loan Document in a manner that by its terms adversely affects the rights in respect of payments due to, or the Collateral of, Lenders holding Loans or Commitments of any Class differently than those holdings Loans or Commitments of any other Class, without the written consent of the Required Class Lenders of each affected Class;
(xi) (A) amend the definition of Alternative Currency or otherwise require any Revolving Lender to fund any Credit Extension in a currency other than Dollars and Alternative Currencies, in each case without the written consent of each Revolving Lender, or (B) amend any provision to designate any additional Foreign Subsidiary as a borrower under the Credit Agreement without the consent of each Revolving Lender; or
(xii) amend, modify or waive any provision that would allow for the subordination of the Obligations to any other Indebtedness without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby.
Any such waiver and any such amendment, supplement or modification shall apply equally to each of the Lenders and shall be binding upon the Loan Parties, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and all future holders of the Loans. In the case of any waiver, the Loan Parties, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks shall be restored to their former position and rights hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, and any Default or Event of Default waived shall be deemed to be cured and not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default, or impair any right consequent thereon. Any such waiver, amendment, supplement or modification shall be effected by a written instrument signed by the parties required to sign pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.01. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or any other Loan Document to the contrary, the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent may enter into any Incremental Amendment in accordance with Section 2.26, any Extension Amendment in accordance with Section 2.27 and any Refinancing Amendment in accordance with Section 2.28 and such Incremental Amendments, Extension Amendments and Refinancing Amendments shall be
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effective to amend the terms of this Agreement and the other applicable Loan Documents, in each case, without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document (other than as set forth in Section 2.26, Section 2.27 or Section 2.28, as applicable).
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.01 or any other provision of this Agreement, this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the US Borrower (x) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the existing Credit Facilities, (y) to include, as appropriate, the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any required vote or action of the Required Lenders and (z) to provide class protection for any additional credit facilities in a manner consistent with those provided the original Credit Facilities pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.01(a) as in effect at the time of such amendment.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 9.01 or any other provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, this Agreement and any other Loan Document may be amended solely with the consent of the Administrative Agent and the US Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment is consummated in order (x) to correct or cure any ambiguities, errors, omissions, mistakes, inconsistencies or defects jointly identified by the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent, (y) to effect administrative changes of a technical or immaterial nature or (z) to fix incorrect cross-references or similar inaccuracies in this Agreement or the applicable Loan Document. The Foreign Guarantee Agreement, the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement and the Security Documents and related documents in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended, supplemented and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the US Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any other Lender if such amendment, supplement or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local law or advice of local counsel, or (ii) to cause the Foreign Guarantee Agreement, the Brazilian Foreign Guarantee Agreement, such Security Documents or other documents to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that, in each case, the Administrative Agent shall have notified the Lenders of such amendment and the Required Lenders shall not have objected in writing to such amendment within five Business Days of notice thereof.
Section 9.02 Notices.
(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in Section 9.02(b)), 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 the Borrowers, to Compass Minerals International, Inc. at 9900 W. 109th Street, Suite 100, Overland Park, KS 66210, Attention of Treasurer and General Counsel (Facsimile No. (913) 338-7932; Telephone No. (913) 344-9157);
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(ii) if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as Administrative Agent or Swing Line Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at 500 Stanton Christiana Rd, NCC5 / 1st Floor, Newark, DE 19713-2107, Attention of Loan & Agency Services Group (Telephone No. (302) 634-8561; Email: paige.willett@jpmchase.com), with agency withholding tax inquiries to agency.tax.reporting@jpmorgan.com and notices regarding agency compliance, financial statements and Intralinks to covenant.compliance@jpmchase.com;
(iii) if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as an Issuing Bank, to it at 10420 Highland Manor Dr., 4th Floor, Tampa, FL 33610, Attention of Standby LC Unit (Telephone No.: (800) 634-1969; Facsimile No.: (856) 294-5267; Email: GTS.Client.Services@jpmchase.com), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 500 Stanton Christiana Rd., NCC5 / 1st Floor, Newark, DE 19713, Attention: Loan & Agency Services Group (Telephone No: (302) 634-8561; Email: paige.willett@jpmchase.com);
(iv) if to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. in its capacity as collateral agent, to JPMorgan Chase & Co., CIB DMO WLO, Mail code NY1-C413, 4 CMC, Brooklyn, NY, 11245-0001, United States (Email: ib.collateral.services@jpmchase.com)
(v) if to The Bank of Nova Scotia in its capacity as an Issuing Bank, to it at The Bank of Nova Scotia, Global Transaction Banking, 1 Queen Street East, 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 2W5, Attention of Audette Shephard (Manager, Execution) (Facsimile No.: (416) 866-4979; Telephone No.: (416) 866-3365; Email: audette.shephard@scotiabank.com); and
(vi) if to a Lender, to it at its address (or facsimile number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire; and
(vii) if to any other Issuing Bank or Swing Line Lender, to it at the address provided in writing to the Administrative Agent and the US Borrower at the time of its appointment as an Issuing Bank or a Swing Line Lender, as applicable, hereunder
Notices sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received. Notices sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices delivered through electronic communications, to the extent provided in Section 9.02(b), shall be effective as provided in Section 9.02(b).
