Document
AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO
AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) is dated as of October 30, 2023, and is entered into by and among Green Plains Operating Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors party hereto, the Lenders party hereto and ARGENT INSTITUTIONAL TRUST COMPANY, as successor to TMI Trust Company, as administrative agent (the “Administrative Agent”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement referenced below.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Borrower is party to that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2021 (as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 11, 2022, as further amended by that certain Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of April 19, 2023, as further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified prior to the date hereof, the “Existing Credit Agreement”; the Existing Credit Agreement, as further amended by this Amendment, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the lenders from time to time party thereto as Lenders (the “Lenders”) and the Administrative Agent;
WHEREAS, the Borrower and the Lenders party hereto, which constitute all of the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement as in effect immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Amendment, desire to make certain amendments to and agreements with respect to the Existing Credit Agreement on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Credit Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the agreements, provisions and covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION I. AMENDMENTS
(a) With effect from and after the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date (as defined below), the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended in accordance with Exhibit A hereto by deleting the stricken text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following examples: and ) and inserting the double-underlined text (indicated textually in the same manner as the following examples: double-underlined text and double-underlined text), in each case in the place where such text appears therein.
SECTION II. CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS
This Amendment shall become effective on the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived by the Administrative Agent) (the “Amendment No. 3 Effective Date”):
(a) The Administrative Agent shall have received an executed counterpart of this Amendment from (i) the Borrower and each Guarantor and (ii) each of the Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement as of the date hereof.
(b) All costs, fees and expenses (including, without limitation, fees, charges and disbursements of Milbank LLP) and other compensation contemplated by this Amendment payable to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of this Amendment and the Credit Agreement shall have been paid to the extent due (in the case of expenses, to the extent invoiced in reasonable detail at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date (or such later date as the Borrower may reasonably agree)).
(c) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each other Loan Party contained in Article V of the Credit Agreement and any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier therein) on and as of the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, except that any such representation and warranty that expressly relates to a given date or period shall be true and correct in all material respects (without duplication of any materiality qualifier therein) as of the respective date or for the respective period, as the case may be.
(d) The representations and warranties of the Borrower and each Guarantor contained in Section IV of this Amendment shall be true and correct as of the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date.
SECTION III. REAFFIRMATION; ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CONSENT
3.1 Reaffirmation of Security Interests and Guaranty.
(a) Each Loan Party hereby expressly acknowledges the terms of this Amendment and reaffirms, as of the date hereof, (i) the covenants and agreements contained in each Loan Document to which it is a party, including, in each case, such covenants and agreements as in effect immediately after giving effect to this Amendment and the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) its guarantee of the Obligations under the Guarantee and (iii) its grant of Liens on its Collateral to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders to secure the prompt payment and performance in full when due of the Obligations pursuant to the Collateral Documents.
(b) Each Loan Party acknowledges and agrees that each of the Loan Documents to which it is a party or otherwise bound shall continue in full force and effect as amended on the date hereof and that all of its obligations thereunder shall be valid and enforceable and shall not be impaired or limited by the execution or effectiveness of this Amendment. On and after the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, the parties hereto confirm and acknowledge that, unless the context otherwise requires, (i) each reference in each Loan Documents to “Credit Agreement”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import shall be a reference to the Existing Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment, and as the same may be otherwise amended, amended and restated, modified or supplemented and in effect from time to time, and (ii) the definition of any term defined in any Loan Document by reference to the terms defined in the “Credit Agreement” shall reference the defined terms in the Existing Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment, as the same may be otherwise amended, amended and restated, modified or supplemented and in effect from time to time.
3.2 Acknowledgement and Consent.
(a) The Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Lenders) hereby (i) acknowledges the Loan Parties and/or their affiliates have announced the pending merger, pursuant to certain definitive merger documents entered into among such parties prior to the date hereof, of the MLP into a newly formed direct or indirect Subsidiary of Holdings (that is not a Subsidiary of the General Partner or the MLP), following which merger the MLP shall be the continuing or surviving Person and the organizational structure of the Subsidiaries of the MLP shall otherwise be unaffected (collectively, the “Merger”) and (ii) confirms that it consents to the Merger to the extent that such consent is required under the Existing Credit Agreement, including, for the avoidance of doubt, to any amendment to the Organization Documents of the MLP to reflect Holdings’ indirect ownership of all of the Equity Interests of the MLP as a result of the Merger, or as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed as consent to (A) any change in the organizational structure of the Loan Parties or any other corporate transaction involving any of them, in each case other than the Merger or (B) a merger in which the MLP is not the continuing or surviving Person.
(b) Each of the Guarantors acknowledges and agrees that (i) notwithstanding the conditions to effectiveness set forth in this Amendment, such Guarantor is not required by the terms of the Existing Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document to consent to the amendments to the Existing Credit Agreement effected pursuant to this Amendment and (ii) nothing in the Existing Credit Agreement, this Amendment or any other Loan Document shall be deemed to require the consent of Holdings or such Guarantor to any future amendments to the Credit Agreement.
SECTION IV. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
In order to induce the Lenders and the Administrative Agent to enter into this Amendment, the Borrower and each Guarantor represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as of the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date that:
(a) Power and Authority. Each of the Loan Parties party hereto has all requisite organizational power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Amendment.
(b) Authorization; Enforceability. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of this Amendment are within such Loan Party’s corporate or other organizational power and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action of such Loan Party. This Amendment has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and is a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms, subject to the Legal Reservations.
(c) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of this Amendment will not violate any law or regulation applicable to it in any material respect or its constitutional documents in any material respect, in each case, to an extent which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Merger. The organizational structure of the MLP and the other Loan Parties (after giving effect to the Merger) will be as set forth on the pro forma structure chart attached hereto as Exhibit B. The MLP will be the continuing or surviving Person with respect to (and after giving effect to) the Merger.
SECTION V. MISCELLANEOUS
5.1 Indemnity.
The Borrower hereby confirms that the indemnification provisions set forth in Section 11.04 of the Credit Agreement shall apply to this Amendment and such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, fees and expenses arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (a) the execution or delivery of this Amendment or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby and/or the enforcement of this Amendment, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations under this Amendment or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and/or (b) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party hereto (and regardless of whether such matter is initiated by a third party or by the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates).
5.2 Limitation of Amendment.
Except as expressly modified hereby, the Existing Credit Agreement shall continue in effect in accordance with its terms. Except as expressly set forth herein, this Amendment (a) shall not by implication or otherwise limit, impair, constitute a waiver of or otherwise affect the rights and remedies of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or the Loan Parties under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, and (b) shall not alter, modify, amend or in any way affect any of the terms, conditions, obligations, covenants or agreements contained in the Credit Agreement or any other provision of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document. Each and every term, condition, obligation, covenant and agreement contained in the Existing Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document is hereby ratified and re-affirmed in all respects and shall continue in full force and effect as modified by this Amendment and nothing herein can or may be construed as a novation thereof. This Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document for purposes of the Credit Agreement and from and after the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, all references to the “Credit Agreement” in any Loan Document and all references in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import shall, unless expressly provided otherwise, refer to the Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment.
5.3 Direction to Administrative Agent.
Each Lender (a) hereby directs the Administrative Agent to execute this Amendment and (b) acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent has executed this Amendment in reliance of the direction set forth in clause (a).
5.4 Consent.
Each Lender that delivers an executed counterpart of this Amendment on or prior to the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date hereby consents to this Amendment and the amendments contemplated hereby.
5.5 Headings.
Section headings used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Amendment and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Amendment.
5.6 Applicable Law.
THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
5.7 Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.
The provisions of Sections 11.14 and 11.15 of the Credit Agreement pertaining to submission to jurisdiction, waiver of venue, consent to service of process, and waiver of jury trial are hereby incorporated by reference herein, mutatis mutandis.
5.8 Severability.
To the extent permitted by law, any provision of this Amendment held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof, and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
5.9 Counterparts.
This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Amendment shall become effective when it has been executed by the Borrower, each Guarantor, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (which represent all Lenders under the Existing Credit Agreement as of the date hereof) and when the Administrative Agent has received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Any signature to this Amendment may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or as any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form shall be valid and effective for all purposes to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing also applies to any amendment, extension or renewal of this Amendment.
[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first written above.
BORROWER:
GREEN PLAINS OPERATING COMPANY LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
GUARANTORS:
GREEN PLAINS PARTNERS LP, a Delaware limited partnership
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
BBTL, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
BIRMINGHAM BIOENERGY PARTNERS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
BLENDSTAR LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
BOSSIER CITY BIOENERGY PARTNERS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
COLLINS BIOENERGY PARTNERS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company GREEN PLAINS ETHANOL STORAGE LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
GREEN PLAINS LOGISTICS LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
GREEN PLAINS TRUCKING II LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
LITTLE ROCK BIOENERGY PARTNERS LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
LOUISVILLE BIOENERGY PARTNERS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
NASHVILLE BIOENERGY PARTNERS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
OKLAHOMA CITY BIOENERGY PARTNERS, LLC, a Texas limited liability company ARGENT INSTITUTIONAL TRUST COMPANY, in its capacity as Administrative Agent
By: /s/ Will Joekel
Name: Will Joekel
Title: VP & Treasurer
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:
By: /s/ Brandon M Lisinski BLACKROCK GLOBAL LONG/SHORT CREDIT FUND OF BLACKROCK FUNDS IV, in its capacity as Lender
Name: Brandon M Lisinski
Title: Vice President
LENDERS:
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, its Investment Manager
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
MASTER TOTAL RETURN PORTFOLIO OF MASTER BOND LLC, in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, as Investment Advisor
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
BLACKROCK STRATEGIC GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC., in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, the Fund's Investment Manager
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
BLACKROCK STRATEGIC INCOME OPPORTUNITIES PORTFOLIO OF BLACKROCK FUNDS V, in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, its Investment Advisor
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
BLACKROCK GOLBAL ALLOCATION FUND, INC., in its capacity as Lender BLACKROCK CAPITAL ALLOCATION TRUST, in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, as Investment Adviser
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, its Investment Manager
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
BLACKROCK GLOBAL ALLOCATION PORTFOLIO OF BLACKROCK SERIES FUND, INC., in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, as Investment Adviser
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
BLACKROCK GLOBAL ALLOCATION V.I. FUND OF BLACKROCK VARIABLE SERIES FUNDS, INC., in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Advisors, LLC, as Investment Adviser
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
LVIP BLACKROCK GLOBAL ALLOCATION FUND, in its capacity as Lender
By: Blackrock Investment Management, LLC, its Sub-Advisor Dated as of July 20, 2021,
By: /s/ Henry Brennan
Name: Henry Brennan
Title: Managing Director
EXHIBIT A
[See attached]
AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT
(as conformed for Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 11, 2022,
Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of April 19, 2023,
and Amendment No. 3 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 30, 2023)
among
GREEN PLAINS OPERATING COMPANY LLC,
as the Borrower,
THE GUARANTORS IDENTIFIED HEREIN,
as the Guarantors,
ARGENT INSTITUTIONAL TRUST COMPANY,
as Administrative Agent,
and
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page |
| ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS |
2 |
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1.01 |
Defined Terms |
2 |
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1.02 |
Other Interpretive Provisions |
26 |
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1.03 |
Accounting Terms |
27 |
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1.04 |
Rounding |
28 |
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1.05 |
Times of Day; Rates |
28 |
| ARTICLE II THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
28 |
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2.02 |
Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans |
29 |
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2.03 |
Letters of Credit |
29 |
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2.04 |
Swing Line Loans |
29 |
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2.05 |
Prepayments |
29 |
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2.06 |
Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments |
31 |
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2.07 |
Repayment of Loans |
31 |
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2.08 |
Interest |
31 |
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2.09 |
Fees |
31 |
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2.10 |
Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate |
32 |
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2.11 |
Evidence of Debt |
32 |
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2.12 |
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback |
32 |
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2.13 |
Sharing of Payments by Lenders |
33 |
| ARTICLE III TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY |
35 |
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3.01 |
Taxes |
35 |
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3.02 |
Illegality |
39 |
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3.03 |
Inability to Determine Rates |
39 |
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3.04 |
Increased Costs; Reserves on SOFR Loans |
40 |
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3.05 |
Compensation for Losses |
41 |
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3.06 |
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders |
41 |
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3.07 |
Survival |
42 |
| ARTICLE IV CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
42 |
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4.01 |
Conditions of Effectiveness |
42 |
| ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
43 |
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5.01 |
Existence, Qualification and Power |
43 |
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5.02 |
Authorization; No Contravention |
44 |
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5.03 |
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents |
44 |
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5.04 |
Binding Effect |
44 |
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5.05 |
Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect |
44 |
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5.06 |
Litigation |
45 |
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5.07 |
No Default |
45 |
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5.08 |
Ownership of Property |
45 |
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5.09 |
Environmental Compliance |
45 |
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5.10 |
Insurance |
46 |
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5.11 |
Taxes |
46 |
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5.12 |
ERISA Compliance |
46 |
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5.13 |
Subsidiaries |
47 |
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5.14 |
Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act |
47 |
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5.15 |
Disclosure |
47 |
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5.16 |
Compliance with Laws |
48 |
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5.17 |
Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc |
48 |
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5.18 |
Solvency |
48 |
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5.19 |
Perfection of Security Interests in the Collateral |
48 |
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5.20 |
Business Locations; Taxpayer Identification Number |
48 |
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5.21 |
OFAC |
49 |
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5.22 |
Anti-Corruption Laws |
49 |
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5.23 |
Affected Financial Institution |
49 |
| ARTICLE VI AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS |
49 |
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6.01 |
Financial Statements |
49 |
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6.02 |
Certificates; Other Information |
50 |
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6.03 |
Notices |
52 |
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6.04 |
Payment of Taxes |
52 |
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6.05 |
Preservation of Existence, Etc |
52 |
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6.06 |
Maintenance of Properties |
52 |
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6.07 |
Maintenance of Insurance |
53 |
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6.08 |
Compliance with Laws |
53 |
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6.09 |
Books and Records |
53 |
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6.10 |
Inspection Rights |
53 |
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6.11 |
Use of Proceeds |
54 |
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6.12 |
ERISA Compliance |
54 |
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6.13 |
Additional Guarantors |
54 |
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6.14 |
Pledged Assets |
54 |
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6.15 |
Anti-Corruption Laws |
55 |
| ARTICLE VII NEGATIVE COVENANTS |
55 |
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7.01 |
Liens |
55 |
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7.02 |
Investments |
56 |
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7.03 |
Indebtedness |
57 |
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7.04 |
Fundamental Changes |
58 |
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7.05 |
Dispositions |
58 |
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7.06 |
Restricted Payments |
59 |
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7.07 |
Change in Nature of Business |
60 |
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7.08 |
Transactions with Affiliates |
60 |
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7.09 |
Burdensome Agreements |
60 |
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7.10 |
Use of Proceeds |
60 |
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7.11 |
Financial Covenants |
60 |
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7.12 |
Prepayment of Other Indebtedness, Etc |
61 |
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7.13 |
Organization Documents; Fiscal Year; Legal Name, State of Formation and Form of Entity |
61 |
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7.14 |
Ownership of Subsidiaries |
61 |
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7.15 |
Sale Leasebacks |
61 |
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7.16 |
Sanctions |
61 |
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7.17 |
Anti-Corruption Laws |
62 |
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7.18 |
Amendment to GP Service Contract |
62 |
| ARTICLE VIII EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES |
62 |
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8.01 |
Events of Default |
62 |
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8.02 |
Remedies Upon Event of Default |
63 |
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8.03 |
Application of Funds |
64 |
| ARTICLE IX ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT |
65 |
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9.01 |
Appointment and Authority |
65 |
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9.02 |
Rights as a Lender |
65 |
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9.03 |
Exculpatory Provisions |
65 |
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9.04 |
Reliance by Administrative Agent |
66 |
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9.05 |
Delegation of Duties |
67 |
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9.06 |
Resignation of Administrative Agent |
67 |
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9.07 |
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders |
68 |
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9.08 |
No Other Duties; Etc |
68 |
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9.09 |
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding |
68 |
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9.10 |
Collateral and Guaranty Matters |
69 |
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9.11 |
Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements |
70 |
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9.12 |
Certain ERISA Matters |
70 |
| ARTICLE X GUARANTY |
71 |
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10.01 |
The Guaranty |
71 |
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10.02 |
Obligations Unconditional |
71 |
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10.03 |
Reinstatement |
72 |
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10.04 |
Certain Additional Waivers |
72 |
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10.05 |
Remedies |
72 |
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10.06 |
Rights of Contribution |
73 |
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10.07 |
Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee |
73 |
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10.08 |
Keepwell |
73 |
| ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS |
74 |
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11.01 |
Amendments, Etc |
74 |
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11.02 |
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications |
75 |
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11.03 |
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement |
77 |
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11.04 |
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver |
77 |
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11.05 |
Payments Set Aside |
79 |
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11.06 |
Successors and Assigns |
79 |
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11.07 |
Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality |
82 |
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11.08 |
Rights of Setoff |
83 |
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11.09 |
Interest Rate Limitation |
83 |
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11.10 |
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness |
83 |
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11.11 |
Survival of Representations and Warranties |
84 |
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11.12 |
Severability |
84 |
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11.13 |
Replacement of Lenders |
84 |
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11.14 |
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc |
85 |
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11.15 |
Waiver of Jury Trial |
86 |
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11.16 |
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility |
86 |
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11.17 |
Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents |
86 |
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11.18 |
USA PATRIOT Act Notice |
87 |
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11.19 |
Subordination of Intercompany Indebtedness |
87 |
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11.20 |
Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions |
87 |
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11.21 |
Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs |
88 |
SCHEDULES
1.01A Excluded Real Properties
1.01B Mortgaged Properties
2.01 Applicable Percentages
5.10 Insurance
5.13 Subsidiaries
5.17 IP Rights
5.20(a) Locations of Real Property
5.20(b) Location of Chief Executive Office, Taxpayer Identification Number, Etc.