(b) Electronic Communications.
(i) Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including email and internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent or, in the case of notices to any Issuing Bank, approved by such Issuing Bank; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or Issuing Bank pursuant to Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 if such Lender or Issuing Bank, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices
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under such Section by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the US Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
(ii) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an email 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 email or other written acknowledgement) and (ii) notices or communications posted to an internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its email 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, in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient.
(c) Change of Address, etc. Any party hereto may change its address or facsimile number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
(d) Platform.
(i) Each Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Approved Electronic Communications available to the Issuing Banks and the Lenders by posting such Approved Electronic Communications on the Platform. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the DQ List shall be deemed suitable for posting and may be posted by the Administrative Agent on the Platform, including the portion of the Platform designated for Public Lenders.
(ii) The Platform and any Approved Electronic Communications are provided “as is” and “as available.” None of the Agents nor any of their respective Related Parties warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the Platform or any Approved Electronic Communications and each expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in the Approved Electronic 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 or any of their respective Related Parties in connection with the Platform or the Approved Electronic Communications. Each party hereto agrees that no Agent has any responsibility for maintaining or providing any equipment, software or services or any testing required in connection with any Approved Electronic Communication or otherwise required for the Platform. In no event shall any Agent or any of its Related Parties have any liability to any Loan Party, any Lender or any other Person for damages of any kind, whether or not based on strict liability and including (A) direct damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or any Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform, except to the extent the same resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent or its
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Related Parties, in each case as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment or (B) indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or any Agent’s transmission of communications through the Platform. In no event shall any Agent or any of its Related Parties have any liability for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through internet, electronic, telecommunications or other information transmission systems, except to the extent the same resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent or its Related Parties, in each case as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment.
(iii) Each Loan Party, each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each Agent agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, store any Approved Electronic Communications on the Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent’s customary document retention procedures and policies.
(iv) All uses of the Platform shall be governed by and subject to, in addition to this Section 9.02, separate terms and conditions posted or referenced in the Platform and related agreements executed by the Lenders and their Affiliates in connection with the use of the Platform.
(v) Each Loan Party understands that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure and that there are confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution and agrees and assumes the risks associated with such electronic distribution, except to the extent caused by the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Administrative Agent, in each case as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment (but, in any event, subject to the limitations on liability described in clause (ii) above).
(vi) Each Borrower and each Lender acknowledge that certain of the Lenders may be Public Lenders and, if documents or notices required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.02 or otherwise are being distributed through the Platform, any document or notice that a Borrower has indicated contains Non-Public Information shall not be posted on that portion of the Platform designated for Public Lenders. Each Borrower agrees to clearly designate all information provided to the Administrative Agent by or on behalf of the Loan Parties which is suitable to make available to Public Lenders. If a Borrower has not indicated whether a document or notice delivered pursuant to Section 5.02 or otherwise contains Non-Public Information, the Administrative Agent reserves the right to post such document or notice solely on that portion of the Platform designated for Lenders who wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the US Borrower, its Subsidiaries and their respective securities.
(e) Public Side Information Contacts. Each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Requirements of Law, including the US Federal and state securities
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laws, to make reference to Approved Electronic Communications that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the US Borrower, its Subsidiaries or their respective securities for purposes of the US Federal or state securities laws. In the event that any Public Lender has elected for itself to not access any information disclosed through the Platform or otherwise, such Public Lender acknowledges that (i) the Agents and other Lenders may have access to such information and (ii) neither any Borrower nor any Agent or other Lender with access to such information shall have (x) any responsibility for such Public Lender’s decision to limit the scope of information it has obtained in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or (y) any duty to disclose such information to such electing Lender or to use such information on behalf of such electing Lender, and shall not be liable for the failure to so disclose or use such information.
Section 9.03 No Waiver by Course of Conduct; Cumulative Remedies. None of the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks or the Lenders shall by any act (except by a written instrument pursuant to Section 9.01), delay, indulgence, omission or otherwise be deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any Default or Event of Default. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of any Arranger, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender, any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. A waiver by any Arranger, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender of any right or remedy hereunder on any one occasion shall not be construed as a bar to any right or remedy which such Arranger, Agent, Issuing Bank or Lender would otherwise have on any future occasion. The rights and remedies herein provided are cumulative, may be exercised singly or concurrently and are not exclusive of any other rights or remedies provided by law.
Section 9.04 Survival of Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Agreements. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements made herein, in the other Loan Documents and in any document, certificate or statement delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof and the making of the Loans and other extensions of credit hereunder, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or been terminated. The provisions of Section 2.19, Section 2.20, Section 2.21, Section 9.05, Section 9.19, Section 9.21 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the Payment in Full, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
Section 9.05 Payment of Expenses; Indemnity.
(a) Costs and Expenses. The US Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the other
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Agents, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates in connection with the syndication of the Credit Facilities, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), including the reasonable and documented fees, charges and disbursements of counsel (but limited to one firm of primary counsel for the Administrative Agent, the other Agents, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) and special counsel for each relevant specialty (and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, where the party affected by such conflict informs the US Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel for each such affected person and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) and special counsel for each relevant specialty)) and (ii) all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the other Agents, the Arrangers, each Lender or each Issuing Bank (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank) in connection with the enforcement or protection of any rights and remedies under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, and including in connection with any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of the Credit Facilities and the Loan Documents, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel (but limited to one firm of counsel for the Administrative Agent, the other Agents, the Arrangers, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, taken a whole and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) and special counsel for each relevant specialty (and, in the case of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, where the party affected by such conflict informs the US Borrower of such conflict and thereafter retains its own counsel, of another firm of counsel for each such affected person and, if necessary, one firm of local counsel in each relevant jurisdiction (which may include a single firm of special counsel acting in multiple jurisdictions) and special counsel for each relevant specialty)).
(b) Indemnification by the Borrowers. The Borrowers shall, jointly and severally, indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each other Agent, each Arranger, each Lender and each Issuing Bank, 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 liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs (including settlement costs), disbursements and out-of-pocket fees and expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), joint or several, of any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted or awarded against any Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of or in connection with or by reason of any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding in any way relating to, arising out of, in connection with or by reason of any of the following, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, litigation or proceeding): (i) the structuring, arrangement and syndication of the Credit Facilities, the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any
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other document delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, (ii) any Commitment, any Credit Extension or the use or proposed use of the proceeds thereof (including any refusal by any Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit) or (iii) any presence or Release of Materials of Environmental Concern on or at any Real Property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the US Borrower or any other Loan Party, or any other Environmental Liability related in any way to the US Borrower or any other Loan Party; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, claims, demands, actions, judgments, suits, costs, fees and expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, (y) result from a claim brought by the US Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for a material breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s funding obligations hereunder, if the US Borrower or such Loan Party has obtained a final and non-appealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or (z) any dispute solely among Indemnitees (other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity or in fulfilling its role as an agent or arranger or any similar role hereunder or under any other Loan Document and other than any claims arising out of any act or omission of the US Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) (collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”), in all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of the negligence of such Indemnitee and regardless of whether such Indemnitee is a party thereto, and whether or not any such claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding is brought by the US Borrower, its equity holders, its Affiliates, its creditors or any other Person. This Section 9.05(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes, other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c) Reimbursement by the Lenders. To the extent that any Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under Section 9.05(a) or Section 9.05(b) to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), any Issuing Bank, any Swing Line Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing (and without limiting their obligation to do so), each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank, such Swing Line Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender) (it being understood and agreed that any Borrower’s failure to pay any such amount shall not relieve such Borrower of any default in the payment thereof); provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank or such Swing Line Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), such Issuing Bank or such Swing Line Lender in connection with such capacity; provided further that, with respect to such unpaid amounts owed to any Issuing Bank or any Swing Line Lender in its capacity as such, or to any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for any Issuing Bank or any Swing
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Line Lender in connection with such capacity, only the Revolving Lenders shall be required to pay such unpaid amounts. The obligations of the Lenders under this Section 9.05(c) are several and not joint.