5.20(c) Changes in Legal Name, State of Formation and Structure
5.20(d) Deposit and Investment Accounts
7.01 Liens Existing on the Closing Date
7.02 Investments Existing on the Closing Date
7.03 Indebtedness Existing on the Closing Date
11.02 Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS
1.01 Form of Secured Party Designation Notice
2.05 Form of Notice of Loan Prepayment
2.11(a) Form of Note
3.01 Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates
6.02 Form of Compliance Certificate
6.13 Form of Joinder Agreement
11.06(b) Form of Assignment and Assumption
AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT
11.06(b)(iv) Form of Administrative Questionnaire This AMENDED AND RESTATED CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of July 20, 2021 by and among GREEN PLAINS OPERATING COMPANY LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Borrower”), the Guarantors (defined herein), the Lenders (defined herein) and ARGENT INSTITUTIONAL TRUST COMPANY, as successor to TMI TRUST COMPANY, as Administrative Agent.
Reference is made to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2015 (as amended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified immediately prior to the effectiveness of this Agreement, the “Original Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, the Guarantors, Bank of America, N.A., in its separate capacities as the Administrative Agent (the “Original Administrative Agent”), the Swing Line Lender, and the L/C Issuer thereunder (as such terms are defined therein), and the lenders party thereto, pursuant to which such lenders made (and committed to make) loans and other extensions of credit to the Borrower upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.
Prior to the date hereof, (a) the Borrower (i) repaid a portion of the outstanding loans under the Original Credit Agreement and (ii) discharged the lenders under the Original Credit agreement from any and all commitments of such lenders to provide future loans or other extensions of credit thereunder, and (b) substantially concurrently therewith, (i) such lenders sold and assigned to the Lenders hereunder all of their right, title and interest in and to the loans remaining outstanding under the Original Credit Agreement and (ii) the Original Administrative Agent assigned to the Administrative Agent all of its right, title and interest to act as Administrative Agent under the Original Credit Agreement and the Loan Documents (as such term is defined in the Original Credit Agreement) (such transactions, collectively, the “Loan Sale Transactions”).
As of the date hereof, after giving effect to the Loan Sale Transactions, (a) the loans under the Original Credit Agreement were fully advanced to the Borrower, with the lenders under such Original Credit Agreement having no outstanding obligations to make future advances thereof or any other extensions of credit thereunder, (b) the aggregate unpaid principal balance of the loans outstanding under the Original Credit Agreement (which loans are collectively referred to in this Agreement as the “Original Loan”) is $49,999,000, and (c) the Administrative Agent has become the Administrative Agent under this Agreement and the Loan Documents.
The Borrower, the Guarantors, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders wish to: (a) extend the term of the Original Loan; (b) cause the Lenders to lend to the Borrower an additional amount equal to $10,001,000 in the aggregate (the “Additional Advance”), as more particularly set forth in Section 2.01, such that, upon the making of such Additional Advance, the aggregate unpaid principal balance of the loans (i.e., the Original Loan and the Additional Advance, once made) outstanding under this Agreement (which loans are collectively referred to herein as the “Loan”) is $60,000,000; (c) amend and restate the Original Credit Agreement in its entirety to set forth their respective rights and obligations with respect to the Loan; and (d) make certain other representations, warranties and agreements upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto hereby amend and restate the Original Credit Agreement in its entirety, and hereby covenant and agree, as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Acquisition”, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of either (a) all or any substantial portion of the property of, or a line of business or division of, another Person or (b) at least a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person.
“Additional Advance” has the meaning given to such term in the recitals.
“Additional Advance Date” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.01.
“Adjusted Term SOFR” means, for purposes of any calculation, the rate per annum equal to (a) Term SOFR for such calculation plus (b) the Term SOFR Adjustment; provided that if Adjusted Term SOFR as so determined shall ever be less than the Floor, then Adjusted Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.
“Administrative Agent” means Argent Institutional in its capacity as administrative agent under this Agreement and any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b)(iv) or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Affected Financial Institution” means (a) any EEA Financial Institution or (b) UK Financial Institution.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement, as the same may be amended, supplemented, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance herewith.
“Amendment No. 2” means that certain Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of the Amendment No. 2 Effective Date, among the Borrower, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.
“Amendment No. 3” means that certain Amendment No. 3 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of the Amendment No. 3 Effective Date, among the Borrower, the Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.
“Amendment No. 2 Effective Date” means April 19, 2023.
“Amendment No. 3 Effective Date” means October 30, 2023.
“Applicable Percentage” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Outstanding Amount of the Loan held by such Lender at such time.
The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
“Applicable Rate” means (a) at any time during which the Loan is a SOFR Loan, 8.00% per annum, and (b) at any time during which the Loan is a Base Rate Loan, 7.00% per annum.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders, in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b) or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders.
“Attributable Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease, (c) in respect of any Securitization Transaction, the outstanding principal amount of such Securitization Transaction, after taking into account reserve accounts and making appropriate adjustments, determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment (exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders) and (d) in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the present value (discounted in accordance with GAAP at the debt rate implied in the applicable lease) of the obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the term of such lease.
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of the MLP and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the MLP and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.
“Available Cash” has the meaning set forth in the MLP Partnership Agreement, as in effect on the Closing Date.
“Available Tenor” means, as of any date of determination and with respect to the then-current Benchmark, as applicable, (x) if such Benchmark is a term rate, any tenor for such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining the length of an interest period pursuant to this Agreement or (y) otherwise, any payment period for interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark (or component thereof) that is or may be used for determining any frequency of making payments of interest calculated with reference to such Benchmark pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, as of such date and not including, for the avoidance of doubt, any tenor for such Benchmark that is then-removed from the definition of “Interest Period” pursuant to Section 2.14(d).
“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an Affected Financial Institution.
“Bail-In Legislation” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law, rule, regulation or requirement for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, Part I of the United Kingdom Banking Act 2009 (as amended from time to time) and any other law, regulation or rule applicable in the United Kingdom relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (other than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).
“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the Federal Funds Rate in effect on such day plus 0.50% and (c) (i) Adjusted Term SOFR for a one (1) month tenor in effect on such day plus (ii) 1.00%.
Any change in the Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR shall be effective on the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate or Adjusted Term SOFR, respectively.
“Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Term SOFR”.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Benchmark” means, initially, the Term SOFR Reference Rate; provided that if a Benchmark Transition Event has occurred with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate or the then-current Benchmark, then “Benchmark” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement to the extent that such Benchmark Replacement has replaced such prior benchmark rate pursuant to Section 2.14(a).
“Benchmark Replacement” means, with respect to any Benchmark Transition Event, the first alternative set forth in the order below that can be determined by the Administrative Agent for the applicable Benchmark Replacement Date:
(a) the sum of (i) Daily Simple SOFR and (ii) 0.26161% (26.161 basis points); or
(b) the sum of: (i) the alternate benchmark rate that has been selected by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower giving due consideration to (A) any selection or recommendation of a replacement benchmark rate or the mechanism for determining such a rate by the Relevant Governmental Body or (B) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a benchmark rate as a replacement to the then-current Benchmark for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities and (ii) the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
If the Benchmark Replacement as determined pursuant to clause (a) or (b) above would be less than the Floor, the Benchmark Replacement will be deemed to be the Floor for the purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
“Benchmark Replacement Adjustment” means, with respect to any replacement of the then-current Benchmark with an Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement, the spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, (which may be a positive or negative value or zero) that has been selected by the Administrative Agent giving due consideration to (a) any selection or recommendation of a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement by the Relevant Governmental Body or (b) any evolving or then-prevailing market convention for determining a spread adjustment, or method for calculating or determining such spread adjustment, for the replacement of such Benchmark with the applicable Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement for Dollar-denominated syndicated credit facilities at such time.
“Benchmark Replacement Date” means a date and time determined by the Administrative Agent, which date shall be no later than the earliest to occur of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(a) in the case of clause (a) or (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the later of (i) the date of the public statement or publication of information referenced therein and (ii) the date on which the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) permanently or indefinitely ceases to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(b) in the case of clause (c) of the definition of “Benchmark Transition Event,” the first date on which such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) has been determined and announced by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) to be non-representative; provided that such non-representativeness will be determined by reference to the most recent statement or publication
referenced in such clause (c) and even if any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) continues to be provided on such date.
For the avoidance of doubt, the “Benchmark Replacement Date” will be deemed to have occurred in the case of clause (a) or (b) with respect to any Benchmark upon the occurrence of the applicable event or events set forth therein with respect to all then-current Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
“Benchmark Transition Event” means the occurrence of one or more of the following events with respect to the then-current Benchmark:
(a) a public statement or publication of information by or on behalf of the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that such administrator has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof), permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof);
(b) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof), the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an insolvency official with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), a resolution authority with jurisdiction over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component) or a court or an entity with similar insolvency or resolution authority over the administrator for such Benchmark (or such component), which states that the administrator of such Benchmark (or such component) has ceased or will cease to provide all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) permanently or indefinitely; provided that, at the time of such statement or publication, there is no successor administrator that will continue to provide any Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or such component thereof); or
(c) a public statement or publication of information by the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof) announcing that all Available Tenors of such Benchmark (or such component thereof) are not, or as of a specified future date will not be, representative.
For the avoidance of doubt, a “Benchmark Transition Event” will be deemed to have occurred with respect to any Benchmark if a public statement or publication of information set forth above has occurred with respect to each then-current Available Tenor of such Benchmark (or the published component used in the calculation thereof).
“Benchmark Unavailability Period” means, the period (if any) (a) beginning at the time that a Benchmark Replacement Date has occurred if, at such time, no Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14 and (b) ending at the time that a Benchmark Replacement has replaced the then-current Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in accordance with Section 2.14.
“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.
“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means C.F.R. §1010.230.
“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.
“BHC Act Affiliate” of a party means an “affiliate” (as such term is defined under, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 1841(k)) of such party.
“BlackRock Funds” means, individually and/or collectively but not jointly, as the context may require, funds and accounts under the management of or otherwise Controlled by BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. or any Affiliate thereof.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located.