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, no Borrower shall assert (and shall cause its Subsidiaries not to assert), and hereby waives (and agrees to cause its Subsidiaries to waive), any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other document contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Commitment or any Credit Extension, or the use of the proceeds thereof or such Indemnitee’s activities in connection therewith (whether before or after the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date); provided that such waiver of special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages shall not limit the indemnification obligations of the Borrowers under this Section 9.05. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials distributed by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement, the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, other than as a result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment.
(e) Timing of Payments. All amounts due under this Section 9.05 shall be payable promptly after written demand therefor.
Section 9.06 Successors and Assigns; Participations and Assignments.
(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that none of the Borrowers may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender (and any such assignment, delegation or transfer without such consent shall be null and void), and no Lender may assign, delegate or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.06(b), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.06(d), or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Section 9.06(e). 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 any Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants to the extent provided in Section 9.06(d) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, Indemnitees and the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments by Lenders. (1) Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it); provided that (in each case with respect to any Credit Facility) any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
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(i) Minimum Amounts.
(A) In the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Loans at the time owing to it (in each case with respect to any Credit Facility) or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned.
(B) In any case not described in Section 9.06(b)(i)(A), the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “trade date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of such date) shall not be less than $5,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of any Class of Revolving Loans or Revolving Commitments, or $1,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of any Term Loan Facility, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the US Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loan or the Commitment assigned, except that this Section 9.06(b)(ii) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate Credit Facilities on a non-pro rata basis.
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by Section 9.06(b)(i)(B) and, in addition:
(A) the consent of the US Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (x) an Event of Default described in Section 7.01(a), Section 7.01(f) or Section 7.01(g) has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment, or (y) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the US Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five Business Days after having received notice thereof; provided, further, that the US Borrower’s consent shall not be required during the primary syndication of the Credit Facilities for Lenders previously identified in writing to the US Borrower (it being understood, for the avoidance of doubt, that the US Borrower’s consent shall be required at all times in the event of any assignment to any Disqualified Institution pursuant to Section 9.06(h)).
(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of (i) any Class of Revolving Loans or Revolving Commitments or any unfunded Commitments with respect to any Term Loan Facility, or (ii) any Term Loans to a Person who is not a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and
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(C) the consent of each Issuing Bank and each Swing Line Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment in respect of any Revolving Facility.
(iv) Processing Fee; Administrative Questionnaire. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; provided that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire and any tax forms required by Section 2.20.
(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to (A) the US Borrower or any of the US Borrower’s Subsidiaries or other Affiliates except, solely with respect to Term Loans, as permitted by Section 9.06(g) or (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute a Defaulting Lender or a Subsidiary thereof.
(vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person).
(vii) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank, each Swing Line Lender and each other Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon), and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swing Line Loans in accordance with its Revolving Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Requirements of Law without compliance with the provisions of this clause (vii), the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
(2) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.06(c), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by
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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 (and subject to the obligations and limitations of) Section 2.19, Section 2.20, Section 2.21 and Section 9.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment, as well as to any fees payable hereunder that have accrued for such Lender’s account but have not been paid; provided that, except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Any assignment, delegation or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section 9.06(b) 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 Section 9.06(d).
(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely 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 Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Borrowings owing to, each Lender and each Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks 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 and any Lender or Issuing Bank (in the case of any Lender or Issuing Bank, with respect to (i) any entry relating to such Lender’s or Issuing Bank’s Loans or L/C Borrowings, and (ii) the identity of the other Lenders and Issuing Banks (but not any information with respect to such other Lenders’ or Issuing Banks’ Loans or L/C Borrowings)) and at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, any Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Swing Line Lender, sell participations to one or more Eligible Assignees (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 9.05(c) with respect to any payments made by such Lender to its Participants.