“Cash Equivalents” means, as at any date, (a) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof) having maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition, (b) Dollar denominated time deposits and certificates of deposit of (i) any Lender, (ii) any domestic commercial bank of recognized standing having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 or (iii) any bank whose short term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least A-1 or the equivalent thereof or from Moody’s is at least P-1 or the equivalent thereof (any such bank being an “Approved Bank”), in each case with maturities of not more than 270 days from the date of acquisition, (c) commercial paper and variable or fixed rate notes issued by any Approved Bank (or by the parent company thereof) or any variable rate notes issued by, or guaranteed by, any domestic corporation rated A-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or P-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s and maturing within six months of the date of acquisition, (d) repurchase agreements entered into by any Person with a bank or trust company (including any of the Lenders) or recognized securities dealer having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 for direct obligations issued by or fully guaranteed by the United States in which such Person shall have a perfected first priority security interest (subject to no other Liens) and having, on the date of purchase thereof, a fair market value of at least 100% of the amount of the repurchase obligations and (e) investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets, in money market investment programs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 which are administered by reputable financial institutions having capital of at least $500,000,000 and the portfolios of which are limited to Investments of the character described in the foregoing subdivisions (a) through (d).
“Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement that is not prohibited by the terms hereof to provide treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, overnight draft, credit cards, debit cards, p-cards (including purchasing cards and commercial cards), funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services and other cash management services.
“Cash Management Bank” means any Person that (a) at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement, is a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, (b) in the case of any Cash Management Agreement in effect on or prior to the Closing Date, is, as of the Closing Date or within 30 days thereafter, a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent and a party to a Cash Management Agreement or (c) within 30 days after the time it enters into the applicable Cash Management Agreement, becomes a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (a) the General Partner shall cease to be the sole general partner of the MLP, (b) 50% or more of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the board of directors (or equivalent body) of the General Partner shall at any time be occupied by Persons who were neither (i) appointed by Holdings, or (ii) appointed by such directors, (c) Holdings shall cease to own (i) Equity Interests representing greater than 66-2/3% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the General Partner or (ii) greater than 66-2/3% of the economic interests represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests in the General Partner, or (d) the MLP ceases to own and control 100% of the Equity Interests of the Borrower.
“Closing Date” means July 20, 2021.
“Collateral” means a collective reference to all property with respect to which Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, are purported to be granted pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents.
“Collateral Assignment of GP Service Contract” means, individually and collectively, (a) that certain Collateral Assignment of Contract Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2015, among Green Plains Ethanol Storage LLC, Green Plains Trade Group LLC and the Administrative Agent and (b) that certain Collateral Assignment of Contract Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2015, among Green Plains Logistics LLC, Green Plains Trade Group LLC and the Administrative Agent (as successor-in-interest to the Original Administrative Agent).
“Collateral Documents” means a collective reference to the Security Agreement, the Mortgages, the Collateral Assignment of GP Service Contract and other security documents as may be executed and delivered by any Loan Party pursuant to the terms of Section 6.14 or any of the Loan Documents.
“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 6.02.
“Conflicts Committee” has the meaning given such term in the MLP Partnership Agreement, as in effect on the Closing Date.
“Conforming Changes” means, with respect to either the use or administration of Term SOFR or the use, administration, adoption or implementation of any Benchmark Replacement, any technical, administrative or operational changes (including changes to the definition of “Base Rate,” the definition of “Business Day,” the definition of “U.S. Government Securities Business Day,” the definition of “Interest Period” or any similar or analogous definition (or the addition of a concept of “interest period”), timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest, timing of borrowing requests or prepayment, conversion or continuation notices, the applicability and length of lookback periods, the applicability of Section 3.05 and other technical, administrative or operational matters) that the Administrative Agent decides may be appropriate to reflect the adoption and implementation of any such rate or to permit the use and administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent decides that adoption of any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or if the Administrative Agent determines that no market practice for the administration of any such rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent decides is reasonably necessary in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents).
“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, for the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, all capital expenditures.
“Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters minus (ii) income taxes payable for such period minus (iii) Consolidated Capital Expenditures for such period to (b) the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period plus (ii) Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments for such period.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to Consolidated Net Income for such period plus the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period, (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes payable for such period, and (iii) depreciation and amortization expense for such period.
“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum of: (a) all obligations for borrowed money (including the Obligations) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments; (b) the maximum amount available to be drawn under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments; (c) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business); (d) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by the MLP or a Subsidiary (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by the MLP or such Subsidiary or is limited in recourse; (e) all Attributable Indebtedness; (f) all obligations to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment prior to the Maturity Date in respect of any Equity Interests or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; (g) all Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (f) above of another Person; and (h) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, except to the extent that Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.
“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest, premium payments, debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including capitalized interest) or in connection with the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP plus (c) the implied interest component of Synthetic Lease Obligations with respect to such period.
“Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the most recently completed four fiscal quarters.
“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, net income (or loss) for such period; provided that Consolidated Net Income shall exclude (a) extraordinary gains for such period, (b) the net income of any Subsidiary during such period to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary of such income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its Organization Documents or any agreement, instrument or Law applicable to such Subsidiary during such period, and (c) any income (or loss) for such period of any Person if such Person is not a Subsidiary, except that the MLP’s equity in the net income of any such Person for such period shall be included in Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to the MLP or a Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (and in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not precluded from further distributing such amount to the MLP as described in clause (b) of this proviso).
“Consolidated Scheduled Funded Debt Payments” means for any period for the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of all scheduled payments of principal on Consolidated Funded Indebtedness. For purposes of this definition, “scheduled payments of principal” (a) shall be determined without giving effect to any reduction of such scheduled payments resulting from the application of any voluntary or mandatory prepayments made during the applicable period, (b) shall be deemed to include the Attributable Indebtedness, and (c) shall not include any voluntary prepayments or mandatory prepayments required pursuant to Section 2.05(b).
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
“Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12. C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered ESI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Daily Simple SOFR” means, for any day, SOFR, with the conventions for this rate (which will include a lookback) being established by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the conventions for this rate selected or recommended by the Relevant Governmental Body for determining “Daily Simple SOFR” for syndicated business loans; provided that if the Administrative Agent decides that any such convention is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, then the Administrative Agent may establish another convention in its reasonable discretion.
“Debt Issuance” means the issuance by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any Indebtedness other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
“Default Rate” means (a) with respect to any Obligation for which a rate is specified, a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate otherwise applicable thereto and (b) with respect to any Obligation for which a rate is not specified or available, a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus two percent (2%), in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12, C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2, 382.1, as applicable.
“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.
“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction and any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith, but excluding any Recovery Event.
“Disposition Mandatory Prepayment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(b).
“Distributable Cash Flow” means, without duplication, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the aggregate sum of the following for the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, in each case calculated for the immediately preceding fiscal quarter (provided, however, with respect to the fiscal quarter ending on June 30, 2021, such calculation shall be made after giving effect to the making of the Loan): (a) Consolidated Net Income plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining Consolidated Net Income, (i) provision for federal, state and local taxes payable (other than cash taxes paid or payable during such relevant period), (ii) interest expense (other than cash interest paid or payable during such relevant period), (iii) depreciation and amortization expense, (iv) non-cash unit based compensation expense, and (v) the MLP’s proportional share of the adjustments described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) attributable to the equity method investee of the MLP and its Subsidiaries, minus (c) (i) Maintenance Capital Expenditures and (ii) the aggregate amount of Restricted Payments previously made pursuant to Section 7.06(e) during the fiscal quarter in which such date of determination occurs.
“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia.
“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.
“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.
“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 11.06(b)(iii) and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).
“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) the determination that any Pension Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Internal Revenue Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA, (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or (i) a failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to meet all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, or the failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan.
“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“Exempted Proceeds” has the meaning specified in Section 7.05.
“Excluded Property” means, with respect to any Loan Party, (a) any owned or leased real property set forth on Schedule 1.01A, (b) any IP Rights for which a perfected Lien thereon cannot be effected either by filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement or by appropriate evidence of such Lien being filed in either the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office, (c) unless requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, any personal property (other than personal property described in clause (b) above) for which the attachment or perfection of a Lien thereon is not governed by the Uniform Commercial Code, (d) the Equity Interests of any direct Foreign Subsidiary of any Loan Party to the extent not required to be pledged to secure the Obligations pursuant to Section 6.14(a) and (e) any property which, subject to the terms of Section 7.09, is subject to a Lien of the type described in Section 7.01(i) pursuant to documents which prohibit such Loan Party from granting any other Liens in such property.
“Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant under a Loan Document by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 10.08 and any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or grant by such Guarantor of a security interest, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation.
If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply to only the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such Guaranty or security interest is or becomes illegal.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the Laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan pursuant to a Law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 11.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), 3.01(a)(iii) or 3.01(c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.
“Facility Termination Date” means the date as of which all of the Obligations have been paid in full (other than contingent indemnification obligations).
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as of the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum calculated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York based on such day’s federal funds transactions by depository institutions (as determined in such manner as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shall set forth on its public website from time to time) and published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as the federal funds effective rate; provided that if the Federal Funds Rate as so determined would be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.
“Flood Hazard Property” means any Mortgaged Property that is in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as having special flood or mudslide hazards.
“Flood Insurance Laws” means, collectively, (a) National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (which comprehensively revised the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973) as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (b) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto and (c) the Biggert–Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto.
“Floor” means a rate of interest equal to 0% per annum.
“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, consistently applied.
“General Partner” means Green Plains Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“GP Service Contract” means, individually and collectively, (a) that certain Ethanol Storage and Throughput Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2015, by and among Green Plains Ethanol Storage LLC and Green Plains Trade Group LLC and (b) that certain Railroad Transportation Services Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2015, by and among Green Plains Logistics LLC and Green Plains Trade Group LLC.
“Ground Lease” has the meaning given to such term in the definition of “Mortgaged Property Support Documents”.
“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) the MLP, (b) each Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower identified as a “Guarantor” on the signature pages hereto, (c) each Person that joins as a Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.13 or otherwise, (d) with respect to (i) Obligations under any Secured Hedge Agreement, (ii) Obligations under any Secured Cash Management Agreement and (iii) any Swap Obligation of a Specified Loan Party (determined before giving effect to Sections 10.01 and 10.08) under the Guaranty, the Borrower, and (e) the successors and permitted assigns of the foregoing.
“Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent (as successor-in-interest to the Original Administrative Agent), the Lenders and the other holders of the Obligations pursuant to Article X.
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Hedge Bank” means any Person that (i) at the time it enters into a Swap Contract, is a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of any Swap Contract in effect on or prior to the Closing Date, is, as of the Closing Date or within 30 days thereafter, a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent and a party to a Swap Contract or (iii) within 30 days after the time it enters into the applicable Swap Contract, becomes a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Swap Contract; provided, in the case of a Secured Hedge Agreement with a Person who is no longer a Lender (or Affiliate of a Lender), such Person shall be considered a Hedge Bank only through the stated termination date (without extension or renewal) of such Secured Hedge Agreement.
“Holdings” means Green Plains Inc., an Iowa corporation.
“IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.
“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:
(a) all obligations for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;
(b) the maximum amount available to be drawn under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;
(c) the Swap Termination Value of any Swap Contract;
(d) all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);
(e) indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;
(f) all Attributable Indebtedness;
(g) all obligations to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment prior to the Maturity Date in respect of any Equity Interests or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends;
(h) all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing; and
(i) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.
“Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.
“Interest Payment Date” means the fifteenth (15th) day of each March, June, September and December during the term of the Loan. For the avoidance of doubt, the first (1st) Interest Payment Date shall be September 15, 2021.
“Interest Period” means, (a) with respect to the first (1st) Interest Payment Date, the period commencing on the Closing Date and ending on September 14, 2021 and (b) with respect to each subsequent Interest Payment Date, the three (3) months immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date; provided that:
(a) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;
(b) any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(c) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person, or (c) an Acquisition. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.
“IPO” means the initial public offering of limited partnership interests of the MLP as described in the Registration Statement.
“IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.17.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 6.13 executed and delivered by a Domestic Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.13 or any other documents as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of Law.
“Lenders” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns.
“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, which office may include any Affiliate of such Lender or any domestic or foreign branch of such Lender or such affiliate. Unless the context otherwise requires each references to a Lender shall include its applicable Lending Office.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Loan” has the meaning specified in the recitals.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Joinder Agreement, and the Collateral Documents (but specifically excluding Secured Hedge Agreements and any Secured Cash Management Agreements).
“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a borrowing of the entire amount of the Additional Advance in accordance with Section 2.01, (b) a conversion of the Loan from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of the Loan as a SOFR Loan, in each case pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent) appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.
“Loan Sale Transactions” has the meaning given to such term in the recitals.
“Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”
“Maintenance Capital Expenditures” means cash expenditures (including expenditures for the construction or development of new capital assets or the replacement, improvement or expansion of existing capital assets) by the MLP or its Subsidiaries made to maintain, over the long term, the operating capacity, operating income or revenue of the MLP and its Subsidiaries. For purposes of this definition, “long term” generally refers to a period of not less than twelve months. Where capital expenditures are made in part for Maintenance Capital Expenditures and in part for non-Maintenance Capital Expenditures, the Borrower shall determine the allocation of the amounts paid for each in a commercially reasonable manner.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the MLP and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the ability of any Loan Party to perform its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.
“Maturity Date” means July 20, 2026; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.
“MLP” means Green Plains Partners LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
“MLP Partnership Agreement” means that certain First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Green Plains Partners LP dated July 1, 2015, among the General Partner and Holdings.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Mortgage” means each of the fee or leasehold mortgage, deed of trust, deed to secure debt and other similar security document executed by a Loan Party that purports to grant a Lien to the Administrative Agent (or its trustee) for the benefit of the Secured Parties in any Mortgaged Properties.
“Mortgaged Property” means any owned or leased property of a Loan Party subject to a Mortgage. As of the Closing Date, the Mortgaged Properties are identified on Schedule 1.01B.