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 or any other Loan Document; 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
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in the proviso to Section 9.01(a) that affects such Participant or that requires the approval of all Lenders. Each Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.19, Section 2.20 and Section 2.21 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements in Section 2.20(h), Section 2.20(j)(i) and Section 2.20(j)(iii) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.20(h), 2.20(j)(i) and Section 2.20(j)(iii) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 9.06(b); provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Section 2.25 as if it were an assignee under Section 9.06(b); and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.19 or Section 2.20 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 relevant Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.25(a) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.07(b) as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 9.07(a) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the Borrower and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a 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) or Proposed Section 1.163-5(b) (or, in each case, any amended or successor sections) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may, without the consent of any Borrower, the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Swing Line Lender, 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 any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or other central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(f) Special Purpose Funding Vehicles. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPC”), identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the US Borrower, the option to provide to the Borrowers all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make to the
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Borrowers pursuant to this Agreement; provided that (i) nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to make any Loan and (ii) if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to provide all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender. Each party hereto hereby agrees that no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement (all liability for which shall remain with the Granting Lender). In furtherance of the foregoing, each party hereto hereby agrees (which agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement) that, prior to the date that is one year and one day after the payment in full of all outstanding commercial paper or other indebtedness of any SPC, it will not institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against, such SPC any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof. In addition, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.06(f), any SPC may (A) with notice to, but without the prior written consent of, the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent and without paying any processing fee therefor, assign all or a portion of its interests in any Loans to the Granting Lender, or with the prior written consent of the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) to any financial institutions providing liquidity and/or credit support to or for the account of such SPC to support the funding or maintenance of Loans, and (B) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety, guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC; provided that non-public information with respect to the US Borrower and its Subsidiaries may be disclosed only with the US Borrower’s consent which will not be unreasonably withheld. This Section 9.06(f) may not be amended without the written consent of any SPC with Loans outstanding at the time of such proposed amendment.
(g) Borrower Buybacks. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, any Term Lender may, at any time, assign all or a portion of its Term Loans on a non-pro rata basis to the US Borrower in accordance with procedures to be agreed between the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent, pursuant to an offer made available to all Term Lenders on a pro rata basis (a “Dutch Auction”), subject to the following limitations:
(i) the US Borrower shall represent and warrant, as of the date of the launch of the Dutch Auction and on the date of any such assignment, that neither it, its Affiliates nor any of their respective directors or officers has any Excluded Information that has not been disclosed to the Term Lenders generally (other than to the extent any such Term Lender does not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the US Borrower or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective securities) prior to such date;
(ii) immediately and automatically, without any further action on the part of any Borrower, any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any other Person, upon the effectiveness of such assignment of Term Loans from a Term Lender to the US Borrower, such Term Loans and all rights and obligations as a Term Lender related thereto shall, for all purposes under this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and otherwise, be deemed to be irrevocably prepaid, terminated, extinguished, cancelled and of no further force and effect and the US Borrower shall neither obtain nor have any rights as a Term Lender
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hereunder or under the other Loan Documents by virtue of such assignment (it being understood and agreed that (A) any gains or losses by the US Borrower upon purchase and cancellation of such Term Loans shall not be taken into account in the calculation of Excess Cash Flow, Consolidated Net Income or Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA and (B) any purchase of Term Loans pursuant to this paragraph (g) shall not constitute a voluntary prepayment of Term Loans for purposes of this Agreement);
(iii) the Borrowers shall not use the proceeds of any Revolving Loans for any such assignment; and
(iv) no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing before or immediately after giving effect to such assignment.
(h) 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 US Borrower 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”), (x) such assignee shall not retroactively be disqualified from becoming a Lender and (y) the execution by the US Borrower 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 Section 9.06(h)(i) shall not be void, but the other provisions of this Section 9.06(h) shall apply.
(ii) If any assignment or participation is made to any Disqualified Institution without the US Borrower’s prior written consent in violation of Section 9.06(h)(i) above, or if any Person becomes a Disqualified Institution after the applicable Trade Date, the US Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to the applicable Disqualified Institution and the Administrative Agent, (A) in the case of outstanding Term Loans held by Disqualified Institutions, purchase or prepay such Term Loan by paying the lower of (x) the principal amount thereof, (y) the amount that such Disqualified Institution paid to acquire such Term Loans, in each case plus accrued interest, accrued fees and all other amounts (other than principal amounts) payable to it hereunder and/or (B) require such Disqualified Institution to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in this Section 9.06), all of its interest, rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Eligible Assignees at the lower 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.
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(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 under any Debtor Relief Law, each Disqualified Institution party hereto hereby agrees (1) not to vote on such plan, (2) if such Disqualified Institution does vote on such 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 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 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 court of competent jurisdiction effectuating the foregoing clause (2).
(iv) The Administrative Agent shall have the right, and the Borrowers hereby expressly authorize the Administrative Agent, to (A) post the list of Disqualified Institutions 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 Lenders and/or (B) provide the DQ List to each Lender requesting the same.
Section 9.07 Sharing of Payments by Lenders; Set-off.
(a) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or other obligations hereunder with respect to a Borrower resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon or other such obligations with respect to such Borrower greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and such other obligations of the other Lenders with respect to such Borrower, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them with respect to such Borrower; 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
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(ii) the provisions of this Section 9.07(a) shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by any Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender or Disqualified Institution), or (y) 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 L/C Borrowings to any Eligible Assignee.
Each Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Requirements of Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against any Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the relevant Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(b) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each of their respective Affiliates at any time and from time to time while an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, without notice to any Borrower, any such notice being expressly waived by the Borrowers, to set-off and appropriate and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final), in any currency, and any other credits, indebtedness or claims, in any currency, in each case whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, matured or unmatured, at any time held or owing by such party to or for the credit or the account of the applicable Borrower, or any part thereof in such amounts as such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate may elect, against and on account of the obligations and liabilities of such Borrower to such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate hereunder or under any other Loan Document and claims of every nature and description of such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate against such Borrower, in any currency, whether arising hereunder, under any other Loan Document or otherwise, as such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate may elect, whether or not such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate has made any demand for payment and although such obligations, liabilities and claims may be contingent or unmatured; provided that any such Lender complies with Section 9.07(a). Each Lender, Issuing Bank or Affiliate of any of the foregoing exercising any right of set-off shall notify the applicable Borrower promptly of any such set-off and the application made by such Lender, such Issuing Bank or such Affiliate of the proceeds thereof; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights of each Lender, each Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section 9.07 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of set-off) which such Lender, such Issuing Bank and such Affiliate may have. No amounts set off from any Guarantor shall be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor.
Section 9.08 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by one or more of the parties to this Agreement on any number of separate counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic imaging means), and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif” format) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof. A set of the copies of this Agreement signed by all the parties shall be lodged with the US Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
Section 9.09 Severability. Any provision of this Agreement which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such
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prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. The parties hereto shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace any invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.
Section 9.10 Section Headings. The Section headings and Table of Contents used in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not to affect the construction hereof or be taken into consideration in the interpretation hereof.
Section 9.11 Integration. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents represent the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof and thereof. There are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by any Arranger, any Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth or referred to herein or in the other Loan Documents.
Section 9.12 Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT (WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE APPLICATION OF A DIFFERENT GOVERNING LAW.
Section 9.13 Submission to Jurisdiction; Waivers.
(a) Each party hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally:
(i) submits for itself and its property in any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise) to which it is a party, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect thereof, to the exclusive (subject to Section 9.13(a)(iii)) general jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, the courts of the United States for the Southern District of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, and appellate courts from any thereof;
(ii) agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding shall be heard and determined in such New York state court or, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, in such federal court;
(iii) 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 and that nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks or the Lenders may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against it or any of its assets in the courts of any jurisdiction;
(iv) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any
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court referred to in Section 9.13(a) (and irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Requirements of Law the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court);
(v) consents to service of process in the manner provided in Section 9.02 (and agrees that nothing in this Agreement will affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any other manner permitted by applicable Requirements of Law); and
(vi) agrees that service of process as provided in Section 9.02 is sufficient to confer personal jurisdiction over the applicable party in any such proceeding in any such court, and otherwise constitutes effective and binding service in every respect.
(b) Each Loan Party that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States of America hereby appoints CT Corporation, with an office at 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10011, as its agent for service of process in any matter related to this Agreement or the other Loan Documents and shall provide written evidence of acceptance of such appointment by such agent on or before the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date.