“Mortgaged Property Support Documents” means with respect to the fee interest and/or leasehold interest of any Loan Party in any Mortgaged Property:
(a) a fully executed and notarized Mortgage encumbering the fee interest and/or leasehold interest of such Loan Party in such real property;
(b) if requested by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) in its sole discretion, such maps or plats of survey of the sites of such real property as the Administrative Agent shall deem acceptable in its sole discretion (exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders), which maps or plats of survey may, without limitation, be required to (i) be “as-built”, (ii) include a certification to the Administrative Agent and the title insurance company issuing the policies referred to in clause (c) of this definition in a manner satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) and such title insurance company, (iii) be dated a date satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) and such title insurance company by an independent professional licensed land surveyor, (iv) be sufficient to delete any standard printed survey exception contained in the applicable title policy and (v) be made in accordance with the Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for Land Title Surveys jointly established and adopted by the American Land Title Association and the National Society of Professional Surveyors, Inc. in 2016 with items 2, 3, 4, 6(b), 7(a), 7(b)(1), 7(c), 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16,17, 18 and 19 on Table A thereof completed;
(c) ALTA mortgagee title insurance policies issued by a title insurance company acceptable to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) with respect to such real property, assuring the Administrative Agent that the Mortgage covering such real property creates a valid and enforceable first priority mortgage lien on such real property, free and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted Liens and such other matters as the Administrative Agent shall deem acceptable in its sole discretion (exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders), which title insurance policies shall otherwise be in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) and shall include such endorsements as are requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders;
(d) a completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to such real property and, if such real property is a Flood Hazard Property, (x) a notice to (and confirmation of receipt by) the Borrower as to the existence of a special flood hazard and, if applicable, the availability of flood hazard insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program and (y) evidence of applicable flood insurance, if available, in each case in such form, on such terms and in such amounts as required by the Flood Insurance Laws or as otherwise required by the Lenders;
(e) if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, an environmental assessment report, as to such real property in form and substance and from professional firms acceptable to the Administrative Agent;
(f) if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that such real property, and the uses of such real property, are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable zoning Laws (the evidence submitted as to which should include the zoning designation made for such real property, the permitted uses of such real property under such zoning designation and, if available, zoning requirements as to parking, lot size, ingress, egress and building setbacks);
(g) in the case of the lease (a “Ground Lease”) with respect to any leasehold interest of any Loan Party in such real property, (i) such estoppel letters, consents and waivers from the landlords on such real property as may be required by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), which estoppel letters shall be in the form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) evidence that that the applicable Ground Lease, a memorandum of lease with respect thereto, or other evidence of such lease in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), has been or will be recorded in all places to the extent necessary or desirable, in the judgment of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), so as to enable the Mortgage encumbering such leasehold interest to effectively create a valid and enforceable first priority lien (subject to Permitted Liens) on such leasehold interest in favor of the Administrative Agent (or such other Person as may be required or desired under local Law); and
(h) if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, an opinion of legal counsel to the Loan Party granting the Mortgage on such real property, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.
“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.
“Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.
“Net Proceeds” means, (a) with respect to any Recovery Event, (i) if such Recovery Event is a casualty, the amount of all insurance proceeds payable in connection therewith, and (ii) if such Recovery Event is a condemnation, the amount of any compensation or award paid by any Governmental Authority or quasi-governmental authority in connection therewith, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii) above, after deduction of the reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the applicable Loan Parties in collecting such insurance proceeds, award or other compensation (which costs and expenses shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the amount of the applicable insurance proceeds, award or other compensation) and (b) with respect to any Disposition, the gross consideration received by the Loan Parties in connection therewith (including any assumed indebtedness, deferred payments and any prepaid expenses).
“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
“Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).
“Notice of Loan Prepayment” means a notice of prepayment with respect to the Loan, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.05 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lender), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
“Obligations” means with respect to each Loan Party (i) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to the Loan, and (ii) all obligations of any Loan Party owing to a Cash Management Bank or a Hedge Bank in respect of Secured Cash Management Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements, in each case identified in clauses (i) and (ii) whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding; provided, however, that the “Obligations” of a Loan Party shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Loan Party.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement or limited liability company agreement (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction) and (d) with respect to all entities, any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction).
“Original Administrative Agent” has the meaning given to such term in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Original Credit Agreement” has the meaning given to such term in the recitals to this Agreement.
“Original Loan” has the meaning specified in the recitals.
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).
“Outstanding Amount” means, as of any date of determination, the outstanding principal amount of the Loan after giving effect to any prepayments or repayments of the Loan occurring on or prior to such date.
Parent
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
“Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
“Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Internal Revenue Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.
“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (including a Multiple Employer Plan or a Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code.
“Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Term SOFR”.
“Permitted Acquisition” means an Investment consisting of an Acquisition by any Loan Party, provided that (a) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition, (b) the property acquired (or the property of the Person acquired) in such Acquisition is used or useful in the same or a similar line of business as the Borrower and its Subsidiaries were engaged in on the Closing Date (or any reasonable extensions or expansions thereof), (c) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of another Person, the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have duly approved such Acquisition, (d) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 recomputed as of the end of the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently ended for which the Borrower has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) after giving effect to such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis (and the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, as so calculated, shall be at least 0.25 less than the maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio then permitted under Section 7.11(b)), (e) the representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in each Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as if made as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto) and (f) if such transaction involves the purchase of an interest in a partnership between any Loan Party as a general partner and entities unaffiliated with the Borrower as the other partners, such transaction shall be effected by having such equity interest acquired by a corporate holding company directly or indirectly wholly owned by such Loan Party newly formed for the sole purpose of effecting such transaction.
“Permitted Liens” means, at any time, Liens in respect of property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary permitted to exist at such time pursuant to the terms of Section 7.01.
“Permitted Par Prepayment” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(a).
“Permitted Par Prepayment Basket” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.05(a).
“Permitted Transfers” means (a) Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business; (b) Dispositions of property to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party then the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party; (c) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof; (d) to the extent not exceeding $1,000,000 in the aggregate, Dispositions of machinery and equipment no longer used or useful in the conduct of business of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries that are Disposed of in the ordinary course of business; (e) licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of the MLP and its Subsidiaries; and (f) the sale or disposition of Cash Equivalents for fair market value.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including a Pension Plan), maintained for employees of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“Portfolio Optimization Dispositions” means the sale (in one or more transactions) by Green Plains Ethanol Storage LLC to Holdings (or one of Holdings’ Subsidiaries that is not a Subsidiary of the MLP or the General Partner) of up to two ethanol storage terminals (and related assets) located at Holdings’ (or one of the Holdings’ Subsidiaries that is not a Subsidiary of the MLP or the General Partner) ethanol plants producing not more than approximately 220 million gallons of ethanol per year.
“Prepayment Premium” means, with respect to any prepayment of the Loan in whole or in part (other than any Permitted Par Prepayment) from and after the second anniversary of the Closing Date, an amount equal to (a) if such prepayment occurs prior to January 31st, 2025, three percent (3.0%) of the amount of such prepayment, (b) if such prepayment occurs on or after January 31st, 2025, but prior to the July 31st, 2025, one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the amount of such prepayment and (c) if such prepayment occurs on or after July 31st, 2025, zero.
“Prime Rate” means the “U.S. Prime Lending Rate” as published in The Wall Street Journal.
“Pro Forma Basis” means, with respect to any transaction, that for purposes of calculating the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11, such transaction (including the incurrence of any Indebtedness therewith) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the most recent four fiscal quarter period preceding the date of such transaction for which financial statements were required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b). In connection with the foregoing, (a) with respect to any Disposition or Recovery Event, (i) income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property disposed of shall be excluded to the extent relating to any period occurring prior to the date of such transaction and (ii) Indebtedness which is retired shall be excluded and deemed to have been retired as of the first day of the applicable period and (b) with respect to any Acquisition, (i) income statement and cash flow statement items attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (A) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement and cash flow statement items for the MLP and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01 and (B) such items are supported by financial statements or other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) and (ii) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (including the Person or property acquired) in connection with such transaction and any Indebtedness of the Person or property acquired which is not retired in connection with such transaction (A) shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period and (B) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination.
“Pro Forma Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower containing reasonably detailed calculations of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11, recomputed as of the end of the period of the four fiscal quarters most recently ended for which the Borrower has delivered financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), after giving effect to the applicable transaction on a Pro Forma Basis.
“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.
“QFC” has the meaning assigned to the term “qualified financial contract” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).
“QFC Credit Support” has the meaning specified in Section 11.21.
“Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.
“Recovery Event” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.
“Recovery Event Mandatory Prepayment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(b).
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).
“Rejection Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.05(c).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
“Relevant Governmental Body” means the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or a committee officially endorsed or convened by the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or any successor thereto.
“Registration Statement” means that certain Form S-1 Registration Statement No. 333-204279 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on May 18, 2015.
“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders holding more than 80% of the aggregate amount of Loans outstanding hereunder at such time; provided that, for so long as any BlackRock Fund is a Lender hereunder, the “Required Lenders” shall include such BlackRock Fund.
“Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 9.06.
“Resolution Authority” means an EEA Resolution Authority or, with respect to any UK Financial Institution, a UK Resolution Authority.
“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Loan Party or the General Partner, and, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party or the General Partner, as applicable, shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party or the General Partner, as applicable, and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party or the General Partner, as applicable. To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate and appropriate authorization documentation, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders).
“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests of any Person, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or on account of any return of capital to such Person’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof), or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such dividend or other distribution or payment.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.
“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby such Person shall sell or transfer any property used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.
“Sanction(s)” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government, including OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Cash Management Bank with respect to such Cash Management Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, a holder of Obligations in respect of Secured Cash Management Agreements shall be subject to the last paragraph of Section 8.03 and Section 9.11.
“Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract that is entered into by and between any Loan Party and any Hedge Bank with respect to such Swap Contract. For the avoidance of doubt, a holder of Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements shall be subject to the last paragraph of Section 8.03 and Section 9.11.
“Secured Party Designation Notice” means a notice from any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01.
“Securitization Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, any financing transaction or series of financing transactions (including factoring arrangements) pursuant to which such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or grant a security interest in, accounts, payments, receivables, rights to future lease payments or residuals or similar rights to payment to a special purpose subsidiary or affiliate of such Person.
“Security Agreement” means that certain Security and Pledge agreement, dated as of July 1, 2015, executed in favor of the Administrative Agent (as successor-in-interest to Original Administrative Agent) for the benefit of the Lenders by each of the Loan Parties.
“SOFR” means a rate equal to the secured overnight financing rate as administered by the SOFR Administrator.
“SOFR Administrator” means the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (or a successor administrator of the secured overnight financing rate).
“SOFR Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on Adjusted Term SOFR, other than pursuant to clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate”.
“Solvent” or “Solvency” means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature in the ordinary course of business, (c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute unreasonably small capital, (d) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person and (e) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.
“Specified Loan Party” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the MLP.
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Obligation” means with respect to any Guarantor any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“Term SOFR” means,
(a) for any calculation with respect to a SOFR Loan, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor comparable to the applicable Interest Period on the day (such day, the “Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Periodic Term SOFR Determination Day, and
(b) for any calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any day, the Term SOFR Reference Rate for a tenor of one month on the day (such day, the “Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day”) that is two (2) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such day, as such rate is published by the Term SOFR Administrator; provided, however, that if as of 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on any Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day the Term SOFR Reference Rate for the applicable tenor has not been published by the Term SOFR Administrator and a Benchmark Replacement Date with respect to the Term SOFR Reference Rate has not occurred, then Term SOFR will be the Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor as published by the Term SOFR Administrator on the first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day for which such Term SOFR Reference Rate for such tenor was published by the Term SOFR Administrator so long as such first preceding U.S. Government Securities Business Day is not more than three (3) U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to such Base Rate Term SOFR Determination Day;
provided, further, that if Term SOFR determined as provided above (including pursuant to the proviso under clause (a) or clause (b) above) shall ever be less than the Floor, then Term SOFR shall be deemed to be the Floor.
“Term SOFR Adjustment” means a percentage equal to 0.26161% per annum.
“Term SOFR Administrator” means CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited (CBA) (or a successor administrator of the Term SOFR Reference Rate selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion).
“Term SOFR Reference Rate” means the forward-looking term rate based on SOFR.
“Threshold Amount” means $5,000,000.
“Type” means, with respect to any Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a SOFR Loan.
“UK Financial Institution” means any BRRD Undertaking (as such term is defined under the PRA Rulebook (as amended form time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Prudential Regulation Authority) or any person subject to IFPRU 11.6 of the FCA Handbook (as amended from time to time) promulgated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which includes certain credit institutions and investment firms, and certain affiliates of such credit institutions or investment firms.
“UK Resolution Authority” means the Bank of England or any other public administrative authority having responsibility for the resolution of any UK Financial Institution.
“Unadjusted Benchmark Replacement” means the applicable Benchmark Replacement excluding the related Benchmark Replacement Adjustment.
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“U.S. Government Securities Business Day” means any day except for (a) a Saturday, (b) a Sunday or (c) a day on which the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the fixed income departments of its members be closed for the entire day for purposes of trading in United States government securities.
“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regimes” has the meaning specified in Section 11.22.
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).
“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.
“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, (a) with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule, and (b) with respect to the United Kingdom, any powers of the applicable Resolution Authority under the Bail-In Legislation to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of any UK Financial Institution or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of that liability or any of the powers under that Bail-In Legislation that are related to or ancillary to any of those powers.
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions.
With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Loan Document or Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Preliminary Statements, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, Preliminary Statements of and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory rules, regulations, orders and provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such Law and any reference to any Law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such Law or regulation as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all assets and properties, tangible and intangible, real and personal, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
1.03 Accounting Terms.
(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.
(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP (including the adoption of IFRS) would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the Audited Financial Statements for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.
(c) Calculations. Notwithstanding the above, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that all calculations of the financial covenants in Section 7.11 (including for purposes of determining the Applicable Rate) shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to (i) any Disposition of all of the Equity Interests of, or all or substantially all of the assets of, a Subsidiary, (ii) any Disposition of a line of business or division of any Loan Party or Subsidiary, or (iii) any Acquisition, in each case, occurring during the applicable period.
1.04 Rounding.
Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 Times of Day; Rates.
Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Central time (daylight or standard, as applicable). The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to (a) the continuation of, administration of, submission of, calculation of or any other matter related to the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR or Term SOFR, or any component definition thereof or rates referred to in the definition thereof, or any alternative, successor or replacement rate thereto (including any Benchmark Replacement), including whether the composition or characteristics of any such alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) will be similar to, or produce the same value or economic equivalence of, or have the same volume or liquidity as, the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Adjusted Term SOFR, Term SOFR or any other Benchmark prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, or (b) the effect, implementation or composition of any Conforming Changes. The Administrative Agent and its affiliates or other related entities may engage in transactions that affect the calculation of the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR, any alternative, successor or replacement rate (including any Benchmark Replacement) or any relevant adjustments thereto, in each case, in a manner adverse to the Borrower. The Administrative Agent may select information sources or services in its reasonable discretion to ascertain the Base Rate, the Term SOFR Reference Rate, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR or any other Benchmark, in each case pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall have no liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other person or entity for damages of any kind, including direct or indirect, special, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, costs, losses or expenses (whether in tort, contract or otherwise and whether at law or in equity), for any error or calculation of any such rate (or component thereof) provided by any such information source or service.
ARTICLE II
THE LOAN
2.01 Loan. As of the Closing Date, the Original Loan has been fully advanced to the Borrower. Subject to the Borrower’s satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02, the Lenders shall fund the entire amount of the Additional Advance to the Borrower (the “Additional Advance Date”). From and after the funding of the Additional Advance by the Lenders to the Borrower, the Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Additional Advance only for the uses approved by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) pursuant to Section 4.02(a). If the Borrower fails to timely deliver a Loan Notice to the Administrative Agent in accordance with this Section 2.01, or if any of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 have not been satisfied, then, in either such case, the Borrower shall have no further right to deliver any Loan Notice with respect to, and the Lenders shall have no further obligation to fund, the Additional Advance. The Loan shall be payable by the Borrower to the Lenders in accordance with the terms and provisions set forth in this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Once repaid, no portion of the Loan may be re-borrowed.
2.02 Conversions and Continuations of Loans.
(a) Each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of SOFR Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone, or (B) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice. Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. three U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to the requested date of any such conversion or continuation. Each conversion of the Loan to or continuation of SOFR Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire Outstanding Amount of the Loan). Conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire Outstanding Amount of the Loan). Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether such Loan Notice relates to a borrowing of the Additional Advance, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other or a continuation of SOFR Loans, (ii) the requested date of the conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), and (iii) in the case of any such conversion of the Loan, the Type of Loans to which the Loan is to be converted. If the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting conversion or continuation of the Loan in accordance with this Section 2.02(a), then the Loans shall be converted to Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the Loans.
(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a SOFR Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such SOFR Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be converted to or continued as SOFR Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the outstanding SOFR Loans be converted immediately to Base Rate Loans.
(d) [Reserved].
(e) [Reserved].
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all or a portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.
2.03 Intentionally Omitted.
2.04 Intentionally Omitted.
2.05 Prepayments.
(a) Voluntary Prepayments of the Loan. From and after the second anniversary of the Closing Date (it being understood and agreed that the Loan may not be prepaid in whole or in part in accordance with this Section 2.05(a) or otherwise (other than mandatory prepayments pursuant to Section 2.05(b) below and other than Permitted Par Prepayments pursuant to Section 2.05(a)(iii) below) prior to the second anniversary of the Closing Date), so long as no Event of Default exists, the Borrower may, upon Borrower’s delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Loan Prepayment, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay the Loan in whole or in part; provided that: (i) such Notice of Loan Prepayment must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three U.S. Government Securities Business Days prior to any date of prepayment if the Loan is then a SOFR Loan and (2) on the date of prepayment if the Loan is then a Base Rate Loan; (ii) any such prepayment shall, (A) if the Loan is then a SOFR Loan, be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire Outstanding Amount of the Loan), (B) if the Loan is then a Base Rate Loan, be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire Outstanding Amount of the Loan) and (C) be accompanied by the applicable Prepayment Premium (if any); and (iii) from and after the first anniversary of the Closing Date, the Borrower shall have the right to prepay the Loan on any Interest Payment Date thereafter in an amount which not in excess of $1,500,000 per Interest Payment Date (any such prepayment, a “Permitted Par Prepayment” and such amount, the “Permitted Par Prepayment Basket”). Any such Permitted Par Prepayment shall not require the payment of any Prepayment Premium but such prepayment shall otherwise be subject to the other applicable requirements of this Section 2.05. If, after delivering a Notice of Loan Prepayment for a Permitted Par Prepayment on any Interest Payment Date after the first anniversary of the Closing Date, the Borrower either does not make such Permitted Par Prepayment or makes a Permitted Par Prepayment but in an amount that is less than the Permitted Par Prepayment Basket, then in either such case, the unused portion of the Permitted Par Prepayment Basket shall not be carried forward to any subsequent Interest Payment Date. Each Notice of Loan Prepayment shall be irrevocable and shall specify the date on which such prepayment shall occur, the amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. With respect to any such Notice of Loan Prepayment, the Borrower shall make the prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice (together with the applicable Prepayment Premium) shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of the Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued and unpaid interest on the amount prepaid, together with (if such Loan is a SOFR Loan) any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05, through and including the date the prepayment is received by the Administrative Agent on a Business Day prior to 11:00 a.m. on such Business Day (provided that if the prepayment is received on a Business Day after 11:00 a.m., it shall be deemed received on the next Business Day). Each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
(b) Mandatory Prepayments of the Loan. The Borrower shall, within two (2) Business Days after receipt, prepay the Loans with 100% of the Net Proceeds arising from any (i) Recovery Event (a “Recovery Event Mandatory Prepayment”) or (ii) Disposition (including the Net Proceeds from any Portfolio Optimization Sales, but excluding (A) the Net Proceeds from any Permitted Transfers and (B) any Exempted Proceeds) (a “Disposition Mandatory Prepayment”) in the manner provided for (with respect to any such Disposition Mandatory Prepayment) in Section 7.05(b)(vi)(C) or Section 7.05(c)(iii)(C), as applicable; provided, however, that (1) in no event shall any Prepayment Premium be payable in connection with any Recovery Event Mandatory Prepayment so long as no Event of Default exists and (2) the Prepayment Premium shall be payable in connection with any Disposition Mandatory Prepayment solely to the extent provided in Sections 7.05(b)-(c). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in connection with any mandatory prepayment to be made pursuant to Section 2.05(b), each Lender will have the right to refuse any such prepayment (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, any Permitted Par Prepayment) by giving written notice (a “Rejection Notice”) of such refusal to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent by 11:00 a.m. one Business Day prior to the proposed date of any such prepayment, in which case such prepayment shall not be made by the Borrower. Any Lender that does not deliver a Rejection Notice on or prior to such date shall be deemed to have accepted such prepayment. All prepayments under this Section 2.05 shall be subject to Section 3.05, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid as provided above. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any prepayment received by the Administrative Agent or any Lender during the existence of any Event of Default may be applied by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) to the Obligations in any order, proportion and percentage that the Required Lenders may determine in their sole and absolute discretion.
2.06 Intentionally Omitted.
2.07 Intentionally Omitted.
2.08 Interest; Payment on Maturity Date.
(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each SOFR Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of Adjusted Term SOFR for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest accruing on the Loan for the immediately preceding Interest Period shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
(d) In connection with the use or administration of Term SOFR, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use or administration of Term SOFR.
2.09 Fees.
On the Closing Date, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a modification fee in the amount of $499,990 for modifying, amending and restating the Original Credit Agreement pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. On the date the Additional Advance is funded, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, a commitment fee in the amount of $100,010 for making the Additional Advance pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, which commitment fee may, at the election of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), be structured as original issue discount.
Such modification fee and commitment fee shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever thereafter. Promptly following the Lenders’ request therefor upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall remit such modification fee and commitment fee to the Lenders ratably in accordance with an allocation schedule to be set forth in such written notice.
2.10 Computation of Interest and Fees; Retroactive Adjustments of Applicable Rate.
All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the SOFR) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve months of thirty (30) days each. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate hereunder shall be made at the direction of the Required Lenders and shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
2.11 Evidence of Debt.
Each Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each such promissory note shall be in the form of Exhibit 2.11(a) (a “Note”). Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
2.12 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b) (i) [Reserved].
(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date
on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(c) Application of Mandatory Prepayments. Any mandatory prepayments under this Agreement shall, in the absence of an Event of Default, be applied first to accrued and unpaid interest and then to the Outstanding Amount of the Loan.
(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its payment under Section 11.04(c).
2.13 Sharing of Payments by Lenders.
If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:
(i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or (B) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.
2.14 Benchmark Replacement Setting.
(a) Benchmark Replacement.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, if a Benchmark Transition Event and its related Benchmark Replacement Date have occurred prior any setting of the then-current Benchmark, then (x) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (a) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of such Benchmark setting and subsequent Benchmark settings without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document and (y) if a Benchmark Replacement is determined in accordance with clause (b) of the definition of “Benchmark Replacement” for such Benchmark Replacement Date, such Benchmark Replacement will replace such Benchmark for all purposes hereunder and under any Loan Document in respect of any Benchmark setting at or after 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date notice of such Benchmark Replacement is provided to the Lenders without any amendment to, or further action or consent of any other party to, this Agreement or any other Loan Document so long as the Administrative Agent has not received, by such time, written notice of objection to such Benchmark Replacement from Lenders comprising the Required Lenders. If the Benchmark Replacement is Daily Simple SOFR, all interest payments will be payable on a quarterly basis.
(b) Benchmark Replacement Conforming Changes. In connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement, the Administrative Agent will have the right to make Conforming Changes from time to time and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, any amendments implementing such Conforming Changes will become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(c) Notices; Standards for Decisions and Determinations. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of (i) the implementation of any Benchmark Replacement and (ii) the effectiveness of any Conforming Changes in connection with the use, administration, adoption or implementation of a Benchmark Replacement. The Administrative Agent will notify the Borrower of (x) the removal or reinstatement of any tenor of a Benchmark pursuant to Section 2.14(d) and (y) the commencement of any Benchmark Unavailability Period. Any determination, decision or election that may be made by the Administrative Agent or, if applicable, any Lender (or group of Lenders) pursuant to this Section 2.14, including any determination with respect to a tenor, rate or adjustment or of the occurrence or non-occurrence of an event, circumstance or date and any decision to take or refrain from taking any action or any selection, will be conclusive and binding absent manifest error and may be made in its or their sole discretion and without consent from any other party to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, except, in each case, as expressly required pursuant to this Section 2.14.
(d) Unavailability of Tenor of Benchmark. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or in any other Loan Document, at any time (including in connection with the implementation of a Benchmark Replacement), (i) if the then-current Benchmark is a term rate (including the Term SOFR Reference Rate) and either (A) any tenor for such Benchmark is not displayed on a screen or other information service that publishes such rate from time to time as selected by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion or (B) the regulatory supervisor for the administrator of such Benchmark has provided a public statement or publication of information announcing that any tenor for such Benchmark is not or will not be representative, then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for any Benchmark settings at or after such time to remove such unavailable or non-representative tenor and (ii) if a tenor that was removed pursuant to clause (i) above either (A) is subsequently displayed on a screen or information service for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement) or (B) is not, or is no longer, subject to an announcement that it is not or will not be representative for a Benchmark (including a Benchmark Replacement), then the Administrative Agent may modify the definition of “Interest Period” (or any similar or analogous definition) for all Benchmark settings at or after such time to reinstate such previously removed tenor.
(e) Benchmark Unavailability Period. Upon the Borrower’s receipt of notice of the commencement of a Benchmark Unavailability Period, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans to be made, converted or continued during
any Benchmark Unavailability Period and, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans. During a Benchmark Unavailability Period or at any time that a tenor for the then-current Benchmark is not an Available Tenor, the component of the Base Rate based upon the then-current Benchmark or such tenor for such Benchmark, as applicable, will not be used in any determination of the Base Rate.
ARTICLE III
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes.
(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
(i) Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.
(ii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(iii) If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(c) Tax Indemnifications. (i) Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below.
(ii) Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, (x) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).
(d) Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable, after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.
(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), 3.01(e)(ii)(B) and 3.01(e)(ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,
(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;
(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
(1) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BENE (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BENE (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;
(2) executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-A to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BENE (or W-8BEN, as applicable); or
(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BENE (or W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-B or Exhibit 3.01-C, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-D on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by Law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Closing Date.
(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or have any obligation to pay to any Lender any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by a Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.
(g) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations.
3.02 Illegality.
If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to the Loan or to determine or charge interest rates based upon SOFR, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR or the Term SOFR Reference Rate, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, then (i) any obligation of such Lender to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Loan or continue SOFR Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to SOFR Loans shall be suspended and (ii) the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such actual or asserted illegality or unlawfulness, be determined by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) without reference to clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate”, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all SOFR Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such actual or asserted illegality or unlawfulness, be determined by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) without reference to clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate”), on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such SOFR Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such SOFR Loans SOFR Loans to such day, in each case, until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon SOFR, Term SOFR, Adjusted Term SOFR or the Term SOFR Reference Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates.
Subject to Section 2.14, if, on or prior to the first day of any Interest Period for any SOFR Loan:
(f) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be made at the direction of the Required Lenders and shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that “ Adjusted Term SOFR” cannot be determined pursuant to the definition thereof, or
(g) the Required Lenders determine that for any reason in connection with any request for a SOFR Loan or a conversion thereto or a continuation thereof that Adjusted Term SOFR for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed SOFR Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making and maintaining such Loan, and the Required Lenders have provided notice of such determination to the Administrative Agent,
the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.
Upon the delivery of such notice, any obligation of the Lenders to make SOFR Loans, and any right of the Borrower to continue SOFR Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to SOFR Loans, shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected SOFR Loans or affected Interest Periods) until the Administrative Agent (at the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, (i) the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of SOFR Loans (to the extent of the affected SOFR Loans or affected Interest Periods) or, failing that, the Borrower will be deemed to have converted any such request into a request for a Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein and (ii) any outstanding affected SOFR Loans will be deemed to have been converted into Base Rate Loans at the end of the applicable Interest Period. Upon any such conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so converted, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.
Subject to Section 2.14, if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be made at the direction of the Required Lenders and shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that “Adjusted Term SOFR” cannot be determined pursuant to the definition thereof on any given day, the interest rate on Base Rate Loans shall be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to clause (c) of the definition of “Base Rate” until the Administrative Agent revokes such determination.
3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on SOFR Loans.
(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e));
(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii) impose on any Lender any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or SOFR Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender, the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).
(e) Reserves on SOFR Loans. The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each SOFR Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such SOFR Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least ten (10) days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest or costs from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice ten (10) days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable ten (10) days from receipt of such notice.
3.05 Compensation for Losses.
Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any SOFR Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such SOFR Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
(b) any failure by the Borrower to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any SOFR Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or
(c) any assignment of a SOFR Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13;
including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such SOFR Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. Each Lender has made its Applicable Percentage of the Loan to the Borrower through the Lending Office selected by it. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Applicable Percentage of the Loan hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.
3.07 Survival.
All of the Loan Parties’ obligations under this Article III shall survive repayment of all Obligations hereunder and resignation of the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE IV
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT
4.01 Conditions of Effectiveness.
This Agreement shall become effective upon the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(i) Agreement. Executed counterparts of this Agreement, properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party and by each Lender.
(ii) Opinions of Counsel. Favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date.
(iii) Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc.
(A) copies of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;
(B) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party; and
(C) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation.
(iv) Loan Sale Transactions. Such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that the Loan Sale Transactions have been consummated.
(v) Closing Certificate. A certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that no Default or Event of Default shall exist and including a calculation of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the most recently ended four-fiscal quarter period.
(b) Fees. Receipt by the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders of any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date.
(c) Attorney Costs. The Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
4.02 Conditions to the Additional Advance.
The obligation of each Lender to fund its Applicable Percentage of the Additional Advance is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, not less than two (2) Business Days prior to the Additional Advance Date, a Loan Notice pursuant to which the Borrower shall (i) request the entire amount of the Additional Advance and (ii) set forth the Borrower’s proposed use of the Additional Advance, which shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders).
(b) The representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct on and as of the Additional Advance Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date.
(c) No Default or Event of Default shall exist as of the date of the Borrower’s delivery of the Loan Notice specified in the foregoing clause (a) or as of the Additional Advance Date or would result from the funding of the Additional Advance.
Any Loan Notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to Section 4.02(a) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(b) and (c) have been satisfied on and as of the Additional Advance Date.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Loan Parties represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power.
Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention.
The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not (a) contravene the terms of any of the Organization Documents of the General Partner or any Loan Party; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.
No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document other than (a) those that have already been obtained and are in full force and effect and (b) filings to perfect the Liens created by the Collateral Documents.
5.04 Binding Effect.
Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. Each Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is party thereto, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms.
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b) (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the MLP and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments); and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the MLP and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
(b) The Audited Financial Statements and the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the MLP and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2021 (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the MLP and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments); and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the MLP and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
(c) From the date of the Audited Financial Statements to and including the Closing Date, there has been no Disposition or any Recovery Event of any material part of the business or property of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no purchase or other acquisition by any of them of any business or property (including any Equity Interests of any other Person) material in relation to the consolidated financial condition of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case, which is not reflected in the foregoing financial statements or in the notes thereto and has not otherwise been disclosed in writing to the Lenders on or prior to the Closing Date.
(d) Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.06 Litigation.
There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (b) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.07 No Default.
(a) No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) No Default has occurred and is continuing.
5.08 Ownership of Property.
Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.09 Environmental Compliance.
Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect:
(a) Each of the facilities and real properties owned, leased or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (the “Facilities”) and all operations at the Facilities are in compliance with all applicable Environmental Laws, and there is no violation of any Environmental Law with respect to the Facilities or the businesses operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary at such time (the “Businesses”), and there are no conditions relating to the Facilities or the Businesses that could give rise to liability under any applicable Environmental Laws.
(b) None of the Facilities contains, or has previously contained, any Hazardous Materials at, on or under the Facilities in amounts or concentrations that constitute or constituted a violation of, or could give rise to liability under, Environmental Laws.
(c) No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary has received any written or verbal notice of, or inquiry from any Governmental Authority regarding, any violation, alleged violation, non-compliance, liability or potential liability regarding environmental matters or compliance with Environmental Laws with regard to any of the Facilities or the Businesses, nor does any Responsible Officer of any Loan Party have knowledge or reason to believe that any such notice will be received or is being threatened.
(d) Hazardous Materials have not been transported or disposed of from the Facilities, or generated, treated, stored or disposed of at, on or under any of the Facilities or any other location, in each case by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in violation of, or in a manner that would be reasonably likely to give rise to liability under, any applicable Environmental Law.
(e) No judicial proceeding or governmental or administrative action is pending or, to the knowledge of the Responsible Officers of the Loan Parties, threatened, under any Environmental Law to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is or will be named as a party, nor are there any consent decrees or other decrees, consent orders, administrative orders or other orders, or other administrative or judicial requirements outstanding under any Environmental Law with respect to any Loan Party, any Subsidiary, the Facilities or the Businesses.
(f) There has been no release or threat of release of Hazardous Materials at or from the Facilities, or arising from or related to the operations (including disposal) of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in connection with the Facilities or otherwise in connection with the Businesses, in violation of or in amounts or in a manner that could give rise to liability under Environmental Laws.
5.10 Insurance.
(a) The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Loan Party or the applicable Subsidiary operates. The property and general liability insurance coverage of the Loan Parties as in effect on the Closing Date is outlined as to carrier, policy number, expiration date, type, amount and deductibles on Schedule 5.10.
(b) Each Loan Party maintains, if available, fully paid flood hazard insurance on all Flood Hazard Properties, on such terms and in such amounts as required by Flood Insurance Laws or as otherwise required by the Administrative Agent.
5.11 Taxes.
Each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal, state and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP. There is no proposed tax assessment against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect. No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is party to any tax sharing agreement.
5.12 ERISA Compliance.
(a) Each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Laws. Each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter from the IRS to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the IRS to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS. To the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, nothing has occurred that would reasonably be expected to prevent or cause the loss of such tax-qualified status.
(b) There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) (i) No ERISA Event has occurred, and no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate is aware of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan; (ii) each Loan Party and each ERISA Affiliate has met all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of each Pension Plan, and no waiver of the minimum funding standards under the Pension Funding Rules has been applied for or obtained; (iii) as of the most recent valuation date for any Pension Plan, the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 430(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code) is 60% or higher and no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate knows of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the funding target attainment percentage for any such plan to drop below 60% as of the most recent valuation date; (iv) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC other than for the payment of premiums, and there are no premium payments which have become due that are unpaid; (v) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; and (vi) no Pension Plan has been terminated by the plan administrator thereof nor by the PBGC, and no event or circumstance has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to cause the PBGC to institute proceedings under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Pension Plan.
(d) The Borrower represents and warrants that it is not and will not be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans.
5.13 Subsidiaries.
Set forth on Schedule 5.13 is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing Date of each Subsidiary of any Loan Party, together with (i) jurisdiction of organization, (ii) number of shares or other Equity Interests of each class of Equity Interests outstanding, and (iii) number and percentage of outstanding shares of each class owned (directly or indirectly) by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary. The outstanding Equity Interests of each Subsidiary of any Loan Party are validly issued, fully paid and non assessable.
5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.
(a) The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of the Loan, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the MLP and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 7.01 or Section 7.05 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the MLP and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(e) will be margin stock.
(b) None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.15 Disclosure.
Each Loan Party has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time. As of the Closing Date, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification is true and correct in all respects.
5.16 Compliance with Laws.
Each Loan Party and Subsidiary is in compliance with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.17 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.
Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary owns, or possesses the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses. Set forth on Schedule 5.17 is a list of (i) all IP Rights registered or pending registration with the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office that, as of the Closing Date, a Loan Party owns and (ii) all licenses of IP Rights registered with the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office as of the Closing Date. Except for such claims and infringements that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, no claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any IP Rights or the validity or effectiveness of any IP Rights, nor does any Loan Party know of any such claim, and, to the knowledge of the Responsible Officers of the Loan Parties, the use of any IP Rights by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or the granting of a right or a license in respect of any IP Rights from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary does not infringe on the rights of any Person. As of the Closing Date, none of the IP Rights owned by any Loan Party is subject to any licensing agreement or similar arrangement except as set forth on Schedule 5.17.
5.18 Solvency.
The Borrower is Solvent, and the Loan Parties are Solvent on a consolidated basis.
5.19 Perfection of Security Interests in the Collateral.
The Collateral Documents create valid security interests in, and Liens on, the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, which security interests and Liens are currently perfected security interests and Liens, prior to all other Liens other than Permitted Liens.
5.20 Business Locations; Taxpayer Identification Number.
Set forth on Schedule 5.20(a) is a list of all real property located in the United States that is owned or leased by any Loan Party as of the Closing Date. Set forth on Schedule 5.20(b) is the jurisdiction of organization, chief executive office, exact legal name, U.S. tax payer identification number and organizational identification number of each Loan Party as of the Closing Date. Except as set forth on Schedule 5.20(c), no Loan Party has during the five years preceding the Closing Date (i) changed its legal name, (ii) changed its state of formation or (iii) been party to a merger, consolidation or other change in structure. Set forth on Schedule 5.20(d) is a list of each deposit and investment account of each Loan Party as of the Closing Date.
5.21 OFAC.
None of the Loan Parties, nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.
5.22 Anti-Corruption Laws.
The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
5.23 Affected Financial Institution.
No Loan Party is an Affected Financial Institution.
ARTICLE VI
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
Until the Facility Termination Date, each Loan Party shall and shall cause each Subsidiary to:
6.01 Financial Statements.
Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:
(a) as soon as available, but in any event within ninety days after the end of each fiscal year of the MLP (or, if earlier, 15 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC (without giving effect to any extension permitted by the SEC)), commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, a consolidated balance sheet of the MLP and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, and in the case of such consolidated statements audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and
(b) as soon as available, but in any event within forty-five days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the MLP (or, if earlier, 5 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC (without giving effect to any extension permitted by the SEC)), commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2021, a consolidated balance sheet of the MLP and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the MLP’s fiscal year then ended, and the related consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the portion of the MLP’s fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form, as applicable, the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and in the case of such consolidated statements certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer,
treasurer or controller of the Borrower as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the MLP and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.
As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(d), the Borrower shall not be separately required to furnish such information under Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b), but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of the Borrower to furnish the information and materials described in Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b) at the times specified therein.
6.02 Certificates; Other Information.
Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:
(a) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Section 6.01(a), a certificate of its independent certified public accountants certifying such financial statements and stating that in making the examination necessary therefor no knowledge was obtained of any Default under the financial covenants set forth herein or, if any such Default shall exist, stating the nature and status of such event;
(b) concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower which shall include such supplements to Schedules 5.13, 5.17, 5.20(a), 5.20(b), 5.20(c) and 5.20(d), as are necessary such that, as supplemented, such Schedules would be accurate and complete as of the date of such Compliance Certificate (which delivery may, unless the Administrative Agent, or a Lender requests executed originals, be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes); provided, however, that for the absence of doubt, all calculations in the Compliance Certificate required to be delivered in connection with the June 30, 2021 financial statements shall be made after giving effect to the making of the Loan).
(c) not later than 30 days after the beginning of each fiscal year of the MLP, commencing with the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2021, an annual business plan and budget of the MLP and its Subsidiaries containing, among other things, pro forma financial statements for each quarter of such fiscal year;
(d) promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the equityholders of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;
(e) promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of the MLP by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of the MLP or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;
(f) promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any statement or report furnished to any holder of debt securities of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or any other clause of this Section 6.02;
(g) promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary;
(h) promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may from time to time reasonably request, including, if requested by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of any Lender), pro forma financial statements for each fiscal year remaining during the term of this Agreement; and
(i) promptly following any request therefor, information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable “know your customer” requirements under the PATRIOT Act, the Beneficial Ownership Regulation or other applicable anti-money laundering laws.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b) or Section 6.02(d) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the MLP posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the MLP’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the MLP or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities Laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated as “Public Side Information.” Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”
6.03 Notices.
Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of:
(a) the occurrence of any Default.
(b) any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) the occurrence of any ERISA Event.
(d) any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.
Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.
6.04 Payment of Taxes.
Pay and discharge, as the same shall become due and payable, all its tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary.
6.05 Preservation of Existence, Etc.
(a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05.
(b) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05.
(c) Take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Preserve or renew all of its IP Rights, the non-preservation or non-renewal of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 Maintenance of Properties.
(a) Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
(b) Make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.
6.07 Maintenance of Insurance.
(a) Maintain in full force and effect insurance (including worker’s compensation insurance, liability insurance, casualty insurance and business interruption insurance) with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where such Loan Party or such Subsidiary operates.
(b) If any portion of any Mortgaged Property is at any time located in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (or any successor agency) as a special flood hazard area with respect to which flood insurance has been made available under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (as now or hereafter in effect or successor act thereto), then (i) maintain, or cause to be maintained, with a financially sound and reputable insurer, flood insurance in an amount and otherwise sufficient to comply with all applicable rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the Flood Insurance Laws and (ii) deliver to the Administrative Agent evidence of such compliance in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders). The Borrower shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any Mortgaged Property that is, or becomes, a Flood Hazard Property.
(c) Cause the Administrative Agent and its successors and assigns to be named as lender’s loss payee or mortgagee, as its interest may appear, and/or additional insured with respect to any such insurance providing liability coverage or coverage in respect of any Collateral, and cause each provider of any such insurance to agree, by endorsement upon the policy or policies issued by it or by independent instruments furnished to the Administrative Agent, that it will give the Administrative Agent thirty days (or such lesser amount as the Administrative Agent may agree) prior written notice before any such policy or policies shall be altered or canceled.
6.08 Compliance with Laws.
Comply with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.09 Books and Records.
(a) Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.
(b) Maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.
6.10 Inspection Rights.
Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that (i) so long as no Event of Default then exists, except for one collective visit per calendar year (which shall be at the reasonable expense of the Borrower), all such visits and inspections shall be at the sole expense of the Administrative Agent and participating Lenders and such visits and inspections shall occur no more frequently annually, and (ii) when an Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the reasonable expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice.
6.11 Use of Proceeds.
Use the proceeds of the Loan (a) to finance working capital, capital expenditures and other lawful corporate purposes, and (b) to refinance certain existing Indebtedness, provided that in no event shall the proceeds of the Loan be used in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.