Section 9.14 Acknowledgments. Each of the Borrowers hereby acknowledges and agrees that:
(a) it was represented by counsel in connection with the negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, that it and its counsel reviewed and participated in the preparation and negotiation hereof and thereof and that any rule of construction to the effect that ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation hereof or thereof; and
(b) no joint venture is created hereby or by the other Loan Documents or otherwise exists by virtue of the transactions contemplated hereby among the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders or among the Group Members, the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders.
Section 9.15 Confidentiality. Each of the Agents, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Related Parties, including accountants, legal counsel and other agents, advisors, credit insurers and reinsurers (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 in accordance with customary practices); (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory or similar authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization) purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (in which case such Person shall, except with respect to any audit or examination conducted by bank accountants or any Governmental Authority or regulatory or self-regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, notify the US Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of any such disclosure by such Person unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation); (c) to the extent required by applicable Requirements of Law or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process (in which case such Person shall, except with respect to any audit
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or examination conducted by bank accountants or any Governmental Authority or regulatory or self-regulatory authority exercising examination or regulatory authority, notify the US Borrower as soon as practicable in the event of any such disclosure by such Person unless such notification is prohibited by law, rule or regulation); (d) to any other party hereto; (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder; (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same (or at least as restrictive) as those of this Section 9.15 (or as may otherwise be reasonably acceptable to the US Borrower), to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (it being understood that the DQ List may be disclosed to any assignee or Participant, or prospective assignee or Participant, in reliance on this clause (f)), or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to any Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder; (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency if requested or required by such rating agency in connection with rating the US Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the Credit Facilities (it being understood that, prior to any such disclosure, such rating agency shall undertake to preserve the confidentiality of any Information relating to the Loan Parties and their respective Subsidiaries received by it) or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers with respect to the Credit Facilities; (h) with the consent of the US Borrower; or (i) to the extent that such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 9.15, or (y) becomes available to any Agent, any Lender, any Issuing Bank or any of their respective Affiliates on a non-confidential basis from a source other than any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that no disclosure shall be made to any Disqualified Institution. In addition, each of the Agents and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents and the Credit Extensions. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the information subject to this Section 9.15 shall not include, and each of the Agents and the Lenders may disclose without limitation of any kind, any information with respect to the “tax treatment” and “tax structure” (in each case, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4) of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Transactions and the other transactions contemplated hereby and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to the Agents or the Lenders relating to such tax treatment and tax structure; provided that, with respect to any document or similar item that in either case contains information concerning such “tax treatment” or “tax structure” as well as other information, this sentence shall only apply to such portions of the document or similar item that relate to such “tax treatment” or “tax structure.”
For purposes of this Section 9.15, “Information” shall mean all information received from the US Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the US Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to any Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the US Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that, in the case of information received from the US Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries after the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to
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maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section 9.15 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.
For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 9.15 shall prohibit any Person from voluntarily disclosing or providing any Information within the scope of this confidentiality provision to any governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory organization (and such entity, a “Regulatory Authority”) to the extent that any such prohibition on disclosure set forth in this Section 9.15 shall be prohibited by the laws or regulations applicable to such Regulatory Authority.
Section 9.16 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, BREACH OF DUTY, COMMON LAW, STATUTE OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 9.16. EACH PARTY HERETO FURTHER REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT HAS REVIEWED THIS WAIVER WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL AND THAT IT KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY WAIVES ITS JURY TRIAL RIGHTS FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.
Section 9.17 Certain Notices. Each Lender, each Issuing Bank and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Loan Parties, which information includes the name, address and taxpayer information number of each Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender, such Issuing Bank, or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation. The US Borrower shall, promptly following a request by any Lender, any Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, provide all documentation and other information that such Lender, such Issuing Bank or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money-laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
Section 9.18 Usury Savings Clause. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the aggregate interest rate charged with respect to any of the Obligations, including all charges or fees in connection therewith deemed in the nature of interest under applicable Requirements of Law, shall not exceed the Highest Lawful Rate. If the rate of interest (determined without regard to the
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preceding sentence) under this Agreement at any time exceeds the Highest Lawful Rate, then the outstanding amount of the Loans made hereunder shall bear interest at the Highest Lawful Rate until the total amount of interest due hereunder equals the amount of interest which would have been due hereunder if the stated rates of interest set forth in this Agreement had at all times been in effect. In addition, if when the Loans made hereunder are repaid in full the total interest due hereunder (taking into account the increase provided for above) is less than the total amount of interest which would have been due hereunder if the stated rates of interest set forth in this Agreement had at all times been in effect, then to the extent permitted by law, the applicable Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent an amount equal to the difference between the amount of interest paid and the amount of interest which would have been paid if the Highest Lawful Rate had at all times been in effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the intention of the Lenders and the Borrowers to conform strictly to any applicable usury laws. Accordingly, if any Lender contracts for, charges, or receives any consideration which constitutes interest in excess of the Highest Lawful Rate, then any such excess shall be cancelled automatically and, if previously paid, shall at such Lender’s option be applied to the outstanding amount of the Loans made hereunder or be refunded to the relevant Borrower.