6.12 ERISA Compliance.
Do, and cause each of its ERISA Affiliates to do, each of the following: (a) maintain each Plan in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Law; (b) cause each Plan that is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code to maintain such qualification; and (c) make all required contributions to any Plan subject to Section 412, Section 430 or Section 431 of the Internal Revenue Code.
6.13 Additional Guarantors.
Within thirty days (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion, exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders) after any Person becomes a wholly-owned Domestic Subsidiary, cause such Person to (a) become a Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a Joinder Agreement or such other documents as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose, and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion (exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders), deliver to the Administrative Agent such Organization Documents, resolutions and favorable opinions of counsel, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
6.14 Pledged Assets.
(a) Equity Interests. Cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Domestic Subsidiary and (ii) 66% (or such greater percentage that, due to a change in an applicable Law after the Closing Date, (A) could not reasonably be expected to cause the undistributed earnings of such Foreign Subsidiary as determined for United States federal income tax purposes to be treated as a deemed dividend to such Foreign Subsidiary’s United States parent and (B) could not reasonably be expected to cause any material adverse tax consequences) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956 2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956 2(c)(2)) in each Foreign Subsidiary directly owned by any Loan Party to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents, and, in connection with the foregoing, deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may (at the direction of the Required Lenders) request including, any filings and deliveries to perfect such Liens and favorable opinions of counsel all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders).
(b) Other Property. Cause all property (other than Excluded Property) of each Loan Party to be subject at all times to first priority, perfected and, in the case of real property, title insured Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent to secure the Obligations pursuant to the Collateral Documents (subject to Permitted Liens) and, in connection with the foregoing, deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may (at the direction of the Required Lenders) request including filings and deliveries necessary to perfect such Liens, Organization Documents, resolutions, Mortgaged Property Support Documents, landlord’s waivers and favorable opinions of counsel to such Person as well as, within sixty days following the Closing Date if required by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), date-down endorsements to the existing title policies and customary searches of the Loan Parties and the Mortgaged Properties which were ordered prior to (but not yet delivered) as of the Closing Date as well as local counsel opinions with respect to the assignments of the Alabama and Indiana Mortgages, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders). Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to real property (other than Excluded Property) acquired on or after the Closing Date, the Loan Parties shall have sixty days following such acquisition (or such later time as agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion) to deliver the requested Mortgaged Property Support Documents with respect thereto.
(c) Control Agreements. Not later than sixty days after the Closing Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion), cause (i) all deposit accounts of the Loan Parties to be maintained with the Original Administrative Agent, or another financial institution, that has entered into a control agreement with the Administrative Agent and (ii) all securities and investment accounts of the Loan Parties to be maintained with an institution that has entered into a control agreement with (or other arrangements granting control to) the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to accounts (A) used exclusively as trust accounts solely for the benefit of persons that are not Loan Parties (or Affiliates thereof) or (B) used solely for payroll, payroll taxes, and/or other employee wage or employee benefit payments to, or for the benefit of, any employees of any Loan Party, provided, that, in each case, the funds held or maintained in any such deposit accounts shall not exceed, at any time, amount(s) reasonably anticipated to be used for current requirements for such purpose(s) at such time.
6.15 Anti-Corruption Laws.
Conduct its businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.
ARTICLE VII
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
Until the Facility Termination Date, no Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:
7.01 Liens.
Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:
(a) Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;
(b) Liens existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that the property covered thereby is not increased;
(c) Liens (other than Liens imposed under ERISA) for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;
(d) Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and repairmen or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;
(e) pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;
(f) deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(g) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar encumbrances affecting real property which, in the aggregate, are not substantial in amount, and which do not in any case materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;
(h) Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);
(i) Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) such Liens attach to such property concurrently with or within ninety days after the acquisition thereof;
(j) leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary;
(k) any interest of title of a lessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases permitted by this Agreement;
(l) Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under Section 7.02(a);
(m) normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;
(n) Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection; and
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Liens securing Indebtedness for borrowed money shall be permitted to encumber owned real property of the MLP and its Subsidiaries, except Liens created by the Collateral Documents.
7.02 Investments.
Make any Investments, except:
(a) Investments held in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents;
(b) Investments existing as of the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.02;
(c) Investments in any Person that is a Loan Party prior to giving effect to such Investment;
(d) Investments by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;
(e) 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 to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;
(f) Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03;
(g) Permitted Acquisitions;
(h) Investments contemplated by the Registration Statement to be made substantially concurrently with the IPO; and
(i) Investments of a nature not contemplated in the foregoing clauses in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding.
7.03 Indebtedness.
Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;
(b) Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 7.03 (and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof); provided that (i) the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (ii) the terms relating to principal amount, amortization, maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, renewal or extension are no less favorable in any material respect to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries or the Lenders than the terms of the Indebtedness being refinanced, renewed or extended;
(c) intercompany Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.02; provided that in the case of Indebtedness owing by a Loan Party to a Foreign Subsidiary (i) such Indebtedness shall be subordinated prior to the Obligations in a manner and to an extent reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) such Indebtedness shall not be prepaid unless no Default exists immediately prior to or after giving effect to such prepayment;
(d) obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates or foreign exchange rates, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;
(e) purchase money Indebtedness (including obligations in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations) hereafter incurred to finance the purchase of fixed assets, and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof, provided that such Indebtedness when incurred shall not exceed the purchase price of the asset(s) financed;
(f) unsecured Indebtedness owed to Controlling Affiliates in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed at any one time outstanding the sum of (i) $50,000,000 minus (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to Section 7.03(g);
(g) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 at any one time outstanding; and
(h) Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness permitted under this Section 7.03.
7.04 Fundamental Changes.
Merge, dissolve, liquidate or consolidate with or into another Person, except that so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, (a) the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any of its Subsidiaries provided that the Borrower is the continuing or surviving Person, (b) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Subsidiary of the Borrower provided that if a Loan Party is a party to such transaction, the continuing or surviving Person is a Loan Party, (c) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge with any other Person in connection with a Permitted Acquisition provided that (i) if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower is the continuing or surviving Person and (ii) if a Loan Party is a party to such transaction, such Loan Party is the surviving Person and (d) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time provided that such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.05 Dispositions.
Make any Disposition except:
(a) Permitted Transfers;
(b) other Dispositions so long as (i) 100% of the consideration paid in connection therewith shall be cash or Cash Equivalents paid contemporaneous with consummation of the transaction and shall be in an amount not less than the fair market value of the property disposed of, (ii) if such transaction is a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, such transaction is not prohibited by the terms of Section 7.15, (iii) such transaction does not involve the sale or other disposition of (A) any minority Equity Interest in any Subsidiary or (B) any Equity Interest in a Subsidiary if such Subsidiary is a Loan Party (unless such transaction otherwise constitutes a Permitted Transfer), (iv) any such transaction is not made with respect to any receivables other than receivables owned by or attributable to other property concurrently being disposed of in a transaction otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05, (v) the aggregate net book value of all of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in all such transactions in any fiscal year of the MLP shall not exceed $3,000,000, and (vi) 100% of the Net Proceeds of such transaction shall either (A) remain on the balance sheet of the Borrower until the Obligations have been satisfied in full, (B) be distributed as directed by the MLP’s board of directors solely pursuant to a Permitted Net Proceeds Restricted Payment made pursuant to Section 7.06(a) (any such Net Proceeds remaining on the Borrower’s balance or distributed in accordance with the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), “Exempted Proceeds”) or (C) be applied to prepay the Loan pursuant to Section 2.05(b) either (1) without the Administrative Agent’s prior written consent upon the Borrower’s delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Loan Prepayment with respect to such prepayment if and only if (I) the applicable Disposition occurs from and after the second anniversary of the Closing Date and (II) such prepayment is accompanied by the applicable Prepayment Premium or (2) at par in any scenario not described in the immediately preceding clause (1) if the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) consents to such par prepayment, which consent may be granted or withheld in the Administrative Agent’s sole and absolute discretion (exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders); and
(c) a Portfolio Optimization Disposition or an assignment by Green Plains Logistics LLC to Holdings (or one of Holdings’ Subsidiaries that is not a Subsidiary of the MLP or the General Partner) of certain rail car leases, generally sufficient to support the needs of the ethanol plants subject to the Portfolio Optimization Disposition; provided that no Dispositions or assignments shall be permitted pursuant to this subsection (c) unless (i) the consideration therefor is 100% cash, (ii) such Portfolio Optimization Disposition is in compliance with the MLP Purchaser Agreement and applicable conflicts committee procedures, and (iii) 100% of the Net Proceeds of such transaction shall either (A) remain on the balance sheet of the Borrower until the Obligations have been satisfied in full, (B) be distributed as Exempted Proceeds or (C) be applied to prepay the Loan pursuant to Section 2.05(b) either (1) without the Administrative Agent’s prior written consent upon the Borrower’s delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Notice of Loan Prepayment with respect to such prepayment if and only if (I) the applicable Disposition occurs from and after the second anniversary of the Closing Date and (II) such prepayment is accompanied by the applicable Prepayment Premium or (2) at par in any scenario not described in the immediately preceding clause (1) if the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) consents to such par prepayment, which consent may be granted or withheld in the Administrative Agent’s sole and absolute discretion (exercised at the direction of the Required Lenders).
7.06 Restricted Payments.
Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that:
(a) the Loan Parties may make Restricted Payments with the Net Proceeds of any Disposition (i) in an aggregate amount that does not exceed $3,000,000 during the term of the Loan (the “Net Proceeds RP Threshold”), or (ii) in an aggregate amount that exceeds the Net Proceeds RP Threshold (an “Excess Net Proceeds Distribution”) if and only if (for purposes of this clause (ii)), (A) contemporaneously with the making of such Restricted Payments, the Loan Parties deliver to the Administrative Agent (1) a fully executed and effective amendment to a GP Service Contract that increases the obligations of Green Plains Trade Group LLC thereunder in a manner resulting in an increase in the value of such GP Service Contract, (2) a fully executed and effective Guarantee by a Subsidiary of Holdings that is acceptable to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) or (3) additional Collateral acceptable to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), all of which applicable documentation delivered in connection with the foregoing clause (A) shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders), and (B) the amount of the (1) increase in value of a GP Service Contract, (2) Guarantee or (3) additional Collateral, as applicable, pursuant to the foregoing clause (A) shall be commensurate to the amount of the applicable Excess Net Proceeds Distribution, as determined by the Administrative Agent (at the direction of the Required Lenders) (any such Restricted Payment, a “Permitted Net Proceeds Restricted Payment”);
(b) each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to Persons that own Equity Interests in such Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;
(c) each Loan Party and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in common Equity Interests of such Person;
(d) Restricted Payments contemplated by the Registration Statement may be made substantially concurrently with the IPO; and
(e) the MLP may make Restricted Payments of up to 100% of (i) the Distributable Cash Flow with respect to any fiscal quarter and (ii) cash then on hand of the MLP, but not, for the avoidance of doubt, of any Net Proceeds of Dispositions or non-cash assets (it being understood and agreed that Restricted Payments of Net Proceeds of Dispositions or non-cash assets shall only be permitted in accordance with, and subject to, Sections 7.06(a) and (c), respectively); provided, however, that (i) no Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (ii) the MLP and its Subsidiaries shall be in compliance (after giving effect on a Pro Forma Basis to the making of such Restricted Payment) with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11.
7.07 Change in Nature of Business.
Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.
7.08 Transactions with Affiliates.
Enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any Affiliate of such Person, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than (a) advances of working capital to any Loan Party, (b) transfers of cash and assets to any Loan Party, (c) intercompany transactions expressly permitted by Section 7.02, Section 7.03, Section 7.04, Section 7.05 or Section 7.06, (d) normal and reasonable compensation and reimbursement of expenses of officers and directors, (e) the Contribution Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement, the GP Services Contract and the Operational Services and Secondment Agreement and such other agreements in effect on the Closing Date as disclosed in the Registration Statement, (f) any transactions approved by the Conflicts Committee and (g) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Agreement, other transactions which are on terms and conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.
7.09 Burdensome Agreements.
Enter into, or permit to exist, any Contractual Obligation that (a) encumbers or restricts the ability of any such Person to (i) make Restricted Payments to any Loan Party, (ii) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Loan Party, (iii) make loans or advances to any Loan Party, (iv) transfer any of its property to any Loan Party, (v) pledge its property pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof or (vi) act as a Loan Party pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof, except (in respect of any of the matters referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above) for (1) this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (2) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(e), provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets constructed or acquired in connection therewith, (3) any Permitted Lien or any document or instrument governing any Permitted Lien, provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets subject to such Permitted Lien or (4) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to the sale of any property permitted under Section 7.05 pending the consummation of such sale, or (b) requires the grant of any security for any obligation if such property is given as security for the Obligations.
7.10 Use of Proceeds.
Use the proceeds of any Loan, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.
7.11 Financial Covenants.
(a) [Reserved].
(b) Consolidated Leverage Ratio. The Loan Parties shall not permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the MLP to be greater than 2.50 to 1.0. The Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall take into account any prepayment of the outstanding principal amount of the Loan that may be made by Borrower pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
(c) Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio. The Loan Parties shall not permit the Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the MLP to be less than 1.10 to 1.0.
7.12 Prepayment of Other Indebtedness, Etc.
(a) Amend or modify any of the terms of any Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents) if such amendment or modification would add or change any terms in a manner adverse to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or shorten the final maturity or average life to maturity or require any payment to be made sooner than originally scheduled or increase the interest rate applicable thereto.
(b) Make (or give any notice with respect thereto) any voluntary or optional payment or prepayment or redemption or acquisition for value of (including by way of depositing money or securities with the trustee with respect thereto before due for the purpose of paying when due), refund, refinance or exchange of any Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (other than Indebtedness arising under the Loan Documents).
7.13 Organization Documents; Fiscal Year; Legal Name, State of Formation and Form of Entity.
(a) Amend, modify or change its Organization Documents in a manner adverse to the Lenders; provided the foregoing shall not apply to amendments, modifications or changes to the MLP Partnership Agreement made in connection with the IPO and which are consistent with the Registration Statement.
(b) Change its fiscal year.
(c) Without providing ten days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (or such lesser period as the Administrative Agent may agree), change its name, state of formation or form of organization.
(d) In the case of the MLP, alter its status as a partnership for purposes of United States federal income Taxes.
7.14 Ownership of Subsidiaries.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, (a) permit any Person (other than the MLP or any wholly-owned Subsidiary) to own any Equity Interests of any Subsidiary except to qualify directors where required by applicable Law or to satisfy other requirements of applicable Law with respect to the ownership of Equity Interests of Foreign Subsidiaries, or (b) permit any Subsidiary to issue or have outstanding any shares of preferred Equity Interests.
7.15 Sale Leasebacks.
Enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction.
7.16 Sanctions.
Directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Loan, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available the proceeds of any Loan to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Administrative Agent or otherwise) of Sanctions.
7.17 Anti-Corruption Laws..
Directly or indirectly use the proceeds of any Loan for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.
7.18 Amendment to GP Service Contract.
Except for amendments made in connection with the Portfolio Optimization Dispositions, amend or modify the GP Service Contract in any manner materially adverse to the interests of the Loan Parties or the Lenders; provided that, any decrease in minimum volume commitments (other than Portfolio Optimization Dispositions permitted pursuant to Section 7.05) or reductions in rates payable to the Borrower or its Subsidiaries shall be deemed materially adverse to the interests of the Loan Parties or the Lenders.
ARTICLE VIII
EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
8.01 Events of Default.
Any of the following shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) Non-Payment. Any Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or (ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or
(b) Specific Covenants. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03(a), 6.05(a), 6.10 or 6.11 or Article VII; or
(c) Other Defaults. Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty days; or
(d) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or
(e) Cross-Default. (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or
(f) Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or
(g) Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within thirty days after its issue or levy; or
(h) Judgments. There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of the claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of ten consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or
(i) ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or
(j) Invalidity of Loan Documents. Any provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect or ceases to give the Administrative Agent any material part of the Liens purported to be created thereby; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any provision of any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or
(k) Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control.
8.02 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) [reserved];
(b) declare the unpaid principal amount of the Loan, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts (including, without limitation, any applicable Prepayment Premium) owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;
(c) [reserved]; and
(d) exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or at equity;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the unpaid principal amount of the Loan and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
8.03 Application of Funds.
After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loan has automatically become immediately due and payable as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, 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 and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest) payable to the Lenders (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;
Fourth, to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans, (b) payment of Obligations then owing under any Secured Hedge Agreements and (c) payment of Obligations then owing under any Secured Cash Management Agreements; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or such Guarantor’s assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section.
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 a Secured Party Designation Notice, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be. Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article IX for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.
ARTICLE IX
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 Appointment and Authority.
Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints Argent Institutional Trust Company to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, and no Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (in its capacities as a Lender, potential Hedge Banks and potential Cash Management Banks) hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX and Article XI (including Section 11.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.
9.02 Rights as a Lender.
The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender (if applicable) as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity at any time during which the Administrative Agent is a Lender. 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 any Loan Party 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 to provide notice to or consent of the Lenders with respect thereto.
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions.
The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. Any such action taken or failure to act pursuant to the foregoing shall be binding on all Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender.
Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent.
The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender prior to the making of such Loan. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan Parties), 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.
9.05 Delegation of Duties.
The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank or a trust company or another institutional entity that regularly acts as an administrative agent under credit facilities of this type with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank or trust company or other institutional entity with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
(b) The Required Lenders may at any time, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower remove the Person acting as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. 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 (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
(d) Borrower and the other Loan Parties hereby acknowledge and agree that the transfer by the Original Administrative Agent of its right to act as Administrative Agent under the Original Credit Agreement also constitutes, and has resulted in, its resignation as “L/C Issuer” and “Swing Line Lender” under the Original Credit Agreement (it being understood that Bank of America has previously been discharged from all of its duties and obligations under the Original Credit Agreement related to letters of credit and swing line loans under the Original Credit Agreement).
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.
Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties; Etc.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-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 or a Lender hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding.
In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender in any such proceeding.
The holders of the Obligations hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the holders thereof shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in clauses (a)(ii) through (a)(vi) of Section 11.01, and (ii) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Lender or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.
9.10 Collateral and Guaranty Matters.
Without limiting the provisions of Section 9.09, each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,
(a) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon the Facility Termination Date, (ii) that is sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any Recovery Event, or (iii) as approved in accordance with Section 11.01;
(b) to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i); and
(c) to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents.
Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, pursuant to this Section 9.10.
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 for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.
9.11 Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements.
No Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefit of Section 8.03, the Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) (or to notice of or to consent to any amendment, waiver or modification of the provisions hereof or of the Guaranty or any Collateral Document) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements except to the extent expressly provided herein and unless the Administrative Agent has received a Secured Party Designation Notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be. The Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements in the case of the Facility Termination Date.
9.12 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 Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower 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 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans.
(ii) the 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 with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans 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 and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans 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 and this Agreement, or
(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 sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in 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, 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 Arranger and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that the Administrative Agent is not a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’s entrance into, participation in administration of any performance of the Loans 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).
ARTICLE X
GUARANTY
10.01 The Guaranty.
Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender and each other holder of Obligations as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof. The Guarantors hereby further agree that if any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.
Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents or the other documents relating to the Obligations, the obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under applicable Debtor Relief Laws.
10.02 Obligations Unconditional.
The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 10.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 10.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances. Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower or any other Loan Party for amounts paid under this Article X until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:
(a) at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;
(b) any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be done or omitted;
(c) the maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;
(d) any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations as security for any of the Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or
(e) any of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including any creditor of any Guarantor).
With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Loan Documents or any other document relating to the Obligations, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.
10.03 Reinstatement.
The obligations of each Guarantor under this Article X shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, and each Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each other holder of the Obligations on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such holder of the Obligations in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any Debtor Relief Law.
10.04 Certain Additional Waivers.
Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 10.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 10.06.
10.05 Remedies.
The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the other holders of the Obligations, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as specified in Section 10.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances specified in Section
10.02) for purposes of Section 10.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 10.01. The Guarantors acknowledge and agree that their obligations hereunder are secured in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents and that the holders of the Obligations may exercise their remedies thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof.
10.06 Rights of Contribution.
The Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that, if any Guarantor shall make an Excess Payment (as defined below), such Guarantor shall have a right of contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantor’s Contribution Share (as defined below) of such Excess Payment. The payment obligations of any Guarantor under this Section 10.06 shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the Obligations until such time as the Obligations have been paid-in-full and none of the Guarantors shall exercise any right or remedy under this Section 10.06 against any other Guarantor until such Obligations have been paid-in-full. For purposes of this Section 10.06, (a) “Excess Payment” shall mean the amount paid by any Guarantor in excess of its Ratable Share of any Obligations; (b) “Ratable Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any payment of Obligations, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such payment of Obligations of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of all of the Loan Parties exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties hereunder) of the Loan Parties; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Ratable Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any payment of Obligations, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such payment; and (c) “Contribution Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any Excess Payment made by any other Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such Excess Payment of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of the Loan Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties) of the Loan Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Contribution Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any Excess Payment, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such Excess Payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such Excess Payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such Excess Payment. This Section 10.06 shall not be deemed to affect any right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution that any Guarantor may have under Law against the Borrower in respect of any payment of Obligations.
10.07 Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.
The guarantee in this Article X is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to the Obligations whenever arising.
10.08 Keepwell.
Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty in this Article X by any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (a “Specified Loan Party”) or the grant of a security interest under the Loan Documents by any such Specified Loan Party, in either case, becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Article X voidable under applicable Debtor Relief Laws, and not for any greater amount). The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full. Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
11.01 Amendments, Etc.
No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that
(a) no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(i) amend or waive Section 4.02 without the consent of each Lender;
(ii) [reserved];
(iii) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment;
(iv) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or (subject to clause (i) of the final proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such amount; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (A) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate or (B) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(v) change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(vi) change any provision of this Section 11.01(a) or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(vii) release all or substantially all of the Collateral without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are secured by such Collateral;
(viii) release the Borrower or the MLP without the consent of each Lender, or, except in connection with a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05, all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are guarantied thereby, except to the extent such release is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone); or
(b) unless also signed by the Administrative Agent, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;
provided, further, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein and (ii) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, (i) this Agreement may be amended and restated without the consent of any Lender (but with the consent of the Borrower) if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated), such Lender shall have no other commitment or other obligation hereunder and shall have been paid in full all principal, interest and other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement and (ii) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may make amendments contemplated by Section 3.03(c).
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may (a) amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document to cure or correct administrative errors or omissions, any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or to effect administrative changes, and such amendment shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document so long as (i) such amendment, modification or supplement does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or other holder of Obligations in any material respect and (ii) the Lenders shall have received at least five Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment and (b) amend, modify or supplement any Collateral Document for purposes of correcting or supplementing descriptions of Collateral (including legal descriptions of real property) and to cause the Obligations to be secured thereby.
11.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.
(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail, FpML messaging, and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender pursuant to Article II if such Lender has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement) and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.
(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities Laws.
(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent and Lenders. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Loan Party. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
11.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.
No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate) preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (c) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b) and (c) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
11.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) Costs and Expenses. The Loan Parties shall pay (i) all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent) in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated) and (ii) all out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent or any Lender), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans.
(b) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including any Loan Party) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by any Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by any Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by them to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof) or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) or such Related Party, as the case may be, such 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 Applicable Percentage of the Loan held by all Lenders at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders’ Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided, further that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent) in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.
11.05 Payments Set Aside.
To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Loan Party is made to the Administrative Agent or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent 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 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 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 Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
11.06 Successors and Assigns.
(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (e) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Applicable Percentage of the Loan at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum Amounts.
(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the Loan at the time owing to it (determined after giving effect to such Assignments) or in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the principal outstanding balance of the Loan of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, subject to subsection (b)(iii) below, the Borrower otherwise consents (with any such consent by Borrower to be subject to the provisions of subsection (b)(iii) below).
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s Loans and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations in respect of its outstanding portion of the Loan on a non-pro rata basis;
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, to the extent that the consent of the Borrower is so required, (A) such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, (B) no consent of Borrower shall be required if (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender, and (C) the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment for which its consent it required unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof.
(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person).
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person) or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (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 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 Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the 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 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in Section 11.01(a) that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, 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 Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each 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) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; 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.
11.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.
Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (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 as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary relating to the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Loan Party or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary after the Closing Date, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
Each of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.
The Loan Parties and their Affiliates agree that they will not in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, unless (and only to the extent that) the Loan Parties or such Affiliate is required to do so under law and then, in any event the Loan Parties or such Affiliate will consult with such Person before issuing such press release or other public disclosure.
The Loan Parties consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of customary advertising material relating to the transactions contemplated hereby using the name, product photographs, logo or trademark of the Loan Parties.
11.08 Rights of Setoff.
If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Loan Party may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender different from the branch or office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Lender and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
11.09 Interest Rate Limitation.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.
11.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.
This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g., “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or certificate. Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.
11.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties.
All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of the Loan, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied.
11.12 Severability.
If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
11.13 Replacement of Lenders.
If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:
(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);
(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e) in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
11.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
(a) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
11.15 Waiver of Jury Trial.
EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
11.16 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 Loan Parties acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent and the Arranger, and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the 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 the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to the Loan Parties 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 Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by Law, each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
11.17 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.
This Agreement and any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice, certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement (each a “Communication”), including Communications required to be in writing, may be in the form of an Electronic Record and may be executed using Electronic Signatures. Each of the Loan Parties agrees that any Electronic Signature on or associated with any Communication shall be valid and binding on each of the Loan Parties to the same extent as a manual, original signature, and that any Communication entered into by Electronic Signature, will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of each of the Loan Parties enforceable against such in accordance with the terms thereof to the same extent as if a manually executed original signature was delivered. Any Communication may be executed in as many counterparts as necessary or convenient, including both paper and electronic counterparts, but all such counterparts are one and the same Communication. For the avoidance of doubt, the authorization under this paragraph may include, without limitation, use or acceptance by the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders of a manually signed paper Communication which has been converted into electronic form (such as scanned into PDF format), or an electronically signed Communication converted into another format, for transmission, delivery and/or retention.
The Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of any Communication in the form of an imaged Electronic Record (“Electronic Copy”), which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of the such Person’s business, and destroy the original paper document. All Communications in the form of an Electronic Record, including an Electronic Copy, shall be considered an original for all purposes, and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to accept an Electronic Signature in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (a) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept such Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on any such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party without further verification and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart. For purposes hereof, “Electronic Record” and “Electronic Signature” shall have the meanings assigned to them, respectively, by 15 USC §7006, as it may be amended from time to time.
11.18 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.
Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Loan Parties, which information includes the name and address of the Loan Parties and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Loan Parties in accordance with the Act. The Loan Parties shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
11.19 Subordination of Intercompany Indebtedness.
Each Loan Party (a “Subordinating Loan Party”) agrees that the payment of all obligations and indebtedness, whether principal, interest, fees and other amounts and whether now owing or hereafter arising, owing to such Subordinating Loan Party by any other Loan Party is expressly subordinated to the payment in full in cash of the Obligations. If the Administrative Agent so requests, any such obligation or indebtedness shall be enforced and performance received by the Subordinating Loan Party as trustee for the holders of the Obligations and the proceeds thereof shall be paid over to the holders of the Obligations on account of the Obligations, but without reducing or affecting in any manner the liability of the Subordinating Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document. Without limitation of the foregoing, so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the Loan Parties may make and receive payments with respect to any such obligations and indebtedness, provided, that in the event that any Loan Party receives any payment of any such obligations and indebtedness at a time when such payment is prohibited by this Section, such payment shall be held by such Loan Party, in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written request, to the Administrative Agent.
11.20 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions.
Solely to the extent any Lender that is an Affected Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement and 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 Lender that is an 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 Lender 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 Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.
11.21 Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs.
To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for any Swap Contract 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 “U.S. 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): In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a “Covered Party”) becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. 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 U.S. 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 proceeding under a U.S. 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 U.S. 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.
EXHIBIT B
[See attached]
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