Section 9.19 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and each Issuing Bank severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent, upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the NYFRB Rate from time to time in effect.
Section 9.20 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Borrowers acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (a) (i) no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Group Members and any Arranger, any Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Swing Line Lender or any other Lender is intended to be or has been created in respect of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents, irrespective of whether any Arranger, any Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Swing Line Lender or any other Lender has advised or is advising any Borrower or any Subsidiary on other matters, (ii) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrowers and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders, on the other hand, (iii) each Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent that it
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has deemed appropriate and (iv) the Borrowers are capable of evaluating, and understand and accept, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; and (b) (i) the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for any Borrower or any of their respective Affiliates or any other Person; (ii) none of the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders has any obligation to any Borrower or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged, for their own accounts or the accounts of customers, in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of any Borrower and any of their respective Affiliates, and none of the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to any Borrower or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Arrangers, the Agents, the Issuing Banks, the Swing Line Lenders and the other Lenders with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
Section 9.21 Judgment Currency.
(a) Each Borrower’s obligation hereunder and under the other Loan Documents to make payments in (i) Dollars, (ii) Canadian Dollars (iii) Sterling or (iv) Euros (in any such case, 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 Administrative Agent, the respective Issuing Bank or the respective Lender of the full amount of the Obligation Currency expressed to be payable to the Administrative Agent, such Issuing Bank or such Lender under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If, for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against any Borrower 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 rate of exchange quoted by the Administrative Agent, determined, 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, each of the US Borrower, the Canadian Borrower and the UK Borrower covenants and agrees 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 that 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.
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(c) For purposes of determining any rate of exchange for this Section 9.21, such amounts shall include any premium and costs payable in connection with the purchase of the Obligation Currency.
Section 9.22 Acknowledgment and Consent to Bail-In of Affected 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 Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and
(b) 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 Affected Financial Institutions, its parent undertaking 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; and
(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of any the applicable Resolution Authority
Section 9.23 Acknowledgment Regarding Any Supported QFCs. (a) To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Contracts or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support, “QFC Credit Support” and each such QFC, a “Supported QFC”), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the “US Special Resolution Regimes”) in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States).
(b) In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a US Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the US Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a
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proceeding under a US Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the US Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.
Section 9.24 Restatement of Existing Credit Agreement. As of the 2023 Amendment and Restatement Effective Date, all obligations of each Borrower under the Existing Credit Agreement shall become obligations of such Borrower hereunder, secured by the Security Documents, and the provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement shall be superseded by the provisions hereof. Each of the parties hereto confirms that the amendment and restatement of the Existing Credit Agreement pursuant to the 2023 A&R Agreement shall not constitute a novation of the Existing Credit Agreement.
Section 9.25 MIRE Events. Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that, if there are any Mortgaged Properties, any increase, extension or renewal of any of the Commitments or Loans (including the provision of Incremental Loans or any other incremental credit facilities hereunder, but excluding (a) any continuation or conversion of Borrowings, (b) the making of any Revolving Loans or (c) the issuance, renewal or extension of Letters of Credit) shall be subject to (and conditioned upon) the prior delivery of all flood hazard determination certifications, acknowledgements and evidence of flood insurance and other flood-related documentation with respect to such Mortgaged Properties as required by Flood Insurance Laws and as otherwise reasonably required by the Administrative Agent.
Section 9.26 Acknowledgment of the Lenders. Each Lender represents and warrants that (a) this Agreement sets forth the terms of a commercial lending facility, (b) in participating as a Lender, it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and not for the purpose of investing in the general performance or operations of the Borrowers, or for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument such as a security (and each Lender agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing, such as a claim under the federal or state securities laws), (c) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any other Lender, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, 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 and (d) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities.